Page 62 of Knot Your Possession

“That makes no sense. Why does Wolf need to be tied up, and why would you go, Nick?” Ryder asked, his head swinging between Wolf and Nick. His jaw worked and his eyes blazed as he planted his feet, ready to intervene if he needed, but not sure where.

“Ava,” River growled. “Let us help you. We’re all here for you.”

I couldn’t help it. My eyes flicked to Nick in my distress.

“Oh no, Ava,” Cary cried, understanding lighting his face.

I tried to hold it in, but the pain was back and building too fast. It spiked quickly now that I’d had a taste of what my body craved. I whimpered as I propped myself up on the side of the pool, trying to keep my head out of the water as a violent shake traveled up my legs and through my whole body.

“Fuck this,” Ryder yelled, running around to my side and throwing himself down into the water alongside me. He ripped off his shirt and pulled me into him. Wolf was snarling, eyes pinned on me.

“No, no, no,” I sobbed into Ryder’s neck, hating myself as I pressed into him and my hands stroked over his skin in contrast to my barely coherent cries. I sighed in relief as River pushed in behind me and they sandwiched me between them.

“Ava, we’re here. You need to talk to us this time,” Ryder begged, his voice breaking. “Please don’t shut us out again.”

My heart shattered, and my resolve wavered. I didn’t want to hurt them again, but either way, I would hurt somebody.

“I don’t think she can. She’s in too much pain. Nick, Cary, somebody talk to us,” River growled low from behind me.

“Wolf, get Nick in the water,” Cary said as he stepped back. Wolf roared as he picked Nick up and hauled him over his shoulder to drag him into the pool.

“What the hell are you doing?” Nick yelled at them both. He didn’t fight it, though. He knew he was no match for an enraged Wolf.

“She’s trying to protect you,” Cary answered, as he crouched at the top of the steps. “She’s going to burn herself out rather than hurt you.”

“What?” Nick asked, breathless, as he whipped around to face me.

“Is that true, Ava?” Ryder asked, tilting my head up to him as I groaned.

“Of course it is,” River murmured in my ear. “It’s what she does. Tears herself apart to protect the people she loves.”

“Feel her in the bond,” Cary said. “The more you touch her, the more you should be able to feel her.”

Ryder closed his eyes. “Oh, little bird,” he whispered. “You’ve been a bad girl.”

Suddenly Nick was between them, crowding into my side. “Is that true? I can’t feel you the way they can.”

Having both River and Ryder touching me eased me enough that I could finally get words out.

“You asked me on a date. I want that date, Nick.” It sounded stupid out loud, but it was so important to me. I wanted to start things with Nick right. The Palace had robbed me of time courting with the twins, and Cary. Wolf being a prime alpha made a heat complicated. Nick was simple. Pure. I wanted to keep him that way. I didn’t want to force his hand with a heat that had come too soon, before we were ready.

“Ava,” he said, exasperated. “No matter what happens now, I’m taking you on that date. Even if it’s as my mate.”

“She’s worried you’re not ready,” Cary said to him, as if he was an Ava whisperer and knew my emotions without me having to explain. “She thinks she’s forcing you into this.”

Nick stroked my face gently as he pushed wet strands of hair out of my eyes until I could see him clearly.

“Why is being here forcing your hand, Nick? You said something before about Wolf’s power. What don’t we know?” River asked, his voice sounding strained, like he was trying to hold himself back.

“She can’t mate a prime alpha without a beta in her pack, or his power will tear the bonds apart. Lexie’s pack almost found that out the hard way. Dave told me,” Nick answered, his gaze unwavering on me.

“Shit. Based on how the other packs interact, I suspected she needed a beta to balance Wolf somehow, but not that it was so serious,” Ryder groaned.

“So she needs to mate you first?” River asked Nick.

“Not first, but before Wolf,” he replied. “Are you only worried about me being ready, Ava? Or is there something else you’re worried about?”

I tried to push past the haze of need descending over me, to make them understand why I felt I had to do this alone. But I couldn’t think straight and I didn’t want to make a choice that could break us. Maia and Lexie both told me the urge to claim a true mate during sex was overwhelming, and it was near impossible to hold back during a heat.

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