Page 142 of Knot Heirs: Serenity's Reign

Darius rose, moving toward the bookshelf with deliberate steps. "Perhaps some privacy would help Ms. Vale make her decision." His fingers slid along the shelf, finding the hidden switch that controlled The Society's surveillance system.

She caught the almost imperceptible nod he gave her. Three. Two. One.

The soft click of the switch was barely audible, but she knew what it meant. For exactly five minutes, they were blind to The Society's eyes and ears.

The transformation was immediate and startling. Darius's cold, predatory demeanor melted away, replaced by alert determination. Lucian unfolded from his chair, no longer the languid threat but a coiled strategist. Ronan's posture shifted from dismissive to protective as he moved closer to Serenity.

"Five minutes," Darius confirmed, his voice now stripped of its artificial contempt. "The loop I installed in their system won't last longer than that."

"Then let's make it count," she said, dropping the frightened-omega act. She pulled a folded document from inside her blazer—the real contract, the one they'd spent all night drafting. "This is what I'm actually signing."

Lucian took it, amber eyes scanning the text with photographic efficiency. "Perfect. The terms protect your autonomy while establishing the pack bond The Society will recognize."

"You're sure this will work?" she asked, the question directed at all three of them.

Ronan's hand settled on her shoulder, warm and reassuring. "The Society will see what they expect to see—a terrified Omega surrendering to three powerful Alphas."

"While in reality," Darius continued, taking the contract from Lucian, "you'll be entering a partnership of equals. Your father's empire remains yours. We provide protection and legitimacy in The Society's eyes."

"And what do you get?" she couldn't help asking, even though they'd been over this a dozen times. "I need to hear it again."

Lucian's smile was razor-sharp. "Alliance with the Vale empire. Expansion into territories we couldn't access alone. Legitimacy through your financial expertise."

"And you," Ronan added simply, his green eyes holding hers. "We get you."

The admission hung in the air between them. It was more than strategic, more than tactical. Something had grown between the four of them—something Serenity never expected when she first discovered her father's secret legacy.

"Three minutes left," Darius reminded them, bringing them back to the task at hand. He placed the real contract on the desk. "Are we agreed on the terms?"

She nodded, suddenly aware of how much she was trusting these men who, weeks ago, were strangers at best and threats at worst. "I am."

"Then let's make it official." Lucian produced a small silver knife from his pocket—an antique with a bone handle. "The Society will expect blood."

Her stomach tightened, but she extended her palm without hesitation. This was the world she'd inherited—a world where symbols carried power, where ancient traditions still held sway despite their modern veneers.

Lucian took her hand in his, the touch unexpectedly gentle from a man she'd seen inflict such calculated violence. The blade was razor-sharp, the cut so quick she barely felt it until blood welled up, bright crimson against her skin.

"With blood and intent," Lucian murmured, the ritual words carrying unexpected weight.

He passed the knife to Darius, who sliced his own palm without flinching. "With strength and protection," he added, before handing the knife to Ronan.

The largest Alpha's cut was deeper than necessary, typical of his intensity. "With loyalty and devotion."

The three bloodied hands extended toward her, and she placed her own atop them. The mingling of their blood felt primitive, almost savage—and yet strangely right. Something shifted in the air between them, a connection that went beyond the physical or even the strategic.

"Blood of my blood," she found herself saying, words she didn't plan but that rose from some ancestral memory. "Pack of my choosing."

Our joined hands press onto the contract, leaving a crimson seal that no Society lawyer could dispute. In their world, blood bindings are the oldest law.

"Two minutes," Darius warns, stepping back to collect the document.

Lucian hands me a handkerchief for my palm while Ronan quickly cleans the blade. The efficiency of their movements speaks to how many times they've performed this ritual—or others like it.

"Now for the performance," Lucian says, tucking the real contract into his inner pocket. "Are you ready?"

I nod, steeling myself to return to the act. "Remember, I need to appear reluctant but ultimately resigned."

"And I need to be the heartless bastard," Darius adds with a grimace. "Not a stretch, according to most."

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