Page 69 of Rest In Knotty Pieces

“YOU ASSHOLES!” Rolly snarls, and he’s off, faster than I can imagine, chasing them through the trees.

All I can hear is the cackling and giggling of half-hysterical alphas playing with water guns.

I’m about to think something about age-appropriate play when Sage’s arms quiver.Really?I heave a sigh.

Go.I wave a hand in their direction.

“No, I’m-”

I wave it more emphatically.

He lets go, bouncing in front of me and bowing slightly. “As my lady commands.”

The alphas are everywhere. In trees, hidden behind boulders, darting from tree to tree. I watch in confusion that morphs to amusement.

Bonnie is lying on her side, reading a magazine. I approach her and sit down close, but where I can see the bulk of the war that’s going on.

“Don’t worry, this is a regular thing.”

Oh. Well, that’s, um, good? So, this is play for them?I am intrigued, but it again adds another piece of the jigsaw puzzle.

Bonnie looks up and smiles. “It’s good they have each other to play with. Blows off steam and keeps their skills up.”

What skills is she talking about?

I wrap my arms around my knees and sit beside her. In theory, I should be comfortable with this omega. But I’m not. Not even a little bit.

It’s not hostility or hate. It’s just, she’s a .

Pix sits down beside her and leans on her hip. “What do you think about this plan?”

“Oh, you found out about it, did you? Where were you? We were all deciding, and you were in the wind.”

“I was looking around.”

Bonnie makes a scoffing sound. “Sure, Precision.”

My eyes sharpen on him. Precision? Is that a nickname?

Pix chortles, reaches out, puts a hand to the side of her head, and pushes her off balance. The easy way they touch and interact hurts. I want it, I want to know what that feels like.

In my mind, I see a girl who turns with golden eyes, smiling as she looks back over her shoulder. Her hand is holding tight to mine.

I jerk away from them, standing up and looking around.

Who was that?My heart is racing, my pulse hammers.Who is she? Where is she? She’s important to me; she’s someone I should know.

I press my hands against my sternum.

“Merle?”

I ignore the omega and walk away, turning back in that same direction like I’m a compass arrow and that is my north. What is waiting for me?

Maybe it’s the answers.

Roseland’s words come back.

Forget about it. Live a new life. I could be part of this; I could have alphas, scent matches. I could grow and put the broken parts of myself back together, using the glue that is these alphas to hold me together.