Page 17 of Trick Knot Treat

Giggles.

I groan and turn away, only to find myself staring at Zaire’s back as he walks away. I’m still angry about how he treated Asher. I’m still furious at the fact that I was jealous for so much of those two events. He’s a mystery, big, solid, and hurting.

Hurting? Where did that come from?

I can’t look away, not even when he crosses the beach and disappears back into the streets of Sunshine Cove, leaving us alone. It feels like he took the sunshine with him.

Spectre barks once, then takes off, leaving us with Khione.

And damn if I don’t want to follow the dog and hunt that alpha down.

I grind my teeth and force myself to turn back to the omega and the two flirting alphas who have gone back to pretending I don’t exist.

But I can’t help but look back at the street, hoping to see the massive form of the grumpy alpha and his ridiculous dog.

Chapter 5

Clint

Ibite my lower lip and stare at the retreating omega. Zaire is gone, too, and wasn’t he an interesting surprise? Felix is something else, though. An omega I have been crushing on forever but so far out of reach he may as well be living on the moon. Maybe Mama Sol has done me a solid after all, although, judging by the surprise on her face, I don’t think it was supposed to go this way, at all.

Eh, best-laid plans.

Jace tosses his arm over my shoulder as Khione runs up the sand, chasing our match.

“I think that this match is going to make up for all the yelling we’re going to get."

I wince. “Do you have to remind me? I was happily licking beer foam off the omega’s abs.”

Jace snorts. “Well, we both know the parentals are going to have conniptions over the fact we are in a pack together.” Jace throws his hands in the air and adopts a high voice which is very reminiscent of his mother. “Oh, no, won’t somebody think of the children?”

I snort a laugh and punch him in the arm. “Which ones? How many are wasting away in the crusty remains of your socks?”

“Oh, ew, Clint. No, don’t do that. I don’t want to feel guilty when I come.”

“Hey! If you would give up your fear of disappointing the family, they could be in my belly instead. I could keep you full forever with my baby batter,” I purr.

He shoves me off him, laughing. It’s moments like this when we can pretend, this is when I know that Jace is my soulmate. Always has been, always will be.

“How’s Holly?”

My mood dips, and I find my lips pulling down, the world getting dark and grey.

“She’s good. She is absolutely loving her new job and doesn’t think she will come back.”

I start walking, desperate to put space between us.

“What aren’t you telling me, bro?”

“Don’t call me that.”

“Fine, but don’t lie to me,” Jace says sharply, and I regret everything but nothing more than that this alpha knows me best despite everything. It should be Holly, but it’s not, it’s him. He’s the one who can discern my moods, who knows how I like to have my coffee, my beer, how I sleep, how I like my cock sucked.

“She asked me to come down. She can get me a job. It’s a way out of here. A new start.” I say the words quickly, pouring them into the air in a flat voice. Rip off the bandaid, Clint. Get it over and done with.

Jace stares at the side of my head, but I don’t dare turn and look at him. I know what he’s asking. I don’t need to hear the words, my heart is asking them.

What about us?