Chapter 37 – KNOX
37
KNOX
I focus on the sizzling bacon, trying not to think about what's happening in the bedroom. The familiar routine of cooking grounds me as I crack eggs into a bowl, whisking them with practiced movements. I can't help but be methodical, even in the kitchen.
The sounds and scents drifting from down the hall are impossible to ignore completely, though. Jordan's sweet, rainy roses mixing with Damon's deep, spicy scent, punctuated by soft gasps and moans that make my hands shake slightly as I season the eggs.
I tell myself I'm giving them space because Jordan needs time to adjust, to feel safe. But the truth is, I'm afraid. Afraid she won't want me after how cold I was at first. Afraid I don't deserve her forgiveness.
The bacon finishes crisping and I transfer it to a plate lined with paper towels, adding it to the tray I've been assembling. Scrambled eggs with herbs, fresh fruit, toast, and plenty of water. Omegas in heat need to stay hydrated.
By the time I'm finished getting everything together, the sounds have died down, so I decide it's as good a time as any.
Taking a deep breath, I pick up the loaded tray and head down the narrow hallway. The scents get stronger as I approach, making my head spin. When I push open the door, the sight before me stops me in my tracks.
Asher, Silas and Dante are sprawled across one side of the massive bed, dead to the world. But on the other side, Jordan is straddling Damon's lap, her head thrown back as she rocks against him. His huge hands span her waist, guiding her movements as she takes him deep. I can see her flat stomach bulging a little where his cock is filling her.
They both freeze when they notice me, Jordan's cheeks flushing pink as she tries to stop moving. But I can see the tremors running through her body as the heat forces her to keep grinding subtly against him, desperate for relief.
"I... brought food," I manage, my voice rougher than intended. "Thought you might need fuel."
The words barely leave my lips before Asher's head pops up from the pile of limbs across the bed, his violet eyes still heavy with sleep. "Is that bacon?"
The tension breaks as everyone laughs, even Jordan letting out a small chuckle despite her embarrassment. The sound makes my chest warm.
"Come join us," Asher says, patting the space beside him. "There's plenty of room."
I hesitate, but Jordan gives me a shy smile that makes my heart skip. "Please?" she asks softly. "I'd like you here too."
How can I resist that? Setting the tray on the bedside table, I carefully settle onto the edge of the bed. Damon keeps Jordan steady in his lap as I arrange the pillows, making sure everyone can reach the food.
"You made all this?" Jordan asks, eyeing the spread with obvious hunger. Her voice hitches slightly as Damon shifts beneath her.
I nod, unable to help the pleased rumble that escapes when she reaches for a piece of bacon. "Needed to do something useful," I admit.
"You're always useful," Asher says firmly, crawling over to steal a piece of bacon for himself. "Even if you are a grumpy bear who could give Damon a run for his money sometimes."
"Hey," I protest halfheartedly, but I can't help smiling as Jordan laughs again.
We settle into a comfortable rhythm, passing food around as Jordan continues rocking slowly in Damon's lap as he feeds her a strawberry and she licks the juices off his fingers. Her movements are less desperate now, more languid as the edge of her heat temporarily eases.
The intimacy of the moment catches me off guard—all of us curled together, sharing food and soft touches while taking care of our omegas. The lighthearted banter between Dante and Asher as they discuss the theoretical benefits and drawbacks of being an alpha who smells like bacon.
This is what pack is supposed to be. And it feels more real, more complete than it ever has. Which makes me feel like even more of an ass for ever thinking Jordan's presence would threaten what we already had. It just made things even better.
And watching Jordan slowly open up, letting down her walls piece by piece... it's the most beautiful thing I've ever seen.
I may not deserve forgiveness for how I treated her at first, but I'll spend the rest of my life trying to make it up to her. To prove that she can trust us. Trust me.
For now, though, I focus on making sure she eats, on providing what comfort I can. The rest will come with time.
I watch as Asher presses a tender kiss to Jordan's lips, murmuring that he needs to get cleaned up. Their scents mingle, making a rumbling purr build up in my chest. She's still seated in Damon's lap, his huge hands spanning her waist, and I can't tear my eyes away from where they're joined.
"Yeah, me too," Dante yawns, stretching like a contented cat. "So does Silas."
"Hey," Silas says with a glare, but he doesn't argue. He leans in to kiss Jordan, soft and sweet. "Knox and Damon will take good care of you until we're back."
She nuzzles against him in response, a gesture so naturally omega it makes my chest tight. How did we miss it for so long? The way she moves, the little sounds she makes, everything about her screams omega now that I know to look for it.
The others file out, leaving just me, Damon, and Jordan. She shifts in Damon's lap, clearly trying to be subtle about how desperate she is for movement, for friction, for relief. But I can smell her need growing stronger with each passing second.
Then she reaches for me, one hand extended in clear invitation, and whatever resolve I had left crumbles. The naked want in her dark eyes undoes me completely.
"Please," she whispers, and that single word shatters the last of my hesitation.
I move closer, drawn in by her scent, by the need written across her beautiful face. When I'm within reach, she grabs my shirt and pulls me down into a desperate kiss. She tastes so fucking incredible.
"I'm sorry," I murmur against her lips between kisses. "I?—"
She silences me with another kiss, and shakes her head. "No talking. Just fucking."
I can't help but chuckle, even as her desperate words inflame the hunger I've been trying to keep suppressed this whole time.
She pulls back just enough to meet my eyes, her own dark with desire but also something softer. "You were protecting your pack," she says quietly. "I understand that."
The forgiveness in her voice makes my chest tight. I don't deserve it, but I'll try to change that.
I capture her lips again, swallowing her gasp as Damon starts moving beneath her. Jordan whimpers into my mouth as Damon's movements grow more purposeful, his huge hands guiding her hips. I can see the way his cock stretches her, the way her body takes him so perfectly. The sight makes my own cock throb painfully.
"Need you," she gasps, breaking the kiss to look up at me with desperate eyes. "Please, alpha."
The words go straight to my core, making me growl. "Where do you want me, beautiful?"
She tugs at my pants in response, her meaning clear. I strip quickly, my clothes joining the pile on the floor. When I'm finally naked, she reaches for my cock with trembling hands.
I groan as Jordan's hands wrap around my length, her touch setting my skin on fire. Damon chuckles, the sound low and rough. "I already got to knot her this morning," he says, his voice husky. "Fair's fair."
He lifts Jordan off his cock with those huge hands of his, and I catch the glint of his come trickling down her thighs. The sight makes my alpha instincts roar with possessive need. I want to add my own mark to her, to fill her up until she's dripping with pack scent.
Jordan whimpers at the loss, but I gather her into my arms, laying her gently on her back. She spreads her legs for me immediately, and the sight of her wet and wanting makes my mouth water.
"Please," she pants, already reaching between her legs to finger her soaking clit. I watch, transfixed, as her fingers move in desperate circles, and her hips buck as if beckoning me to fill her.
As I line myself up with her entrance, she turns her head toward Damon, who's still hard despite just knotting her. Like she's as desperate to have her mouth filled as her pussy. Her pink tongue darts out to wet her lips before she takes him into her mouth. Damon groans, burying his hand in her hair as she begins to suckle the tip of his thick cock.
The first push inside her nearly undoes me completely. She's impossibly tight despite how well-used she is by this point in her heat, her inner walls gripping me like a vice. The sensation of finally being inside her after wanting her for so long is overwhelming.
"Fuck," I growl, fighting for control as I bottom out. "You feel incredible."
Jordan moans around Damon's cock in response, the vibrations making him grip her hair tighter. The sight of her taking us both, so eager and perfect, makes my chest tight with emotion.
This is right. This omega belongs to us. I start moving, setting a steady rhythm that has her whimpering with each thrust. Her body accepts me perfectly, like we were made to fit together.
Damon catches my eye over her head, and I see my own awe reflected in his expression. We've shared partners before—it comes with being part of Asher's pack—but this is different. This is our mate, our missing piece. The one we didn't even know we were looking for until she crashed into our lives.
I lean down to press kisses along her throat as I move inside her, tasting the salt of sweat on her skin and the sweetness of her scent.
Jordan's body trembles between us as another wave of heat crashes through her. Her scent grows sharper, more desperate as she takes us both deeper. The way she moves, the little sounds she makes even with her mouth full—it's breathtaking.
My knot starts to swell as I pick up the pace, bumping against the resistance of her tight pussy with every thrust. She whines around Damon's cock, her body clenching around me as she chases her release. I slide a hand between us to circle her clit, wanting to feel her come apart around me.
"Careful, little one," Damon says with a throaty chuckle. his thumb sweeping gently over her bottom lip. "You don't want my knot in that pretty mouth of yours."
The way she whimpers suggests she does, actually, but we both know that's the heat talking.
"That's it," I encourage as she starts to tremble from what I'm doing to her clit. "Let go for us, beautiful. Show us how good we make you feel."
She comes with a muffled cry, her body milking my knot as I finally let it pop inside her. The sensation of being locked together, of filling her up, sends me over the edge. I come with a growl, painting her insides with my seed.
Damon follows shortly after, spilling down her throat with a groan as she swallows everything he gives her. His hand gentles in her hair, stroking softly as she licks him clean.
When he finally pulls back, I gather Jordan close as we settle on our sides. She nuzzles into my chest, making these soft little purring sounds that go straight to my heart. Damon curls up behind her, sandwiching her between us as we wait for my knot to go down.
"Thank you," she whispers against my skin, her voice rough from use.
"For what?" I ask, sweeping her hair back from her face.
"For accepting me," she says softly. "For wanting me even after... everything."
My chest tightens at the vulnerability in her voice. "Jordan," I say firmly, waiting until she meets my eyes. "You're pack. Nothing could change that. Especially not learning who you really are."
"He's right," Damon rumbles from behind her, pressing a kiss to her shoulder. "If anything, knowing the truth just makes us want you more. Because you trusted us with it."
She shivers at his words, her scent softening with contentment as she relaxes between us. I hold her closer, basking in the fact that the entire pack's scents are all over and inside her now, mine included.
Jordan drifts off as my knot slowly subsides, worn out from hours of heat and pack care. I carefully slip free once I can, earning a small sound of protest from her even in sleep. Damon immediately pulls her closer, letting her curl into his warmth.
"I'll get something to clean her up," I whisper, pressing a kiss to her temple.
Damon nods, his arms tightening around her protectively. I pad to the bathroom, wetting a washcloth with warm water. When I return, I gently clean the come and slick between her thighs, being careful not to wake her.
She looks so peaceful in sleep, all her careful walls finally down. The sight makes my chest ache with protective instincts. I want to gather her up and never let anything hurt her again. Want to hunt down every person who ever made her feel like she had to hide who she was.
But I push those violent thoughts aside. Plenty of time for that later.
I climb back into bed, settling on her other side. She immediately reaches for me in her sleep. I pull her close, breathing in her clean, floral scent.
This feels better than right. It feels like it was always meant to be.