Page 41 of Knot All Is Ruined: Part 1

Cris then shifted his attention to Danella. “Did she let you sit on the couch?”

What the hell kind of question is that?!

“God, that couch was like a little bit of heaven,” Danella said with a sigh. “I’m a little jealous of Tori and Violet right now, they just get to sit there for as long as they like.”

“Do you mind if I ask you a personal question?” Cris ventured.

Danella considered that a second before nodding. “You can ask, but I might not answer.”

“That’s fair. I’m just curious because Tru isn’t someone who’s forward or pushy when it comes to people he doesn’t know. Did my mother make you two sit together on the couch?” Cris asked.

Seriously was he really talking about a couch, or was this slang for something else? How could a couch be that special?

“Yes, she did,” Danella answered simply.

Cris tugged at his lower lip as he nodded absently, mulling that over before looking back at Tru. “The situation that sparked the argument, did you try to recreate that scenario here?”

“Yes, I could tell she was stressed out being here in our space and wanted to give her that comfort and assurance she seemed to need.” He shifted his gaze to Danella as he said this next part. “In no way was I trying to force you to do something you didn’t want to do. I was trying to understand why it was okay such a short time ago, and now it seems to be so awful. Danella, I sincerely apologize if you felt I was doing it for ulterior motives. In full transparency, I’ve never courted a woman before, and it seems I’ve made a rather massive mistake.”

Chapter twenty-two

Did he just say courting? Could he possibly mean what I think he’s saying? Was this pack under the impression they were going to court me to be their Omega? My mind whirled a million miles an hour, trying to catch up to how on earth he got to that idea in his head.

“Danella,” Cristofor interjected. “Please forgive Petru’s misstep. He’s not familiar with being around Omegas or those who have survived what you have. Truly, he meant well, but he didn’t really consider that you’re at a disadvantage here in our space. These idiots have only known life with Alpha men around being an elite team. They don’t see things such as how you would feel the need to protect yourself from them. With you being at my mother’s house, she was there to keep an eye on things and it wasn’t a space claimed by either of you. Am I close?”

It would seem that growing up with a mother like Klarisa would make him far more aware of things than most. He’d hit the problem right on the nose. “I’d say you were right on the money. That, and I know he’s in a relationship with you as well as Toma. I respect committed couples and I would never want to be the reason there is trouble. In the North, no one had loyalty to anyone. Even if they wanted to, there was an expected duty to ensure more soldiers could be born. For you to have a triad that clearly loves each other, that is something rare and to be treasured. To ask me to put a relationship like that to the test is the last thing I want.”

Cristofor gave me a sweet smile and looked at his two Alphas. “I am lucky to have them, and we do love each other.” They returned his smile, and Toma rested a hand on his leg, giving it a squeeze. Returning his attention to me, he continued, “You grew up in Oscad, correct?”

I nodded, unsure of what that had to do with anything.

“If you were to have been placed with a pack that had a dynamic like ours, would you feel like you were intruding or causing others to cheat on their partners?” Cristofor challenged.

Opening my mouth, I was about to argue then stopped and thought through his question for a moment longer. Any pack approved for the program by the CoF would be aware that the Omega would become a vital part of that pack. The hope was that all members bonded with the Omega creating that special connection only an Omega could provide. If a relationship was already established, it would be expected they’d be open to the Omega joining that dynamic as well.

“No, but it’s understood if they are granted an Omega, they attempt to have the Omega bond with all members. There is no way for me to know or understand the expectations in a group like yours. This is a military base, and you were all brought together for the purpose that you work well together. That has nothing to do with being a real pack,” I reasoned.

This seemed to stun all of them into silence.

“Hold on,” Toma finally spoke, shifting so he was sitting on the edge of his seat, leaning forward to get as close to me as he could without getting up. “Are you telling me you think the five of us are just soldiers who got paired up together by some general after training, based on our scores?”

“I take it that you’re not,” I guessed based on his incredulity.

All of them looked over at Sorin, who was watching me with a clarity that made me nervous. It’s as if he’d finally figured something out about me that had been bothering him. When he still didn’t speak, I decided to hide my nerves by sipping on my coffee. Not sure caffeine was the best choice right now after having gone so long without it, but what the hell, you only live once, right?

“Let’s back this whole conversation up,” Sorin said as he wandered over to the coffee maker and poured himself a mug. When he returned, he perched on the arm of the couch and took a swig. “Allow me to introduce myself. I’m Sorin Dragomire, son of President Dragomire who controls the South. This is my team which I hand-picked myself to work with after observing them in training or on other operations when they were part of a different unit. My last name gives me certain privileges even when I wish it didn’t. The only one I’ve taken advantage of is collecting this pack of men who are family to me. We are one hundred percent a pack. And when I say that, I mean the old world thinking of a pack.

Meaning we knew if there was an Omega that we matched well with, we’d be more than happy to bring them on the team. I’m not saying that’s what’s happening here with you, but I want to be crystal clear that we’ve always intended to have an Omega as part of our family. It would be our dream to find that one person who fit and built a relationship with our unit as a whole. Now that I said all that, I want you to know that wasn’t our thinking when we found you. As soldiers of the South, our duty is to rescue and help all who flee from the North. The knowledge you were Commander Lucian’s Omega didn’t become a factor until your friends told us that bit of information when we saw your brand. That was when the hope you might have insight into the North came into play,” Sorin shared, laying it all out there for me to absorb.

Taking a few gulps of coffee, he rested the mug on his knee and continued, “You asked what would have happened to you and your friends if you didn’t have anything to share with us. I would have questioned you about what you did know, everything you saw, heard, or experienced while living in that outpost. After being as positive as I could be, I would have sent all three of you back to Oscad. While our leader might not agree with my choice, I have no right to hold you here when your country knows about your presence within our borders and has requested you back.”

“You would give us back just like that? Without a second thought of going against your own father? I find that hard to believe,” I challenged.

“Is it genuinely that hard to believe a father and son have differing opinions?” Sorin countered. “Just because my father does what he thinks is best for our country and people, doesn’t mean I feel the same way. In fact, there are many things I would change, like finding a solution to end this war for good instead of how to destroy the North once and for all.”

“The North would never give up the fight. They’ve been brainwashed since birth to believe they are in the right and everyone else is wrong. It’s terrifying, if I’m being honest,” I admitted. “We Omegas give birth, and they rip them away from us the second they can to place them in a group home where they teach them lies. None of them have a chance to make their own choice on the subject, and if they try, they’re put on the front lines and slaughtered.”

“Fucking barbaric,” Victor muttered, as the others murmured their agreement on that sentiment as well.