Page 25 of Knot Enough

TWENTY-FOUR

I paced back and forth in Kane's bedroom, struggling to wrap my brain around the shit crowding my mind. Oak had distracted me, but not enough. As soon as I stepped back into this god forsaken house, everything hit me like a freight train. The agony hadn’t lessened.

It felt like they’d all stomped on my chest and carved out a hole.

I should have known better. How could they want me? It was all a mistake from the start—they wanted my sister, the better, prettier sibling.

My thighs pulsated from how long I’d been going back and forth from one side of the room to the other.

I slowed and rubbed my hip. When they’d taken me, none of their behavior could be mistaken for anything remotely close to care, but at the same time, I didn’t want an ounce of their attention on her . Good or bad.

I was fucked in the head.

“Rest a moment.” Oak’s low voice vibrated through my sternum.

He’d been hovering near the door, watching me since they left.

I closed my eyes tightly, wanting to curl toward him.

I hated how badly I wanted them. Their treatment of me, their hurting me, all replayed in my head, the pain in my heart making everything ache.

I pressed my palm to my belly, over the scabs.

Where Kane had cut me up. My chest felt like it was expanding to a painful level.

As much as he’d hurt me these last few times, he’d been so caring and gentle.

It must have just been because I was an Omega.

If it were Val, they would have shown her the same level of gentleness.

I staggered back a step and sank onto the edge of the bed. Alphas care for Omegas; it was ingrained in them. That was all this meant to them. A biological need to care. What they truly thought of me was condensed by the scabs on my belly and the bruises on my wrists.

Bitterness bubbled to the surface of all the emotions battling with each other.

“Come with me.” Oak seemed as unruffled and put together as usual—that mask of careful indifference settled across his face. The Beta was a mystery to me.

I glared at his outstretched hand. He’d moved so fast I hadn’t had time to process his approach.

I dropped my gaze to my lap.

“What’s your name?”

I tensed, his question taking me off guard. No one had asked me before they went off to confirm what I said about Valerie.

“Lena, but what does it matter anymore?” I felt the words deep in my soul, searing through my body like a brand. “I should go.”

His hand wrapped around my shoulder and slid down to my elbow. I had no choice but to stand with his tug. Oak pulled me down the hall. I had no other choice but to stumble after him. I jerked at my elbow, trying to get free, but my attempts were useless.

He guided me down the hall.

“I don’t want to go back to the living room.” I dug my heels into the carpet.

“Fine.” Oak jerked his chin toward a closed door.

I side-eyed him suspiciously, and he took a sharp turn for the door he motioned toward.

A couch was pushed up against the end of a large bed.

It faced a flat-screen television. He dragged me over and shoved me, making me lose my balance until I plopped.

“Hey!” I tried to shove back to my feet.

Oak palmed my head and forced my ass back down. I gawked as he strolled over to the entertainment stand and grabbed a remote. He flipped through the app options as he returned next to me.

His weight settled on the couch, forcing me to roll onto him. I yanked my thigh away from him so it no longer pressed against his. The move sent a jolt through my aches and pains. I groaned, clutching my side.

Oak fixed his gaze on me, and for once, I saw genuine concern.

“Do you need medication?”

Now he was concerned? Please .

My emotions were giving me whiplash. Kane . . . Axel . . . him ; they could never be what I wanted.

“I’m fine.” I squeezed my legs together so tight that it hurt.

Oak’s features rippled, and his eyebrows furrowed.

“Rath wouldn’t have taken you?—”

“Stop,” I croaked. I didn’t want any reminder of how they wanted her. He pursed his lips and finally let me be. I focused on the screen.

The couch creaked under his movement as he scooted closer to me.

I inched away until he banded his arm around my waist and tugged me flush to his side.

Heat emanated from his body, and he radiated calm.

I remained so on edge for the first few minutes.

Nothing happened, and as each second passed, I began to relax.

He rubbed his palm against my side in soothing circular motions.

The soft caresses on my tense muscles incrementally relaxed me. Despite the anger and hurt whirling inside me, I leaned into it. I hated myself for it, but it felt so good.

I hated how touch-starved I was .

The movie continued to roll, and I half paid attention to it. More focused on Oak’s gaze boring into the side of my face, distracting me.

A loud slam echoed from downstairs, and all the relaxation I’d managed to have launched out of the window.

“Please, take a moment to hear us out,” Oak murmured against my ear. Goose bumps raised on my body.

“You guys don’t deserve it.” I choked out, bitterness coating my words. “On top of mistaking me for my sister. You guys think I’m lying about it?” I scoffed, and tears welled despite my attempt to staunch them. That was only their most recent offenses.

Heavy footsteps thunder down the hall. The door swung open, and Axel swept his green gaze across the scene and settled on me. He knelt before me with a scowl and captured my hand.

“What have you done?”

A knot swelled in my throat. I opened my mouth to defend myself, but Axel’s accusatory attention flicked to Oak.

“Nothing worse than you three have done.” Oak returned his glare.

“Who are you?” Kane said, gruffly, striding into the room, barreling directly for me. I focused on Axel’s bear of a hand engulfing mine. He slipped onto the couch next to me, on the other side of Oak, massaging my palm.

Kane crouched before me, his body vibrating with energy. Dominance leaked from his pores. He gripped my chin and kept my gaze on him.

“It all makes sense now. You’re my Omega.” His thumb caressed my cheek. The awe in his tone confused me. “You were always supposed to belong to me.”

What ?

“But why couldn’t we tell when we first met her that she was ours?” Oak’s eyes widened, and he stuck his nose in my neck. Gasping, I shoved at his shoulders, but he inhaled another drag of my scent into him.

“Un-fucking-believable,” I gasped. No apology, no remorse, just this macho proclamation? “I am not yours.”

Kane’s eyes narrowed, and he stood, looming over me like he could intimidate me into bowing down.

“You are mine—” Unadulterated rage drove my knuckles into his dick.

He grunted, bowing forward.

“Fuck, that looked like it hurt,” Oak said as Axel whistled.

“I’m fine,” Kane croaked and straightened, his glare flicking over to me.

“Is this my fault too now?” I scoffed. “Did I also lock myself up and ask you to fuck me?”

Kane’s lips thinned.

Oak sniffed my neck again. “I can’t put a finger on her scent. I sense something .”

“I think you’re smelling your bullshit,” I snapped.

Kane took my chin in his grip, and there was no surprise there. Whatever Oak was figuring out, Kane already had.

“She’s on suppressants,” Kane announced, like an Alpha who’d discovered where the clit was. “It blocked us from her omega scent. Each day, its effect has faded little by little.”

“Let me go!” I panted and tried to get my hand free, but they wouldn’t let me go.

“How long have you been on the pills?” Axel asked.

“I’m not on suppressants! The only pills I take are antidepressants.

I thought you guys were calling me Omega as some sort of weird Alpha role play.

” I whipped my chin out of Kane’s touch again.

“And stop touching me.” I sneered up at him.

“It doesn’t make sense; how would I not know?

” My brain felt like mush. I couldn’t make sense of up from down. “I thought you wanted me .”

My lip trembled and struggled to breathe.

“We saw your carbon copy leading a group of men into the gym.” Kane’s voice took a low vibration that wrapped around me like a hug. I swayed forward into his touch.

Copy? He had to be kidding right now. Valerie was better than me in every way. She fit the standard. Fuck, she was the standard. She was the after picture of a weight loss advertisement, while I was the before.

My teeth clicked together. Why couldn’t we get it over with? They made a mistake and would want to switch us out.

“Well, now you can have her,” I said through my clenched teeth. “I’m leaving.”

I freed myself from all their grips with an aggressive yank and shoved my shoulder into Kane as I passed him.

I’d only managed a few steps before the back of my shirt was bunched and Kane dragged me back like a cub.

“No,” I cried and sank my teeth into his arm. Blood spilled into my mouth. He hissed and yanked back. Surprise flickered over his face as I slipped free.

So close to the door . . . then Rath stepped forward, blocking my exit. The glare fixed on his expression was nothing new.

“Get out of my way,” I said, voice shaking.

The corner of Rath’s lips curled up. Mocking me?

I didn’t want to look at his stupid face. I turned to meet Kane’s stunned gaze. “I thought I was your Omega. Is this how you would treat your Omega? Or am I still your prisoner?”

Rath didn’t move an inch; he just kept staring at me—silent.

Oak appeared between us and gripped his shoulder.

“Let her pass,” he said softly.

Rath kept a stiff expression fixed on me. I stared back. In the slightest instance, his gray eyes flickered with a softer emotion, something vulnerable and raw.

I didn’t give two shits. I arched an eyebrow. And finally, he turned his body the slightest bit to the side. It was enough for me to squeeze by. I hurried out of the room, slamming the door behind me.