Page 24 of Knot Mine

Three weeks later and the class project is almost finished, even though it isn’t technically due until after the winter break. Zale and Zo, a quiet omega who sent an apology message about the coffee shop meetup after his heat had passed, have done their share of the work so I was happy enough to put our names on the project. I was still going to leave the others off—it wasn’t my responsibility to make sure they did their work and got their grades.

Since the little kitchen/blowjob incident, Zale has been like a ghost. Where he’d been everywhere I turned before, now it was almost like he didn’t exist at all apart from the occasional abrupt emails I received. Even in class he sat near the front and was last one in, first one out. That was just perfectly fine by me.

Zale keeping to himself made my life easier. The others gravitated towards him, meaning they sat away from me. Being out of their trajectory had definitely cut down on the name calling, the rogue foot sticking out in the hallways and the betaslurs. Even Millie was preoccupied, probably vision boarding out her perfect future life. I wonder what shade of white their picket fence would be?

Who had time to linger on some stupid jock’s come face anyway? I mean, it’s not like those filthy dreams had ramped up. Or that there was an awfully familiar breathless noise as my faceless imagined alpha pinned me to the bed and fucked me until I was practically bow-legged?

“I still think you should come home with me.” Bell says as they walk past me, sitting on the couch, to throw some more things in the big baby blue suitcase taking up all the space on our dining table. They were leaving next week to head home for the holidays, and had already started packing, so our apartment was even more chaotic than usual.

“And I think I would rather stay here.” My gaze drifts back to my book as I push my glasses up my nose with my middle finger. I’ve curled up on our sofa with a blanket to chase off the winter chill. The temperature had been steadily dropping recently, that crisp smell on the breeze making Bell swear it was going to snow soon.

There was some drama unfolding in Bell’s world that I was firmly keeping my nose out of, and heading home with them for the holidays would have the opposite effect.

“But…your birthday.” Bell wraps their arms around my neck, placing a soft kiss on my head.

Waving my hand casually, I scoff. “My parents will likely encourage me to go wherever Millie wants to celebrate.”

Birthdays were just another day for me. I never quite enjoyed them the way my twin did, and so I was more than happy to let her continue to be the center of attention. It made my life easier that way and avoided any tantrums from my sister.

My parents made us spend our birthdays together, and besides the dinners that was really the only expectation theyhad on us and family time. Holidays didn’t really matter, anniversaries came and went, but birthdays were a big deal for some reason.

As if her ears were burning, my phone starts ringing and I roll my eyes when I see Romilly’s name. Well, three weeks of peace was better than nothing.

There’s no greeting, or polite conversation between us, there never is as she launches straight into the point of her random phone call. “I need you to bring Zale to the cabin next weekend.”

I wrinkle my nose at Bell, whose eyes have gone wide. I know they don’t like Millie. One drunken night near a taco food truck, they’d confided that they thought she was ‘haughty’ and that they hated how I was always expected to say ‘How high?’ when she told me to jump.

She was my twin.

The older one.

The bolder one.

It was my job to follow her lead.

That’s how it had always been.

“Why can’t you take him?” I groan, rubbing my face. I wasn’t a damn taxi service. And my parent’s ski cabin wasn’t on the list of places I planned on visiting any time soon. Especially not with Zale.

She makes a huffing noise, clearly unimpressed that I’m questioning her. “Because the others have planned some stupid early birthday surprise, so I’ll be in Crest Haven with them and then we’ll all head to the cabin together. But Zale has training or something, so he can’t leave until Friday night after practice.”

Crest Haven was a party town, with all the best nightclubs and rooftop bars. It was flooded with the wealthy elite, looking for a good time. It also helped that there were plenty of places that rarely checked ID, turning a blind eye to their underage patrons in exchange for a couple of big bills.

It was also on the other side of the country, so they must be taking someone’s private plane for their little jaunt. I wonder if our parents were letting her use ours? It wouldn’t surprise me. What Rom wanted, Rom got.

But why wasn’t Zale going to Crest Haven with everyone else? Weren’t Blake and Evans also on the team? Should he want to be out with his girlfriend now that she’s turning twenty-one and finally be able to drink legally? Something was off with his excuse.

“Wow, dedicated boyfriend.” I can’t keep the judgement out of my words as I roll my eyes. I thought they were all happy in paradise, talking wedding bells and bonding bites? “Missing his girlfriend's birthday celebrations…”

“Don’t be a dick, Lo-Lo.” I can practically hear her attitude down the line and for a brief moment I wonder if we look alike when we both do that. “Look, just do it please?”

The use of my nickname isn’t going to soften me to her either, I know she’s only playing nice because she wants something. This is how Millie worked. She was this perfect omega, always getting her own way. Using her charms and soft voice was only one small part of her arsenal.

“It’s a four-hour drive.” I say, “You want me to drive eight hours total so your beefy human dildo is on hand? No thanks.”

I’d rather rip off my ears than listen to them fuck all weekend. Bell gives me a thumbs up, trying to be encouraging as they go back to packing.

Voices in the background call her, but she ignores them. “Mom and Dad will be there a few days later so I thought you could just stay until then.”

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