Page 20 of Love Me Knot, Part One (Knotty Omegas #1)

DAPHNE

Nate and Connor stuff bags in the trunk while I try not to drool in Dez’s arms. The forest green muscle car has been lovingly restored.

A peek inside shows the green continues, the additional dark brown hues giving it plant daddy vibes.

I get distracted stroking the sparkly roof until Dez tangles our hands together with a pained grunt.

“Please stop touching my car like that or I’m going to embarrass myself.”

“You and me both,” Nate mutters, shifting next to me. Connor looks just as uncomfortable near the driver's door.

I kinda want to touch it again just to see what happens.

While I’m lucid, we get the messy talks out of the way.

During heat alphas come more than usual as a biological response to an omega’s fertility window.

Not to mention knotting, which makes condoms fucking impossible to keep on without breakage or mistakes.

While I’m down to fuck this pack until none of us can move, I am not interested in bringing home a souvenir from the experience.

Everyone pulls up their last STI results, and I add proof of my birth control implant before running it all through OmiGo, the omega-only app that verifies their legitimacy without infringing on medical information laws.

While we’re at it, we discuss kinks and things we’re all comfortable with, as well as the typical length of my heat.

“Seven days seems really long.”

Dez isn’t saying it to be a jerk. He’s curious and a little concerned, I think. Meanwhile, I’m wondering what’s the right way to say my pack fucking sucked and I had to be medically brought out of my cycle most of the time.

“It’s not uncommon,” Connor says. “Usually, the longer a heat is, the less satisfied an omega is.”

“So, if we do a good job, it’ll be done in two days?” Nate asks, obviously thrilled at the challenge.

“Four is the minimum, but we’ll plan for seven just in case. I’d prefer to go no longer than five.” The words are absent as Connor texts, but they hit dead center.

Another alpha inconvenienced by my biology. Another way I’m failing as an omega.

“I’m sorry you’re having to uproot your life.” My nose burns at the scorched edge of my scent.

“That’s not what he meant. We own our own business, so we need to cover a three-way absence. We can stay as long as you need.” Dez gently loosens my fingers until he can hold my hand, and I crave the touch almost as much as I want to run from it.

Why didn’t I think of that? Why was my first reaction that I’m the problem?

Why am I so fucking broken?

Connor flashes his phone at me before dropping it in the cup holder. “Sawyer’s good to be there as long as we need. We’ll give him extra time off when we’re back.”

“See, kitten? All good.” Nate wraps an arm around my shoulders, pulling me into his body almost frantically. I let him comfort me, sucking in lungfuls of his summer scent until my own mellows. “We should get your emergency contacts so we can check in occasionally, too.”

Oh, shit. My friends are going to lose it.

In the mayhem of the heat spike, I completely forgot to update them. Getting a vetted heat pack is one thing, but corralling strangers to fuck me stupid is…well, stupid .

Dez squeezes my hand, the pressure sending tingles across my limbs. “What’s wrong? Did you change your mind?”

“No. I forgot to text my friends an update.”

“And this is a problem?”

“No?” I hope not.

Connor clears his throat. “To be clear, you’re not worried because you have a pack, right?”

“I already asked,” Nate interrupts, glaring at his pack lead.

Tension winds through the car, and it sets my teeth on edge.

I squeeze Nate’s thick thigh, staying a little too long.

He’s just so big everywhere. I want to ride this alpha until we’re both too tired to breathe.

I go to take my hand back, but he doesn’t let me and I almost purr as he inches closer. “I’m unbonded.”

There’s an irritating voice in my head telling me they should know about Pack Parker, but I shove it away. Separation with no intent to reconcile is a breakup, so I’m no longer anyone’s omega. We’re done. Over. Fini.

I wouldn’t disclose my dissolution status to one of Revelry’s heat packs and I’m not going to disclose it to this one even if I kind of want to.

“So, your friends are protective,” Dez says. I nod as he winds a curl around his finger, stroking gently.

“Like, will make us disappear for slighting you or will avenge your honor by keying our cars?” Nate grins.

“Both?”

Connor tenses, scent spiking. I think he’s going to call it all off, but he settles fast. “Good thing we took Dez’s car.”

“Worth the risk.” The alpha in question drags my hand to his mouth, pressing gentle kisses along it. “Better call now while you can. You’re getting warmer.”

Nate drops my phone in my lap as the need to be fucked and filled becomes harder to ignore. “I’ll do it while we drive. If we don’t get there soon, I’m going to end up knotted in the car.”

“I volunteer.” Dez’s words skate across my hot skin, and I’m ready to rip his pants open. I need my hands on him, my mouth.

Oh, fuck. He’s going to taste so good.

The car fills with perfume, sticky sweet and calling these alphas to take care of me. Lips trail my neck and Nate’s thick fingers get up close and personal with my shorts.

“No fucking until we’re in a nest.” Connor mumbles about being on chauffeur duty as we pull out of Diamonds.

With no time until we get to Revelry and a pervasive itchiness crawling over me, I call Mellie. Even with her unhinged personality and the constant worry she’ll end up in jail, she’s the closest thing to a sister I have. She’s also the one most likely to understand running with my impulses.

“Hey, bitch. What’s up? Thought you’d be pussy deep in knots.”

Because I put the call on speakerphone, her words echo through the car. Connor’s ears flush, Nate preens, and Dez chokes on a laugh.

“I’m on my way to Revelry now.”

Disapproval eeks through the phone. “Thought you left hours ago. Where the hell have you been, Daph?”

“Diamonds. I wanted some fabric for a set and then I found a pack. I’m taking them to the clinic for my heat.”

The words tumble on top of each other, and I pray she didn’t actually hear me. Mellie’s silent for three whole seconds before she shrieks. “Daphne Barnes, you did what?!”

Voices filter down the line, and any hope that she could be the bearer of bad news is gone.

“What’s going on?”

“Where is she?”

“I’ll get the car. You check the bail fund.”

Shit. I need to fix this before my friends storm the city. “Put me on speaker, Mel.”

“She already did,” Kai growls. “Talk.”

Alphas are scary, but historically, omegas are the first line of defense for the home. There are records of some ripping encroaching packs apart for getting too close to their babies. As one of Kai’s metaphorical babies, she has no problem going a little feral to keep us safe.

Giving them the brief overview does little to ease the tension. More jostling and soft words before Maverick comes on. “Need names, butterfly.”

My alphas growl at his low voice. Dez and Nate shift closer, bodies sandwiching me tightly. Aw, I guess we’re all territorial. Cute.

Connor waves and Nate holds the phone out with his long ass arms. “My name is Connor Morgan. My pack and I own Morgan Restorations here in Seaport. You’re free to call any of our employees who will vouch for our character.”

Damn. I don’t do cars and even I’ve heard of them. They’re like, really good. What the hell are they doing with me?

“You pay them to pretend they like you,” Kai points out.

“Ask for Missy. She doesn’t give a shit about anyone’s feelings. Especially ours.”

“Got their profile,” Maverick says. The men get even tenser. Most packs have profiles on matchmaking or heat help services, but I don’t like it. Not one bit.

Connor barely smothers a snarl. “I would’ve sent it to you.”

“But not until you got wherever you’re taking Daphne.” My alphas begrudgingly agree to Maverick’s point. “Face it, our friend’s in a shitty situation and we’re trying to look out for her.”

Connor peers at me in the rearview and whatever he sees steals some of his ire. “If I were in your shoes, I’d probably do the same.”

“Great,” Lacey says brightly. “So, the profile says they’re?—”

“Don’t tell me!” I yelp, smacking Nate’s arm so he’ll bring the phone back. “Whatever’s in the report doesn’t matter unless it’s going to affect my heat. You’re not criminals, right? Or bonded?”

Nate snorts. “No to both. You a jailbird, kitten?”

“Not yet.”

Connor stops at a light and all three men stare at me. They’d understand if they knew Mellie.

Speaking of, she pipes in. “You don’t have to go with them, Daph. You can hole up at home with some toys. We could give you a helping hand if you need. Whatever it takes to see you through. It won’t be weird.”

“It would definitely be weird,” Kai counters.

“But we’d do it because we care about you,” Lacey says firmly. I know she’s glaring at the other two when they jump to agree.

“Yep, totally!”

“Sure.”

“Love you, Daph, but I’m gonna pass. I will grab your car from Diamond’s, though.” Maverick’s so uneasy that I laugh until I nearly cry.

“What the fuck is happening?” Connor mutters, looking absolutely horrified.

“Thanks for the offer, babes, but I’m good,” I promise, pretending I’m not spiraling in the backseat.

“Put the alphas on the phone,” Kai demands.

“Already here,” Dez says.

“If you hurt her, I will fuck up every ounce of your life until you’re begging to leave this earth in pieces.”

Wild how my friends don’t even need to be here to ramp up the tension to a thousand. I cringe so hard my back spasms and Nate runs a hand down it like he knows.

“We’re trusting you with our friend,” Lacey says quietly. “Don’t make us regret it.”

“We won’t,” the guys promise.

Nate leans close. “We’ll take good care of Daphne and she’ll be under the eye of a monitor the entire time.”

“Good. Take us off speaker, Daph.”