Page 42 of In Knots

“I don’t know.”

He swipes a cool cotton ball across my face and I close my eyes. “So I’m taking it this is some alpha, then?”

I nod slightly and he sucks in air through his teeth in an irritated manner.

“My mother says that’s just the way they are – passionate, aggressive.”

“Well sweetie pie, I can tell you my alpha is like that for sure, especially in the bedroom.” He pats my face dry and begins to paint the bruise on my face. “And he looks as if he could snap me right in two. But he’s a big softie really. He would never, never lay a hand on me. And if someone else did, well!”

“You have an alpha,” I ask, my brow creasing slightly and ruining his progress so far, “but you’re not bonded?”

“No, not yet.”

“You don’t want to?”

He taps the tip of my nose, reminding me to relax my face. “We’re having fun just as we are. Oh, he’d love to claim and bond me, and maybe I’m not opposed to the idea, but I also like to keep him on his toes. A bit of teasing in a relationship can be a lot of fun.” His brush strokes over my skin. “My best friend just got bonded to her pack of alphas, though, and she is blissfully happy. Like sickeningly so. So maybe I will change my mind soon.” His hand stills in front of my face. “Does this,” his lip curls, “alphawant to bond you?”

I sigh. “I think so. And just about everyone else in the whole world wants him to too it seems.”

“And you?”

I stare over his shoulder towards the door, not answering. As much as I like Sadie, I know anything I tell him could be repeated tenfold. It won’t take long for the rumour of my bruised head to start circulating. I’m surprised my mother didn’t consider that. Maybe she thought I’d do a better job of lying about it.

From the corner of my eye, I see his gaze flicker across my face. I decide I’d better change the subject. Back to a topic that caught my attention.

“Your friend belongs to a pack?”

“She doesn’t belong to a pack. She’s part of a pack, yes.”

“They’re rare …” I prompt, hoping he’ll tell me more.

“Yes, they are, but I think more and more alphas are choosing to live that way. And it seems to suit her pretty damn well.” He leans in closer and whispers in my ear. “I’m a little jealous to be honest, can you imagine the possibilities of being with more than one alpha?” I don’t have to imagine! “Not that I’m complaining, my man keeps me more than satisfied.” He giggles a little and squeezes more of the concealer onto the side of his hand, blending it with another to match my skin tone.

“So, she’s happy, and I mean, they don’t fight over her or–”

“No, by all accounts they are very happy to share.” He tilts his head to one side, examining his work. “You might know them actually. It seems they own most of the city.”

“I don’t know any packs,” I pause, “although I met a pack the other day … when I was getting my car fixed,” I venture, crossing my fingers that this piece of information won’t find its way back to my mother.

“Oh yeah, which pack was that?”

“Erm …”

“Most of them have names, but if you only met them for a bit maybe they didn’t tell you.”

“I think they were called the highwaymen,” I say, remembering what Ryan had told me.

Recognition flickers across Sadie’s face and I’m determined to dig out what he knows about the pack. “You know them?”

“I’ve heard of them. But to be honest, I thought they were a motorcycle club, not a pack.”

“I guess they’re both.”

“Well, that is interesting news. Another pack? I hadn’t heard of that one. I wonder if Connie has.”

“Connie?”

“My friend.” I nod. “Do they have an omega?”

“I don’t know,” I lie, and he starts to tell me the complicated story of how his friend met her pack.

He paints this picture in my mind, of different possibilities and alternative ways of living. A picture which has that excitement igniting in my stomach all over again. A picture I know my mother would detest and my father would forbid.

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