Page 12 of Love Me Knot, Part One (Knotty Omegas #1)

DAPHNE

“Your Honor, my clients would like to postpone this dissolution.”

“I’m so surprised,” I mutter, swiping the sweat beading along my brow. Anxiety and an early fall heatwave turns my scratchy blouse into an oven.

The ten months since I filed the paperwork to officially leave Pack Parker have been complete chaos. They’ve dragged proceedings out twice trying to convince the judge I’m having a psychotic break, and my friends forced me to leave.

Your Honor, all we want is our omega back. She’s the love of our life.

What a crock of shit.

Pack Parker looks the same as always—trim, poised and ready to take on the world—but there’s something off about them now.

This feral energy that feels dangerous. The slightly unkempt stubble on Corey’s jaw and the way Lance’s hair is too long.

Jacob’s cruel eyes burning my skin as he looks me over.

These aren’t the alphas I was with; they’re something worse and their desire for me feels like a dangerous obsession I can’t seem to escape.

I thought this would be open and shut. Daphne was abused; Daphne gets her dissolution.

That’s not what happened at all.

The judge waved away my unbonded status after my exes brought texts with me reiterating their talking points.

Alphas can’t be faulted if their omegas choose to forgo the bite, so they threw out the biggest indicator of neglect because of a trauma response I learned from my neglectful exes. Well, that and my parents’ bullshit.

And that contract we signed the day we packed up? Gone and Taylorson with it. I thought he refused to answer my calls and emails because of my pack, but it turns out, he vanished off the face of the earth after a very loud meeting with my father years ago. Extended vacation, his secretary said.

Yet somehow, the bridewealth contract still exists. Apparently, the merger was a separate document. Who knew?

This whole dissolution has been a brutal game of chess I’m underqualified to play in this hotbox of a courtroom. Thankfully, my lawyer has no such problem.

Sasha Knight is gorgeous and whip smart.

An alpha herself, I’ve seen her make grown men cry with her resting bitch alone.

She sat on the other side of my former pack and fought like hell to get me on a payment plan for the bridewealth that won’t leave me destitute.

She’s kind and supportive and, despite it being a little inappropriate, has made subtle hints that she and her pack are interested in courting me when this is over.

They’re beautiful, kind, and smell fine, but I’m not ready to date again.

Or maybe I’m just scared. My friends certainly think so, since I’ve avoided alphas after leaving mine.

I’ve also started disappearing when I get overwhelmed.

Not running per se but taking long drives that last all day without my phone or heading out of town for the weekend with no warning.

Whatever it takes to breathe without this crushing stress stealing my energy.

Because the men across the aisle want me back and want to make me pay in equal measure.

Judge Harris sighs, already looking at Sasha. “Go ahead, Counselor.”

“Thank you, Your Honor. As you know, my client has been waiting for this dissolution to go through for nearly a year. Daphne’s ready to start her new life.

” Sasha’s hand drops gently onto my shoulder, squeezing in reminder.

Sit up tall. Show no fear. “When leaving, she took no money that wasn’t hers by right and no shared property.

There’s nothing tying her to Pack Parker anymore beyond the bride payment and you’ve already signed a payment plan into the records.

They have no reason to continue dragging us down here, except to make Daphne struggle financially.

For people who say they have her best interest at heart, it’s appalling. ”

“Ms. Knight is correct. Mrs. Parker left with nothing she and her pack share.” Brian Kefling, the pack’s lawyer and former frat brother, looks my way and winks. Dread sinks claws into me as he utters the words I never thought I’d hear. “Except her business.”

No.

Bile stings my throat, and a wave of heat threatens to send me toppling. I’m going to pass out.

Sasha scoffs. “Your Honor, be serious. My client built her company from the ground up with no financial, physical or emotional help from her former pack. They weren’t even bonded!”

Kefling pretends to pick lint off his tie smugly. “That doesn’t matter. Mrs. Parker?—”

“Her name is Daphne Barnes ,” Sasha snaps. “If you’re going to do this, use the name she prefers.”

Jacob growls, but Kefling doesn’t acknowledge him. “The dissolution is ongoing, so she’s still Pack Parker’s omega.”

“Your Honor, my client is actively trying to distance herself from her former alphas. It’s distressing to continue using her pack name when she’s asked to revert to her maiden one.”

“Your Honor?—”

“I agree with Ms. Knight, Counselor. You will use her client’s maiden name from here on out.”

Kefling looks pissed but bows his head anyway.

“Yes, Your Honor. As I was saying, Miss Barnes was the Parkers’ omega when she created the business in question.

Even without a bite, pack law entitles them to part of the profits and/or ownership.

Since there are three alphas and one omega, we believe it’s fair to give them seventy-five percent of both. ”

They’re seriously trying to take Nymph. “You can’t do this!”

It’s the first time I’ve spoken to my exes since I left. Everything’s been through our lawyers, but how can I let this go?

Judge Harris spears me with a reprimanding look. “Miss Barnes, I suggest letting your lawyer talk for you. Parkers, I’ll give you the same advice.”

“We can take it, and we will. It’s the least of what we’re entitled to.” Kefling puts a hand on Jacob’s arm, pulling it back when he snarls, but I see the truth in his eyes.

This isn’t about the business or even what they think they deserve. They’re taking Nymph from me because I left. Because I made them look bad. They want the one thing that kept me alive when they tried to break me, and the courts are going to let them take it.

The knowledge does something to me and I just stop .

My body’s here, but my mind is somewhere else.

Running from the overwhelm like my friends accuse me of, maybe, but why is that such a bad thing?

There’s no sadness here; no grief or anger.

Just numbness that feels so much better than reality ever could.

Sasha rubs a hand discreetly over my shoulder, but I barely feel it. “Your Honor, you can’t seriously consider this. It’s obviously an attempt from an abusive pack to keep their former omega under thumb.”

“There’s been no proof of the abuse allegations,” Kefling argues.

“We’re aware, Counselor.” Judge Harris scrubs his face. “Before we dive too deep into this stunt, does opposing counsel have proof the business was created during Miss Barnes’ tenure with Pack Parker?”

“We do, Your Honor.” Kefling hands the bailiff a slip of paper, passing a copy to us too. It’s my business license, with the date loudly pronounced at the top. I don’t need to read it to know what it says.

I founded Nymph just under five years ago. Well within my tenure as Pack Parker’s omega.

A whine crawls up the back of my throat, loud as a scream and just as heart-wrenching even when I swallow it.

Not only are my dreams ash, but I’ve dragged my best friends with me.

They’ve invested so much into the storefront and if my exes take it, they’re going to lose everything .

Leaving to save myself has damned the people I love.

Judge Harris frowns at the page, then turns to me. “Miss Barnes, do you have a contract with your former pack to keep them out of your business?”

He knows I do, but with no proof it exists and no one willing to testify to the abuse I endured, I’m absolutely fucked.

“Miss Barnes?” He repeats.

“No.”

One hoarse word seals my fate.

Sighing, he drops the paper onto the bench and glares at my former pack. “Very well. It seems you have grounds for a continuation, Kefling. We’ll meet in four weeks to discuss the validity of Pack Parker’s claim before discussing further actions.”

Judge Harris disappears into his chambers and Sasha steers me out of the courtroom as our opponents congratulate each other. As always, she stays between us, ensuring they don’t get even a glimpse as I leave.

Once we’re outside, the real world filters in like paint dripping down a canvas. Every step forces me out of my comfortable numbness. There’s no pain, just an overwhelming sense of defeat. Failure. Understanding that these men won’t stop until I submit to them or fade altogether.

The whine I’ve been holding back leaks through my lips, the effect instant.

Dropping her bag, Sasha hugs me close. There’s this faint ink and paper smell clinging to her clothes, but I can never tell if it’s from work, her pack, or her actual scent.

It’s nice. Soothing, but sort of bland to the nose.

She rubs my back; the strokes helping me control my breathing.

When I stop shaking, she pulls away, hands on my shoulder and dark eyes stealing my attention. “It’s not over. We’ll figure this out without losing Nymph.”

I almost tell her not to bother when Mother’s voice echoes through the empty space and we wince in unison.

When I filed the dissolution paperwork, Mother’s rampage to get me home went nuclear.

Voicemails, texts, and emails sent telling how ungrateful I was for everything my pack did for me.

That I was useless. Worthless. That they’d find someone new.

Then more telling me that the Parkers were being kind in asking me to come back. That I should be grateful.