Page 64 of Knotted By the Demon

Greek kissed my palm and whispered, “Same.”

“Does that mean...” I swallowed again. “You’ll accept my mating mark.”

Greek touched his hand to his throat. “I’m not... a registered omega.”

“I don’t care about that. I want you, Greek.”

His stormy eyes swimming with tears, he nodded. “I’ll gladly accept your bite, alpha.”

Happiness, unlike anything I’d ever experienced before, surged through me. I claimed Greek’s lips in a fiery kiss that left us both panting when we broke apart. I faced my Little Fox, the wildflower of our home.

“Will you accept my bite?” I asked.

“Only if I get to bite you back. And before you say it, I know beta’s bites don’t last. They heal. But I want to bite you both as often as possible to keep my marks on you forever.”

Damn, this little spitfire was everything I’d been missing in my life. I claimed her lips in a kiss that made a growl bubble up within me. For the first time in what felt like forever, I didn’t feel like a monster. I felt... like a man. Their man. Their alpha.

***

The sizzle of bacon filled the air, punctuated by the clink of the spatula against the cast iron skillet. I stood at the stove, my gloved hand gripping the handle of the pan as I flipped the strips, their edges curling and crisping under the heat. The smoky scent mingled with the faint sweetness of maple syrup from the pancakes I’d finished a few minutes earlier, creating a mix that somehow felt warm and... homey.

Unable to wait until the bacon was ready, Greek and Sofia were already at the table, eating pancakes and eggs while playing a board game, a game that was now sticky because of the two of them. Behind me, laughter echoed from the small dining table.

“Greek, you’re moving my piece again!” Sofia’s voice rang out, laced with mock outrage.

“I’m not! It’s just... you put it in the wrong place!” Greek countered, though his tone betrayed the grin I could hear in his words. “Maybe if you actually read the rules, Little Fox.”

“Rules are for amateurs. I’m a pro,” our fox countered.

Of course, she’d think that way. Our beta probably hadn’t followed a rule in her life. I smirked, glancing over my shoulder at them. Greek was leaning forward, his brows drawn together in concentration as he pointed to the board. Sofia was glaring at him, her fiery hair catching the sunlight streaming through the window. Her lips quirked into a smile she couldn’t hold back.

“I didn’t put that there,” she lied.

“She cheats!” Greek yelled.

“I do not cheat! I... improvise,” she said, flipping her hair back with a dramatic flair.

“Improvising isn’t a strategy in this game!” Greek declared, pointing at the rulebook like it was a sacred text. “It’s literally written here.”

I let out a low chuckle and returned my attention to the stove. The pan hissed as I tipped it, letting the grease collect in the corner before spooning it into the jar by the stove. A small part of me hated to interrupt the moment, but it was my turn, and I’d be damned if I let Sofia win.

“Hold on,” I said, placing the pan off the burner and wiping my hands on the dishtowel slung over my shoulder. “I know you’re both scheming over there.”

I crossed the room, their gazes snapping up to me as I leaned down to read my card. Greek sat back, arms crossed, his lips twitching with amusement. Sofia, on the other hand, watched me carefully, her eyes narrowing as if she could will me to make the wrong move.

“You’re both terrible at bluffing,” I muttered, grabbing my piece and moving it forward three spaces. “And for the record, I’m going to win this thing.”

“Big words for a man who spends more time cooking than strategizing,” Sofia teased, her smirk wide and challenging.

I leaned closer to her, my hand bracing against the table. “Little Fox, I could beat you at this with one hand tied behind my back and a blindfold on.”

She huffed, rolling her eyes, but the slight blush on her cheeks betrayed her. Greek snorted, unable to hide his laugh.

“Demon, if you win, it’s because she’s too busy trying to mess with me to notice you sneaking ahead,” he said, shaking his head. “And by the way, Sofia, moving two spaces when the card says one? That’s definitely cheating.”

“Prove it,” she shot back, sticking her tongue out at him.

I barked out a laugh and turned back to the stove, the sound of their banter following me. It was good, this—this easy flow of laughter and playful accusations. The kind of thing I’d never thought I’d have. The kind of thing I didn’t know I needed. I grabbed a plate and began piling on the bacon. The domesticity of it all struck me, a strange and unexpected sensation settling in my chest as I plated the food. It was... nice. And fuck, I’d never thought I’d describe anything as nice.

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