Page 21 of Knot Letting Go (Knotty Streak Omegaverse #4)

Soft snoring woke me around the witching hour. I had a cat once who snored, and my half-awake brain gave me feelings of being snug and secure, like I’d been as a child. Life had been easier then. No worries except which cereal I was going to eat in the morning.

I snuggled deeper under the comforter, smiling to myself, until my foot brushed against the leg behind me. My eyes snapped open, and I held my breath as I took a moment to adjust to the dim moonlight streaming from between the curtains.

The wood posts loomed over me. I was in a big bed under a dark colored comforter. There was a dresser to my right with nothing on top of it. Who didn’t put things on their dresser? A flat screen TV was on the wall opposite the bed.

The snoring. My heart hammered too loudly in my chest.

Konstantin.

Oh crap. My heat had gotten so bad, I’d let him… I’d given myself to him.

There was a warm ache between my legs that wasn’t like the cramping of heat pains. A soft throbbing that told me I’d been thoroughly fucked and knotted.

I’d lost my virginity in a bed that looked like it belonged to a prince.

To Konstantin, my best friend’s brother.

To my boss.

What the heck was I thinking?

I hadn’t been thinking. That was the problem. I only wanted him inside of me. And oh, the things he said, the way he touched me. I wanted to swoon and run for the hills at the same time.

The scent of sex was still thick in the air.

His masculine vanilla and my sweet floral mingled together to create something new, something intoxicating.

It was sophisticated and almost creamy, and most certainly soothing.

Throw in Quill’s mandarin laced scent and it would be like a creamsicle, one of my favorite smells in the world.

I swallowed an alarmed shout. Why was I thinking of adding Quill’s in too?

Time to get out of here. I inched toward the edge of the mattress and slithered out from under the blankets.

Konstantin shifted and moaned in his sleep, but thankfully he didn’t wake.

I twisted and held my breath, peering at him.

All his hard edges had softened as he slept, and my fingers flexed, wanting to touch him.

He was drop dead gorgeous. I’d lost my virginity to a god of Alphas…

And I really needed to stop staring or I’d end up back in bed with him.

Steeling my will, I stayed low to the floor as I gathered my clothes and crept out of the room. Once in the hall, I ran to my suite and shut the door. I dumped my clothes into the laundry bin and rushed into the bathroom.

I switched on the shower to warm it up and glanced down at myself. Our mingled scents were still all over me, and I expected to see my lower half a mess. I blinked a few times with surprise at the fact I was clean. How did I…

Oh. The memory was a tiny butterfly on the edge of my mind.

Half-awake at some point during the night, I’d cracked my eyes open to see Konstantin cleaning me with a warm cloth.

He smiled, whispering he was taking care of everything, and told me to go back to sleep.

The tenderness of his care made my heart swell.

Stepping under the spray, I stood and let it beat down on me. Konstantin surely had just been helping with my heat as he said he would. Leave it to me to read way too much into everything.

But he kept growling ‘mine.’ Like he wanted to claim me.

My loins trembled with want of it.

Then there was Quill. He’d made it clear exactly what he wanted. He saw no obstacles to us being together. He wanted me mind, body, and soul. Oh yes. I squeezed my thighs together.

I sucked back a groan as I realized I wanted both of them.

What the heck had I gotten myself into? All my fantasies had always been about one Alpha.

A handsome and kind Alpha who would dote on me as much as I did him.

None of my fairy tales ever had two Alphas.

Unless they were both vying for the Omega’s attention and one turned out to be the villain.

Yet it was ridiculous. I forced myself to remember the split lip and black eye. The brothers had fought over me. Life was no fairy tale.

I wouldn’t be able to choose either. I couldn’t forever set them against each other. It would be too cruel.

That meant leaving, because I didn’t think either of them would pretend nothing had happened between us after my heat was done. I wouldn’t be able to either, and I didn’t want to leave.

Tears flowed as I washed off. What should I do?

I finally turned off the water when my fingers were wrinkly, dried off, and dressed. The sun hadn’t risen yet and wouldn’t for at least another hour. I was too wound up to sleep. I sat down with my phone, but nothing was keeping my attention.

Quill or Konstantin? To stay or to leave?

I’d left home just over two weeks ago for the wedding, and I’ve already gotten myself into a situation that I’d never thought I’d be in. All my life, I’d followed the rules, and then with a few moments where I’d forgotten myself, I was in heat.

I needed to talk this through. Trying to handle it alone was driving me mad. I took a deep breath and opened up my favorite contacts list.

All of my friends had been through their heats, and all of them were unexpected. Nicolette should be sleeping, and if she wasn’t, she would be dealing with her twins. I didn’t want to disturb her. Callista… I wasn’t ready for that conversation yet.

That left Kienna, who was in Ireland with her mates. She’d be awake, though.

I hesitated for a moment. Kienna was wild and crazy. She was the opposite of me. Yet when her heat had hit, she did everything in her power to flee. So no matter that we were different, she should understand how I was feeling.

I tapped her name and let the phone ring. My shoulders sagged when it went to voicemail. I hung up without leaving a message.

Guess I was in this alone.

Ten seconds later, my phone rang for a facetime chat with Kienna. I clicked to accept and was greeted by my friend’s forehead and a gorgeous blue sky behind her.

Kienna adjusted her phone and grinned at me. “Good morning, girl!”

“Hi Kienna. How’s the trip going?”

“I. LOVE. Ireland. I never want to leave.” Kienna took a bite of toast with something brightly colored on it.

“We’re just having some breakfast before we go out for more tourist stuff.

I have discovered orange marmalade and I can never be without it again.

I will marry orange marmalade and live in an orange marmalade house. ”

One of the guys shouted a protest and they laughed. Kienna stuck out her tongue at them. “You’ll just have to share me.”

“I’m so glad you’re having a good time.” I squeezed the arm of my chair and pushed myself forward to the reason for my call. “Uh, do you have a minute to talk privately?”

Kienna swallowed and glanced around. “There’s no one else out here. What’s going on?”

What did she mean there was no one else there? All five of her mates were talking in the background. “Well, it’s private. Can you maybe go up to your room for it?”

“I could, but girl, you know I tell my pack everything. You might as well just let them hear what’s going on in your own words. I do have a tendency to exaggerate.”

Oh God. She did. I knew if I told any of my friends what was happening, they’d share with their mates.

I loved that aspect of their relationships, but it made me even more nervous.

“Alright.” I pinched the bridge of my nose and tried to gather up the courage to tell them about what was going on.

“Okay. So… I’ve met a compatible Alpha.”

Kienna gasped and hooted. “Yes! It’s about time. Who is he? Is he treating you like the princess you are?”

Kane leaned in over Kienna’s shoulder. “If he isn’t, we can deal with him if you want.”

“No, no, no.” That was the last thing I needed. “The thing is, I also met a second compatible Alpha, and they’re brothers. I don’t want to have to choose between them.”

“Then don’t.” Kienna smirked and gestured to her pack who had quieted down. “If they want you, they’ll make it work.”

I took in a few deep breaths. If only it were that easy. I opened my mouth to tell her exactly my situation when Alderic reached over to put a hand on Kienna’s.

“Do you remember where Aubrielle is, Ki?” He raised his brows as he looked at her. The smart Beta had figured it out already. “She’s at Birk Manor.” And when Kienna didn’t react, he added, “With your cousins.”

Kienna gasped and stuck her face right up to the camera. “Holy fuck. Quill and Kon? Really?”

I nodded. “Yes. I don’t know what to do. They both want me, and well…” I fumbled with my words and how many details I wanted to share. “I’m in heat.”

The group erupted in a noisy jumble of talk. Kienna’s phone fell on its side and pointed upward at the green umbrella they were sitting under. Only Kienna would be able to thrive in that chaos.

A big hand grabbed the phone, and Tiergan’s face filled the screen.

“Listen, you’ve got to take care of you and you first. If they want you, let them prove it.

They both need to help you through your heat, and not just with the knotting, but on every level of care.

If they don’t, we will come there and kick their asses. ”

Maddox twisted the phone toward him. His brows were furrowed and his jaw tight. “I will crush their skulls if they hurt you.”

Oh God. My eyes widened. It was nice they wanted to protect me, but Alpha fury was scary.

“Aw, that’s sweet of you guys.” Kienna crooned as she regained possession of her phone.

The smile was gone from her face, and she looked at me with a seriousness I rarely saw from her.

“They’re right, hon. Take care of you first. My cousins are good guys, but Quill is my fav.

He’s super positive and friendly. He’s like a party always waiting to happen. He will rock your world.”

“But is that what she needs? Will he stick around afterward?” Alderic asked.

Kienna pursed her lips and sighed. “I want to say I hope so, but I don’t know him that well. I know Kon less. He’s deadly at business and a good dad, but not what I imagine for you, Aubrie. He’s kind of the uptight Alpha, always wearing expensive clothes.”

“Hey!” Another of the guys protested and Kienna laughed, before apologizing.

Her Czechoslovakian mate, Casimir, leaned into the frame.

“Hi Aubrielle. Don’t judge an Alpha by his clothes.

There’s nothing wrong with wanting to dress well.

Konstantin seemed like an Alpha with a good head on his shoulders.

He’s worked hard to clean up the mess his father left and do a lot of great charity work too.

I can see him as the type to treat you as a princess. ”

“Good point.” Kienna nodded. “You should ask Calli. She knows them better.”

I sucked in a breath and quickly shook my head. “Please don’t tell Callista. I’m not ready to have this conversation with her.”

Kienna raised her brows. “So only I know? You haven’t talked to Nic yet?”

“Only you know, and your mates.” That meant I only had a matter of days, or maybe even hours before Nicolette and Callista found out what was going on. I could try to make Kienna promise not to say anything, but that would only encourage her more.

“We’ll keep your secret until you’re ready to tell other people.” Alderic promised with sweet sincerity. Kienna gave him a narrow-eyed look and he gave it back.

She sighed and kissed his cheek before turning back to the phone. “Alright, I won’t say anything. But make Quill and Kon do the work.”

“It might be easier if I just leave and go back home.” I could feel my eyes filling with tears again. I’d cried about this too much already. I didn’t want to do it again.

There was another eruption from the pack in Ireland.

“Don’t you dare!”

“If they were any sort of decent Alphas, you wouldn’t feel this way.”

“Tell them to take care of you or we’ll split heads!”

Kienna shushed them and gave me a million mile stare.

“Don’t leave. Running won’t help. Trust me, I know.

” We’d all heard her story of what happened in Winnipeg several times.

Her fleeing only got her in scary trouble.

“Don’t make any big decisions until after you’re through your heat.

My cousins will help you. Then afterward, you can decide what’s going to happen when you have a clear head.

And I mean you, Aubrie. Don’t let any stubborn Alpha tell you what’s good for you.

Only you know that. Listen to your gut. No matter how stupid you might think those instincts are, you’ll know if you should be with Quill or Kon or both or neither of them. ”

She was right. Damn, I’d never thought that Kienna could give sane advice.

I shouldn’t make any rash decisions while I was in heat.

Already my impulses were proving to be crazy, like getting eaten out by the pool and being knotted by my boss.

Once my heat passed, I wouldn’t be influenced by my Omega hormones.

“Okay, that makes sense. I’ll hold off on leaving for now.”

“Good.” Kienna smiled and then leaned in, looking sly. “So how many times did they make you orgasm?”

My cheeks went hot and my jaw dropped as I covered my face with my hand. It was bad enough that she bluntly asked me such a thing, but to do so in front of her mates!

“There’s the Aubrie I know and love.” Kienna giggled. “You take care of yourself, girl, and make Quill and Kon take care of you. Me and my pack have your back. We’re going to finish up here and go to the Cliffs of Moher.”

No matter our differences, I never doubted Kienna had my back. “Thank you for listening. All of you.”

Everyone shouted their goodbyes, and I waved to them before Kienna blew me a kiss and ended the call.

Her carefree confidence rubbed off on me from across the ocean and a continent.

I could get through this. My heat would only last another four to five days.

Seven if it went long. All I had to do was not make any rash decisions during that time.

At the moment, I felt energized and clear-headed. Perhaps having Konstantin knot me last night would hold me over for the day. Lillianna and I had a lot planned, and I didn’t want to disappoint her.

I could do this.

I’ve always been cautious and a thinker. I had to trust in myself. As long as I kept that in mind, I’d make it through.

No impulsive decisions. How hard could that be?