Knot Happening

Chapter 21

Chapter Twenty-One

Tatum

I shake my head at the bike. It’s nice, but the one I had before was perfectly fine. I don’t get the sense Hayden is going to give up driving me to work, though.

I texted Meg to let her know I was on my way home, so when I arrive back in the apartment, she’s already gone.

“Mom?” I set the bags of food down on the coffee table.

“Tatum,” she looks up at me, smiling. She rarely speaks these days. Hardly ever acknowledges me. It’s unsettling. I let it go, though. Maybe today was just a better day than usual.

“I brought dinner. I thought we could watch The Hunger Games and hang out before I pack up your room?” I say gently. I’d already told her I was moving her into the facility tomorrow, if everything went as planned.

“Okay.” She nods, her eyes taking on that glassy far away look once again. I sigh.

“You’re going to move into ABO Care tomorrow, is that still okay?”

“Whatever you think is best, Tatum Bella,” she mumbles, as her eyes fall closed. My throat closes tightly around the sudden pressure from holding in a sob. She hasn’t called me that in years… That was my father’s nickname for me.

I flick through a few channels, and turn on the first movie in the Hunger Games series when I find it. I move so I can lift my mom’s head, and then sit so she can rest it in my lap. I brush and braid her hair on this side, taking the braids out after I finish because they’d look silly if I left them. When my stomach growls, Mom sits up. I expect her to go use the restroom, it’s the only thing she’ll do without prompting.

Thankfully.

Instead, she starts pulling the food out of the containers I’d set on the coffee table. I’d gotten her favorite Italian food with bread sticks. It’s only been half an hour, so the food is still warm enough that I don’t bother reheating anything. Especially because she serves me a plate, handing it to me.

“Eat.” She tilts her head toward the food, and I watch as she takes a bite of a bread stick. I move, trying to keep the shock I feel off my face. Once I’m sitting in front of my food, she sits behind me, and starts running her fingers through my hair. I can barely focus on the movie, or my food, because Mom hasn’t touched me like this in years. I can’t remember the last time she played with my hair. Even before things got bad.

“Mom?” I murmur, feeling uneasy about such a big change in her behavior. What the heck is happening?

“I know Tatum Bella. Shh. Eat. Everything will be okay.” Her words are spoken so low it’s hard to hear her over the TV, but there’s a sadness in her tone. I don’t speak again for a long while as I eat. I finish my food, but Mom just keeps playing with my hair.

Her gentle touch makes me sleepy, and when I start nodding off, she sits back, patting the couch for me to sit next to her.

When I rest my head in her lap, she continues caressing my blonde strands, never taking her hands off me. I sleep through the second movie and wake up halfway into the third. I startle, sitting up suddenly, and look at Mom. She blinks at me.

“You alright?”

“Are you?” I ask, frowning.

“Yes. Just tired.” She lies down, now that I’m not taking up so much of the couch, lying her head on a pillow instead of my lap. She falls asleep quickly, and rather than prolonging the inevitable, I head into her room to start packing up her clothes. Since I can visit daily, I’ve decided I’ll take a few backpacks full of stuff every time I visit, rather than trying to take too much all at once.

Once I’m done, I help Mom into bed.

“Goodnight, Mom,” I mumble, kissing her forehead. I hope I’m doing the right thing.

“As you can see, she’s got a great view,” Mrs. June says as she smiles brightly at Mom and me. Once Mom went to sleep last night, she was back to her usual self this morning before we left. Barely responsive, and not caring what I do, or where I’m taking her. The ride to the facility in the taxi I ordered had a somber silence. When we arrived at ABO Care, they brought us right up to her room on the second floor.

Mrs. June is going to be one of several nurses on her care team. They’re going to focus on getting her settled today, and tomorrow, they start the evaluations.

“It’s beautiful. Mom?” I ask, looking at her hopefully. Especially after yesterday, but whatever had her in better spirits for those few hours, it’s gone now.

“Don’t worry, Hun. I’ve seen Omegas in worse shape come out on the other side. I’ll take good care of your mama. We’re dedicated to providing all our residents with the best possible care.” The reassuring squeeze she gives my hand settles me more than I thought possible. Glancing up at the pretty older woman, I spot the silvery healed bond marks on her neck. Being a Beta, they tend to be very good at soothing both Alphas and Omegas. Especially if they end up in a pack bond. It’s not super common, but it’s also not unheard of.

More often, they form close bonds with other Betas.

Her aura is calming, and her scent is like sugar cookies fresh out of the oven. Now I’m hungry.

“I’ll be back tomorrow morning. I love you,” I say, as I hug Mom. She doesn’t hug me back, but I don’t care. “Please take care of her. She’s all I have left in the world. If anything happens to her…” I whisper, and Mrs. June gives me a sympathetic smile and a nod of her head. I hadn’t meant to reveal that, but I don’t sense anything off about Mrs. June.

“Of course.”

I leave Mom’s room, and head for the elevator, tears stinging my eyes. Once the doors shut me in, I let the sob I was holding in break free and swipe quickly at my cheeks. I can’t fall apart in this damn elevator.

When the doors open, I’m not paying attention as I hustle to flee this place. I run face-first into an Alpha chest.

“Woah there,” a deep, familiar voice says, and I blink up at the Alpha gripping my arms in firm but gentle hands. I blink, then blink again, inhaling deeply.

“Declan?” I ask, because when I saw him yesterday, his hair was shorter, and he didn’t have a scar over his left eye. I blink again. His scent isn’t the same either… That spicy hint…

“Not quite.” He winks, and the smaller Alpha behind him makes himself known. Mr. Hamlin. I wrinkle my nose as his scent invades the small space. I move to try and escape, but he just backs up until we’re all standing outside the elevator doors.

“Mr. Hayes, do you know Ms. Cray?” I don’t like the way Mr. Hamlin is looking at me. Or how bothered he seems to be by Declan knowing me. I mean, Declan’s look alike…

“I do. You’ll have to excuse me. I’ll be back tomorrow to speak with you about that deal we were discussing,” and then I’m being ushered out the front door by someone who has to be my boss’s twin. My boss's twin! Oh my god, Declan has a twin?!

“What’s going on?” I ask, once we’re out on the street, spinning to face the Alpha. I blame my emotions and being caught by surprise for how long it took my brain to put two and two together. “It was you!” I gasp, “I knew Declan would never wear a hoodie to the club!” Mr. Hayes, Declan’s nameless twin, a man I didn’t even know existed, smirks.

Then he’s pulling me away from the building and around to the parking lot.

“Tell me why you were crying, Pretty Gift,” he whispers close to my ear, in that low, gravelly tone, and my steps falter. I nearly trip, but he catches me. We stop next to a sleek black Jaguar F-Type, and he opens the passenger door. I start to climb in, but thankfully my brain comes back online and I push back. Because of how close he was standing, when I spin to look at him, I’m pressed against his body.

It takes an embarrassingly long time for me to find my voice.

“Kodiak?” I hiss, as I look him up and down. “What the fuck… What the fuck?”

“I’ll explain, if you get in the car,” he says, as he looks away from me, scanning the parking lot.

“Don’t want to be seen with me?” I scoff.

“Get in the car, or I’ll put you in the car.” He grins at me like he didn’t just basically threaten me.

“Where will you take me?” I ask, and he shrugs.

“Wherever you want.”

“Fine, I need a ride home and answers,” I grumble, climbing into the buttery soft tan leather seat. He shuts the door and gets in on his side. The Omega in me can’t help but relish the comfort of the seat and the scent of bergamot clinging to the interior.

The second he shuts his door, I turn to stare at him.

“Start talking, Alpha,” I demand, trying to sound like I’m confident in my ability to boss around an Alpha, and not a super submissive Omega.

“Declan is my twin, and yes, it was me in the office two days ago.”

“Great, and ‘Pretty Gift?’” I glare at him, and watch his lips twitch the tiniest bit.

“Tell me why you were crying,” he says instead of answering me.

“I dropped my mother off this morning, and I was feeling like the worst daughter in the world for it. Your turn. Fess up,” I say, and when we pull up to the first light we need to turn down to get to my house, I lift my hand to direct him… My mouth falls shut when he takes the turn before I can say a word. “Okay, while you’re at it, why don’t you explain how you know where I live.”

“I’m a part owner of the club. Your address is in your file. Yes, my name is Kodiak.” The half smirk on his face tells me he knows exactly what he’s withholding.

“Uh huh. Pretty Gift?”

“Hmm, you’ll have to be more specific. What was that in reference to?”

Oh, he wants to play dirty? Fine, I can play that game too.

“Well, I came on your lap after grinding against your hard cock, and you said thank you for that pretty gift.” His scent changes, a spicy heaviness in the air between us, and I smirk.

“Awfully mouthy for an inexperienced, shy Omega.” He lifts his brow, glancing at me briefly, before turning back to the road. He’s got me there.

“So is that my new nickname then?”

“I certainly like it.”

It’s a short drive to my apartment from the facility. He pulls into a spot outside my apartment building’s door and parks.

Now that we’re here, I swallow thickly. I’ll be alone in there from now on. I don’t like the dark, or being alone in a quiet room. I’ve always slept fine, because I knew Mom was just outside my door or down the hall. But now?

“What just happened? Why do you look so sad?” Kodiak’s tone is gentle. Not pushy or prying, just curious.

“I’ve never lived alone. It’s going to be empty and so quiet in there. I don’t know if I can face it,” I say honestly, and Kodiak nods like he understands. Maybe he does.

“You could come live with me,” he says in a teasing tone, and I snort a laugh. But it worked. His words got me out of the doom and gloom of the moment. “I’m serious. I’m considering taking you there now. My brothers would love it,” I giggle, rolling my eyes, as I turn to look at him. He’s seriously handsome, but when all my attention is on him, he shakes his head a little until his hair falls into his face in a way that hides his scar.

Before I can think better of it, I’m reaching up and tucking the hair back. I graze the lower half of the scar with my thumb. It looks like it was bad. He shivers, but doesn’t move to stop me.

“You have more than one brother?” I want to know the story of how Kodiak got this scar, but I won't press.

“Declan is my twin, as I said.” I give him a look that I hope lets him know that much is obvious, and there’s no need to say it a second time. “We have a younger half brother.”

“I wish I had siblings.” I smile sadly. I’m all fucking alone, though. It’s probably why I’m letting this man, that's basically a stranger, see me so vulnerable. I don’t know him. Not really. If he leaves me, it won’t feel like a shard of ice in my sad, lonely heart. Maybe it’s stupid. Reckless, even, but I lean forward and kiss him.

I don’t want to feel so alone right now. Just for a second. One beautiful, heartbreaking second.

He grunts, but kisses me back. I part my lips, letting his tongue caress mine. It’s a sweet kiss. Not something I was expecting from the man that stormed into the private room and swept me off my feet.

He pulls away too soon, pressing his warm palm to my cheek. He stares into my eyes for a long moment and doesn’t shy away from my gaze. We’re still so close that I can feel his breaths against my skin, and I want to drag him up to my apartment. He might let me, if I asked. Or begged. But something in the way he’s looking at me right now, makes me think that if I did that, he’d keep coming around.

Stolen moments like this are all I can have, though, because if I’m not careful, I’ll get attached to him. And then when he leaves, it’ll be more than I can take. I’ll fall apart.

“Yeah, I thought so,” he mumbles, but I’m not sure the words are meant for me. “Time to go, Pretty Gift.”

“Yeah,” I agree, feeling disappointed for reasons I don’t fully understand.

As I climb out of the car, I try to wrangle all the emotions that threaten to take over. The void in the pit of my stomach is a familiar one, and I’m already antsy to escape the feeling. It hurts to be so unbearably lonely.

I make it four steps, when I’m wrapped up into massive Alpha arms. Kodiak pulls me into his chest and just holds me.

I try to back up, free myself from his arms because I can’t let myself fall into his comfort. It’s too dangerous, I’ll only end up a broken shell of an Omega. Would I have a daughter that's as lonely as I am? Who needs to fight against the world alone to care for me? Unfortunately, Kodiak’s stronger than a freaking ox.

“Kodiak,” I sob, shaking my head as I push my hands against his chest. Why doesn’t he see? I am already damaged goods. Barely keeping myself together. I can’t stomach even the thought of loving an Alpha, and then losing him…but fuck, he feels so good…

“Let it out. I got you. I’m not letting you go, Pretty Gift.” His words… His fucking words… Fuck, they undo me. This man, who doesn’t know me, doesn’t know anything about me, is holding me like I’m his. Like I’m some precious thing to him. Like I somehow deserve the comfort he’s freely giving. The ache in my limbs slowly fades, not completely, but enough. Enough that I know this can never go further.

It’s an addictive feeling. I give in. I tell myself I won’t do this again. I won’t let this happen again. I won’t seek him out. I won’t let him become something more than this single moment of comfort.

I wrap my arms around him and cry. I cling to him like a lifeline and fucking lose it. By the time the tears dry up, and I manage to get some space between us, I’ve soaked his damn shirt.

“Shit, sorry,” I murmur, and he chuckles.

“It’s a shirt. I’ll clean it.” He shrugs, keeping one hand on my hip, as he watches me carefully. “I’ll see you again soon, Tatum.” The kiss he presses to my cheek is gentle and sweet. I expect him to walk away, leaving me here to watch him go, but he just gives my hip a soft push toward my building. I frown, and he nods his chin toward the building in a ‘go on’ gesture.

I walk away and don’t look back. For some reason, the thought of not seeing him there makes me want to start crying again, so I keep walking, letting the door fall shut behind me.

Kodiak

That shady fucker Hamlin is only half the problem. He’s the face, but he’s not the buyer.

We’ve been using the same ABO facility for six years. Trace was a friend of sorts. Trustworthy and smart. I liked that he was competent and kept his mouth shut.

Convenient that he went missing days before the company went up for sale. Then it sold so quickly. For a company this size to sell before anyone was even aware it was on the market is suspicious.

Tatum closes the door of her apartment, and I see my brother peek out the window from the apartment next door. I give him a little wave with two fingers and chuckle when he flips me off.

I head up there, not needing to knock when he pulls the door open for me. Declan hates knocking, so Hayden and I have gotten used to opening doors in a hurry.

“How was she, was she okay? I know she was upset. I wanted to drive her, but I knew she’d be suspicious. I hate that she won’t let me back in. I want to–”

Hayden’s rambling cuts off when I slap a hand over his mouth. “She was sad. This isn’t easy for her. Give her time.” I hold my hand in place, and wait for him to nod his head before I release my grip on his face hole. “She's the one, isn’t she? The one Mom–”

“Yes,” Hayden snaps urgently, his eyes widening. I nod, crossing my arms over my chest. I figured out he was following someone over a year ago. But he’s known Tatum most of his life. I knew her as “Hayden’s friend from school.” We didn't exactly see him all that often when he was growing up. Too dangerous.

Because I’m so much older than Hayden, we didn’t grow up together. I was out of the house already when Mom took him in as a baby. Declan and I had a lot on our shoulders at just fourteen. But we had guidance. Someone on our side to help us take over after I murdered our father.

So three and a half years ago, when Hayden showed up on our doorstep, Declan and I hadn’t been keeping up with his personal life. I can still remember the feeling of his pain hitting me when the bond snapped into place. Declan and I always knew we’d be in a pack, but when Hayden graduated from high school and naturally slid right into the family business, we made the choice to make it official.

Omegas aren’t on the list of priorities. Or they weren’t for Declan and me. I assumed they weren’t for Hayden either, but as I stand here, little pieces of a puzzle all fall into place.

Why I’m drawn to Tatum. Why Declan is breaking his own company rules for her. Why Hayden hasn’t fucked anyone all these years.

“I see,” I say with a grin. That grin quickly falls away. “We need to deal with Hamlin and his family. I don’t trust that seedy fucker. I’ll get Ghost on it. First things first. We get a hold of the contract for Tatum’s mom. I don’t like the way that slick old fuck was looking at Tatum. We keep our eyes on her…” I pause, tilting my head at my brother. “Well. More than your usual amount,” I joke, and he rolls his eyes.

“Got it. You know how much she means to me. I’ll protect her.” The conviction I feel in the bond sets me at ease.

I do know how much Tatum means to him, now. I don’t need to guess just how much she’ll mean to this pack, either.

There’s a lot about my Pretty Gift that I haven’t learned yet, but I will.

And I will enjoy every minute of making her ours. The chase and the catch.

Easton

The knife twirls and flips between my fingers quickly as I watch each of my uncle’s thugs closely.

I might be loyal to the man because he’s family, but the men that work for him are scum. I know how they see Omegas.

What they say about us when they think I can’t hear them. My feet are propped up on the table, crossed at my ankles, and I’m lounging back in the chair. Relaxed. Carefree, to anyone looking at me.

On the inside, I’m poised to kill. Ready to strike out at an unprotected neck at a moment's notice. I’m good at killing. I’ve had to be to survive in what was once my father’s world. But he’s dead.

“There’s been a report from that facility the Hamlin’s just purchased,” one of the thugs says. I call him thug one. We go through so many of them that I stopped bothering to learn their names.

“Already?” Jimmy asks, leaning forward. Jimmy is my cousin. He’s barely got a single brain cell to work with, but his father is our leader. So he gets a free pass, I guess. Not with me. I remind him of his place as his father’s least useful thug every chance I get.

He’s an Alpha and thinks that makes him superior to me. Maybe in a social hierarchy. But not here. Here, I am my uncle’s deadliest weapon.

I snort to myself because that sounds dumb as fuck.

Deadliest weapon. I sound like a wanker. If only I had a British accent to go along with my love for British slang. It just doesn’t sound the same when you say it in a midwestern American accent.

“Yeah. He said she’s young. Twenty-one, and her only family is her mother, who’s a patient at the facility.”

“The facility that has connections to the Hayes brothers?” My tone sounds dull and bored, even to my ears.

“We’re working on cutting them out,” thug one, or maybe three, says.

“Mmm,” is my only response. My uncle sighs.

“Jimmy, I want you following her. What's her name?” My uncle asks, leveling his son with a hard stare. Jimmy jumps up like he’s just won the lottery, not realizing he’s been given this task because he’s expendable. If he’s caught, well, the organization won’t suffer from his loss.

“Tatum Cray.”

“Wait,” I hiss, lifting my head and meeting my uncle’s gaze. I hold eye contact with him, even as his dominance washes over me. I’ve spent a lot of years learning to hold an Alpha’s gaze without flinching. Even one as dominant as my uncle’s.

“Yes?” he asks as I sit up and lean forward.

“I’ve been following her already. She works at Haze. She could be useful. I’ll take this one,” I say simply, not asking permission. My uncle and I disagree on many things, but destroying the Hayes brothers isn’t one of them.

“Very well,” he agrees. I stand and leave because whatever else is said in this meeting isn’t my problem. Especially because Jimmy starts shouting about some dumb shit…

There’s a strange twinge of guilt when I think of Tatum. Hmm. That's new. She was a lovely girl. Seemed lost. Lonely.

Why do I care how this will affect her? Being used by me. Lied to. I was already lying to her. This assignment changes nothing.

Sure, my uncle’s plans for her are clear. Kidnap her. Break her. Sell her.

That has nothing to do with me.

So why do I care?