A knock interrupted us and voice called out, "Room service!"
I darted into the bedroom, clutching my towel, heart hammering against my ribs. The door clicked shut behind me, but the thin walls did nothing to muffle Knox's deep voice in the hallway or the snickering response that followed.
"Rough night?" I heard the employee asked, voice dripping with knowing.
"Leave the cart," Knox said curtly.
The employee fix their mouth to say something else, "Must've been some heat. Sounded like..."
The door slammed with enough force to rattle the paintings on the wall. I pressed my palms against my eyes until colorful stars bloomed in the darkness.
Everyone knew.
By tonight, the whole team would know.
By tomorrow, the league.
"Harper," Knox called from the bedroom doorway.
"Don't," I warned.
"You need to eat," he said gently.
"I need you to leave me alone," I replied.
"I can feel your panic through the bond," he stated.
"Then you know why space would be good," I pointed out.
Knox was every bit an alpha predator as he stalked towards me, the carpet beneath his bare feet silencing any noise. "Space won't fix this," he said.
"This doesn't need fixing. It needs ending," I insisted.
"You don't mean that," he said softly.
"I do," I maintained.
Knox stopped just a breath away and the heat that came rolling off his body nearly seared my skin through the thin towel. I was going up in flames, slick starting to pool between my legs. The omega in me wanted to present myself, to beg him.
"Your body says otherwise," he murmured.
I offered a weak ass protest,"My body's confused.”
"Your body knows exactly what it wants." His fingers ghosted over the claiming mark, a smirk inching on his perfect face. "Who it belongs to.”
A shiver rolled down my spine. "We can't base decisions on physical responses."
"Why not?" he asked.
"Because it's not sustainable!" I exclaimed.
"Feels pretty sustainable." He pressed closer, and I could feel his arousal against my stomach. "Feels like I could do this forever," he said.
"Knox..." I started.
"Tell me you don't want me," he challenged.
"I..." I began.
