Page 14 of Ready or Knot

‘The tree’ is actually a small collection of trees that grow around one of the main walkways through the campus. But Violet and I always sit under the same one, tucked towards the back away from the sidewalk. It’s across campus from me, so I do my best to not panic as I head over to it.

By the time I see Violet standing under it, my heart is in my throat and I can’t quite manage to pull in a full breath.

“Oh shit, Fae. Were you in the middle of that final?” Violet asks as soon as I’m within a few feet of her. I nod, and she grimaces. “Did you at least get to finish it?”

“As much as I was going to be able to even without the papers. My brain is fried right now, Vi.”

She grimaces again. “A couple more weeks and you’ll finally be able to come off the suppressants.”

“Yeah, and that was my last final. So at least the only thing left is not falling on my face walking across the stage.” I set my bag under the tree before settling on the ground and tilting my head towards the sun. “I didn’t expect to really want a specific pairing, Vi. That’s the worst part of this. If there had been multiple packs I had fun with at the party, I feel like I wouldn’t be so nervous now.”

Violet shakes her head and sits down next to me, stretching her legs out in front of her, her hands rubbing the denim of her shorts.

“Scarlett was a mess, and she didn’t feel any special interest in any of the Alphas at her party. Pretty sure the nerves are just part of the whole experience.” She rolls her eyes as she says it, and I can’t help but laugh.

“When’s your video call?” I ask, picking at the seal on the packet.

Violet raises an eyebrow. “Stalling?”

My cheeks heat, and she laughs. “I haven’t seen you since you got your papers. Maybe I’m just trying to be a good friend and check in on you.”

She rolls her eyes again, shaking her head. “It’s tomorrow night. When did they say yours is?”

“Friday,” I admit.

She hums. When I continue to pick at the seal, she sighs.

“The sooner you open it, the sooner we can go get drinks. And once we have drinks, I’ll tell you the pack I matched with,” Violet says, and I grin. Trust my best friend to know how to get me to do something. They say curiosity kills the cat—they wouldn’t be wrong to say that of me, too.

My hands shake as I rip the seal and pull the large packet out. The informational letter from the Council chairman sits on top, printed on the official letterhead, the watermark of the Council insignia taking up most of the page. I read carefully, aware of Violet watching me.

“Why do they include a letter when it says all the same things the process server told me in person?” I ask, sighing, and move the letter to the bottom of the stack.

A small paper slips out as I do, and I grab it off the ground before dirt can ruin it. My heart races as I realize it’s a picture. With a deep breath, I flip it over. My breath catches in my throat.

“Oh shit! That’s definitely the guy that chatted with us towards the beginning of the party.” Violet’s laughing. “That’s them, right, Fae?”

And then I’m laughing, too, grinning. “Y-yeah,” I manage to say, trying to actually take in the photo of the Alphas.

It’s a candid shot at a restaurant of some kind. Jude stands in the middle, dressed nearly identical to how I met him at the party, his beard a bit less gray, a tumbler of whiskey in one hand, eyes on Carter and a small smile on his lips. The others are both dressed more casually, in simple Oxford shirts and black ties. Logan’s hand is on Carter’s shoulder, head thrown back in laughter, and Carter’s rolling his eyes even as he’s smiling.

My smile stretches as I trace the lines of each of the Alphas. The memory of Carter’s hands on me has me clenching my thighs.

“What’s their pack name? I didn’t bother to read his lapel pin at the party,” Violet says, breaking me out of the daydream.

“Bennett,” I rasp. I flip through the packet of paperwork, looking over the basic information before pulling the response letter out.

Violet hums. “You know, Faedra Bennett has a pretty good ring to it.” I giggle like I’m twelve again, and she grins. “I’m ready to find hearts all over the dorm with FB in the center, girl.”

“Only if you draw your own next to them,” I say, sticking out my tongue. I set the paperwork on my lap and dig through my bag, finding a pen that I’d shoved in haphazardly after the final.

Violet squeezes my knee and sets her head on my shoulder. “It’s early enough you could get that sent to the Council and have everything official before their offices close tonight.”

I nod, quickly signing the bottom of the acceptance letter before grabbing my bag and standing back up. “Want to come with me to drop it off and then we can go for those drinks?”

“Hell yeah, Fae. Let’s go.”

Six

---