Page 65 of Knot Their Safe Haven

Having him reinforce this makes my heart swell and my eyes water only instantly.

To be offered this level of empowerment and taste of independence in your own life at such a age.

It never should have even reached this far because she knew better.

Understood she deserved so much more.

But I guess fear really stopped her from trying harder for herself.

The fear of being truly alone in this world…

He reaches for something else—a medical file.

"Dr. Weiss cleared you for normal activity. The nerve repair was successful. Physical therapy will help with strength, but structurally, you're healed. You're whole."

Whole.

The word sits heavy in my chest.

When did I last feel whole?

"There's something else," he continues, and his expression shifts to something I can't read. "In your bloodwork, they found something interesting. Your hormone levels are stabilizing. Not to normal Omega levels—you'll never be twenty again—but to something sustainable. Dr. Weiss thinks with proper pack bonds, you could have years. Decades, easily with continued good health and regimen."

Decades.

Not six months. No more death sentence.

Time…to actually live life the way I’ve yearned for…with a pack.

"I know you, Velvet. You're probably already planning to run, to insist you don't need this, don't need us. But before you do, remember something." He leans closer to the camera. "You asked once if I'd be dangerous when I was older. The answer is yes. Dangerous enough to take what I want and fight for what matters. And I’ve finally reached that level of power and security to do exactly that. All in all, what matters is you."

He switches to French again, voice dropping to intimate registers.

"Ma belle rebelle, ma étoile qui refuse de s'éteindre. À demain."

My beautiful rebel, my star who refuses to be extinguished. See you soon.

The video ends.

I sit in the gathering darkness, tablet heavy in my hands.

Outside, the rain has intensified, turning the windows into waterfalls. The mountains have disappeared into grey nothing, leaving this room floating in space like a ship in a storm.

He's given me everything—safety, time, choice.Handled my Haven, my residents, the media, the government.

All while I slept, trusting strangers with my life's work.

And when I’m ready to walk onto that deck, he'll ask if I want to try.

The answer terrifies me.

I swing my legs over the bed's edge, testing. No dizziness, no weakness. My body obeys, muscles remembering their purpose.

The bathroom door is solid walnut, a relief after so much transparency.

I handle necessities efficiently, then face the mirror.

The purple is gone.