Page 193 of Knot What I Expected

Warm.

Golden.

Alive.

Everything that has been twisting inside me all afternoon seems to rush straight through that invisible connection between us.

Fear.

Relief.

Longing.

And something softer I’m not quite ready to name.

Rowan feels it. I know he does because his whole body changes.

One hand spreads across my back. The other cups the back of my head, holding me against his neck while a low, soothing rumble vibrates through his chest.

“I got you. I got you, Honey. Shhh.”

That nearly does me in.

Not What happened? Not Who do I need to kill? Though, knowing Rowan, I’m sure that one is coming.

Just—I got you.

My face presses into his neck.

He smells like soap, mountain air, and something smoky that must have followed him back from the fire.

My Alpha.

My mate.

The male I barely knew a few weeks ago and somehow already trusted enough to run toward instead of away. That thought scares me almost as much as what happened at The Joint.

Because I have spent years running. Years making sure Matteo and I never depended too heavily on anyone. Years teaching myself that safety meant keeping people at a distance.

And now my body recognizes Rowan as safety before my brain can even catch up.

I tremble against him. His arms tighten.

“I’m here,” he murmurs against my hair.

My throat closes.

I want to believe that means more than last night. More than this weekend. More than whatever magic the Fates put between us.

And that is exactly why I have to tell him everything. Because the truth? I’m falling for this man.

There.

I admit it.

At least to myself.

I’m falling in love with Rowan Cross, and I’m terrified that once he knows who I really am, he won’t look at me the same way.