Page 158 of Knot So Lucky

Shadow—our newly named kitten—sits perched on her shoulder with perfect balance, tail curled around the back of Aurora's neck like a living scarf. The kitten looks wide awake and pleased with herself, purring loudly enough that I can hear it from across the kitchen.

Aurora just stands there in the doorway.

Not quite in the kitchen, not quite in the hall.

Just...existing in the space between, looking almost confused about where she is or how she got here.

Her scent is different like this—unguarded, without the suppressants she usually maintains during work hours. Sweet vanilla and smoke, mixing with something uniquelyherthat makes my Alpha instincts purr with satisfaction.

I can't help myself.

"Aurora?" I keep my voice soft, gentle, not wanting to startle her.

She blinks slowly at me, those storm-green eyes struggling to focus. Her expression is so confused, so utterly lost, that I realize she might not be fully awake. Sleepwalking, maybe, or caught in that space between dreams and consciousness where the world doesn't quite make sense yet.

I can't waste this opportunity.

I open one arm, the universal gesture of invitation. "Come here,Liebling."

The German endearment slips out naturally, and I watch her process it with delayed comprehension.

Her lips pout—pink, soft, and absolutely devastating—and then she's shuffling toward me with the kind of trust that makes my chest tight.

She doesn't question it.

Doesn't hesitate or calculate or maintain any of the careful distance she usually keeps when we're in semi-public spaces.

Just moves into my offered embrace like it's the most natural thing in the world.

The moment she's close enough, I wrap my arm around her, pulling her gently against my chest. She fits perfectly, her head tucking under my chin, her smaller frame melding against mine with the kind of compatibility that's both biological and emotional.

Shadow meows softly from her perch on Aurora's shoulder but doesn't move, apparently content to remain where she is.

I smile, letting my free hand come up to stroke Aurora's hair in soothing motions. She's still half-asleep, not really aware that she's not dreaming. Her body is completely relaxed against mine, trusting in ways she probably wouldn't allow if she were fully conscious.

The pancakes can wait.

I reach behind me and turn off the stove, prioritizing this moment over breakfast preparation. Because Aurora is in my arms, vulnerable and trusting, and nothing is more important than that.

I hold her gently, breathing in her scent while my Alpha instincts practicallysingwith satisfaction. This is what pack is supposed to feel like. This quiet intimacy, this unguarded trust, this sense of rightness that transcends logic or strategy.

Her breathing evens out, becoming deeper and more rhythmic.

She's falling asleep again, standing in my arms in the kitchen.

I can't help but smirk at the absolute trust that represents. To be so comfortable, so safe in my presence that she can literally fall asleep while standing.

Moving carefully so as not to disturb her or dislodge Shadow, I shift my grip and lift Aurora into my arms properly. She makes a small sound of protest but doesn't wake, just curls into my chest like it's the most comfortable pillow she's ever encountered.

I carry her to the living room, settling onto the large sectional couch with Aurora in my lap. She immediately burrows closer, seeking warmth and contact with the single-minded purpose of someone who's completely unconscious.

Shadow hops down from Aurora's shoulder and relocates to the back of the couch, apparently deciding that Aurora's new position doesn't provide adequate perching space.

I let Aurora sleep, one arm wrapped around her waist to keep her secure, the other hand free to pull out my phone and continue working.

Because unlike my packmates, I'm capable of multitasking between pack care and business operations.

I pull up encrypted emails, scrolling through overnight reports from various business interests. The Castellanos pharmaceutical empire doesn't run itself, and even though I've delegated most operations to trusted managers, there are still decisions that require my direct input.