Page 13 of Knot As It Seems

Standing carefully, I press a kiss to the sleeping omega’sforehead, and I get out of that cramped bathroom and don’t let Moon see what I’m up to until I’m already putting her in his arms. He lifts them up automatically to receive her, his alpha primed to care for the omega made specifically for him. He tries to give her back when he thinks too hard, but the rest of us back away so she stays in his arms.

I’m already dying to pull her back to me, but Moon needs to feel her weight and smell her skin and hear her breathing so he can get with the fucking program.

“I lied,” I admit, humbled. All the anger that was fueling me mere minutes ago is completely drained, and maybe it will flare up again later, but I don’t think it will ever be aimed at this omega again. “I’m keeping her. I’ll share though, if you all get your heads out of your asses.”

“This is fucking dumb. Look she’s not even—it’s clear that she’s—ah, fuck. Why’d you give her to me? I could just drop her here and walk away.”

“What a mighty fine example of an alpha,” Fable whispers, her voice all raspy. Her eyes stay closed, but the fact that she’s conscious is good.

“I have some essentials here, but I’d rather take her to the clinic so I can run some blood panels and check everything I can’t see on the surface,” Jos says, barely keeping himself away from her.

Nobody fights Jos on this, and nobody takes the woman from Moon because it’s sink or swim time. If he thinks she’s not exactly what she says she is, he’s going to learn immediately how wrong he is.

Ten

“And you can stay in here for now, until we get your nest reset.”

I was so close to stepping into the room. So close to having a lockable door between me and all the alphaholes that are now under the impression that they can control my life. “No thank you on the used nest offer.”

I spin and walk into the room, but they ruin the peace by, you guessed it, opening their gods damn mouths.

“Does being a difficult omega run in the family? Because I’ve got to say, you and your sister are more alike than I originally thought. I thought omegas liked nests.”

To be fair, it’s mostly Moon that’s ruining everything at the moment, but when I narrow my eyes at the rest of them, I decide they are just as guilty as he is, I just can’t prove it. “Compare me to that bitch again and I will fucking stab you in the thigh with the dullest-tined fork I can find. You get me? I definitely don’t have the medical training to avoid any important arteries, either.

“You some kind of omega expert? You think you know what we need?” I close in on him, enjoying the slight underpainting of panic hiding behind his eyes and cocky face that I’m trying to pretend I don’t want to sit on. “If you want to stand here high and mighty and tell me what I need right now, then you should know,alpha,that nests are the most personal thing an omega can assemble, and offering an omega that’s been through nothing but trauma, a previously-fucked-in and desecrated nest that belonged to the very woman that thrilled in stealing her scent matches from her and rubbing it in her face, then there’s nothing I can do to fix you, you dumb shit. Talk to me with fucking respect or don’t talk to me at all. I prefer that option anyway if we’re voting.”

Somebody snickers at my tongue lashing, but I’m quick to suss them out as well. I stalk towards the alpha that’s been hanging out at the back of the pack all day, with his big, wavy shoulder length rockstar hair and stupid leather jacket, smelling like black teakwood and sophistication, and make him my next target. “Find me funny, alpha?”

He clears his throat but doesn’t change position. He’s leaning against the door jamb, arms crossed like he never got enough hugs as a child.

“I’ve nearly died, got kidnapped, poked, and prodded, and now I’m being subjected to cruel and unusual punishment in the form of listening to all of you stupid fucks talk to me like you know what’s best for me. If you want to laugh, laugh at the situation you clearly superior beings have gotten yourself into, because I am not an easy omega to try and tame.”

“Gotta love an omega that talks dirty,” the soon-to-be-dead man says. I’m pretty sure his name is Monet, but I’m not bothering with names until they learn to play nice.

“Hmm.” I take one step backwards, scanning his body, and then inspiration strikes.

Kneecap, meet alpha dick.

I may be frail and sickly, but the density on my kneecap is just as strong as ever. Gods it’s empowering to watch a whole ass alpha crumple to the ground. “Dirty enough for you?”

The white-haired tattooed giant with the novelty abs carefully steers me backwards, creating distance between me and his packmate. “I want you to know, Fable, that seeing you hand them all their asses is the greatest pleasure I’ve ever known.”

I quirk an eyebrow and meet his face over my shoulder. “Wow. You must be terrible in bed.”

I duck out of his hold and into the room I was offered, staring at Anderson until he walks in with me. Then I lock that fucking door with as much anger as I can muster. The second I’m behind the partition, I nearly collapse into his arms.

“That was impressive, Omega. You ready to be soft for me?”

I nod, letting all the irritation drain and stay in the hallway. “Please don’t give me a reason to ever knee you in the balls, I feel like you have a really nice pair.”

He laughs a warm, rich sound as he carries me into the bathroom. “I don’t know about that, but they’ve always been good to me. Guess I’ll get some feedback from you later, when we’ve reached that point in our relationship.”

“So now we’re in a relationship?” I tease without opening my eyes.

He turns on the shower one-handed and then sets me on the counter of the attached bathroom, framing my hips with his hands. “I’ve only been a vampire for a few months, I know I don’t deserve you. Won’t stop me from taking care of you though. I think I’m on track to becoming parasitic.”

I trace his jawline, his stubble tickling my palms. I’ve always dreamt of what it would be like to have a pack, but those daydreams never involved guys that couldn’t decide if they hated me or loved me. Anderson is so simple to read though, and it’s refreshing.