Page 132 of Knot Only For One Night

Reed can’t help himself as he stands and addresses the room. “I’m not running anymore. I⁠—”

Esper reaches around Soren and grabs his hand, trying to yank him back down.

“No one gives a shit if you were running. You are the guy for the job,” I say, grabbing the omega’s other hand and pulling him to sit back down.

I grab the side of his neck and kiss the top of his head. In front of the whole damn MC. He flushes pink, but he doesn't pull away. Not even when we get a few whistles and hollers from the MC. That is when I truly know Reed is in this Pack for the long haul. He grips my hand tight as he looks back at the board.

He’s our omega, and just like Esper, we’ll make sure he gets everything he wants.

“The vote is clear. Please welcome Midnight Wolves' new president, Red,” Ace says, clapping and pushing Reed to stand. He stumbles around his chair a bit before gaining his footing. Striding to the Prez’s desk. Ace stands, pulling Queen up from her chair and sitting with her in his lap.

“Thank you, everyone. Though I cannot accept the role⁠—”

“Reed!” Esper chastises and Reed chuckles as he stares at her.

“I cannot accept without my omega's blessing.”

Soren is up, dragging a chair to sit on the other side of the President’s desk. Reed reaches a hand to a blushing Esper, who has no choice but to take it. Not that she wouldn’t. She wants this for him so badly. She’d been hanging in the Bar, telling everyone how amazing Reed would be when he’s not around. Holding mini meetings in the booths of the Bar, convincing members who really needed no convincing to vote for Red when the time comes.

“I bless—everything,” Esper says, a bit lost for words. She sits in the chair, her hands clasped in her lap and her eyes tracking Reed like he’s her lifeline.

They look fucking perfect together up there.

For almost a full minute, they simply stare at each other in silence. Entire soliloquies the rest of us can only guess at must pass between them.

Gratitude.

Forgiveness.

Adoration.

Pride.

“First order of business,” Reed finally says, voice strong and clear as he faces the rest of us again, “We will be progressing with the takeover of the Eastern Outlaws. They are not welcome in White Pine Crest or any of the surrounding areas,” Reed says, writing the agenda Ace left for him on the white board.

Townhall goes on and everything feels right. My Pack is safe and happy. As an alpha, I can’t ask for much more than that.

CHAPTER 44

ESPER

Reed’s office isn’t too far from our apartment. Not far at all actually. It’s right across the hall. I knock on the door and slowly open it to find my handsome omega behind his new desk. Looking over something on the monitor. Blue light painting his face. Other than the desk, the room is pretty barren, for now.

“I wanted to check in,” I say and Reed’s eyes move to mine. He slides off those extremely hot glasses over his face, and I have half the nerve to ask him to put them back on.

He stands from his desk and comes around the front to lean on it so he’s standing in front of me. I slide comfortably into one of the two the black velvet armchairs I helped him pick out yesterday.

“Are you happy?” I ask.

Reed crosses his arms. His eyes drift to a spot behind me. “I am.”

“Are you sure?” I ask and he nods. Relief flows through me. I know he changed his mind a bit there, not wanting to be president anymore, but… he worked so hard for this. He deserves this. I can’t be the reason he lets everything go. I won’t let him do that.

I wanted him to choose me, choose us, but I also needed him to choose himself. We can’t be a Pack and one of us is unhappy, or resentful even, down the line.

There is nothing more I want to see than my Packmates happy.

“So sure, Princess. I’m actually glad you came,” he says, reaching for something under his desk. “So I can properly apologize for being… well… a piece of shit.”