Page 20 of Her Knotty Alphas

…I hate to admit it, but she does have a point there. But I saw the texts. They came from his phone number. I'm just about to point that out when she keeps going. "Number two," Cady sayssoftly. "What I remember is how he used to look at you when he didn't know anyone else was watching. I remember him seeming distraught up until the day I made my own escape. I never saw a single cheerleader, girl, or fan on his arm."

"Cady, it's not that simple—"

"Okay, okay, I'm done." She rolls her eyes. "Now, on to the real reason for my call…you're seriously scent matched with Austin? The security guard from Tito's?"

"Yeah…" I sniff, embarrassed. "And…"

Cady's expression morphs to one of excitement. "And who? Tell me."

I frown. I thought Ollie would have spilled the beans as soon as he got inside. "Ollie didn't tell you?"

The excitable alpha pops his head in again. "I was going to give all the dirty details, but then I got called in for more karaoke by Simon of all people, so youknowI had to go, and then Cady said she wanted to hear the details from you."

"Enzo." The word is so quiet as it leaves me, I wonder for a second if she heard, but then her high pitched squeal confirms that yes, she did.

"Titus' brother Enzo? Do you know what this means? We'll be legally related! Sisters-in-law!"

"Hold on just a second there, angel. Enzo already had a true scent match." Titus comes into the frame, frowning. "Hannah, are you sure?"

"I mean…" I shrug. "I already knew about his other true scent match, so I figured it might be some kind of fluke. But…" tears sting my eyes as I remember the hurt look on his face when I pulled away, "It seemed like he felt it too, so I don't even know what to think about everything."

"Oh, sweetie," Cady says, empathy filling her voice. "If you both felt it…then why fight it? Who cares if it's a fluke or a weird biological anomaly? You deserve to be happy."

"I'm…" Titus shakes his head as if to clear it, and gives me an indiscernible look. "I'm going to have Jameson do some digging on Lizzie Collins. I was too young to really know her when she was around my brother, but something isn't adding up." Before I can say anything, like ask who the hell "Jameson" is, Ollie pops his head back in.

"Also, Banana, it might be worth noting that right when I went back inside, Austin's brother went outside, and they were all out there for averylong time." His expression is pensive for a moment. "Charlie too, now that I think about it, but he might just be a drama watcher." Great. Just what I need. My back-stabbing ex-boyfriend having a front row seat to the absolute dumpster fire that is currently my life.

And…Austin's brother? Was that the guy who came into the party with him? Because if it is…my cheeks heat when my perfume fills the air, even though there's no way that Cady can tell that I fuckingslickedbased on the mental image of that bad-boy alpha bending me over and—

Shaking my head, I realize I need to change the subject. Likenow.

"In other news," I say shakily, and Cady looks like she might argue to keep on the subject for a second, "apparently the money that Nana left me waseverything, and now the evil stepsisters are pissed because they all got a dollar each. They think that I did something to influence her."

Her expression morphs to one of disbelief as she takes in my words. "What? Do they even know you?"

"You know they've never cared about getting to know me." I snort. "But even if they did, they're so pissed about the whole thing, they wouldn't care."

"You're not going to give it to them, are you?" Cady asks sharply.

Shouldn't I? Wouldn't that solve at least one of my problems? I mean, I'm not even biologically related to Nana.

"I can see the wheels turning in your head, Hannah Beckham, and you willnotbe giving them a dime," Cady says with conviction.

Giving a defeated shrug, I can't find it in myself to meet her eyes. "It would be selfish of me to—"

"Don't you dare finish that sentence. Look at me." I hesitantly meet her eyes, and she softens a little. "It's not about the money. It's about what Nana wanted at the end. And she wantedyoutaken care of. Your step-sisters? They all have packs. Well, besides Birdie, but she seems to take care of herself well enough." She shakes her head, as if annoyed by her own tangent. "What I mean, is that this was Nana's last wish. It just so happens that you're the recipient of it. What's more important—keeping the Evil Step-Sisters happy, or honoring Nana?"

I don't even realize I'm crying until the drops fall from my cheeks and land on my shirt. "Dammit, Cady." I sniffle, wiping my nose. "Why do you have to go and make sense?"

"She is infuriating in that way," Ollie presses a kiss to her nose before leaving the frame again.

"I know a lawyer who owes me a favor," Cady says slowly, eyeing me as I wipe my tears. "I'll have him reach out to you, just in case they try to go the legal route."

A bitter, tear-filled, laugh leaves me. "As opposed to the ultra bitchy route of blowing up my phone and leaving semi-threatening voicemails?"

"I'm sure he's going to tell you to keep all of those, by the way," she says seriously, and I nod.

"I haven't deleted any of them." I confirm, wiping an errant tear away.

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