Page 50 of Knot Only For One Night

I chuckle. Of course he did. Neven is always two steps ahead. “You’ll figure it out. You’re an omega after all. It should be easier.”

"I'm sure a fuck won’t fix this,” he says and I slam my fist on his gut as we laugh. He jerks up but lays back down.

“Damn, Ash. I… I really like her. ”

“Figure something else out.”

“I will. I just… need some time.”

I let the silence take over the space between and around us. I just hope he doesn’t take too damn long.

As much as it would kill me to do it, we’ll form this Pack with or without him.

CHAPTER 17

SOREN

“You stalking me now?” Esper’s voice sounds from behind me. I waited outside on her dorm steps for her after confirming she was free today. Since I accepted a date from this omega, she’s all I can think about. This little minx was all smiles and wide-eyed stares when I finally approached her at WPC Laundromat. It warmed something in my chest, under my skin, that I will not name. But I liked—loved the feeling.

So I’m back. To take her on that date I promised her.

Except now, her eyes aren't as wide and she doesn’t wear a smile. Bags beneath her eyes are dark, and her shoulders slump as she comes closer. Her cranberry scent is sour under my nose and for a beat, it angers the fuck out of me.

“I am stalking you, but seemingly not hard enough. What’s going on?” I ask. I crack my knuckles, attempting to cool the simmering anger at her sadness. She lowers herself onto the steps next to me, dropping her head into her hands. Her manicure is chipped slightly. The edges of her nails are white and stand out against her dark brown hair as she drags her hands through.

She sighs, and I start to get nervous.

“Trouble?” I ask again, and she looks up at me, resting her head on her knees.

“You’re my scent match.” Her eyes are pinned on me. She tracks me like a hawk and as much as I find myself liking the attention, things start clicking.

Her scent. I can smell it. Betas can’t smell scents like omegas and alphas can. Unless⁠—

My face drains as I think about all the people I can smell. Because Esper isn’t the only one.

“You are mine,” I breathe, mind whirring on without my say-so. I’m more so at a loss for words, but my gut is telling me she needed an immediate response.

“Good.” She chuckles, but it’s dry. “I also know you are part of a motorcycle club. That you sell drugs, fight, all that stuff.”

“Well, I don't actually sell drugs.” My attempt at humor works, her eyes widening with surprise. “I’m a mechanic at Wolves Garage.”

She laughs and the chains in my chest loosen at the first sign of happiness from her. Still, there are questions needing answers. “How did you know all that stuff?” It’s not exactly a secret for me. With my bike and tattoos, there is really only one conclusion people come to when they see me. But Esper doesn’t judge… not in that way.

“Reed—Red, I guess, Neven or Hacker, Asher—oh, I don’t know his motorcycle name. Well, they told me. When we all found out we were scent matches.”

“Oh, I can’t imagine Red taking that very well.”

“He said you were friends.”

I give a hesitant nod. “Yeah, we’re friends. I’d say we’re close, but he didn’t tell me about you.” We aren't traditional friends, to say the least. We smoke together, let our guards down, defend each other.

If that's all you need in a friend, then we were the bestest friends.

“We were just supposed to be heat partners,” she says, keeping her eyes tracked on something in front of her.

“Are you okay?” I reach my hand up and trace a light line down the side of her face, moving a stray hair. Her skin is so soft, delicate. Much different from mine. It scares me. For a second, I wonder if Red is right to keep her at an arm’s distance, or whatever the fuck he did.

She’s so… magnificent. And we’re us. How could we risk tainting that?