Page 44 of Trick Knot Treat

I snort a laugh and follow him as he backs away from me.

“Felix, leave the idiot alone. He just needs to be fed, and he’ll stop saying stupid things.”

Felix freezes and casts a frigid scowl in our direction. “I’m heading home.”

“Really?” I say and twirl a lock of my hair around my finger. “You’re going to leave? But I thought we could be friends?”

Felix licks his lips and half turns away, but then he catches sight of Clint on the ground, and something in his expression softens, just for a fraction of a second.

“I SAW THAT!” I screech and leap towards them.

He jumps. “Saw what?”

“That look. I saw it. You like him.”

Felix splutters and looks around in panic, but no one is going to rescue him.

“I do not.”

I bite my lower lip and rock back on my sneakers.

“Key, let’s go now.”

I bounce over to Zaire. “Nope, we’re going to Clint’s for dinner.”

“No.”

“I would really like to get to know our matches.”

Zaire does a double take. “Our?”

I fluff my hair. “Oh, did you miss that? I’m now part of team Trick Knot Treat. I am now your match, Zaire Bear, if you will have me?”

He stares at me, that grumpy look melting. “Did you come and save me, Key?” he says so softly that I almost don’t hear it. The words curl up inside me like a smokey caress.

“Of course. Spectre, too.”

His hand is on the dog’s back, threading in his fur, but he doesn’t look away from me. “Are you sure you want to do this?”

I shrug. “It should be fun. Let’s have fun together, Alpha. We don’t have much time left, but we can make the best of it.”

Felix walks past me, and I find myself staring after him, my heart beating a little faster. I don’t want him to be mad.

“Felix? Please?”

He stops; his back and shoulders are rigid, but he doesn’t move. Not a single step.

“Why?”

“Why, what?” I whisper hopefully.

“Why me?”

“Because you're a prat. A spoiled, pain in the ass prat,” Clint growls, “and someone needs to smack your butt until you scream.”

“Clint,” I wail. “That is not how you woo an omega.”

“Woo? I’m not trying to woo him. He hit me. He needs a hard fuck to get out all of that.” Clint waves his hand at Felix.