Page 93 of Knot Our Reality

I just keep coming as I release my hold on her neck, giving my bite a small lick before she turns my head to the side and sinks her teeth into the skin of my shoulder just as Wilder’s knot pops into place.

I scream as I come again. Wilder’s groans have me rutting into Emilia, and it doesn’t take long for her to come again as our bond locks into place.

Yes. This is how it was always supposed to be.

Chapter Twenty-six

Emilia

Ihave a mate again—a bond—and I can’t figure out how I feel about it.

Hawk stands in front of Wilder with his arms crossed. “If you’re his alpha, then why didn’t you bite her? Do you not love her?”

“Uhhhh…” Wilder glances at me, clearly unsure how to handle this.

“Hawk, honey,” I say softly, waiting until my son is looking at me before continuing. “That’s not an appropriate question to ask.”

“I just want to know.”

I shake my head, knowing he will not give up on this. Stubborn like his father, this one. “I asked Wilder to wait to bite me.”

“But why? I thought you chose both of them?” His little frown is adorable, but I know he wouldn’t appreciate that thought.

“You know I loved your dads a lot, right?”

He rolls his eyes. “Duh.”

Fates above. When did he get so fucking sassy?

“You know how sad I was when they died?”

His face grows serious. “You couldn’t get out of bed. Grandma had to take care of us.”

“That’s right.” I nod, hating that I’m having to have this conversation with my seven-year-old. “It’s because I felt it when they died. When alphas and omegas mark each other or betas, there’s a bond that forms between us.”

“A mate bond. I know allthis.”

How can I go from thinking he’s adorable to wanting to shake him in a matter of seconds? Not that I would ever shake my child or lay a hand on him in anger, but there’s not a single parent in the world who hasn’t wanted to shake their child. I don’t care how many of them deny it. They’re all liars.

“Watch your tone, son.” I lift my eyebrows, and his shoulders droop.

“Sorry, Mom. I just want to understand.”

I nod. “I get that, but give me a few minutes to figure out how to explain it. It’s like they hold a piece of your soul and you hold a piece of theirs. When that person dies, they take their soul with them. Something that’s been part of you is just gone.”

Hawk wrinkles his nose, staring at the ground. “That sounds terrible. Is that why you were so sad? Because you lost their soul pieces?”

“Yes, baby. That’s exactly it,” I tell him, fighting back tears and laughter. “It hurt me a lot to lose those pieces, so I’m not ready to jump right back into it. Camden is mine, and so is Wilder. I’m just not ready for Wilder and I to share our souls yet.”

He nods slowly, glancing back at Wilder. “You gave her what she asked for.”

“I did, buddy.” He nods, glancing at me, and I swear I see a sheen of tears there before he looks away. “I’d do anything for Camden and your mom.”

“Okay.” Hawk glances at where the other kids are playing. “I’m going to play now.”

Then he’s gone, leaving us to watch him run away.

“Why do I feel like something very important just happened?” Camden asks.

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