Page 56 of Knot All that Glitters: Part 1

“He has said it. Every time he looks at you, I can feel it, Haven. He wants you so badIcan’t see straight.”

I shake my head again. Even though I can’t deny Hale’s experience through their bond. How can I? I’m not him. “Why won’t he just say it then?”

He brushes a kiss over my temple, down my neck. “Because he’s a stubborn motherfucker, and he wants to be sure he’s doing right by you.”

That makes my heart throb. He is doing right by me. All of them are.

“You want him, don’t you?”

“So bad,” I breathe. “It’s an ache.”

Hale nudges me out of the booth gently, uses his hands on my hips to point me toward Creed. “Then go get him,” He swats my ass, making me squeal as I walk away.

“Asshole,” I hiss, rubbing the spot, but he only laughs and points toward the door.

While I’m not a fan of being treated like a puppy being ordered to go outside, I do want to see Creed. I want him, full stop. I need to have a conversation with him to suss out what he’s feeling. If he really doesn’t want to be with me, it’s better for me to know now than further down the line.

I find Creed in the alley behind the restaurant. I hesitate at the mouth of the narrow lane, not sure if he actually wants space or not.

He’s leaning against the brick wall, head tilted back. Smoke curls around his body from the cigarette between his fingers. My mouth goes dry as he lifts it to his lips and takes a long inhale. The movement of his lips intrigues me, makes me wish I was that cigarette. Weird, I know, but there’s no logic in an omega’s instincts.

I want Creed’s mouth on me, plain and simple.

I can’t understand why he won’t give me what we both want.

“Go back inside, baby girl,” he murmurs without looking at me. He looks so freaking handsome in his suit, the faint glow from the streetlight shining in his hair.

Maybe now isn’t the time to have this conversation. Maybe I should wait until we’re back at the pack house, or hell… maybe it should just never happen. But a part of me needs answers. Needs to know what he’s thinking, what he’s actually feeling.

In the park, he said he wanted me, but he needed me to be sure. Really sure before he took the next step with me.

So it’s time to tell him I’m really sure and see what he does with that information.

My heels click against the asphalt as I move closer to him, and he cracks open one eye at the sound. “Haven, please, go back inside.”

At his pleading tone, I pause, four feet of distance between us. “If that’s what you really want, Creed, I’ll do it. I’ll go inside, finish my dinner, eat a slice of cake-”

“Idoreally want that.”

“And when we get back to the house, I’ll pack my bags and go home.”Home.I say the word, but it doesn’t feel right anymore. Frederick Bell’s house isn’t my home. It hasn’t been for a long time. The Calloway pack house feels more like the place I’m supposed to be. But I will not force it if I’m not wanted.

“Like hell you will,” he growls out, chin dropping so he can pin me with an angry look.

I lace my fingers together in front of me to hide their trembling. I’m so fucking nervous about this, about what he’s going to say.

“I won’t stay if I’m not wanted, Creed. I don’t want to get more attached to you, to your pack, if it’s not going to… If this isn’t going anywhere.”

He stares at me hard, jaw clenched tight like he’s keeping words in. It’s clear he’s not going to say anything, so I keep talking. “It’s already going to hurt so much, leaving now. I can’t imagine what it’ll be like next week, a month, a year.” I meet his gaze steadily. “So, if you already know that you don’t want me, Creed. I need you to tell me now.”

“They want you,” he says hoarsely. “They want you to stay.”

I nod. “I know. But I will not be the reason your pack breaks up. I will not stay with them only to have you leave in the end.”

Creed barks out a sharp, short laugh. “Oh, baby girl. You’re already the reason our pack is breaking.”

I blink at that, at the bitter way he says it. I’d suspected that there were fractures in their bonds, but to have it confirmed is… well, it’s heartbreaking for more reasons than one.

My chest goes tight and I dip my chin down, dropping his gaze. “Okay. I’m sorry. I’ll go.” The words come out choked with tears and my trembling is even worse. Walking away from them is going to be the hardest thing I’ve ever done, but I meant what I said. I won’t be the reason their pack breaks.

---