Page 15
Story: Knotting else Matters
Olivia
For once, I woke up on time. No wild, desperate rush, no tangled sheets and racing heart. Just the quiet, pale light of morning spilling through the curtains, the faint, soothing scent of fresh linen, the steady, distant hum of the city waking up outside.
I dragged myself out of bed, shuffling to the bathroom, the cool, tiled floor a sharp, bracing shock against my bare feet. The mirror was a cruel, honest reflection—dark circles beneath my eyes, a faint, tired shadow lingering in my gaze, my dark hair a wild, tangled mess.
I stepped into the shower, the warm water crashing over me, washing away the lingering ache, the sharp, suffocating tension that had twisted in my chest all night. I scrubbed, lathered, let the steam wrap around me like a hazy, soothing cloud.
When I stepped out, I combed my fingers through my damp hair, staring at my reflection, my fingers parting the dark, sleek strands. And there it was. A single, silver thread glinting beneath the light.
“Great.” I grumbled, plucking the gray hair, staring at it like it was a personal insult. “Perfect timing.”
I leaned closer, the faint, pale shadow of the mark on my neck just barely visible, fading, but still there—a quiet, possessive bruise beneath my skin. I let out a slow, shaky breath, grabbing my foundation, brushing it over the mark, hiding it beneath a smooth, flawless layer of makeup. The dress I chose was elegant, deep lavender with delicate, sheer sleeves that hugged my arms, the high neckline a perfect cover.
The woman staring back at me in the mirror was composed, calm, perfect. A lie. But a beautiful one.
The taxi arrived within minutes, and I climbed in, my fingers twisting in my lap, my gaze flicking out the window as the city blurred past, the quiet, rolling hills of the pack’s estate rising in the distance.
By the time I stepped out, the entire estate was a whirlwind of chaos—pups racing across the garden, their tiny claws clutching ribbons, a flurry of laughter and giggles spilling into the warm, golden morning air. Maids rushed past with flower arrangements, a tall, thin man barked orders at a team of decorators setting up the grand outdoor altar, the soft, sweet scent of wildflowers drifting through the air.
And inside the sprawling, sunlit hallway of the main house, the chaos was no less intense. Lena was there, her sharp, cool gaze fixed on Sophie’s wild, golden curls as she carefully wove fresh wildflowers into her hair, her thin, practiced fingers twisting the delicate blooms into a perfect, intricate crown.
Lena didn’t even look at me. Didn’t acknowledge me. Just kept her head down, her face a calm, focused mask as she worked.
“Liv!” Sophie’s bright, anxious voice cut through the noise, and she turned, her soft, wide blue eyes lighting up. “Oh, thank god, you’re here. I thought—”
“I told you I’d be here.” I forced a smile, stepping closer, brushing a stray curl behind her ear. “I wasn’t about to miss your big day.”
“I’m sorry,” she whispered, her voice a soft, anxious murmur, and I could see it in her eyes—the guilt, the lingering ache of our fight.
“Don’t. Not today.” I leaned in, pressing a soft kiss to her cheek, letting my fingers rest against her shoulders. “Today’s your day, Soph. I’m here for you.”
Her smile softened, a faint, relieved sigh slipping out.
“Alright, all done.” Lena stepped back, brushing her hands together, her gaze never lifting, her voice clipped, controlled. “Don’t touch your hair, Sophie. And remember to breathe.”
“I’m going to find Evelyn, she has the earrings I wanted.” Sophie gave me a bright, anxious smile, then slipped out of the room, her dress rustling, her soft, pastel skirts swaying around her ankles.
The door clicked shut, leaving me alone with Lena. Alone with the cold, sharp silence of the room, the faint, lingering scent of wildflowers twisting through the air.
Lena turned back to the wedding dress, her fingers smoothing the delicate, silken fabric, her expression still calm, still cold, her sharp eyes never lifting.
“You must be thrilled,” I muttered, my voice a low, bitter murmur. “Your dream finally coming true. Your perfect Omega daughter, mated into a rich family.”
Her fingers stilled, a faint, bitter laugh slipping out, but she didn’t look at me. “Half true.”
I frowned, a sharp, twisting ache clawing at my chest. “Half true? What’s that supposed to mean?”
“Oh, come now, Olivia.” Her voice was a sharp, cool whisper, her lips curling into a faint, bitter smile. “Don’t act surprised. You always knew I wanted this. Wanted Sophie to secure her place in this pack. To be more than just a pretty little Omega in a middle-class family.”
“You pushed her toward this family.” I stepped closer, my voice rising, a fierce, desperate edge twisting in my chest. “You practically shoved her at them. You wanted this.”
“Yes.” Her gaze flicked to me, sharp, calculating. “But not with Karl.”
The words crashed into me like a wave, fierce, suffocating. “What?”
“Don’t be naive.” Lena’s lips twisted into a faint, cruel smile. “I wanted Sophie to become Luna. To be the perfect, beloved Luna of this pack. To stand beside the Alpha. To stand beside Adrian.”
My breath caught, the sharp, wild ache twisting, fierce and desperate. My wolf snarled, a low, rumbling growl clawing at the back of my mind.
“It was always supposed to be Adrian,” she continued, her voice a quiet, bitter murmur. “But Sophie chose Karl. Sweet, naive Sophie, always chasing love instead of sense.”
“Adrian?” The word slipped out, sharp, breathless, my chest tightening. “You tried to… you wanted Sophie to marry Adrian?”
“Of course I did.” Lena’s voice was cold, sharp, her gaze flicking back to the delicate, shimmering dress, her fingers smoothing the silken fabric. “He’s the Alpha. The leader of this pack. The perfect match for her.”
“You would’ve sold her off,” I whispered, the fierce, bitter taste of rage burning against my tongue. “You would’ve shoved her into a life she didn’t want, just to make yourself look good.”
“I would’ve given her a life of power. Of security. Of respect.”
“By using her?”
“Better to be used and cherished than to be useless.”
My fists clenched, the sharp, wild ache crashing against something darker, something dangerous. “That’s why you hate me. Isn’t it? Because I never played your game. Because I never bowed, never begged, never followed your perfect little rules.”
Her gaze finally lifted, cold, calculating. “I don’t hate you, Olivia. I pity you. Always chasing chaos, always running from yourself.”
“Maybe you should’ve run, too.” I forced a sharp, bitter smile. “Instead of turning Sophie into your perfect little doll.”
Lena didn’t respond. Just turned away, her fingers smoothing the delicate, silken fabric of the dress, her cold, sharp gaze fixed on her perfect little dream.
A fierce, wild heat twisted in my chest, clawing, burning, crashing against my ribs. My wolf was furious—a wild, snarling presence in the back of my mind, her teeth bared, her claws digging into me. I’d never felt her like this—never felt her rage, her fierce, possessive fury crashing through me, drowning out everything else.
“You think you know everything,” I whispered, my voice low, trembling with the wild, desperate energy clawing at my chest. “You think you can push us around, make us your perfect little dolls.”
Lena’s cold, sharp gaze stayed fixed on the dress, her fingers smoothing the delicate fabric, her expression calm, distant. “You’re just angry because you never fit. Because you never tried.”
A sharp, bitter laugh tore out of me, raw and wild. “Oh, I fit just fine. In fact…” My fingers clawed at the high, elegant collar of my dress, yanking it down just enough to reveal the faint, bruised mark on my neck—the one I’d tried so hard to hide. The one I hadn’t been able to forget.
“Guess you picked the wrong daughter.”
The color drained from Lena’s face, her sharp, calculating mask cracking, her eyes widening, her voice a faint, breathless whisper. “What… who? Who marked you?”
“I did.”
The voice was low, dark, and fierce—a sharp, possessive growl that cut through the room like a blade.
My breath caught, my heart pounding against my ribs, and I turned.
Adrian stood in the doorway, a towering shadow framed by the warm, golden light spilling in from the hall. His broad shoulders filled the frame, his dark, intense gaze burned like molten steel, and even from across the room, I could feel it—the fierce, wild energy radiating off him, the quiet, smoldering storm in his eyes.
“She is strong,” he began, his voice a low, steady rumble that seemed to shake the air. “She is fierce. She is brilliant and wild and impossible. She doesn’t bow. She doesn’t beg. She doesn’t hide who she is just to fit someone else’s idea of perfection.”
Lena’s lips parted, her expression frozen, her gaze darting between me and him, a faint, trembling horror twisting across her face.
“She is everything you could never control. Everything you were too blind to see.” Adrian stepped forward, his boots thudding against the polished floor, his gaze never leaving Lena’s. “And she is mine.”
The air seemed to thicken, the wild, electric tension crashing through the room, and I felt it—the fierce, desperate rush of my pulse, the wild, twisted ache in my chest, the quiet, burning heat of his words wrapping around me.
“She is my mate.” His voice grew louder, each word a fierce, unyielding declaration, his dark, intense gaze blazing like fire. “And she will be this pack’s Luna.”
Lena stumbled back, her face pale, her hands trembling against the delicate, silken fabric of Sophie’s dress. “No… you can’t… this… this is a mistake.”
“A mistake?” Adrian’s voice was a low, dangerous growl, his jaw tightening, his hands clenching at his sides. “The only mistake is thinking you could choose for her. That you could twist her, shape her, break her to fit your perfect little world.”
My chest tightened, the fierce, wild heat crashing over me, and I could barely breathe, barely think. His words twisted around me, fierce and unyielding, burning through the sharp, aching doubt that had haunted me for so long.
He reached Lena, towering over her, his fierce, dark gaze locked on hers, a quiet, simmering fury burning in his eyes. “She is stronger than you. Braver than you. And I would stand beside her, fight for her, burn this entire pack to the ground before I let anyone make her feel small again.”
Lena’s gaze flicked to me, wild, desperate, her sharp, cold mask shattering. “This is madness. She’s… she’s a Zeta. She’s nothing.”
“She is everything.” Adrian’s voice was a low, vicious snarl, his eyes never leaving hers. “And you will show her the respect she deserves. Because she is my mate.”
The silence crashed down, sharp and suffocating, the fierce, electric tension twisting around us, the soft, sweet scent of wildflowers drifting through the air.
And then he turned, his fierce, blazing gaze softening, his hand reaching out, his fingers brushing against my cheek, the warmth of his touch a quiet, soothing balm against the wild, desperate ache in my chest.
“But only if you accept.” His voice softened, his thumb tracing a slow, gentle path along my cheek. “Olivia… will you be my mate? My Luna? My fucking everything?”
The world seemed to blur, the quiet, sunlit room fading away, the sharp, aching ache twisting in my chest crashing into something wild, something fierce, something warm.
I swallowed, my voice a soft, trembling whisper. “It’s Sophie’s big day.”
His lips curled into a faint, warm smile, his dark eyes shining with that quiet, fierce light. “I’m willing to wait for that answer.”
My heart twisted, a faint, breathless laugh slipping out, and I didn’t know if I wanted to cry or laugh or throw myself into his arms.
But I didn’t have to choose.
Because the warmth of his hand against my cheek, the quiet, fierce pride in his eyes… it was enough. More than enough.
Lena stood there, frozen, her sharp, calculating mask shattered, her wide, wild eyes fixed on me.
The door burst open, and Sophie’s voice rang out, bright and anxious. “Mom, have you seen the earrings? Evelyn said—” She stopped mid-sentence, her bright, blue eyes sweeping across the room—first to Lena, then to me, then to Adrian’s tall, imposing figure standing protectively beside me, his fingers still brushing against my cheek.
Her gaze dropped to our joined hands, her eyes widening, and then a slow, triumphant smile spread across her face. “Oh. Oh, I knew it. I knew it.”
“Sophie—” I started, but she raised a hand, her smile turning into a wicked, knowing grin.
“No, don’t even try to deny it.” She crossed her arms, leaning against the doorframe, her gaze darting between me and Adrian. “I was right. And Karl and I deserve an apology from the both of you.”
Lena’s face twisted, her fingers dropping the delicate, silken fabric she’d been smoothing, the material crumpling in a soft, shimmering heap at her feet. “So this is your doing?”
“Don’t act so surprised, Mom.” Sophie’s voice was a sweet, sharp, playful sing-song, her smile a perfect, mischievous curve. “I didn’t just inherit your good looks. I got the scheming and plotting DNA, too.”
Lena’s face darkened, her lips pressing into a thin, sharp line. “If you had played your cards right, you could have been the leader of this pack. You could have been Luna.”
“I never wanted that!” Sophie’s voice rose, a fierce, wild edge slipping into her voice, her bright, blue eyes blazing. “I told you a thousand times, I never wanted that. I wanted someone who loves me, who cherishes me, who doesn’t just see me as some perfect little Omega to parade around.”
Her voice softened, the fierce, desperate light in her eyes faltering. “And that’s Karl. He’s not a perfect Alpha. He’s messy, and loud, and stubborn, but he loves me. He makes me laugh. He makes me happy.”
Lena’s jaw tightened, the faint, desperate spark in her eyes flickering, but she didn’t speak.
“If you can’t be happy for me, then maybe you should just leave.” Sophie’s voice was a quiet, fierce whisper, the wild, aching tension twisting in the room.
I leaned closer to Adrian, a faint, wild smile tugging at my lips. “This is your chance. Flex those muscles, big guy. Show off those bouncer skills.”
A slow, wicked smile spread across his face, a faint, warm light flickering in his dark, intense eyes. “Banter? Does that mean you’re no longer mad at me?”
“I haven’t decided yet.” I whispered, feeling the fierce, wild warmth of his presence beside me, the quiet, steady pressure of his fingers brushing against my cheek. “But I wouldn’t mind seeing you toss someone out.”
Adrian’s smile widened, a faint, dark chuckle slipping out, and he straightened, his tall, broad figure a quiet, imposing shadow beside me. “Lena, I think you heard your daughter.”
Lena’s sharp, trembling gaze darted between Sophie and Adrian, her thin, painted lips pressing into a tight, bitter line. But the fight in her eyes had faded, the cold, calculating light dimming, leaving only a faint, desperate ache.
“Fine.” Her voice was sharp, clipped, and she turned, sweeping past Sophie without another word, her heels clicking against the polished floor, the door swinging shut behind her.
Sophie let out a long, shaky breath, her shoulders slumping, her bright, fierce gaze softening. “Gods. I thought she’d never leave.”
“Honestly?” I forced a laugh, shaking my head. “Neither did I.”
Sophie’s smile softened, her eyes darting between me and Adrian, her gaze lingering on our joined hands. “So… you two.”
“Yeah.” Adrian’s voice was a low, lazy rumble, and his fingers slipped from my cheek, curling around my hand, his warm, steady grip a quiet, soothing balm against the wild, desperate ache in my chest. “Me and her.”
A wild, breathless laugh burst from Sophie, and she launched herself forward, wrapping me in a tight, fierce hug, her arms squeezing me, her wild curls brushing against my cheek. “Finally. Finally, Liv. You deserve this. You deserve someone who loves you, who fights for you.”
I swallowed, my heart pounding against my ribs, the fierce, desperate ache crashing into something warm, something wild, something perfect. “Sophie—”
“And you.” She pulled back, pointing a finger at Adrian, a fierce, playful spark in her eyes. “If you hurt her, I will hunt you down, Alpha or not.”
“Noted.” Adrian’s slow, crooked smile lingered, his dark eyes never leaving mine, but then his expression shifted, a faint, wicked glint in his gaze. “But there’s just one problem.”
Sophie’s smile faltered, her gaze darting between us. “What problem?”
“She hasn’t said yes yet.” He turned to me, his gaze sharp, intense, but there was a faint, teasing light in his eyes. “I’ve made my declaration, put my heart on the line, but the woman in question is still undecided.”
I narrowed my eyes, crossing my arms, the wild, desperate ache in my chest crashing into something warm, something fierce. “Oh, really? And what are you going to do about it?”
Adrian’s smile widened, his tall, broad figure sinking to one knee, his dark, fierce gaze locked on mine, his voice a low, dramatic rumble. “Olivia, my sweet chaos, my beautiful disaster, the wild, impossible woman who makes me lose my mind—I am begging you. Begging you to be mine.”
“Oh, gods.” Sophie snorted, one hand covering her mouth, trying to stifle her laughter.
I tried to keep a straight face, tried to hold on to the fierce, sharp tension twisting in my chest, but it was impossible. The sight of this towering Alpha, this fierce, unshakable pack leader, on his knees in the middle of the sunlit room, his eyes shining with that quiet, desperate warmth… it was too much.
“You look ridiculous,” I whispered, a wild, breathless laugh slipping out.
“I feel ridiculous.” His voice softened, his dark, intense gaze never leaving mine. “But for you? I’d do it a thousand times.”
I laughed, a sharp, breathless sound that twisted into something warm, something perfect. I stepped forward, grabbing his face, pulling him up, crashing my lips against his in a fierce, wild kiss. His arms wrapped around me, pulling me close, his warmth crashing over me, his heartbeat pounding against mine.
When I finally pulled back, breathless, my fingers tangled in his dark hair, I stared up at him, a wild, desperate thrill racing through me. “I’ve known you for a week.”
“Yes,” he murmured, his thumb brushing against my cheek, his gaze soft, steady, unyielding. “But your wolf has been searching for me her whole life.”
A fierce, wild ache twisted in my chest, the sharp, desperate tension crashing into something warm, something terrifyingly real. “You’re insane.”
“Probably.” He leaned closer, his lips brushing against mine, a slow, lazy kiss. “But I’m yours. I don’t need a definitive answer. I know you hate rules. I know you hate being boxed in, hate feeling trapped. All I’m asking for… is a chance.”
A chance.
My fingers curled against his shirt, the fierce, wild heat crashing over me, and I stared up at him, the warmth of his touch, the quiet, desperate light in his eyes… it was enough. More than enough.
“I can do a chance .” I whispered, a faint, breathless smile tugging at my lips.
His smile widened, his dark eyes shining with that quiet, fierce pride. “Good. Because I’m not going anywhere.”
“Oh, I know.” I leaned in, pressing another quick, fierce kiss to his lips. “But you better be ready. Because I’m a disaster.”
“ My sweet chaos.” His voice was a low, warm murmur against my lips. “And I wouldn’t have it any other way.”
Sophie cleared her throat, crossing her arms, a faint, teasing smile curling at her lips. “Are you two done? Because, in case you forgot, it’s my day. Not your dramatic love confession day.”
Adrian laughed, a deep, warm sound that seemed to fill the room, and he pulled me close, his arm wrapping around my waist. “Sorry, Sophie. We’ll try to keep the chaos to a minimum.”
“Unlikely.” I grinned, leaning against him, feeling the fierce, wild heat of his touch, the quiet, steady warmth of his presence wrapping around me.
But for the first time, it didn’t feel suffocating. Didn’t feel terrifying.
It felt like home.