Page 40 of Knot Our Reality (Heated #5)

Emilia

I ’ll admit, I’m freaking out a little about introducing Camden and Wilder to Hawk and Jasper. Not because I don’t think they’ll like them, but because this is a big step forward in the process of me finding a new pack. Something I hadn’t thought I wanted just a few weeks ago.

It’s crazy how quickly things can change.

“You’re nervous,” Camden says, putting his arm around my shoulders and pulling me close. “Is there something I can do to help?”

My mind flashes back to how we spent Friday night and a good portion of Saturday.

He and Wilder curse as Camden’s arm tightens around me.

I laugh nervously. “Let me guess. I’m perfuming?”

“Oh, yeah.” Wilder nods, shaking his head. “Whatever you’re thinking about? Maybe don’t think about it again? At least not while we’re visiting with your family.”

“You’re both nervous too,” I say, just now realizing it.

Camden rolls his eyes. “Of course we are. You made it very clear how much your boys’ opinions matter to you. What if we screw this up and they hate us?”

I snuggle into him, rubbing my cheek on his chest since I can’t reach his face.

Yes, I’m scent-marking him. What can I say? He’s mine, and I want everyone to know it while we don’t wear each other’s bite.

“They’re going to love you. This is just a formality. ”

Wilder doesn’t look convinced as he nods toward the door of Remington’s cabin. “Maybe tell that to the two of them.”

I turn my head to see my boys looking out the glass on each side of the door with their eyes narrowed on Camden. He immediately releases his hold on me and takes a step back, and I just shake my head as I laugh.

“You two can’t seriously be intimidated by a five-year-old and a seven-year-old, can you?”

I just laugh harder when they don’t answer me, knocking on the door. I’m not even a little bit surprised that Remington opens the door almost immediately. “Hello, baby brother.”

“I’m not a baby, so you certainly shouldn’t call me baby brother.” He rolls his eyes, but I just ignore him as I open my arms for my boys.

They hurry over, throwing their arms around me gently as they hug me.

“You’re the one who told them to glare at Camden and Wilder, aren’t you?”

My brother just grins. Of course he did. Once an annoying little brother, always an annoying little brother.

Looking down at my boys, guilt rushes through me as they cling to me. I missed them so damn much, and I hate that I keep leaving them with my brother’s pack so I can find one of my own.

I should be with them, but what choice do I have?

“Stop it.” Remington sighs, lifting a hand to swipe at my cheek, and it’s only then I realize I’m crying.

“What’s wrong, Mommy?” Jasper asks, tilting his head to the side as he looks up at me.

Hawk throws one of his arms around Jasper, hugging both of us. “She just misses us like we miss her.”

Remington makes a face like he knows it’s more than just me missing them—like he knows how guilty I feel. He probably does.

“Mommy’s fine,” I assure Jasper, smiling at Hawk, which he’s quick to return. “Now, there are two people I’d like you to meet.”

“Suitors?” Hawk perks up, pulling away from me as he peers around me. “I thought we couldn’t meet them until next week. ”

“Yes, suitors, and you’re right. I did say that. But these two are pretty special.”

Jasper moves to stand next to Hawk, crossing his arms over his chest. “What makes them special?”

I glance at Remington, eyebrows raised. He assured me he’d talk to them about omega pairs before I got here. I’m not sure it’s something they can completely understand, but if anyone can make it simple enough for kids their age, it’s my brother.

“Boys, you remember how we talked about how in the past, most omegas were a part of a pair?” Remington pauses, waiting for them to nod. “Good. As I said, they’re starting to come back. We’ve seen at least a few pairs emerge since Sophia and Chase.”

Hawk eyes Camden and Wilder with curiosity. “Is one of them your omega pair?”

“Yes, baby. This is Camden and Wilder Montgomery. Camden is an omega, and Wilder is his alpha. Camden is also mine.”

The two of them consider that before Jasper asks, “Is Wilder yours, too?”

He kind of butchers Wilder’s name, and it’s adorable. But he asks so seriously that I have to bite back my smile.

“He might be,” I admit. “We haven’t decided yet, but he will always be Camden’s. That means he’ll always be in our lives, even if he isn’t my alpha.”

Hawk walks over to the pair of them, offering his hand to Camden first and then to Wilder. “It’s nice to meet you both. Will you hurt my mom?”

“Oh, stars, no.” Camden drops to his knees, so he’s more level with my boys as Jasper joins Hawk. “I never want to hurt your mom. Hurting her would hurt me.”

“And you?”

Wilder shakes his head. “No. All we want is for your mom to be happy.”

Hawk nods, turning back to me. “I approve. ”

I have to bite back another smile. “Just like that? You don’t want to get to know them better?”

“No.” He shakes his head. “I can tell they like you and that you like them. That they’re good. That’s all that matters.”

Tears swim in my eyes as Hawk offers his hand to them again before heading back inside. Jasper holds up his hand, getting a high five from both of them before rushing back to me.

“I like them, Mommy.”

I nod, blinking back my tears. “I do too.”

Then he races back inside after his brother, while Remington scoffs.

“I thought Hawk would give them a hard time. We even talked about the kinds of questions he should ask them.” My brother shakes his head. “I guess I’ll need to interrogate you both in their place.”

“Absolutely not. Go inside before I call your alpha.”

Remington’s eyes narrow. “You wouldn’t.”

I lift my eyebrows, smirking. “Wouldn’t I?”

“I hate you.” He sticks his tongue out at me before turning back to Camden and Wilder. “I’m really not going to interrogate the two of you. Why won’t you come inside? My mate made us breakfast, and she’s a damn amazing cook.”

“We’ll be inside in a minute,” I tell him, and he nods, shutting the door behind him.

“Do you feel better now?” I ask them, and they both laugh.

Camden nods. “I was worried after the glaring, but they really just want you to be happy, don’t they?”

I nod. “They really do. I just wish Hawk didn’t worry about me so much. When we lost his dads, he had to grow up too quickly. He’s always trying to be the man of the house, checking on me and making sure I’m okay.”

“That’s because he is the man of the house,” Wilder says gently. “It wouldn’t surprise me if he turns out to be an alpha. He might have grown up faster than you want him to, but he’s taking care of his pack.”

Once more, I find myself blinking away tears. “That doesn’t make it any better. ”

“He’ll be okay, sweetheart.” Camden kisses the side of my head. “After you finish finding your pack, we’ll be able to take that off his plate. He’ll have more time to be a kid.”

I like the way he says “we’ll” like he’s already part of my pack.

But isn’t he? All I needed was the green light from my sons, and it seems I have it.

Now, I just need to make it through the next week before claiming him as mine.

Ugh.

“Come on. You can meet my sisters-in-law. I don’t know if everyone else in the pack is here today or not, as they’ve been having to head back into the city every once in a while to make sure everything is running correctly with their businesses or at work.”

I lead them to the door, opening it before taking their hands in mine and taking them deeper into the cabin toward the amazing breakfast I smell.

It seems family day is off to a great start.