Page 14 of Knot Our Mistake (Knot Ours #1)

CHAPTER

FOURTEEN

SOPHIA

Lucidity found me cocooned in a warmth so comfortable, I buried myself deeper, letting a moan escape me. I never wanted to leave this warmth. Well, until my mind caught up with my body, and then panic seized me.

I was in their bed.

I cleaned this whole house and climbed into their bed and now...

"Relax," Leo's muffled voice broke the silence from where he slept next to me. It was easier said than done. How could I relax when all I felt was horrified? How long had I been here? How angry was James?

I stretched my neck enough to peek outside, viewing the light grey of early morning before an arm behind me pulled me back down. Had I slept through the night? Skipped dinner? Invited myself in their bed and forced them to arrange their sleeping habits?

"Omega," the growl belonged to the man whose arm banded around my waist, and the sound of it caused my body to stiffen. "You're overthinking."

Was I? Because yesterday I fell asleep carefree, and today, I woke up with every nerve in my body firing at me, demanding I run from whatever it was I had unknowingly done.

"Sorry," I squeaked.

The hand left me as the body rolled to his back, and when I dared to peek at him, James had his arm thrown over his eyes. With a sigh, he pushed himself up to a sitting position, before forcing himself to stand with a grunt. "Might as well start the day."

He grumbled all the way to the bathroom, his sour mood already a stark contrast to the way he had held me close to his body when I woke.

Even with the cloud that constantly seemed to follow him around, I can't say the view as he walked to the bathroom, with his tight boxer briefs, was unwelcome.

In fact, watching him had my stomach knotting with a feeling I'd never experienced before.

Our alpha.

Bite him.

Claim him.

Mine.

Gods, my omega was obsessed, and I couldn't figure out why because as good looking as our alpha was, and despite how he smelled, his personality left something to be desired.

Ours? Shit, I couldn't let myself think of him like that, not when he planned to send us away, but my omega had gotten into my head, got me thinking of an ownership I had no right to claim.

He is ours. Mine. Ours.

"I came home last night to find everyone asleep. Y'all must have had a hard day," Leo observed as he stretched.

"Did you see the way Sophia cleaned this place up? This omega has cleaned it cleaner than the day we moved in," Bran muttered before mustering up the energy to sit up. "Found her knocked out in our bed."

"I'm sorry," I blurted out. "How mad is the alpha?"

I struggled to a sitting position as Bran answered. "Honey, don't you worry about the alpha and his moods. If he was mad, you'd know it."

Would I? I feel like he's in a constant state of something, and if that isn't mad, what the hell is it that has his energy always pushing against mine, threatening to boil me alive?

"I think I'm going to get ready for the day. I'll shower, then I'll start breakfast," I offered.

"No need. You did all that cleaning yesterday; I'll cook," Leo forced himself to his feet. "Any requests, darling? Anything at all?"

I couldn't come up with a single option, so I shook my head instead. Bran chimed in, "How about some pancakes? You made really good pancakes."

"I do like pancakes," I agreed.

"A pile of fluffy pancakes, coming right up, my lady."

He disappeared down the hall, not bothering to get dressed. When he was gone and it was only Bran and me, he spoke again. "You know we appreciate what you did yesterday."

"I – I hadn't meant to fall asleep."

"I assumed not, but it was for the best."

"What do you mean?" I forced myself to stand up because if I sat here any longer, I would never get in the shower but instead flop down and sleep some more.

"James is stubborn and wants things his way, always. But sometimes, I find it best to take away his control."

"I don't understand." I wrapped my arms around my chest.

"What I mean is, finding you in his bed was beyond his control.

He could keep you out of it, out of our bubble all he wants, but if he can't control you stepping in, he's forced to relax and just let things happen.

" His eyes glistened with trouble, and I couldn't help but wonder if he was trying to get a point across.

"So you mean..." I couldn't quite pull my thoughts together.

"I mean... maybe, if you want to be our omega, you should take it," Bran stood up, facing me so we were eye to eye.

"Take it?"

"Take the position, omega. Claim it. Force your way into our lives until James can't stand to let you go."

"And how do I do that?" I scoffed, knowing damn well no one can take anything from James that he isn't willingly giving.

"That's up to you to find out." Bran's fingers reached forward, taking my chin as he looked me in the eyes, then he leaned forward, kissing me, making my toes curl and a moan escape me, before he let go of my chin and pulled back. "Find out fast, omega. We're on borrowed time."

The pancakes Leo made were indeed delicious.

I don't know what type of magic he used, but mine never came out this fluffy.

Each bite was like a pillowy cloud on my tongue, and even though I tried not to, little groans of approval and hums of happiness left me.

When I looked up, James held his coffee mug, frozen by his lips as he watched me.

I let my eyes fall back to my plate, placing my utensils down as I kept my eye contact averted. With a sigh, James's coffee mug was placed on the table. "Don't do that, omega."

"I don't know what you mean?" I braved a glance before looking at my hands in my lap again.

"Keep your gaze up," he ordered, and my eyes whipped towards him, unable to deny an order. "That's better."

"I – I don't mean to, alpha," I bit my lip, and his eyes zoomed in on it. "The Omega Industries stressed that omegas shouldn't be heard or seen, and that I should not disturb my alpha at any time."

"Well, it's a good thing I'm not your alpha," his words stung, making my omega whimper. "And besides, that's not what alphas want, at least not me. I like the sounds you were making; it shows appreciation and enjoyment for what my delta offered you."

I nodded once. "Leo makes very good pancakes."

"He's a good cook. We all have our specialties if I'm honest. Living in a house of men, on a farm, we've found our groove for what works for us," James explained, and I'd never had him talk so much to me, so casually.

Leo sat down a plate of cut oranges. "James is the best cook at the grill, as you've learned." His steaks were the best I'd ever eaten. "These are fresh off our tree; won't get better oranges than these."

I reached forward, grabbing a slice of orange. "The Omega Industries taught me to cook some recipes, but I learned to cook mostly as a child."

Bran took a slice of orange. "I've known I was going to be a beta my whole life. What was it like not knowing what you'd be?"

"I didn't put much thought into it. I was born into an alpha-omega family, not to a beta home as some, still I didn't think the possibility was going to be an option. I'm glad my mother knew the signs before it was too late and got me to the industry."

James leaned forward, "So you never had – you hadn't- you-"

"No. I never went into heat; I've been on suppressants since right before I'd fully transitioned."

A low groan left the alpha, a sound that made my thighs squeeze together in a way I'd not understood. It made butterflies dance in my stomach, and my pulse quicken. He ran his hands over his face for a moment. "Your previous alpha... you didn't... I mean..."

It was cute that an alpha was at a loss for words. Or maybe it was the discomfort of the questions, but I was an omega in a fully functioning unit's home; I couldn't let uncomfortable questions hold me back.

"I stayed on suppressants during my short stay at my other unit. We never initiated a bond."

A low growl left James, but it was Leo who spoke. "Did you want to?"

My eyes fell to my lap. "I- I don't know. I am inexperienced. Most omegas are until they find their unit, or go into heat at a facility. But I did not like my previous unit. They had a cruelness about them that made my omega whimper when they were near."

"Did they hurt you?" Bran's eyes were fire when he leaned forward.

"No," I swallowed. "I mean, not physically. But it was clear that I was not what they wanted."

Swifter than I could track, James pushed to a stand, grabbing his plate he carried it to the sink and set it down. "I've got work to do; I'll be late tonight."

Then he pulled on a pair of well-worn boots and was out the door in seconds, leaving the delta and beta alone with me. I stood up too, the bubble we were in ruined by James's mood. "I'll clean up."

Leo nodded before he gathered a few plates and put them in the sink, then he headed down the hall to get ready for the day. When it was just Bran and me alone, Bran sighed. "You'll be with me today, omega. Hope you like weeding; we've got a whole field to work on."