Page 57 of Her Knotty Alphas

"You want the truth?" he asks harshly. Harsher than I've heard him talk to her before.

"Of course I want the truth, Noah," she snaps, and back is the spitfire who demanded I take her with me to find him. "That's all I've ever wanted."

"Fine, princess." But when he says his nickname this time, it doesn't sound endearing. It sounds…pained. "I left the bed where my perfect, sweet omega was cuddled up next to me, because I woke up with my teeth on her throat, and I wasthisclose to biting her."

Chapter 24

Hannah

"Fine, princess," Noah snaps, his usually endearing nickname sounding wrong on his lips this time. "I left the bed where my perfect, sweet omega was cuddled up next to me, because I woke up with my teeth on her throat, and I wasthisclose to biting her."

Blood freezes in my veins at his words.

Noah…almost…bit me?

Why does that…turn me on?

Because you idiot, you've had twenty-three different packs reject you. Of course you'd be happy if your true scent matched alpha bit you, even without your consent, you horny bitch.

I ignore that little sensation that lights up in my lower belly. I'm still pissed that he put himself in danger. This place is shady as hell. What would happen if he got beaten so badly he couldn't drive home? What if someone pulled a knife or something?

"I would have rather you bit me in my sleep than come here and put yourself in danger!" I hiss, jabbing a finger in his hard, sweaty chest.

He arches a brow at me, crossing his arms. "Oh really? You would have rather I pinned a one-sided bond on youwithout your consentthan have me get a black eye?"

Itwouldn'thave been one-sided, I realize. At least not for long. I would have bitten him back and sealed the bond.

Gladly.

Willingly.

I would have woken up with his teeth in my neck, his dick hard against my ass, and I would have rolled him onto his back, sank down onto him and bitten him back—

My perfume floods the area at my thoughts. Obviously, the idea that my mate would want me so badly he wouldn't be able to hold himself back is a huge turn on for me. That's what happens when you get rejected so many times. There's no way I can tell them that though. That I'm so desperate for love, that yes, I will take whatever they give me. "I—It's not that—"

Noah's pupils blow, his nostrils flaring slightly, and I feel Austin's arms wrap around my waist behind me, a sure and comforting embrace. But it's his words that make me feel like crawling into a hole. "Oh, darlin', you would have bonded him back, wouldn't you?"

My cheeks heat in embarrassment as I rip myself out of Austin's grip, whirling on both of them. "Yes, okay? I know you don't realize this, but I haven't exactly had the best luck finding a pack. I didn't become an almost thirty-year-old unbonded omega bynot trying." That's it, my dirty little secret is out there. Austin's eyes widen in surprise, but Noah doesn't look shocked in the slightest. "So, obviously, I have some issues when it comes to being wanted. Especially with Charlie, because he alreadyhadme, and he threw me away, and now we're scent-matched, and I know he only wants me because I smell like sexy peaches to him or whatever, and I don't want my alphas to only want mebecause of the scent match." My breathing comes out in little pants, having used all my oxygen in one breath.

"Darlin," Austin reaches for me, and I'm glad I didn't undo our progress when I ripped away from him just now, "I really don't think things happened in the way you've been led to believe with Charlie. It's possible there's two versions of events floating around, and you only have half the picture." I doubt that. Isawthe texts. "He wants you too, I can see it. Not just because of your scent, either. He'd have to be crazy to hold himself back from you."

"Austin." I can't help but roll my eyes and cross my arms. "Up until an hour ago,youwere holding yourself back from me."

Noah smirks, all ire gone from his face. "Like he said, crazy."

Austin takes a step towards me, and my heart starts beating faster in my chest. "Can I prove to you I've gotten over my temporary bout of insanity?"

Wordlessly, I nod, as he reaches for my arms, bending over and pulling my mouth to his. The little brush of our lips in the car was just a taste of this alpha in front of me. His lips move over mine in a gentle, yet self-assured manner, leaving me no doubt in what he feels for me. I blink as he pulls back, pushing a shoulder-length piece of hair behind my ear.

"Point taken." I swallow roughly, suppressing a shiver. Noah smirks again, looking between the two of us like he's glad we finally got our shit together. "I'm still mad at you." I tell him, frowning. "I hate that you put yourself in danger like that."

"I'm sorry, princess," he does sound genuinely remorseful as I let him gather me in his arms, "this was irresponsible, and I never should have left you alone in my bed."

I scowl. "That's not—"

He silences me with a breath-stealing kiss, that possessive hand collaring my throat. "I know," he tilts his forehead againstmine, closing his eyes, "I shouldn't have come here. I'm sorry. Next time something like this happens, I'll…"

"Talk to me?" I offer.

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