Page 58 of The Knotheads Next Door
I clean up the kitchen mechanically, my mind replaying what just happened with Rowan, what might have happened between her and Jasper last night, what all of this means for our already precarious living situation.
By the time I get to the clinic, I've managed to push it all to the back of my mind, focusing instead on the day's appointments. But the memory of Rowan melting against me, of that sweet note in her scent, keeps surfacing at unexpected moments.
I'm so distracted that I nearly miss Wells waiting for me in my office when I return from lunch.
"We need to talk," he says without preamble, his expression serious.
"About?"
"You know about what." He closes the door. "About you and Rowan this morning."
I stiffen. "You weren't even there."
"Jasper called me," he explains. "He's... concerned."
"You mean jealous," I correct, irritation flaring. "Which is rich, considering what happened between them last night."
Wells's eyebrows rise. "He told you?"
"Rowan did," I say, crossing my arms. "He kissed her, then pushed her away and made her feel like crap about it. And now he's what—staking a claim? Telling me to back off?"
"Nobody's staking claims," Wells says, his tone maddeningly reasonable. "That's the point. None of us can. She's our roommate, Theo. For two more weeks. Then she's gone."
The reminder stings more than it should. "Maybe she doesn't have to be."
Wells stares at me. "What?"
"Maybe she could stay," I suggest, the idea taking shape as I speak. "The room is available. She already has a job in town. She's made friends. There's no reason she has to leave."
"Except for the fact that she's presenting as an omega, and we're three unmated alphas," Wells points out. "That's a recipe for disaster."
"Or it could be something else entirely," I counter. "Something... right."
Understanding dawns in Wells's eyes. "You can't be serious."
"Why not?" I ask, genuine in my confusion. "We've been dancing around the idea of adding to our pack for years. Thethree of us work well together. We care about each other. Adding Rowan to that equation—"
"Is a fantasy," Wells interrupts. "She's not some missing puzzle piece, Theo. She's a person with her own life, her own plans. Plans that probably don't include getting mixed up with three alphas she barely knows."
The words hit harder than I care to admit. He's right, of course. Rowan has never indicated she wants anything permanent here. She came to Vineyard Groves to escape, to regroup, not to find a pack or mates or whatever else I'm foolishly starting to imagine.
"I know that," I say, more defensively than I intended. "I'm not suggesting we drag her into something she doesn't want. I'm just saying... maybe we should be open to possibilities."
Wells studies me, his expression softening slightly. "You're falling for her."
It's not a question, and I don't bother denying it. "Maybe. I don't know. It's complicated."
"It's dangerous," he corrects. "For all of us. Including her. Especially her. She's vulnerable right now, Theo. Her body is changing in ways she doesn't understand, pushing her toward instincts she's never had to navigate before." He sighs, running a hand over his face. "I'm not saying don't care about her. I'm saying be careful. Don't let your alpha make decisions your brain will regret."
I know he's being reasonable. Logical. The voice of caution we sometimes need. But in this moment, I resent it.
"What if my alpha and my brain want the same thing?" I ask quietly.
Wells looks at me for a long moment, something like resignation passing over his features.
"Then I hope you're prepared for the consequences. Because this doesn't just affect you and Rowan. It affects all of us."
He leaves without another word, his warning hanging in the air behind him.
