Page 88 of Love Me Knot, Part One (Knotty Omegas #1)

“Thank you.”

I pat myself on the back for handling this first introduction well until the other omega reaches out for the guys.

My low growl rumbles between us, body shifting to block his path.

My pack steps back as one and someone snakes an arm around my waist, hauling me into their clutch.

They blatantly rub their face over my hair and shoulder, and I nearly fall out of my shoes when I realize it’s Connor.

I expect Omar to be upset, but he just smiles, wrangling me back into some sort of rocking hug. He really is touchy. I kind of like it. “Oh my god, you’re so cute! I remember feeling that territorial before we bonded.”

He looks at his alpha like they’re still in the honeymoon stages of their relationship, and my chest clenches.

“Uh, thank you?” I’m laughing again, carefully patting his back until he releases me.

“You going to introduce the rest of us, D, or should we get popcorn for the show?” A beautiful woman asks, yelping when Mama smacks her arm.

“Grown or not, you’ll mind your manners tonight, Marisol. I know I taught you better than that. The rest of you, let them in the house.”

“Yes, Mama,” they all chorus, with Omar yanking me out of my shoes and my alphas’ arms.

Someone’s on my heels, but Mama’s voice comes fast and hard when he’s a step from the living room. “You better take your shoes off before you walk on my carpet, Connor Morgan.”

“Sorry.” His eyes flash to mine, body vibrating with the urge to make sure I’m okay. He strips out of the shoes as fast as possible, beelining for me. Meanwhile, Nate struggles to toe off his cleanest work boots.

“Just put the box down and do it,” Dez says, slipping out of his shoes easily, handing the bags off to his brother.

“No. I’m fine.”

Rolling his eyes, Dez steals me back with Connor hovering nearby, and turns to the other woman. “Daphne, this is Marisol, only sister and general nuisance of life. Her husband Sam is in the living room. Sol, Sam, this is our omega.”

“Nice to meet you, Daphne.” Unlike Omar, she doesn’t step forward to hug me. I get the faintest hint of her scent, something like warm sand, and the very obvious hint of alpha.

No wonder she doesn’t reach for me. Omega instincts are brutal, but there’s no way to compete against three alphas’ trying to keep their unbonded omega safe.

The space gives me a moment to look at her. Unlike her brothers, Marisol must take after their dad, with a deep tan skin, long black hair and some serious muscles.

“You’re like, ripped ,” I say stupidly.

“I’m a firefighter and a serious gym rat, thanks to this guy.” She laughs and motions me into the living room where she moves between her husband’s legs. On her own, she’s muscular and tall and a serious force of nature, but with Sam who is beyond ripped wrapped around her, she seems almost small.

What must be Sam perches on the edge of the couch, face split into a welcoming smile. “Heard a lot about you, Daphne.”

“Same.” The guys talk about their family all the time, so I know they’ve have only been married a few years, but they’re still so obviously in love that they have an entire conversation with their eyes alone.

After he huffs for the millionth time, Dez finally takes pity on Nate. It’s so cute, I have to look away because I’m imagining my alpha helping someone much smaller into their shoes and my ovaries aren’t allowed to run the show right now.

“Do you like to work out, Daphne?” Sol asks.

The people pleaser in me wants to say yes because I need Sol to like me, but if I’m going to be with this pack, I want their family to accept me for who I really am. “Not really. Don’t have a ton of time.”

Nor interest, but that seems too rude to say.

Sol shrugs easily, shifting her ponytail to one side so Sam can lean against her shoulder. “If you ever want to, it’s a hobby of mine.”

“Not everyone wants to spend their free time in a smelly gym.” Nate steps into the living room barefoot.

“Maybe not, but I bet she could bench more than I could when I started.” Sol throws a commiserating glance my way. “Women are way stronger than we look, aren’t we?”

“You have to meet my friend, Kai. I’ll bet you’ll get along great.”

“Just stay away from Mellie. You two would get into so much trouble.” Connor shoots me a look that has my lips twitching.

Omar perks up where he’s leaning against Levi on the couch. “That’s the one I want to meet.”

Levi sighs. “I’m going to be bailing you out of jail.”

“We have a shared fund we add to each month. It’s been very helpful,” I say.

“Send me the details. I’m sure I can convince our accountant that it’s an investment.”

I’m still laughing when the final Barrett walks into the room. Finally back from saving our packmate, Dez nuzzles the top of my head. “Daph, this is my father, Will.”

If Will Barrett is a peek at Dez’s future, I’m going to live a long and happy life.

The man is beautiful. Smooth dark skin, kind eyes and the sweetest smile.

I can tell right away that he’s a gentle soul, his energy calling me to tell him all my secrets.

The faintest smell of eucalyptus relaxes me even more as he inches forward.

“Daphne, I hope my kids haven’t scared you off. ”

I wave his concern away, shaking his outstretched hand quickly, though not one of my alphas growls at him . Interesting. “I’ve seen crazy families, so they’ll have to try pretty hard.”

“Don’t encourage them.”

“Somehow, I think they get into enough chaos on their own.” He laughs and I give myself a pat on the back. Killing this family thing. “You have a lovely home, Will.”

Where I’m used to mausoleum silence and the empty stares of ancestors long gone, all I see here is warmth. Laughter. Light and sound and comfort in a way that makes my chest and throat tight. This place, beyond all others I’ve ever visited, feels safe.

Will beams. “It’s all my Bailey’s doing. And you call me Pop like everyone else.”

I almost decline, but the man’s eyes are sparkling like he’s waiting for just that. “Thank you, Pop.”

The word feels strange on my lips but not awful. In fact, it’s nice.

Will pulls the guys into a conversation and for the first time since this morning, I decide to take a moment for myself. Connor grabs my wrist before I get too far, reeling me in. “You good, angel?”

“Just need a minute.”

I love the Barretts, but they are a lot. Loud and chaotic and so fucking kind. I need a second to find my balance again.

“Call if you need me.” His lips warm me from my cheeks to the soles of my feet and I leave before I decide not to move.

Quiet envelops the little hallway off the front door, a balm to my aching nerves.

Photos stretch along the walls, perfectly lined and pristinely dusted, but they’re not fancy portraits of everyone.

It’s candid shots of the Barrett kids in various ages.

A toddling Dez patting baby Nate’s head with the most concerned look.

The two of them lying in puddles in the rain.

Later, Connor joins and my heart breaks at how lonely he looks.

It changes as the years pass, his smile coming easier as they grow closer.

Then, I see it.

My alphas, dressed to the nines on what has to be Connor’s wedding day. He grins widely, showing off the band fitted snug on his finger to the camera as the others cheer. There’s no bride in the picture, just three blindingly happy boys celebrating this huge milestone together.

“They got married on her eighteenth birthday,” Nate whispers, setting his box on a nearby table to take my hand. “I think Shelby was having a breakdown in the bathroom about the flowers or something when this was taken.”

Yeah, I don’t really want to know that or anything else about Connor’s ex-wife and former omega. “You were fifteen?”

He looks tall and bulky, like he grew too fast for his body, but the strength he’ll grow into is there. The shining joy I’m realizing was Nate’s default back then. I hope one day he gets back to a place where he feels that happy all the time. I hope I’m the reason it happens.

“Yep. The time of raging hormones and yet, I couldn’t give a shit about her.” He grins down at me. “I was waiting for the best. Just took a minute to find her.”

“Are you saying I’m the best?”

“I’m saying you’re the only, kitten.” He wraps his hands around my hips and pulls me in for a searing kiss. “Better?”

I soften at that tug of concern I feel, something that’s uniquely Nate in a way I shouldn’t understand. “Just a little overwhelmed.”

“Family’s hard, but I promise you’re safe here.” When I still don’t move, he wraps an arm over my shoulder and pulls me down the hall, lifting that fucking box with one hand. “Come drop this off with me.”

Sugar sounds perfect right now. “Can I have a bite?”

“Not until after dinner.”

I’m still pouting when we round the corner and find a closed off dining room absolutely teeming with food.

“There you are. We just put all your drinks away. You got quite the variety,” Mama B says, wiping her hands on a towel as she and Will enter. He must’ve snuck around the other side while I was walking down memory lane.

I cringe. “Probably too much, but I don’t know what everyone likes.”

“It’s perfect. Welcome to our home.” Mama hugs me tight, that same fresh honey scent wrapping around me as she whispers how gorgeous I look before heading for my alpha. Two steps later, she spots the box in his hand and stops. “What did you do?”

Nate glances at me like he needs the comfort, then pulls two cakes out, displaying them on the sideboard. The pound cake is perfectly golden brown, but it’s the red velvet that makes Mama gasp.

I whip around, terrified that she’s upset, and find the whole family behind her.

Connor and Dez look like they’re going to explode with happiness, though there’s some lingering pain there too.

Sol’s eyes water until she shoves her face into Sam’s chest. Even Omar looks a little shaken as he wraps a somber Levi up.

What the hell?