Page 28 of Knot Our Reality

Warmth fills my chest, thinking about my loves and how much they loved me. How they always wanted to be included in my interests.

“Ryan and I went to ballet performances together and went together to get a manicure and pedicure at least once a month. Maxwell was a huge fan of reality TV shows, so he’d pick a show we could watch every Wednesday night at nine after the boys were in bed. Davis was a horror movie junkie like me. We’d pick one day a month and just binge movies. We tried new ones, but we also loved watching old favorites.” I laugh. “No one else in the pack liked scary movies, so they just left us to it.”

“It’s nice that they made the time to do something special with you.” Maverick twines his fingers with mine, giving them a squeeze. “Whenever I think of my future pack, that’s what I imagine—having something special for just me and my omega. But also, having something we can do together as a pack. It’s nice to hear that there are packs like that out there.”

My smile falls away. “Well, there used to be at least one.”

Ian is suddenly kneeling at my feet, having slipped between the captain chairs that make up the middle row. “Don’t do that.”

“Do what?” I ask, pulling away from him.

“You were talking about them with a smile on your face. Then it just fell away. You don’t have to be sad when you talk about them. You should celebrate them and what they meant to you. Talking about them should bring you happiness.” Ian cups my face in his hands. “I hate to see you looking so sad.”

I want to pull away from him, feeling too raw, but I find myself leaning into his touch instead. “I enjoy talking about them, but then I remember they’re gone. Of course it makes me sad. I love them, and I miss them.”

Dylan hums. “Of course you do. Sometimes thinking of them will make you sad—I don’t think Ian was saying you can’t be sad. Correct me if I’m wrong, Ian, but I think he was suggesting that you might be ableto adjust the way you feel when you think about them. Remembering who and what they were to you can bring you joy instead of despair. It begins with you making a conscious decision to attempt to do that on your own.”

“Yes! That!” Ian grins at Dylan. “We all just want to see you happy, Emilia. If you think about them like this, you might find it doesn’t hurt quite as much as it did before.”

Their words kind of make sense, but I’m not sure it’ll work for me. It also wouldn’t hurt to give it a try.

“I’ll try, but I’m not making any promises,” I finally say, reaching up with my free hand to pat Ian’s. “Thank you.”

He shakes his head as he moves back to his seat. “You don’t have to thank me.”

Before I can think of how to respond, Lucas clears his throat. “While I understand you needed to comfort Emilia, I need all of you to remain in your seats with your seat belts done when the SUV is in motion.”

“Sorry, Lucas.” Ian shoots him a grin in the rearview mirror. “It won’t happen again.”

From there, we keep our conversation light for the rest of the drive. When we pull up to the park on the outskirts of town, my suitors start throwing out ideas about what they think we might be doing.

“Hiking?” Dalton sounds super excited as I wrinkle my nose.

No, thank you. Especially not while I’m pregnant.

“Games in the park?” That suggestion comes from Dylan, and I’ll admit it’s not a bad idea.

Ian watches me closely. “It can’t be anything too strenuous. Something relaxing, maybe…I actually have no idea.”

“Me neither,” Maverick admits. “But we’ll find out soon if we get out of the car.”

Lucas turns around to face us. “I’m just waiting for the all clear from my guys. As soon as they let me know it’s safe, Mike and I will escort you to the area we’ll be in.”

Not a second later, his head tilts to the side before nodding. “Okay, we’re clear, but Emilia, please wait until Mike and I meet you at the door before exiting, okay?”

“Yeah, yeah, yeah. I know the drill.” I wave him off as they climb out, Dylan and Ian following suit, while I turn to Dalton and Maverick. “The two of you can get out if you want.”

Maverick shakes his head. “No. We’ll wait until you’re out. Partly because I don’t want to have to climb over you.”

I shrug. That makes sense.

“Come on, Emilia.” Lucas sticks his head through the door and gestures for me to join him. Maneuvering out of my seat, I take his hand and allow him to help me out.

Ian and Dylan are standing a few feet away, and when I go to join them, Mike and Lucas fall in on either side of me.

“You know I have suitors who might want to talk to me,” I tell them with a snicker. “I don’t need you up my ass.”

Lucas shoots me a droll look. “And they can talk from in front or behind you. Until we reach the reserved area, you’re staying between us.”

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