Page 26 of Ready or Knot

Logan shakes his hand, striking up a conversation easily enough. Jude and I step back, our natural dynamic becoming more apparent as the time passes.

“Betas aren’t common. I’d love to hear your story if it’s something you’re comfortable sharing,” Logan says, and Jasper laughs.

“Sure, man. It starts with me being bi,” Jasper says, grinning, and I laugh.

Jay clears his throat. “Where do you need to be, Faedra and Violet? Last thing we want is you girls to be late.”

Another man walks towards us, his attention on Violet, a cap and gown held over one shoulder. His eyes are sharp, his other hand tucked in the pocket of his slacks. His black hair is wavy, and there’s a tattoo tracing up the side of his neck and disappearing into his hair.

“Hey, Vi,” he says, coming up on her other side. “Here it is. Sorry, it took me a bit to find parking.”

She reaches for the items, but he shakes his head, helping her into the gown instead. Logan turns to Faedra, and I swear they can communicate telepathically because she’s already moving to stand between the three of us again. Logan helps her with the gown before Jude gets her cap placed and then centers the three different cords she’s been awarded. Elizabeth adjusts a few tendrils of hair before smiling.

“We’re so proud of you, Faedra Rose,” she says, and Faedra hugs her before turning to us. Her blush is bright, but her eyes are sharp, no shyness to be found in them. Logan kisses her cheek, and she hums. I squeeze her hand while Jude presses his lips just under her ear and whispers something, low enough I can’t hear it. Faedra laughs again.

Violet disentangles from the men beside her and stands next to Faedra, subtly wedging between her and Logan. With a wave, she locks arms and turns them towards the side entrance where the other graduates are grouping together.

“Alright. We’ll see you after.”

* * *

FAEDRA

My mother grills all three men throughout lunch, barely taking time to eat her own food. She is especially keyed in on Jude—probably because he’s gruff and aloof, though plenty attentive to me. He hands me the ketchup before I can ask for it, helps move my plates around to help accommodate the extra appetizers my brother orders, and subtly adjusts my drink so that the server is always refilling it before it’s even halfway empty. But with each thoughtful gesture, my mom grows more concerned, the corners of her lips pinching and her eyebrows lowering.

The men handle it all with more poise than I can muster, humoring my mother by answering every ridiculous question she manages to ask. By the time Carter helps me into the passenger seat of their rented SUV, I’m ready to lay low and let everyone else deal with managing the move out of my dorm room.

Logan reaches across the console while putting on his seat belt. “You good, Red?”

I close my eyes and lean back against the headrest, pulling the pins from my hair and letting it cascade over my shoulders.

Carter hums. “You can stay in the car if you’d like, Faedra. All the paperwork is in my name anyway.”

“Did you guys notice how my mom got more concerned the nicer you were to me? Or was that something I just imagined?” I ask, glancing back at him instead of taking the easy way out. Logan pulls out from the restaurant and eases onto the road, his phone perched against the SUV’s screen to show him the way to the dorms.

“You mentioned that all of this is new for your family, right?” Jude asks instead of answering my questions. I frown but murmur an affirmative. He continues. “Then what is typical Alpha and Omega dynamics is likely being perceived as us being overbearing or controlling. Add to it her concerns with our age difference, and she’s probably worried we’re going to coerce you into doing something you don’t want.”

My frown deepens. Logan palms my thigh, running his hand along the edge of my knee. For some reason, the small touch calms me, and I lace my fingers with his.

“But you aren’t. And I’m more than capable of telling you to back off if I’m uncomfortable.”

Carter nods. “But she doesn’t know that. Many pack dynamics are seen as worrisome from people outside of the experiences.”

Logan adds, “It’s just her trying to protect you again. We aren’t bothered by it, and she hasn’t said anything nasty. It’ll take some getting used to for all of us.”

The other men murmur agreements. I blow out a breath and run my hands through my hair, adjusting it now that it’s down from the partial updo for the graduation ceremony.

“You fly out tomorrow?” I ask to break up the silence.

Logan nods, glancing at me with a smirk before focusing on the road again. “Have some bold plan for tonight, Red?”

I blush but roll my eyes. “Just double checking I don’t need to beg my parents for a spot in their hotel until tomorrow.”

Logan laughs. “Don’t want to spend the time with Violet?”

“I can only imagine what’s happening in that house right now. I’m good,” I say, shaking my head.

Violet and Jasper have been very excited about being reunited. And Rylan seems interested, too. I would rather spend what little I have in my savings than stay at their place the next few days after the guys fly back to Denver.

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