Page 17 of Knot Convenient

I was unable to hold back my laugh.

Our pack was potentially growing, and I was fucking excited.

“You’re going to have to do it.”

Marshall’s voice came from the doorway to my room where I was getting dressed to go and hopefully bring our mate home. I had hardly slept in anticipation.

“What do you mean? If you’re talking about your taxes again, I refuse. I’m a lawyer, not an accountant,” I said, turning around and facing him.

The first year Marshall had opened the shop, he had begged me to help with his taxes. Even though he was a stickler for keeping receipts, those books had been a nightmare to untangle. After we had gotten through it, I bought him a textbook and insisted he needed to either learn how to do it himself or hire a proper accountant.

His usually stoic face was twisted with some emotion I couldn’t pinpoint. Worry? Shame?

“You have to be the one to bite Summer today. That is, if she wants to go ahead with this.”

Every muscle in my body stilled. When we had spoken to the matchmakers about the process for bonding, the rules had been pretty clear: at least one of us needed to bite our omega before the bond was official.

Naturally, everyone involved, from the matchmakers to us all, agreed that the best option would be the pack leader, which was Marshall.

Summer was perfect. We had lucked out, seriously. The entirety of our time with her the day before, I’d been unable to look away from her. She was beautiful, delicate, but also strong. There was something about watching her with her son that made the alpha in me rear up, surging to attention.

When we’d dropped her off at Edie’s, there was no question about it. We had all looked at one another, nodded, and started making plans for the next day.

There was still a chance she may not want to bond, and while that would be sad, it was her choice and we would respect that. But damn, I hoped she’d stay.

“Do you not want to?” I asked, confused.

Marshall ran a hand through his hair, not meeting my eye. “It’s not that. She’s… she’s amazing. Perfect for us, I think. The bite… it’s at the town hall with witnesses.”

My brow furrowed. “We know. They need to witness the bond to ensure it’s legally and physically in place.”

Marshall looked away. “Exactly. Will you do it?”

“Of course I will. I just…” I saw how worked up Marshall was, and that wasn’t like him. “Whatever you need, man.”

If Marshall had a reason, it was probably a good one. Even if it was especially strange that he wasn’t telling me about what, exactly, that reason was. He still wanted to go through with the arrangement, and if he needed me to step up and do this part for him, I was hardly put off by it.

Also, being the one to officially bond with Summer? I had hoped that would come later, but now I was triple-checking my appearance in the mirror because I was going to remember today for the rest of my life.

“Good.” He nodded, still visibly worked up over something, but I wasn’t going to pry. I knew Marshall. He’d come clean about what was in his head when he felt comfortable. I just needed to give him time. “I…I’ll see you out there,” he said, then gestured at my outfit. “Don’t make us late worrying about your clothes.”

“Oh, get out of here.” I rolled my eyes, kicking him out so that I could make sure I did look okay. Because despite how silly he might have made it seem, I was now stepping up to be the one to bite Summer—in front of witnesses, like he said—and I wasn’t about to present myself as anything less than immaculate for such an important occasion.

There was a reason I wore a suit to court, and there was a damn fine reason I was about to look impeccable to meet Summer.

Chapter 8

Summer

What if they didn't want me?

That thought had been haunting me since the moment I had gotten back to Edie’s. The pack had been perfect—almost too perfect.

Why they were looking to a matchmaker for a bond was baffling to me. Their reasoning had been understandable, I suppose, but actually seeing them, it was hard to believe. They were all handsome—not generically so, but underwear-ruining so. When Emmett had put his hand on my lower back, something inside me had straight up melted.

And Marshall… There has been something about him that made my ability to function as a normal human being short-circuit.

I couldn't recall a time at a restaurant when I’d eaten without Milo on my lap. And hot food? Hot food that I didn’t have to battle a baby to get into my mouth? It was practically a miracle. Marshall jumping in had been a surprise. He was giant, grumbly, and gruff. His hands were calloused from hard work. Seeing him handle my baby with such tender care… it did something to me.