Page 9 of Love Me Knot, Part One (Knotty Omegas #1)

He reaches for my arms, running soft hands down my skin. The goosebumps are purely involuntary. I’m fucking repulsed by him. By all of them. “You can’t leave, Daph. Your parents will cut you off.”

Jacob steps forward, too. “And we’re not paying for an omega we don’t even see.”

Every time I’ve considered walking away in the last few years, the reminder of what I could lose stopped me. But my parents haven’t talked to me about anything but bonds and babies in ages. They barely call, too ashamed that I haven’t given everyone the next generation they want, like I’m to blame.

I didn’t choose any of this. They did. If losing a relationship with my parents is the price I pay for my future, so be it.

Chin lifting, I stare my former alphas down. “I don’t need their money to survive, and I don’t need yours either.”

Jacob grits his teeth, scent flaring in agitation until I’m near choking. He’s never liked me putting my foot down. “Are you talking about your little panty line?”

The words roll off my back. My pack found out about Nymph last year, but they think it’s a hobby.

I’m going to let them. They don’t need to know that my small business has three full-time employees under me or that I’m saving up for a space in town to create a little atelier.

They don’t need to know anything about me ever again.

Corey steps too close, reeking of desperation. “Daphne, please. We don’t want to see you suffer.”

“Living with you three is suffering.”

I make the mistake of turning my back on them, and that’s when Jacob makes his move.

Manicured nails grip my arm until it mottles and I have no choice but to press against his body to avoid some of the hurt.

Gross. “Here’s what’s going to happen, you ungrateful omega.

We’ll forget that you pulled this stunt as long as you apologize or else?—”

“Or what?” My heart races as I jerk, throwing him off balance. He’s not expecting me to fight when I haven’t before. “Come on, Jacob. Tell me. What else could you possibly do to me that you haven’t already tried?”

The doorbell echoes through the halls, and the shrill tone of my phone falls between us like a bomb. Jacob’s fingers tighten, nearly pulling a whine from my throat. “Don’t you dare, Daphne Parker.”

Staring him dead in the eyes, I answer. “Hello?”

“Kai hired me to escort you out. Tell the alphas to open the door or I’ll break it down.

” Maverick’s voice rolls across the line, and I’m suddenly so fucking grateful for Kai’s overprotectiveness.

He’s a licensed bodyguard and one of my best friends.

With him here, I know I’ll be okay, alpha rage or not.

“Jacob will be right there,” I say sweetly, watching my ex’s neck turn that awful shade of purple that comes just before an epic tantrum .

“Don’t hang up.”

“He’s coming now,” I promise, stage whispering to Jacob. “Better hurry, darling. I know how much you care about the Prishett Oak doors.”

I swear he’s about to backhand me when Lance speaks from the hall. “Who’s here?”

“Daphne’s little beta friend,” Jacob spits.

“Why?”

“Because I’m leaving. If someone doesn’t go let him in, he’ll be forced to find his own way and we all know the neighbors will talk about it for days.”

Another knock comes, much harder this time, with a round of obnoxious rings on the doorbell to boot.

Jacob rips away, and we follow his thundercloud presence downstairs. He whips the door open, leveling a truly impressive scowl on the man outside. “You’re not needed.”

The words are hostile enough, but it’s the alpha bark that sends chills up my spine.

Thankfully, beta operatives train to withstand even the most powerful alpha bark in the military, where Mav spent five years before moving to Seaport.

While he doesn’t flinch, it’s sobering to realize I don’t know what Jacob would’ve done if we were alone.

Probably shouldn’t taunt the erratic asshole until I’m out safely.

“What the hell? Why didn’t it work?” Jacob’s scent is pouring out of him, so sour my cheeks hurt.

Maverick gives him a bland look. “Dunno. Maybe try harder next time.” I choke on my laugh, remembering the vow I just made.

Maverick’s almost six inches shorter than my ex, yet he has no problem pushing him out of the way to get to me. As soon as he’s within reach, he smiles. “Hey, butterfly.”

“Hey.”

This man is the closest thing to a brother I’ve ever had, and I couldn’t be happier to see him.

“Let’s get you packed, yeah? The girls are buying out the local snack aisle.”

Oh, fuck yeah. Snack charcuterie sounds amazing.

“She’s not going anywhere,” Jacob growls. Corey and Lance back him, but

Maverick barely glances their way.

“Yes, she is. If you interfere, I’ll have you six feet under before you can call Mommy and Daddy to save your sorry asses.”

It’s odd to hear my quietest friend so hostile. I shiver at the darkness of every word, and they aren’t even directed at me.

“You can’t take our omega,” Corey whines. Jacob’s face is a picture of rage, his teeth sharp and ready to tear out the threat, but Maverick’s calm should terrify him. Nothing good comes from stillness like that.

He takes the suitcase from my hand, eyes flashing to the redness on my arm with a lethal anger he directs toward the others. “Seems to me like she wants to go. Considering her arm’s gonna bruise like hell, I can’t imagine why she’d stay. Can you?”

Of all the alphas, I’m surprised that Lance is the one who shows some self-preservation. “We’re cool, man. Do whatever you need.”

“No, we’re not.” Jacob lunges for me and Lance has to all but carry him out of the room.

As if nothing happened, Maverick sticks my filled suitcases outside with a stern glance at Corey, then motions toward the stairs. “Let’s finish so we can get the fuck out of here.”

He stands guard in the sewing room as I collect the last of my belongings.

Having help means I can bring more than I expected, but after filling a fourth suitcase, there’s no more room and I take a moment to lament the loss of everything else.

As soon as I’m gone, all the fabrics and extras I’ve spent years finding will burn under Pack Parker’s anger.

Yet another price I’m paying for a fresh start, but the sting is worth it.

One cleansing breath later, I leave my sanctuary for the last time. “I’m ready.”

Corey‘s stationed on the other side of the hallway, has been since the others ran off, but we ignore him and the faint sound of manic screaming from the bowels of the house. I wish Lance the best in dealing with his asshole pack lead.

On second thought, no I don’t.

“Do you need anything from the nest?” Maverick asks, eyeing my former alpha like he’s going to rip him to shreds.

“Fuck no.” Nothing is worth dragging Pack Parker’s scents with me.

“Okay. Give me a sec.” He moves me so I’m completely covered by his frame, then pulls out a hunk of metal from his pocket.

“What the hell is that?” Corey asks.

“New lock.” Maverick fixes the metal until it clicks.

“Law says an omega has the right to protect their things when leaving a pack, up to and including adding locks until they’re able to retrieve everything.

If you break it, you owe triple what it’s all worth and get a guaranteed mark on your record. ”

Pack Parker might’ve tried to break down the door before, but that will stop even Jacob from doing damage. No way they get another omega with a mark of violence on their record. I can’t say the system’s made to protect us, but when it does, it really does.

“I didn’t know that,” I whisper.

A ghost of a smile crosses Mav’s face.“Guess it’s a good thing I do.”

Once the sewing room’s protected, he pulls out another lock for my bedroom door and secures that, too.

We split the suitcases, so he has one hand free in case he needs it.

Measured steps get us to the SUV parked damn near on the stairs without incident.

It’s not until everything’s packed in the trunk and I’m sliding in the car that Jacob returns, face red and anger rolling off him.

“What about the bride payment? There’s no way you can pay it back, Daphne. Not without help.”

Maverick stiffens at my side, and I smile as if Jacob didn’t tattle one of my biggest secrets. “Don’t worry , I’ll pay back every cent.”

The hope was to wait a few days before I told my friends everything, but that’s off the table now.

Lance reaches for me. “We don’t want the money, Daph. We just want you.”

“Let her go,” Jacob barks, getting his crony back in line before giving me that cruel smirk he loves to hide. “Eight years in this pack and still have no bondmark? No one’s going to want an omega like you. You’re fucking used goods, Daphne.”

That stings more than I care to acknowledge, but I refuse to let him see. Instead, he gets my best airhead omega pout. “You promise?”

Taking advantage of his surprise, I climb into the SUV, slamming the door on whatever vitriol he might hurl.

Maverick climbs in only once the pack is back on the front steps, then carefully maneuvers us out of the driveway. “You okay?”

“Absolutely. It was time.”

“Beyond, if you ask me.” He gently pats my hand before scrubbing his palm on his jeans. Awareness hits a second later, and he stares at his thigh with a look of pure panic before ripping open the center console and dousing himself with enough descenter to nullify both our smells.

When I cough out the cloud of chemicals, Maverick’s ears tip the most precious shade of red. Adorable.

Kai and Maverick’s relationship is something of an open secret in our group.

Not that we care if they’re together, but Kai’s a little jumpy.

Until they’re ready to tell us, Mellie, Lace and I pretend we don’t know a thing, but we know Kai isn’t a fan of other scents on her beta. Territorial, that one.

“Sorry.”

I give him a toothy grin. “It’s okay. I know she gets jealous.”

His mouth twitches even as he levels me with a look. “They’re going to lose their shit about the payment, but we’ll figure it out. You’re not in this alone.”

“I know.”

And I do. Because I may’ve just lost the family I was born into, but I have the one I made to keep me going.