Page 83 of Knot Your Sugar

The crowd hangs on every syllable. You could hear a macaron drop.

"I know I messed up," I choke out, tears falling fast now. "But I—"

Movement in my peripheral vision stops me mid-sentence. Cole barrels forward like he's about to miss a flight. The crowd parts around him as he rushes up the stage, stopping just feet from me.

"Elena," he says, his voice a low rumble that doesn't need a microphone to reach my very core. "I'm sorry. For what I said at the bus station, for walking away, for making you feel like you had to face all of this alone." His jaw tightens as he continues. "You didn’t mess up. Not even close. You’re the most incredible woman I’ve ever met. Brave, relentless, completely infuriatingsometimes—" he almost smiles, but his eyes are serious, burning. "—and somehow still the only person who’s ever made me question where my real duty lies."

A collective "aww" ripples through the audience, but before I can process Cole's words, another voice cuts through the moment.

"Hold on just a goddamn minute!"

James strides onto center stage, his swagger cranked to maximum.

"If we’re doing dramatic declarations now, you better believe I’m not missing my cue." He spins to face the audience with a grin that earns appreciative laughter, then turns back to me. The grin fades, replaced by something achingly sincere.

"Elena Avery, you are absolutely the most talented baker I’ve ever met. You see ingredients like a composer sees notes." He takes a small step closer, eyes never leaving mine. "And every time you look at me like I’m somehow both your rival and your favorite teammate… I lose a little more of the mask I’ve spent years holding together."

He swallows hard before continuing. "And even if I never get to kiss you again, I’ll still be grateful. Just to have stood beside you in that workstation and watched magic happen."

Now I'm full-on ugly crying.

"I believe I have a few words of my own," Dorian says, stepping forward as he adjusts his immaculate jacket.

"Elena." His gray eyes meet mine, and there’s so much tenderness in them "You are the most maddeningly independent person I’ve ever met." His voice carries the edge of a smile, but it’s laced with awe. "You turned down every shortcut. Earned every single win. And you reminded me over and over that passion isn’t something you can spreadsheet into existence."

He hesitates, then steps closer.

"You made me see that all the control in the world can’t match the kind of strength it takes to care. To try. To throw yourself into something without guarantees."

I can hardly believe it. The three of them. Cole. James. Dorian.

Not just standingbeforeme.

Standingwithme.

All as I bare my soul to the town that took me in.

"I… I don’t deserve this," I whisper, forgetting I still have the mic, my voice carrying over the stunned, silent festival crowd.

"You deserve everything, Elena," Cole replies, steady and sure like it's the simplest truth in the world.

“You do, Elena!” someone yells from the audience. Then a wave of cheers breaks over the area: applause, whoops, even a few wolf whistles. I even catch Pierre with the slightest twitch at the corner of his mouth followed by shake of his head, like he’s pretending to be exasperated when really, he’s proud.

And suddenly, it’s all too much, in the best way. My chest swells with something wild and radiant. Tears blur my vision once more, but they’re the good kind.

I turn to each of my alphas, one by one. Cole. James. Dorian.

I am so, so done running.

“I… Ouch—”

A sharp cramp stabs through my lower abdomen, punching the air from my lungs. I gasp, hands flying instinctively to my stomach.

Fuck—Is this…?

Chapter forty-four

Elena

---