Page 30 of Knot As It Seems

Fable turns and waves over her shoulder, shooting a thumbs up. “The other guys helped me,” she shrugs.

I’m…what? “What do you mean? Why would they help you do this? You know the whole reason I haven’t bonded you is because of them, right?”

She licks some errant strawberry juice off her finger andthen shoves the berry into her mouth. “See, I just don’t think that’s true.”

“Fable. They would fucking kill me if I…you know I want to, right?”

Abandoning her snacks, she gets onto her hands and knees and crawls so she’s a few inches away from my face. You know, I don’t think I appreciate how close to the ground my head is now that I think about it. This could have ended a lot worse.

“Kind of starting to think you actually don’t. I thought alphas were supposed to be helpless in the face of their scent matched omegas? Everything was great when I was dying, but now that I’m somewhat healthy, you’re far too obstinate. I needed to knock you down a few pegs.”

I try to reach for her, only for her to pull away, leaving me swinging like a piñata.

“Kind of starting to think you don’t actually want me, and see, that’s going to give me a complex. I have enough of those already. Tell me, honestly, with no one else out here to hear. Why haven’t you bonded me yet? You know you were the first alpha I really latched onto. I’m not holding out for something better, Anderson. If you don’t have any intention of bonding with me, then we’re going to need to take a step back. I need that commitment if you want to be in my life. It’s important to me.”

I know the frustration is rising in me and I wish I were strong enough to rein it in, but I’m too new to this life, too new to everything right now. “Fable, I’ve been a vampire for like, aday. You’re asking me something impossible. How can I sign away the rest of my life when I don’t even really understand how my body works? It’s not fair of youto ask, and it’s frankly crazy that you went to such extreme measures to corner me. This isn’t you.”

Utterly still, she cocks her head to the side. “And how would you know that since you’ve been avoiding me? How do you know what ‘me’ is? Hmm?”

“Because you’re too sweet for this! You’re quiet and you’re not…this is Winslow. This is not Fable.”

Well, at least she cuts me down. I fall on my head, but I’m down.

“Enjoy the rest of the lunch; I packed all your favorites.”

She walks off without another word, and I know I fucked up, but I just…I’m not ready. Maybe I thought I was, and yeah, it’s been great getting to hold her and kiss her and get closer to her, but who asks for a lifetime commitment after such a short amount of time?

I was definitely off mark with the comment about her sister, but I’m not wrong, either.

Now just pissed off, I kick at the mulch bag until it scatters everywhere, covering all the food she packed.

Whatever. I’ll clean it later.

Not sure where to go since Fable clearly needs space, I decide to just head to my car that my buddy Hawthorne drove over for me yesterday.

“You leave this property and I promise she’s going to move on without you.”

Fucking vampires, man. Calloway is standing against my truck, but I have no idea where he came from.

“Maybe that’s for the best.”

A warning growl is the only heads up I get that I saidthe wrong thing again, before his fist comes towards me, landing right in my stomach. “No, it’s not. You’re taking away something my omega wants if you leave. Stop trying to cling to your human tendencies. It’s not a good look on you.”

Clutching my stomach and heaving, I spit out onto the grass and unfurl myself, trying my best to stay alert this time. “I wasn’t fucking human.”

“Close enough. You think that omega in there is crazy? That she took it too far just now, tying you up to make you good on something you should be feral to give her freely? You should be the one pinning her down to bite her pretty little throat, not the other way around. Omegas don’t chase.”

“Yeah, well I guess I was sick the day they covered that in alpha class.”

“What the fuck is your problem?”

“You mean besides the fact that I was turned into something against my will, expected to just accept it and then stumbled upon the most delicious thing I’ve ever smelled and had to share her with six other guys?”

“There it is. Was wondering when you were going to admit you were too much of a greedy little boy to share his toys.”

“Fuck you, man. Winslow fucked me up, okay? I had a fucking life. All this?” I wave my hands around, spiraling hard. “This isn’t me. I’m a take-no-responsibility, last call, hookups-only kind of guy. I don’t know how to be what you have all had your entire lives to perfect. I can’t— why would I bond permanently into something, before even knowing what else is in the world? Besides your cousin,you guys are the only vampires I even know. How do I know all the shit you’ve been feeding me about scent matches and omegas isn’t complete bullshit? I’m just supposed to take your word as good? Fuck that!”

Something inside me snaps, a red haze sliding over my vision and I lunge towards Calloway, the only outcome I can think of that I beat his fucking ass for disrespecting me so much.