Page 21 of Knot Her Mountain Men

Kit’s grip on me tightened. “Ryder has multiple cameras. If you asked, he would probably take you out.”

“I’ll definitely ask.”

The first room Kit took me to upstairs was a study. Shelves filled with books lined the walls with a gorgeous central stone fireplace and all around it sat four desks with computer setups.

“Not this space either. Vibes are wrong for a nest.”

Kit chuckled. “Can’t have incorrect vibes for a nest.”

Next was Ryder’s bedroom. I looked at Kit suspiciously. “Are you saving your room for last to delay giving me socks so you can carry me longer?”

“Maybe. I can get you the socks right now if you would rather.”

My grip on his shirt tightened and I tucked closer. “I can wait.”

His purr caught me off guard and I nuzzled his chest on impulse. Omega instincts were weird. I barely knew Kit but I felt safe in his arms. If my heat was going to arrive while I was stuck here, it would be better for my own well-being to get as comfortable as I could with these alphas as quickly as possible. Maybe more than that…I couldn’t remember the last time I’d had sex outside of a heat. Probably during college when I’d been trying to fit in. If I did go into heat here, would it be better to know what to expect, to get some experience with these alphas?

“Do Ryder and Maverick have their scents anywhere in their rooms?”

“It’s possible, though it’s probably very faded,” Kit replied. He set me down on Ryder’s bed. “Let me see if I can find something.”

I pulled Ryder’s top blanket around myself now that I no longer had the warmth of Kit’s body next to me. He navigated Ryder’s space, trying to hunt down something to let me experience one of the elusive scents, pausing briefly to get a fire going when he noticed me bundled up.

“Do you think Ryder and Maverick are my scent matches?”

“That’s usually how it works with packs. Fate has a funny way of bringing together the people an omega needs, but I suppose it’s a possibility they’re not.” He sighed. “Ry is way too diligent with his blockers. I don’t think there’s anything in here.”

I hid my pout beneath the blanket.

“We probably won’t have much luck with Maverick either since they go in for their appointments together.” Kit plucked a pair of wool socks out of Ryder’s drawer and passed them to me. We stared at each other for a long moment. If I put them on I didn’t have a reason to get back in his arms beyond wanting to. The compulsion to reach for him again wove through me. Pride wanted me to stand on my own two feet, but my emerging instincts wanted me to plaster myself against him and not let go.

I debated, brushing the tips of my toes against the floor. Practicality butted up against my pride. I should get used to touching him, just in case. It was a convenient lie I could tell myself. Wanting alphas was new to me. It wouldn’t have been hard for me to find heat partners. Half the young alphas in our damn town volunteered every time one came up for a local omega, but I could never bring myself to accept.

My first heat had come when I was away for college, thank goodness. I’d used a heat service on the campus and after that I started my suppressants, switching doctors every so often when they tried to caution me against long-term use. There had never been a single person I wanted to touch me during my heat. The service had done fine, making the whole experience relatively neutral, and I had convinced myself that was the best case scenario.

Now I wasn’t so sure.

I had no choice but to contemplate what the experience might be like with these alphas, and if my initial reactions were anything to go by, neutral wasn’t even going to enter the picture.

“Could you help me put them on?” I thought about adding on a lie, maybe that my dexterity wasn’t back to one hundred percent yet or that it hurt to bend into that position, but I’d always preferred honesty even when it made people uncomfortable, myself included.

Kit sank down in front of me and unfolded the socks from their bundle before lifting my foot to rest on his knee. I held my breath as he pulled the sock up my calf, knuckles grazing along my skin. When he scooped up the next foot, his amber gaze caught mine, not letting me free for a moment as he put on the second sock.

He was far too beautiful. His scent surrounded me and I swayed closer, knees parting a fraction.

“Do you want to face this heat alone, little fox? If you do, we can make sure you have food and water, and we’d disturb you as infrequently as possible.”

“I don’t really want to. I’ve never done one by myself so I don’t know how bad it would be.”

“Have you had a heat with alphas?”

“Only one a long time ago.”

“How do you want us to take care of you?”

“How doyouwant to take care of me?” I evaded.

“I think that’s a dangerous question to answer if you don’t know what you want.”

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