Page 50 of Knot So Fast (Speedverse #1)

STARTING FROM SQUARE ONE

~AUREN~

T he cold cloth on my forehead feels like ice against fevered skin, and I want to throw it across the room just to prove I can.

Instead, I lie there like some Victorian maiden with the vapors, which is almost as annoying as the way my head pounds with each heartbeat.

The suite smells overwhelmingly of Alpha - Lachlan's scent still clinging to every surface, mixing with traces of the others that linger like ghosts of the confrontation I missed.

"Is this really necessary?" I mutter, gesturing weakly at the compress. My voice comes out rougher than intended, scratchy from either the shouting at the race or the fever that's apparently decided to make an appearance. "I'm hot enough without turning into an ice sculpture."

Luke doesn't answer immediately.

Instead, he appears in my field of vision holding a glass of water and a handful of pills that look comically small in his palm. His expression is that particular blend of exasperation and fondness that I've come to recognize as his default setting when dealing with me.

"We can do this the easy way," he says, rattling the pills like tiny maracas, "or I can do it the Kieran way. Your choice. Be a good girl and take your medicine."

The suggestion sends an unexpected flutter through my stomach, and I know it's the fever talking when I hear myself say, "I wouldn't mind the Kieran way." The words come out more breathless than teasing, which is mortifying.

Luke groans, running his free hand through his sandy curls.

"Yup, totally the fever talking."

I smirk, feeling more lucid than I probably should given the circumstances. He's not going to do it - Luke's too proper, too careful with boundaries despite our living arrangement. It's part of what makes him such an effective gatekeeper of a Beta, which I do appreciate deep down inside.

Which is exactly why I push myself up slowly, ignoring how the room tilts slightly with the movement.

"Fine, fine," I concede, though sitting up takes more effort than it should. My body feels heavy, like someone replaced my bones with lead while I wasn't paying attention. "Though you have to admit, getting hit with five Alpha scents at once after the day I've had would knock anyone on their ass."

The memory of it makes me shudder - that wall of pheromones crashing into me like a physical force. Each scent distinct but overwhelming when combined: Lachlan's controlled power, Kieran's dark intensity, Caspian's unexpected sweetness, Dex's calculated charm, and Lucius's chaotic energy.

These Omega hormones, already pushed to its limits by the race and everything that followed, simply couldn't process it all.

"The joys of being an Omega," I mutter, pressing my palms against my temples. "Heat waves, potentially triggered heats, and all the fun emotional rollercoasters you get just for existing. Wonderful."

That's when I notice them - flowers scattered across the floor near the doorway, white roses and purple blooms that look like they've been dropped in haste. Or anger. My stomach twists with something that isn't quite nausea.

"Why are there flowers on the floor?" I ask, though I already have a hunch. The arrangement screams Lucius - romantic gesture turned casualty of whatever went down while I was unconscious. He not necessarily the romantic type, but despite his chaotic lifestyle, there’s always been a few instances where he shows up when it really matters, which usually involves flowers when I achieve something important to me.

"Let me guess - the twins had a moment?"

I can't even remember if Lachlan and Lucius get along.

The amnesia is still winning that particular battle, leaving me with impressions rather than memories. But the idea of them fighting, really fighting, leaves me unsettled in ways I don't want to examine too closely.

Before I can elaborate on that thought, Luke's fingers are under my chin, tilting my face up with surprising gentleness.

Then his lips are on mine, and my brain short-circuits completely.

The kiss is electric and practical in equal measure.

I feel the cool water flowing from his mouth to mine, the pills following in a way that should be clinical but isn't. Not when his lips are this soft, not when I can taste the faint hint of mint on his breath, not when the gesture is so unexpectedly intimate it makes my chest ache.

I swallow obediently, the pills going down easier than they ever would on their own.

When he pulls back, we're both breathing a little harder than the situation warrants.

The thing about Luke is complicated.

He's the overprotective bestie every girl thinks she wants as a boyfriend until she realizes what that actually means.

With Luke in the equation, my sex life would be non-existent - no Alpha would get within ten feet of me without his approval.

Hell, I can barely manage to have Lucius over when Luke's on his business trips, and even then I swear he watches the security cameras like a hawk, ready to come racing back at the first sign of trouble.

Though, I bet if Kieran wanted his way, I bet he’d cave…

"Your eyes are crossed," he says, frowning at me with medical concern.

I blink deliberately, trying to focus.

"They're not. I'm just making sure you're not a twin too. This day has been full of surprises."

He sighs, but there's fondness in it.

"You're seeing two of me, aren't you?"

"Maybe," I admit with a smirk that probably looks more dopey than seductive. "But I like the view."

"And down you go," he says, groaning as he helps me lie back against the pillows. His hands are careful, professional, but there's something else there too - a tenderness that makes me want to curl into him and never leave.

I giggle weakly, the sound embarrassingly girlish.

"I'm just overwhelmed. It's not like I'm going into heat or anything. I saw the Omega doctor three days ago, just like my parents demand every month. Clean bill of health, no heat indicators, nothing."

Luke hums thoughtfully, adjusting the cloth on my forehead with practiced efficiency.

"That's probably true, but when you have five Alphas in one room after an overstimulating afternoon, then add in championship racing adrenaline and..." he pauses delicately, "activities with an Alpha, anything can trigger your omega pheromones. Your body doesn't always follow the calendar."

I huff, not wanting to admit he might have a point.

"You're not wrong, but I'm not acknowledging you're right either."

"Whatever gets you to stop talking and rest," he says, but there's no real heat in it.

"Whatever," I mutter back, letting my eyes drift closed. The exhaustion is pulling at me now, heavy and insistent. "Just... make sure they know I'm fine, okay? I don't want them worrying about me. I'm fine."

"I'll tell them," Luke promises, his voice already sounding distant. "They can visit one by one if you're still awake."

"Hmm, maybe," I mumble, already struggling to hold onto consciousness. The bed is too comfortable, the medication starting to work its magic on the pounding in my skull. "Don't want them worrying..."

Whatever Luke says in response is lost as I drift away, floating in that space between waking and sleeping where everything feels soft and safe and exactly where I'm supposed to be.

I don't remember Luke leaving, but I know he must have because the voices filtering through my consciousness are different now - still familiar but carrying different weights, different concerns.

Time moves strangely when you're hovering between sleep and waking, moments stretching and compressing like breathing.

The fresh cold towel against my forehead pulls me closer to awareness, the temperature shift sharp enough to make me stir but not quite surface.

Someone's adjusting it with careful hands - not Luke's, these are larger, more hesitant in their gentleness.

"Did she take her meds?" Lachlan's voice, closer than expected. The bed dips slightly with his weight, and his scent wraps around me like expensive cologne and victory champagne.

"Yeah," Luke responds from somewhere near the door. "Helped her out with that one."

There's a pause, heavy with unspoken questions. I can practically feel Lachlan's raised eyebrow even with my eyes closed.

"The Kieran way," Luke elaborates, and there's something defensive in his tone. "You know how stubborn she is with pills. Sometimes Kieran has to... help."

Lachlan huffs, but it sounds more amused than annoyed.

"Yeah, it would take her twenty minutes minimum to get five pills down. Maybe thirty if she's being particularly difficult."

I want to argue, to defend my pill-taking abilities, but my body won't cooperate.

It's like my mind is floating above my physical form, fully aware but completely disconnected.

My limbs feel weighted down, held in place by exhaustion and medication and the lingering effects of too much stimulation.

This strange paralysis should be frightening, but instead it's almost peaceful - like being wrapped in warm water.

"Did Lucius leave?" Luke's question cuts through my drowsy observations.

Lachlan groans, and I can hear him shifting, probably running his hands through his hair the way he does when frustrated.

"Of course he did. He's mad."

"No shit," Luke says flatly. "But if he's not going to commit, he can fuck off."

The vehemence in Luke's voice surprises me. He's usually more diplomatic, more careful with his words.

But there's protective fury there that makes warmth bloom in my chest.

Lachlan's chuckle is unexpected, rich and genuine.

"I can see why he calls you a cockblocking gatekeeper."

"Born and raised," Luke shoots back without missing a beat. "Get used to it."

There's movement, footsteps across the floor, then Lachlan's voice takes on a different quality - probing but not unkind.

"You still have a thing for Kieran?"

The silence that follows is deafening. I can feel the tension ratcheting up even through my haze, like the air itself is holding its breath. My mind races despite my body's immobility.

Luke and Kieran? That's... actually, thinking about it, that makes a strange kind of sense.

"You two should explore it," Lachlan continues when Luke doesn't respond. "If you're both into it, I mean."

"Kieran's not—" Luke starts, but Lachlan cuts him off.

"I've known Kieran the longest," he says with the authority of someone stating facts rather than opinions. "He bends both ways, even if he tries to act like he doesn't. So keep bullshitting yourselves if you want, but you're wasting time. And I bet Auren can see through the bullshit anyway."

The casual revelation makes me want to open my eyes, to demand more information, but my eyelids might as well be sealed shut.

Kieran likes both? And Luke has feelings for him?

My mind spins with the implications, the possibilities.

"She's not going to allow that," Luke groans, and I can hear the frustration in his voice - not at the suggestion, but at what he perceives as the impossibility of it.

"Why not?" Lachlan challenges. "Auren's an open book regardless if she remembers or not. She's not the jealous type when it comes to pack dynamics."

Luke doesn't respond, but I can imagine him processing this information, weighing it against everything he thinks he knows about me.

"Think about it," Lachlan continues, his voice taking on a strategic quality.

"Dex, Caspian, and I don't give a damn what you two do.

We're straight as boards, so you two can be explorative with Auren but none of us are interested in that particular dynamic.

Lucius is a selfish fucker so his opinion doesn't matter anyway. "

The casual acceptance in his tone is surprising. Most Alphas would be territorial about their pack dynamics, especially when it comes to their Omega. But Lachlan's talking about it like it's a tactical advantage, another piece on his racing strategy board.

There's rustling, movement, then Luke's voice comes out smaller, more vulnerable.

"Lucius isn't gonna commit, is he?"

Lachlan's sigh is heavy with years of disappointment.

"It's his greatest weakness."

"But it's not yours?"

The laugh that follows is sad enough to make my chest ache even in my semi-conscious state.

"It was until Auren," Lachlan admits quietly. "Only got stronger when she became off-limits. I'm not playing around this time. If Lucius wants to fuck anyone under the sun, he can, but then he can't have Auren."

The possessiveness in his voice sends shivers through me despite my immobilized state.

This is Alpha declaring boundaries, establishing pack law.

"We're going to have to tell her," he continues, his voice thoughtful now. "She needs to learn about each of us all over again. We know everything about her, but she knows nothing about us. We can't box her in with expectations based on memories she doesn't have."

"So if she wants to fuck him," Luke says slowly, "it's fine until she knows he's not going to be in the pack?"

"Pretty much," Lachlan confirms. "But we remind her to make sure he provides STD tests. He's not going to be freaky and bring our Omega anything."

Our Omega.

The words echo in my mind, sending goosebumps across my skin even in this floating state.

The casual possessiveness, the matter-of-fact way he says it, like it's already decided, already true.

"This is like starting over," Lachlan says, and I can hear him moving closer to the bed. "Like the first time, only now we're about to tackle the biggest racing competition in the world, and be in front of the public eye. We just have to take things at her pace."

"That includes me?" Luke asks, vulnerability creeping back into his voice.

"If Auren's fine with you being a romantic potential, then fine. I have no issues with you, Luke. Even if you are a cockblocker."

"Fuck off," Luke mutters, but there's warmth in it now, acceptance.

Lachlan chuckles, and then I feel the bed shift and sense the shadow behind my eyelids as he leans over me.

His lips press against mine, soft and quick but lingering enough to make my heart skip.

The kiss is different from Luke's practical one - this is pure tenderness, promise and possession wrapped in gentle pressure.

"My Sugar and Spice," he whispers against my lips, his breath warm and sweet. "Get well soon, baby."

The endearment wraps around me like a blanket, pulling me deeper into sleep even as my mind tries to hold onto consciousness. His encouragement seems designed to invite rest, to give me permission to stop fighting the exhaustion.

As I drift away, one thought crystallizes through the haze: when I wake up, I'll officially be the Omega of Wolfe's pack.

Not just for show or to complete this competitive strike for the world to see, but because they genuinely want me as theirs…

I guess I’m really going to be starting anew…from scratch.