Page 70 of Knot Now Knot Ever

I took a deep inhale of the tea, and the soft notes of mint greeted me. It wasn’t overwhelmingly minty since it was mixed with jasmine floral notes.

“How did I do?” Zachary asked.

“It’s wonderful and not something I would have picked which makes it even more fun,” I answered with a smile, my cheeks warming with a blush.

“I’m glad, but so you know, I went ahead and ordered an assortment of white teas just to be sure,” Zachary shared. “Oh, and that’s your teacup. No one else can use it, so you know it will always be waiting for you when you’d like some tea. Fawn got one as well when he moved in. Think of it as a housewarming gift.”

My gaze dropped to the cup cradled in my hands, looking at it in a whole new light. “Y-you got this just for me?” I returned my gaze to Zachary, completely blindsided by such a thoughtful gift. “Thank you. I’m going to treasure it forever.”

“You are most welcome, honey bear. Just don’t treasure it so much you won’t use it, okay?” Zachary warned, giving me a pointed look.

Everyone stayed gathered at the counter to eat even though there were only four stools. Eli stood at the end with Zachary on the other side across from Fawn and me. We ate in comfortable silence since it would be hard for any of the guys to talk the way they were stuffing their faces with food. At first, I agreed with Eli that Tanner was making too much food, but by the time everyone was finished, there were three pancakes left.

“Oh God, I think I’m going to burst.” Fawn groaned, leaning against me. “Why did I eat that much?”

I grinned and nuzzled my nose in his pink fairy-floss-colored hair, breathing in his fruity scent. “I warned you,” I teased.

Fawn just waved me off and swiveled his seat so he could lay in my lap rubbing his food baby. “There, that’s better.”

A phone vibrated on the counter, drawing everyone’s attention. Eli snatched it up and swiped his thumb across the screen to answer. “Jonathan, tell me you have good news.”

Why was Eli talking to Jonathan if he wasn’t supposed to be working?

“I see. Did you at least get your hands on the other photos to keep them from being leaked?” Eli asked, his brows pinched together. “While I’m glad they all printed a retraction correcting their mistakes, it doesn’t sound like they’re taking my threat seriously. No, that’s not respecting my request. That’s playing dumb and seeing if they can get away with it.” There was a long pause as Eli listened to whatever Jonathan had to say, but the expression on Eli’s face became darker and darker. “Find a way to end this peacefully, Jonathan, or no one will like what I do next.” With that veiled threat, Eli hung up and slammed the phone on the counter, making me cringe.

“What the hell is going on?” Zachary demanded.

Eli stepped away from the counter and turned his back as he ran his hands through his hair. He paced for a moment, then seemed to regain his composure and focus his gaze on us. “Reporters have taken it upon themselves to dig into our personal lives. Right now, they are focused on Fawn and Lyra, but I have no doubt once they’ve uncovered all there is on those two, we’re next.”

Fawn snapped upright, and I could feel his fear in the pit of my stomach. “W-what did they find on me?”

“I’m so sorry I couldn’t bury it like I hoped, but they found out about your time working at the strip club,” Eli answered. “Somehow, they dug up someone who had photographs but every article published the same one. My people found the person who sold them the image and removed the others from his possession. He’d planned to hold out until he could get the best deal.”

“Okay, not great, but not as bad as I thought it would be,” Fawn reasoned as he slumped onto the counter. “Was the picture bad?”

“Thankfully, it was the mildest one out of the bunch. Most of the pictures the man had couldn’t be published. Well, on a physical paper, at least. I was more concerned about the gossip blogs getting their filthy hands on them,” Eli explained, his hands clenched into fists as the mere idea of that happening enraged him.

Pascal rose from his seat, came to stand next to me, and wrapped his arm around my shoulders. “You mentioned Lyra as well. Are you assuming that’s going to happen or has it already?”

Eli’s gaze caught mine as he stepped closer, reaching for my hand. I gave it to him without question. “As of this morning, various reporters wrote about you being an orphan and how your previous pack kicked you out. It sounds to me like they went digging, found your ex-pack, and milked them for all the information they could. Thankfully, they didn’t give them all that much to work with, but I plan to slap them with an NDA and a gag order since I’m in the middle of a lawsuit.”

My vision swam a little as the food in my stomach turned into a rock. I wasn’t sure how to process what Eli had just said. Why? Why would they do this to me? They were the ones who broke up with me, then demanded I move out ASAP.

“Lyra, I need you to look at me,” Tanner urged, cupping my face. “Good girl, there you are. Now shake your head… yes or no. Do you need one of your emergency pills?”

Did I? Right now, I felt so disconnected from his question, my body, or the reality that people I’d trusted and loved betrayed me.

“Fuck it, she’s not responding, and her eyes have gone glassy. I doubt she’s hearing any of us right now,” Tanner determined. “Someone hand me something for her to drink so she can take this pill. I’d rather be wrong than have her spiral into a panic attack.”

“I shouldn’t have said anything,” Eli growled.

“No, you did the right thing. Trust me when I tell you that if this had blindsided her, it would have been so much worse,” Tanner reassured Eli. “Come on, starlight, take your pill for me.”

I numbly performed the motions of taking the pill and drinking the rest of the water in the glass. Then someone picked me up and placed me somewhere soft and cozy. Warmth curled around me on both sides, and fingers combed through my hair. None of that mattered, though, because if it did, then I’d have to feel things, and right now, I didn’t want to feel anything. Soon, the whole world would know that I’d been abandoned by everyone I’d ever loved. What’s to stop this pack from leaving me too?

“Angel, please come back to me,” Fawn whispered, his head pressed against the side of mine as he flooded me with love and assurance. “I can feel how scared you are. That you’re hurt and betrayed, but that was your past. Right now, here in the present, you have a pack that loves you, Lyra. Nothing any reporter says will change that you and I are bonded, and our souls are connected for life. This time, you don’t have to face this alone.”

I blinked, then blinked again as I refocused on my surroundings. Pascal purred as he held me in his arms while Fawn kneeled next to us and clutched my hand. The second my eyes focused on Fawn, he darted forward, kissing me as if I were his air. “Don’t you fucking scare me like that. It felt like you fell into a deep, dark pit, and I couldn’t get to you.”