Page 62 of Knot Only For One Night

But even then, what she said about me… that was entirely out of line. Even for her.

I can’t… I don’t know. I just want to forget it even happened. I don’t want to lose her. But I can’t keep… but I can’t lose…

What am I supposed to do?

CHAPTER 21

ASHER

Neven lightly knocks on the brown dorm door. It has a whiteboard sign on it with Esper’s name neatly written with a tiny little flower underneath.

Someone, I think it was Red, texted her that we were on our way,but we didn’t get a response back. We waited a few minutes out on our bikes after we sent her another text about us being here, but when we got nothing, we decided to come in.

The school should have a better lock system, a keypad or something, because we are able to walk right in and go straight to her room.

I don’t like that.

White Pine Crest University isn’t somewhere I’ve ever been before. Right after high school, I couldn’t fucking wait to move on with my life. Go into solitude until, hopefully one day, a cure for my rut condition magically appeared, or maybe even I was accepted by my scent match and could go live happily ever after.

But my scent match couldn’t tell he was my scent match for six years. Even after that first time he helped me through a rut after he caught me howling in a storage closet, unable to make it to my room, he still couldn’t tell.

Esper unlocked something in him. Scent matches aren’t predictable. Sometimes people just know, and other times it takes something specific to click for them to realize. My scent match’s obliviousness was just poor luck.

Maybe, though my luck is changing. Because now he knows. Not only that but now I have a… Pack.

“Esper, let us in?” Reed says, his voice a bit harsh as his pancake scent turns sharp in the air, assaulting my nose. My alpha immediately takes notice and I’m searching around the hallway for any threats to either of my omegas. I want to grab him, bring him flush to my chest as I storm my Pack inside to safety, but I don’t.

I have a feeling the threat isn’t here anymore.

Inhaling, I catch what Red smelled. Sour cranberries seeping from the door. Shit.

“Esper!” Neven calls, his alpha voice coming through a bit.

“Don’t bark at her,” Soren grumbles as he flexes his hands. Whether he wants to push back Neven or open the door himself, I’m not sure.

The door finally whips open. Esper’s face is done up in makeup and her hair is slightly ruffled but otherwise normal. She’s dressed. She seemingly looks fine until my search lands on her eyes. Her pale skin. The wrinkles by her lips from the slight frown she has that I doubt she even notices.

Red is the first to move. “What’s wrong?” He lifts both his arms to engulf her in a hug and bring her body into his. She wraps her arms around him, tucking her head into his neck as they walk backwards into the room.

I wish I could frame this fucking moment, they are so damn cute together.

Neven points to the space between the bottom of her door and the floor. “We need something to block the scent coming out of this room.”

“Already on it,” Soren says, scrolling on his phone as he follows Red. Neven is next, and I…

I’ve never been invited inside her room before. Despite her obvious sadness that my alpha absolutely itches to soothe, this is her space.

I have to be invited. At least one time, but realistically every time. This space serves as her room and her nest. It’s not something to be taken lightly. No matter the situation.

I take a deep breath, reaching for the door handle to pull the door shut when a hand with half-inch-long acrylics grips the door. and I meet the eyes of an omega on the cusps of tears.

Oh fuck, did I upset her even more?

“You’re leaving?” The tremor in her voice nearly brings me to my knees. Confusion fills my brain like a bucket in a rainstorm and I’m conflicted on what to do.

“I’ll be right here,” I say, on instinct. Knowing I was never really going anywhere. I would just stand guard. Right outside her door. My alpha could never leave her, not in a state like this.

“Why not inside?” Her words are sharp as they hit my ears and I’m glad my light brown tawny skin hides what would be the reddening of my ears.