Page 53 of Knot the Last Chapter

“I never thought we’d all...” I trail off, rubbing the bridge of my nose.

“Fall for the same omega?” Tyler finishes.

“Yeah.”

“Me neither,” Corwyn says. “But if it’s her...”

We all nod. There’s no jealousy. No rivalry. Just... gravity.

And a quiet hope that when she wakes up, she’ll see what we already do.

That she belongs here.

With us.

Together.

Chapter twenty-nine

Lila

Warmth. That’s the first thing I register. Not the bone-deep chill I remember. Not the ache in my ribs from the fall or the sharp sting of cold air on damp skin. Just... warmth.

And scent.

It wraps around me like a blanket. Masculine. Rich. Safe. Three different notes, distinct but harmonious—cedar and smoke, citrus and clove, spice and something faintly earthy. My heart beats faster, but not from fear.

I know these scents. I’m soaked in them.

I blink slowly, the firelight flickering gently behind my closed lids. My body feels stiff, my head fuzzy, but I’m not in pain. Not really. Misty’s weight is a familiar pressure against my hip. She gives a soft purr when I move.

“You’re still here too, huh?” I whisper, reaching down to scratch behind her ear. “Good girl.”

She stretches, then nestles closer. Guardian mode.

My fingers brush the edge of the blanket and the thick, soft cotton of a too-big shirt. The scent there is strongest—Tyler. I know it without even trying.

I close my eyes again.

He found me.

They all did.

My chest tightens—not with anger. Not anymore. There’s confusion, sure. Plenty of that. But the weight of resentment? Gone.

And that scares me more than anything. Footsteps, and I shift slightly, blinking in the gentle light. Rhys enters, carrying a tray with quiet grace. His scent reaches me first—calming, grounded. He stops when he sees me looking at him.

“You’re awake.” His voice is quiet, careful. “How do you feel?”

“Like I fell out of a tree,” I rasp, offering a tiny smile.

He chuckles, low and deep. “Not far off. You’ve got a bruise the size of a melon on your arm, but you’ll live.”

He sets the tray on the side table and crouches beside me, not touching, just watching. I feel his eyes taking in every detail, assessing. Protecting.

“You scared us.”

“I scared myself.” I bite my lip. “I didn’t mean to... I just needed space. And I was stupid.”