Page 22 of Ready or Knot
“I’m not really sure how much eggshell walking I should be doing with you three. Can I just be blunt?”
Her eyes are clear, her shoulders back, no sign of worry or shame. It’s second nature to smile at her self-confidence, her surety, and Carter notices.
“Damn, Faedra, that’s the second time you’ve gotten him to smile after a really shitty day. If I didn’t know any better, I’d argue that you’re magical.”
I roll my eyes, and Faedra giggles.
Logan says, “No eggshells. If you’re nervous to say what you want, then we’ve done something wrong.”
She nods and pulls her hair from where it’s piled atop her head in a messy bun. The waves cascade down her back, and my fingers twitch with the desire to wrap them around my hand while I run my lips across the delicate skin of her throat. Logan grunts as my scent fills the space, but Faedra doesn’t react at all.
“I’d really like to do a formal Pack Celebration, especially in the fall,” she says. Carter settles into one of the chairs across the coffee table and nods. “My family, especially the extended portions, doesn’t really understand pack dynamics, so it might be awkward, but it’s important that I have a chance for my family and friends to celebrate with me. And it’ll probably help if we do some of the traditional wedding practices, like engagement photos and vows, even though those aren’t typical for these types of things.”
“That sounds great,” Logan agrees. I take a sip of the whiskey.
“Alright. Second, you should know that I’ve been on suppressors since before I started college,” she says.
My eyes widen at the same moment Logan mutters a soft, “Seriously?”
When she nods in confirmation, I slam the rest of the alcohol, using the burn down my throat as a momentary reprieve to collect my thoughts.
No wonder she didn’t fucking scent to Carter. Did she even notice when we did at the party? Did she notice now? Not to mention her being misdesignated when in public. If she’s been on suppressors for—at minimum—four years, then only Alphas would have a hope of noticing that she isn’t a Beta. Most Omegas probably wouldn’t even be able to tell.
Carter leans forward, resting his elbows on his thighs, letting his half-drunk whiskey hang from his fingertips.
“How many heats has it been?” he asks, his voice keeping low and soothing, trying to hide his worry. Logan glances behind Faedra and catches my attention, frowning. I purse my lips in response, mirroring his concern.
She swallows before admitting, “Three. The last one was during the Matching Gala.”
“Holy shit. It’s a miracle I even managed to get you to scent that night,” Logan murmurs before throwing his own whiskey back. “I thought it was faint because you wore scent blockers.”
“I wasn’t required to wear any because I’m suppressed.” Faedra ducks her head, a blush creeping down her throat. She blows out a breath. “I didn’t designate until the spring semester of my senior year. It was life-altering, you know? I begged my parents to let me start on a low dose as soon as the Council member left our house. I didn’t want to go through a heat while at school. And I didn’t want to match until I was finished with college. My degree is important to me.”
“Makes sense,” Carter assuages her. “What else is important to you?”
She looks up at him, biting her lip. “I’m not comfortable knotting until I’ve moved in with you. And I think I’d like to be in control of when my heat starts. I know there’s a medication I can use to trigger one.”
I run my hand down her spine, reacting on instinct, and she leans into the touch.
“Alright,” I say, twisting a strand of her hair around my finger. “We’re more than happy to make both of those happen.”
She smiles, and I can’t help but lean in and kiss her temple. When her breath catches, the faintest trace of her jasmine scent hits me, and Logan groans, low and deep. I don’t move my hand, even as we settle in to a card game of Carter’s choosing—that Faedra manages to win twice, despite her helping Logan start and finish the bottle of rum from the minibar. When we finally decide to call it a night, my hand slides from between her shoulder blades down to her hip, and I growl just a bit at her soft tremble, her slight catch of breath.
Even as I head to sleep in the spare bed in the other room, my hand still seems to feel the heat of her skin, and my scent blends with Carter’s in the small space.
Nine
FAEDRA
The morning comes too soon, and I roll off of the plush hotel mattress while quietly cursing the headache making me wince at the soft sunlight filtering through the half-closed blinds. Digging through my bag with half-opened eyes, I manage to find the forest green bralette I’d left out in the hopes of staying with them last night. I pull it on, readjusting my pajama top, and then run my hands through my hair, twisting it up onto the top of my head. As quietly as I can manage, I open the door to the shared portion of the suite. I vaguely remember seeing a coffee maker tucked into a corner of the bar area last night, and I intend on using it ASAP to help with what is shaping up to be a wicked hangover.
The door to the hall opens as I pass where Logan sleeps on the couch, sprawled on his stomach, an arm hanging over the edge. His short blonde hair is mussed, sticking up in different directions, and I smile.
“Oh, you’re awake,” Jude says, his voice quiet despite his surprise. I twist to see him standing in the doorway, and I flinch as my head pounds, reminding me of the hangover quickly settling into place. He frowns, setting the drink tray on the little table just inside the suite. “What’s wrong?”
My cheeks heat, and his eyes trace them, his eyebrows furrowing. He crosses the room with large strides, tucking his hands into the pockets of his grey sweats. The blush intensifies as the reality of his being only a few inches away from me settles on me.
And my head pounds enough that I can’t really enjoy it like I want.