Page 39 of Knotted By the Demon

Once I’d finished, I returned the container to the shed. I stood there for a moment, lost in thought. They should be done showering by now, should be dressed in my clothing.My clothing. Another growl rumbled through me. I still wasn’t fully in control. Time and distance. I needed more time and more distance from them.

I let my eyes wander to my truck. It looked like an old and weathered machine, but everything under the hood was new. I’d practically built it myself. My truck stared back at me like it was the answer to my problems. Maybe it was. With them here, I’d need more supplies for the cabin.

I needed more food, some clothes for them, something soft for Greek, and something fun for Sofia to keep her from getting bored. What did she even like? She seemed the type who’d be bored stiff during a storm if she didn’t have something to keep her occupied. And I wasn’t the most entertaining alpha in the world.

If they hadn’t shown up, I would’ve sat on my porch and watched the storm from one of my chairs while drinking a cold beer. If I didn’t find a way to keep them happy during the storm, they’d want to leave after it passed. My gut twisted at the thought of them leaving. That thought was like claws scraping against my lungs, stealing my breath.

The cabin felt alive for the first time since I’d holed up here, their scents clinging to the air like they belonged, like they’d always been a part of this place. My place. Our place. Greek’s shy little smiles, Sofia’s ridiculous, teasing comments – I hated how much I liked all of it. People didn’t normally smile at me.

Instead, they ran in the other direction when they saw me. Yet, the handsome little omega had gifted me with a shy smile that tugged at my heart. And people definitely didn’t tease me.They were too afraid to do so. Yet beautiful Sofia had. And it didn’t piss me off. Instead, it made me smile.No!It made me laugh. The sound had erupted from me before I could stop it.

I hadn’t laughed since...Fuck!I don’t know when I last laughed. Laughter wasn’t a part of my life. Never had been. I’d never had a reason to even smile. Until them. After one day in my cabin, not even a full day, they’d already turned my life upside down. They chased away the cold that had lived in these walls for years, the kind that the fireplace couldn’t reach.

The idea of that being gone? Of them being gone? Yeah, it twisted something deep inside me, something I wasn’t ready to name. I could make them stay. Force it, even. But I didn’t want that. Not with them. I wanted them to want this. To want me. But I wasn’t a fool. I knew there was nothing appealing about me.

I was an alpha who didn’t give in to his base instincts. I’d learned to ignore them, to quiet them. I’d broken the beast within me, and he no longer knew how to follow his natural instincts, instincts that would help him care for an omega. I could fight. I could kill. I could protect. But the other things that came with being an alpha were foreign to me.

That’s why I’d been labeled as a rogue years ago. Though, that truly didn’t describe me either. I wasn’t a danger to anyone unless they made me be. I wasn’t a rogue. I was just broken. And I’d been fine with that... until them. And until them, I hadn’t cared about purring properly to calm an upset omega or worried about smiling in a way that would charm a lovely beta.

Even I knew purring and smiling would only get me so far. They’d need more incentives to stay. And I didn’t have anything more to give. Somehow, I had to show them that being stuck here because of some storm could become so much more than just a means of survival. If they wanted, this could become their home.I... could become their home.

I just had to figure out something to help them see that. I began pacing in the shed, my thoughts chaotic. Maybe gifts would help. Normal alphas often wooed omegas with courting gifts. Could I court them both? Would a beta even want to be courted? The idea lodged itself in my heart, an ember catching fire.

I ran a hand over my face, my heartbeat unsteady as I realized what I was thinking. I wanted to court them. Not just Greek, but Sofia too. The sly fox who’d filled my house with mischief and warmth. The fragile rabbit who looked at me like I was something more than I knew I was. Like I was worthy.

There was no turning back now that the thought had taken root and the embers had started a fire inside me. With that thought anchoring me, I headed back into the house, creating a mental list of things I needed to purchase. I’d get supplies, plus gifts, to make them want to stay.

Before leaving, I needed to make sure they were safe while I was gone. The storm shutters would keep out intruders. I’d make sure Sofia and Greek knew how to open them in case of an emergency, though the thought of them needing to open them while I was gone terrified me.

As I stepped into the hall, keys in hand, the bathroom door creaked open. My breath stalled in my chest, and my boots froze mid-step. Greek and Sofia emerged, hand in hand, clad in nothing but towels. Steam followed them like a lover’s caress, their scents thick in the air, wrapping around me and making it impossible to think.

They were both wrapped in towels,mytowels, towels that had touchedmybody and were now touching theirs. Sofia’s towel didn’t hide the swell of her breasts or her long, shapely legs. And Greek’s towel hung low on his waist, and his cock was tenting the towel, calling to me. My body reacted instantly, heat flaring as my cock throbbed painfully against my jeans.

The keys slipped from my fingers, clattering to the floor. I took a stumbling step back, my pulse hammering. Greek’s blond-silver hair clung to his neck and shoulders, water droplets trailing down his chest. And Sofia, her towel hung low on her breasts, revealing just enough to drive me insane. Her damp hair framed her face, and her smile was pure trouble.

“Where are the clothes you promised us, alpha?” she asked, her voice light and teasing.

Forming words was impossible. My mouth wouldn’t work. Unable to speak, the only thing I could do was nod to the pile of clothing on the floor behind her. She looked back, her gaze flicking to the floor.

When she looked back at me, her lips quirked up, and she said, “Oh, silly me. I didn’t even see them.”

Releasing Greek’s hand, she turned and strode toward the clothing. She bent down to pick up the items I’d left them. When she did so, my world tilted. Her towel stretched over the curve of her ass, the damp fabric clinging to her skin. The edge of the towel rose just enough to reveal a sliver of her bare ass cheeks, pale and perfect, a taunt and an invitation all at once.

My breath caught, a low growl vibrating in my chest as I fought to tear my gaze away, but I couldn’t. She bent lower, oblivious to what she was doing to me, or maybe not. The towel rode higher, giving me a glimpse of soft, glistening skin. My heart slammed against my ribs, every muscle in my body locking up like I’d been struck by lightning. And then I saw it.

The apex of her thighs, a fleeting, forbidden view of her bare pussy, slick with water from the shower and arousal from what she and Greek had been doing behind closed doors. My throat went dry, and I nearly choked on the groan that threatened to escape.

My cock throbbed so hard it was painful, pressing against the confines of my jeans like it was trying to break free and close thedistance between us. I clenched my fists, my nails biting into my palms, desperate to keep myself rooted in place.

She was testing every ounce of my control, control I was dangerously close to losing. Sofia straightened with the clothes in hand, still oblivious—or entirely aware—of the havoc she’d just caused. When she turned back to me, her eyes sparkled with mischief, and her smile was a weapon aimed straight at my chest.

“You okay, big guy?” she asked, her tone innocent, but her scent carried a hint of teasing sweetness that made me want to drag her against me and find out just how soft her skin really was.

A growl tore from my throat, raw and uncontrollable, the sound vibrating through the air before I could stop it.

I cleared my throat, my voice rough as I said, “Get dressed.”

Her grin widened, and she winked, leaning closer to Greek and whispering something in his ear. Greek’s face turned a brilliant shade of red, his scent spiking with a mix of embarrassment and shy excitement. I didn’t wait for whatever teasing remark Sofia had lined up next. I snatched my keys off the floor, my jaw tight as I forced myself to look away. My voice was strained when I spoke.

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