Page 20 of Knot My Type

If Eliana’s playing a game, she chose the wrong alphas to snow in with. We’ve protected this land, this pack, with blood and bone. We don’t get second chances. We don’ttakerisks on strangers.

The bond complicates everything.

She might not know it yet, but being trapped in here with us isn’t her salvation.

It might just be her reckoning.

KEAL

Istumble into the room, because I’m fed up with both Fen and Eliana walking around as if they’re lovesick teens. He doesn’t seem to realize the danger Eliana represents. Even if her scent and lack of markings suggest she’s unclaimed, she could still be part of a pack. This whole situation could be a trap, and every instinct within me screams to protect what’s ours.

The cabin is dim, warmed by the fading glow of a fire that crackles and pops in the hearth. I’ve been so uneasy since Eliana arrived. I catch sight of her sitting upright on the bed, a pen trembling in her thin fingers while her notepad lies open on her lap. I storm across the room, my impatience boiling over, and I can’t help but feel my protective instincts flare.

“Are you telling them our location?” I demand. “Did you wait until we were weak and debating about making you a part of our pack?”

Her eyes widen, filled with a mix of fear and confusion. I want to scream. I want her to understand that we can't afford to let our guard down, especially not now. She remains speechless, just staring at me. The way her mouth trembles pullsat something deep inside me—guilt? Concern?—but I push the feeling aside. She needs to hear this.

I flick through the blank pages of her notepad. She hasn’t written anything down. Whatever she intended to record, whatever plans or stories she had for us, they never made it to paper. My frustration morphs into something darker, something more urgent.

“So, if we did make you part of our pack, what can you do for us? Can you cook?” The question slips from my lips, sharp and demanding.

“No,” she replies, her voice barely more than a whisper as she avoids eye contact, her gaze slipping away like a frightened animal.

“Clean?” The edge of my tone sharpens; I’m desperate to find some tangible reason to keep her here, something to prove that she belongs.

“No,” she states again, a hint of disbelief lacing her tone.

“What about mend clothes?” I ask, knowing how pathetic it sounds.

Before she can answer, Fen bursts in, filling the room with a sudden wave of energy. “Shit, Kael! We don’t need a maid. We need an omega. What has gotten into you?” His voice cuts through the tension, distracting me from Eliana.

I glance at her, a flurry of emotions colliding in my chest. She flinches at my tone, curling into herself as if trying to shrink away from my accusations. The sight of her, vulnerable and frightened, stirs something I can’t quite name—regret, perhaps? Guilt? It catches in my throat, a lump I can’t swallow.

My protective instincts screech inside my head. I shouldn’t have let my frustration boil over like that. I’ve seen the way Fen looks at her, admiring yet protective, and even the playful energy of Rhys has shifted since she arrived. The dynamic of our little group feels fragile, and I’m only making it worse.

As I stand there, a whirlwind of emotions crashing through my mind, I finally stop to truly see Eliana. Her hair falls in soft waves around her shoulders, catching the flickering light from the fire as it frames her delicate face, accentuating the high cheekbones and gentle curve of her jaw.

A pang of awareness shoots through me as I process this newfound understanding of her. I can’t help but marvel at her beauty, which somehow shines through the tension. She’s far more than just an unclaimed omega; she’s a person with dreams, fears, and desires of her own.

“Kael?” Her voice breaks the silence again, pulling my attention. It’s soft, almost tentative, and I can’t help but feel that I owe her more than this hostility.

I take a step back, swallowing hard as I remind myself that I need to protect us all from the danger of being discovered. But right now, it feels like I’m the one putting her in danger—the one making her feel vulnerable and scared in a place where she should find safety.

“Look, Eliana, I didn’t mean—” But my words feel clumsy, inadequate, nothing more than an admission of my failure to communicate clearly. I turn away, frustration morphing into a heaviness that feels like a boulder resting in my chest. I need distance; I need air.

With my heart pounding in my ears, I replay my words in my mind. “Are you telling them our location?” What a way to welcome her into the pack. It was reckless. I knew better. She has already been through enough, and instead of offering her solace, I had reinforced her fears.

I can hear Fen’s voice drift from inside: “She’s not just some random woman, Kael! She’s an omega, and she’s scared. You need to stop treating her like an enemy.”

His words burst through my walls of defensiveness, tugging at the guilt in my core. An omega—Eliana—could bring so muchmore to our lives than just fear. She could be a part of the harmony we’ve struggled to maintain in our rogue existence.

I shake my head, clenching my fists by my sides. I don’t know what to do with this mix of feelings swirling within me, but I do know that she’s not the only one who needs to understand our situation. It’s not just about her; it’s about us and what we’ve built together. What we have fought for.

We’ve built a business so successful in these mountains that we attract exclusive clients from all over—people who come to learn how to ski or to host corporate events. This is Fen’s side of the business. He loves organizing games and facilitating bonding exercises. It’s as if I’ve been blind to the glue Fen provides in our pack. He keeps us together.

But now, with Eliana in the mix, I worry Fen might be the one to tear us apart.

I can’t deny the spark she ignites in my chest, a feeling I haven’t experienced in years. I want her to be part of our pack, but trust is hard-earned, and I can’t simply expect her to jump in without fear.

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