Page 19 of Believe it or Knot

Obviously ex-military. Or current military. Buzzed golden hair, tan skin, a half sleeve of tattoos on his forearm of a lake scene, complete with a little Snack Shack on the water and trees surrounding it. He’s clean shaven and looks like he’s about ready to kill someone with his bare hands. But his dark blue eyes are focused on Sorrel.

My little beta, Sorrel, who wouldn’t stand a chance against someone like him if he were going to attack her, to hurt her.

My alpha lets out a warning growl that he ignores, taking a step forward.

Rafe bristles next to me and I know we’re about a wrong breath away from a full on brawl. But then Sorrel moves between the two of us. Her hand drops from her mouth and she places it gently on my back, calming me with that soft touch before she does the same thing to Rafe.

The other alpha tracks the movement, his lip pulling back in a snarl, but it melts as Sorrel’s sweet voice cracks over one word. “Gage?”

Track 7: Home

I didn’t imagine my homecoming like this.

And believe me, I’ve imagined it a whole fucking lot. Coming back to Sorrel. It almost always centered on me surprising her at work, because I know that’s where she spends most of her time. In my head she’s crying and throwing herself at me and hugging me and I’d sink into her embrace and feel settled for the very first time in years.

Since the last time I hugged her, held her, smelled her.

Home at last.

Imagining this homecoming, being able to come to her free and clear, no longer tied down by contracts or missions, it’s all I’ve thought about.

To where the guys on my team called me obsessive, pussy whipped. Though can you be pussy whipped if you haven’t been inside said pussy? I don’t know. But I do know that I don’t care that they gave me a hard time about it.

I’ve never really cared about anything or anyone but Sorrel. Leaving her here seven years ago was the greatest mistake of my life, but I needed to be able to offer her more than I could give her. I thought the military was the way to do it.

If only I knew then what I know now.

I went looking for my pack, because I certainly didn’t have one in Lake Kilrose. If I was meant to be with any of the other alphas and betas in our tiny town, I would have felt it by the time I turned eighteen. The only person I found that I wanted to spend the rest of my life with was Sorrel.

My parents’ pack met in the military, fell in love there and I thought maybe I could do that too. Find the rest of the people I’m supposed to build a life with.

Find a pack to offer Sorrel.

I never did.

I love the guys on my team, would trust them with my life—would trust them with Sorrel’s life—but I never really clicked with them as a pack. The girl standing in front of me now is a huge reason for that. I don’t want a pack without Sorrel. Hell, I don’t really want a pack at all. Just her.

She’s all I’ve ever wanted.

I came back with the idea that it would be enough. Me and her growing old together, loving each other until we’re gray haired and bent.

But now here she is, surrounded by the freaking Cordova Pack—Liam Cordova literally has his fucking face buried against her neck—and I think I might have waited too long. It might be too late.

“Gage?” she whispers, aqua eyes wide like she can’t believe what she’s seeing.

My mouth curls into a small smile, the one I save just for her. No one else. “Yeah, biscuit. It’s me.”

Out of the corner of my eye I see Liam Cordova mouth the word ‘biscuit’ like he thinks it’s adorable. But I don’t take my eyes off my girl. Mine. Always has been.

Sorrel lets out a choked noise and then in a flurry of movement she’s in my arms, her curvy body pressed against me, her sweet lavender and clean linen scent reaching me through the ever present fried food smell that clings to her skin. My eyes slip closed as I press my cheek into her hair, not even bothering to hide that I’m scent marking the shit out of her. I need this, need her to smell like me, like I need air in my lungs.

Her fingers dig into my shirt and her nose nuzzles into my neck, her soft breaths puffing out to brush my skin.

“What are you doing here?” Her voice comes out choked with tears and that’s unacceptable, so even though it kills me, I pull back, and cup her pretty face, smooth my thumbs over her cheeks, wiping away her tears as my forehead drops to hers.

“I’m home for good, biscuit.” Another choked sound leaves her as her eyes shine with tears and a beautiful smile graces those lips I’ve dreamed about ever since I enlisted. Since before I enlisted.

Her hands wrap around my wrists, holding me against her as she breathes, “God, I missed you. So much.”

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