Page 155 of Knotting the Cowboys

River nods, his dark eyes serious in the fairy light glow.

"The moment Cole told us, we knew we had to fix it. You've been running on empty, trying to sleep without the basic comfort your biology needs. No wonder you're exhausted all the time."

"But this is—" I gesture helplessly at the transformed room, at the obvious expense and effort. "This is too much. You didn't have to?—"

"Yes, we did." Mavi's voice brooks no argument, that Alpha edge creeping in. "You're ours to care for now. That means giving you everything you need, everything you should have had from the beginning."

Austin steps forward, and I finally give in to Luna's demands, reaching for her with shaking hands. She practically launches herself into my arms, immediately snuggling against the soft flannel with happy little sounds.

Her weight grounds me, familiar and perfect, and I have to bury my face in her dark hair to hide the way my shoulders shake with suppressed sobs.

"It's past your bedtime, star girl," I murmur, my voice thick with emotion as Luna giggles and rubs her head against my chest. She smells like baby shampoo and that particular sweet scent that's uniquely hers, with undertones of each of her fathers clinging to her onesie. "Way past. What are you doing up, hmm?"

"Waiting for you," Austin says softly. "She absolutely refused to sleep. I think she knew you were coming home. Babies are intuitive like that."

Luna makes a contented sound, her tiny fist catching the edge of the flannel and holding tight.

Already her eyes are drooping, the excitement of my arrival giving way to exhaustion now that she's where she wants to be.

River and Austin exchange one of those weighted looks that makes my stomach tighten with apprehension. There's more coming, something they need to tell me, and I can see them silently debating who should speak first.

"Cole told us," River finally says, each word careful and measured. "About Blake showing up today. About the things he said."

My body goes rigid, embarrassment flooding through me hot and sharp.

Of course Cole told them. They all know how Blake stripped me bare in the middle of town, announced my failures as an omega for everyone to hear. The fairy lights suddenly feel too bright, the room too warm, and I want to run but Luna's weight keeps me anchored.

"We ain't giving up on you," River continues, his voice gentle but firm as granite. "Whatever poison that man put in your head,whatever lies he told you about yourself—none of it's true. You hear me? None of it."

"River's right," Austin adds, moving closer until I can feel the warmth radiating from his body. "Blake's a pathetic excuse for an Alpha who wouldn't know how to care for an omega if someone gave him detailed instructions. Which, frankly, someone should have. Preferably with a two-by-four to the head."

The violent sentiment from gentle Austin startles a wet laugh out of me.

Luna stirs at the sound, making a sleepy protest before settling again. Her breathing is already evening out, tiny body going limp with approaching sleep.

"There's something else," Mavi says, and I watch as he reaches into his back pocket, pulling out an official-looking document folded in thirds. The paper looks crisp and new, some kind of government seal visible even from here. "We did something without asking you first. Normally I'd feel bad about that, but given the circumstances..."

"What is it?" My voice comes out smaller than intended, anxiety spiking despite the men's gentle demeanors.

He unfolds the paper with careful movements, like it's something precious.

"Our approved application to register as a pack. We filed it three days ago, the morning after you arrived."

The words don't compute.

I stare at the document in his hands, trying to make sense of what he's saying.

"You... what?"

"We've been tracking your ex-pack's movements," Mavi continues, his tone shifting into something more professional, the investigator showing through. "Blake's been making noise about contested assets, trying to find legal loopholes to challengethe divorce settlement. River has contacts in the legal system who've been keeping us informed. We knew he'd show up eventually, trying to stake some kind of claim."

My knees feel weak. I sink onto the edge of the massive cushioned area, careful not to jostle Luna.

"You've been tracking them?"

"Of course we have." River's voice carries a protective edge that makes my omega instincts purr despite my shock. "Did you think we'd just let you face them alone? After what they did to you?"

"But a pack registration—that's—" I can't finish the sentence. It's too big, too much, too everything.

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