Her Knotty List (MVP: Most Valuable Pack Book 4)

Annnnnd now we need to figure out a group chat name

I thought you’d never ask

Gotta give the man his due

Unrelated:

God help me

I actually understood that.

It’s been two days since Knox made his house into a fairytale Christmas cabin.

Buuuuut having all the decorations we could possibly want didn’t stop him from announcing we’d be going into town again.

Actually, they all insisted. Which works well enough for me, considering I have a bunch of secret stuff to pick up.

Knox drives, loading us all into his monstrous black pickup truck for the first time. To spare three of the guys smooshing into the back, I ride between Micah and Gunnar while Zane claims shotgun.

In a cream sweater that sets off his dark features, he looks extra-supremely handsome today. Every time I find myself lingering on his profile for a second too long, Micah chuckles and nudges me, nodding in Gunnar’s direction to point out that my hockey star is staring at my chef quite a bit, too.

I swear, they are so cute I can hardly stand it.

Being shared by them yesterday was everything I ever imagined pack life could be. The way they both made me their sole focus and somehow got closer to each other in the process still has me floating on cloud nine.

If I weren’t already madly in love with both of them, I would have been after that. Watching the way Zane stood steady as a rock for Gunnar while he was vulnerable? And how Gunnar looked to Zane for help instead of folding in on himself?

They’re both amazing men. Just as incredible as Micah and Knox.

I still can’t believe I got so lucky. Even if they never want to bond with me or form a real pack… these are my mates. How could anyone ask for anything more?

Um, because we need them to bite us? my Omega whines.

I give her the internal equivalent of a pat on the hand. Give it time. They’ve all been getting along great, and today, they told me they want us to talk tonight. Maybe that’s⁠—

Not soon enough, she replies.

Almost as evidence, my lower abdomen tenses.

Uh-oh.

Micah senses the way my shoulders stiffen. The arm draped behind them slides down to hug me into his side. His lips graze my forehead and he hums. “You’re warm, sweet girl. Do you feel okay?”

Staring up into his gorgeous hazel eyes, taking in the handsome planes of his face… I feel like I’m about to douse my panties for literally no reason.

Aside from, you know. Being surrounded by my ridiculously attractive mates.

But if I make so much as a peep about the twinge of pain twisting my core, they’ll rush me home. And keep me there, curled up in the new nest, until my heat starts. If that happens, I may never get their gifts sorted.

Still, gazing right into Micah’s eyes makes it hard to shake my head. I manage, but my heart pinches when some of the concern falls off his face, replaced by genuine joy.

Just from… looking at me?

My throat thickens as he bends to press his forehead into mine, scent-marking me thoroughly. A dizzy rush prickles over my scalp and down my spine, landing in a big belly flop.

I don’t know what I did to deserve you.

Knox’s whispered words after his rut have stuck with me because they’re everything I feel when I remember I’m here, with all of them.

While I try to keep my giddy gratitude and small, crampy twinges in check, our truck lumbers into town. Everything is just as magical as I remember. A bit of my worry floats away when I spy the fat, colorful bulbs hanging over the whole stretch of Main Street.

My phone buzzes in the back pocket of my jeans, but I can’t check it with Micah still holding me. He has no idea Zane helped me steal his brother’s number from his contacts—or why.

Being a fellow omega, the youngest Patterson, Patrick, totally understood my obsession with getting them all perfect gifts for our first Christmas as⁠—

Well.

Whatever we are.

I’m pretty sure I’ll find out tonight… if my stupid heat cramps hold out that long.

They totally will, though. I’m not due until next week. Everything will be fine.

Once Knox parks, Gunnar is the first one out, offering his hand to help me down. Zane laughs when our hot shot ends up losing his balance two seconds before I set my palm against his. Knox steps in, righting Gunnar with an arm around his middle before reaching into the cab and lifting me down to the icy cobblestones.

He grumbles something to Gunnar about “proper boots” and drops a kiss on the top of my head before meeting Micah around the back of the tailgate. While they plan which stores to hit first, I surreptitiously check my iPhone and reply to Patrick’s message.

Micah’s little brother might be altogether sassier than his big brother—a lot like Lucy and me, honestly—but he’s also just as sweet. He spent hours looking for exactly what I needed last night, and he went out of his way this morning to drop it off at the local pawn shop I called. Lucky for me, they have someone there who tinkers with broken items and dabbles in woodworking.

My perfectly coiffed alpha approaches from the front of the car, sweeping me into his arms and hugging me soundly. “Ready to go, gorgeous?”

When I told Zane I needed to stop at the pawn shop once we arrived, he didn’t press me about why, but he agreed to walk me down. Apparently, he has his eye on something there, too, though he mimed locking his lips when I tried to squeeze details out of him.

I nod against his shoulder, flashing Gunnar a smile. “You coming with us, Hot Shot?”

Gunnar shuffles his feet and mutters something about needing to hit a different shop to grab new socks. It’s so obviously untrue that Zane and I grin at each other in delight.

“You’re getting us presents!” I accuse, bouncing.

“And you’re a terrible liar,” Zane adds, wrapping his arms around my front and setting his chin on my shoulder to raise his brows at Gunnar. “Abysmal, really.”

“Be nice,” I chide, giggling as I turn to face him. Zane casts a mischievous look at our hockey star and then smirks, “I think he prefers it when I’m not nice.”

Gunnar’s answering growl is enough to confirm. The throaty, sensual sound has slick seeping into my panties as perfume spins into the chilly air.

Zane chokes. Gunnar groans. And my body takes that as a green light, instantly pumping out more arousal.

Oh sugar cookies.

I can tell they sense something different about my scent. Before either of them can comment, I dance out of their grasps, turning for the pawn shop on the distant street corner. They mumble to each other but don’t press the issue.

As Gunnar turns toward Micah and Knox, Zane starts to follow⁠—

—only to run right into my back.

Because my legs have stopped working.

My brain has stopped working.

Across the sleepy street, a flip of auburn hair catches the late morning sun. Without many people around, I see all of them at once.

William, Rob, and Renee.

She scowls as Rob waves a shopping bag in her face. William laughs at them both, his eyes creasing while he slings his arms around their waists and pulls them into a hug.

My heart twists while my throat dries. How many times did I wish William would pull me into one of those group hugs? How many times did they exclude me so blatantly? Why didn’t I ever notice?

What was wrong with me?

The neediest, naivest klutz who ever lived. And dumb.

My ears ring as the memory swirls through my mind. I brace for the pain that used to come with those words—the horrible moment of realization when I have to admit just how accurate they are.

Except… it doesn’t come.

Sure, it still hurts a little. But those criticisms hit me with a brief sting, then slide down my front like a fried egg off Teflon.

Because maybe I am needy.

But Micah loves to be needed. Every time I curl into his chest for comfort, I can feel his fulfillment. His… satisfaction.

He needs to be my protector and provider as much as I need his comfort. Would I ever call him “needy” for that?

No. Never.

And, yes, I’m naive sometimes. But I like to believe in good things—in the very best part of the people. I didn’t realize how healing that could be for others until I met Zane.

When I meet new people, I don’t see what everyone else sees—and that’s exactly why I was able to see Zane for who he really is. The Knotty Chef, but so much more, too.

Klutz, though…

Klutz is a mean word, for sure. It should definitely sting. But when I think of it now, I just think of Gunnar falling out of the shower. And accidentally crashing into the bedroom yesterday.

Have I ever thought less of him for stumbling? I think it’s only ever made me love him more. The same way the guys all claim they like how clumsy I can be—because they love how excited I get.

And dumb.

Those were the words that hurt the most, back when Rob said them. Probably since I’ve always thought of myself as a bit too ditzy for my own good.

Now, though?

It was dumb to drive up a mountain at night. Stupid to trust a group of strange alphas just because my instincts told me to. And downright reckless to run from a powerful alpha on the cusp of a rut…

But that was how I proved to Knox that I could handle his Alpha.

And now, here I am.

With four mates who I wouldn’t trade for anything.

So, am I dumb? Or am I someone who follows their heart when other people would chicken out?

Actually, come to think of it, the last “smart” thing I did was sign up for a matching service… I spent months talking myself into it. Scientific results, a sterile environment, guaranteed results. All of that made perfect sense.

But it was also all wrong. For all of us.

If I’d listened to my “dumb” intuition, I could have avoided the whole painful ordeal.

Now, a new tingle of instinct creeps in as I watch the Dunlap pack laugh together:

I never belonged with them.

They never belonged with me.

But if I don’t go tell them off for trying to use me? I’ll regret it.

“Hey, guys?” I murmur, straightening. “I’ll be right back, okay?” My alphas start to reply, but I move before I lose my nerve, darting across the street.

The Dunlaps spot me right before I reach them. All three rear back, shock freezing their faces.

Instead of whining or bursting into tears, I offer a half-smile. “Hi.”

It’s pretty funny, actually, watching them react. They each look at one another, mouths gaping. William is the first to recover, his blond features furrowing into a mask of anger.

“Emma, what are you doing here?”

I shrug, inhaling a burst of cool air. “I’ve been here. Staying in a cabin near town.”

“Seriously?” Rob barks and puffs up into an aggressive stance. “Are you seriously walking up to us on the street? Acting like you didn’t do anything wrong when you left us at the altar?!”

Oh boy.

He really shouldn’t have barked.

I feel Knox before I hear him. A knee-buckling beat of dominance that would take me to the ground if Micah’s arm didn’t appear around my waist a second later.

All of my alphas are at my back, each of them just as jacked up as Rob but definitely angrier. Even Zane has a completely terrifying expression on his face.

“This is them, isn’t it?” Gunnar guesses. “I recognize them from that night.” He glances at the other guys. “These are the assholes who were going to use Emma like a fucking roundabout.”

Micah releases a truly menacing snarl, and Zane starts to speak. Knox cuts them all off with a terse exhale—the tide of his dominance cresting over all our heads.

“Get behind me, baby girl,” he bites out, strangling his own bark, leaving me as much freedom as he can.

My body flinches, wanting to obey anyway. But when I turn my head and meet his gaze, beseeching, some of the tension leaves his shoulders.

“I just need a minute. Please, Alpha?”

I hear the Dunlaps sputter. Knox cuts them a deadly look over my head but reaches up to rub his thumb over my cheek. “This face is too damn cute for your own good,” he mutters. “Say what you need to say, honey. But we’re staying here with you.”

I like that compromise. With a bouncy nod, I turn back around and face the opened-mouthed pack across from us.

“I just⁠—”

When I have to take a moment to gather my words, Gunnar grasps my hand and squeezes. Along with the protective angle of Zane’s stance and the way Micah has his arm locked around my middle, I feel steadier by the second.

I soak in that sensation and exhale, pushing words out with my breath. “I wanted to tell you; what you did to me was wrong.”

Renee makes a shrieking sound. “What we did to you⁠—”

But I’m not interested in her phony outrage. “Yeah,” I interrupt, louder than I meant to. But whatever. “I heard you talking the night I left. I heard what you all said about me. How you didn’t want me and never had. You were using me to make yourselves a bond.

“And I was going to let it go without ever confronting any of you about it, but then I saw you here…” I gasp in another breath and blow it out. “What you tried to do to me was wrong. I didn’t deserve it. I just wanted to tell you while I had the chance.”

Gunnar’s fingers slowly wind into mine. I hold Renee’s stunned gaze, but I don’t have to look at my alpha to feel how proud he is. How sorry he is that any of this ever happened because of something he did.

My Omega has already forgiven him. But having him here with me for this moment? Feeling his support and approval and pride? She practically preens.

I guess all is forgiven?

She nudges me hard. Not now! We’re telling this bitch off!

The sour look on Renee’s face informs me that we’re pretty much done. She doesn’t have anything to say now that all her nastiness has been exposed.

Rob does, though.

He booms an unkind laugh. “We don’t give a shit about your hurt feelings. We got what we wanted most, anyway. Your trust fund will get us another omega within a month⁠—”

Zane starts to lunge for him, and I bark.

“No.”

Every alpha around me goes still. I grab at the sleeve of Zane’s sweater, pulling him close so he doesn’t think I’m angry while I go on. “No more. I said what I wanted to. We can go now.”

I think about all the money I lost, my shoulders rounding slightly as guilt worms its way into my guts. “There’s nothing we can do about the trust fund,” I add, murmuring to my alphas. “Just let them go.”

Even though I know it’s killing them, my alphas let the Dunlaps slink off. They hustle up the street to the main drag and get into their rental car. Only after they’ve pulled out does Knox release a deep sigh.

“Idiots.”

We all turn to him. His eyes still hold intense hostility, following their car into the distance, but his voice is calm. “Gunnar and I spoke with Ronan Ash yesterday. The contract you signed didn’t guarantee them any money unless you completed your bonds. Theo very specifically had Ronan write that into the deal; they just didn’t mention it to the Dunlaps. I guess they didn’t read the fine print.”

My pulse stutters, disbelief and relief flooding my lungs. “H-he did?”

Knox nods, brow still furrowed. “To protect you, little miss. Gunnar said he doubted Theo would ever agree to such a risky arrangement, and he was correct. The Ash Pack didn’t lose anything. But even if they had? I would have paid it all back for you and set up a new fund. In fact, we’re going to set up a new one for you that all of us can contribute to, anyway. We discussed it last night.”

The beat in my chest gets louder, pounding my ribs with renewed ferocity. “B-but why would you do that?”

Knox looks around at the others, all nodding to each other—as if they all really talked about this. Together.

Like… a team. Or a…

Micah’s protective arm-bar softens into a true hug while Gunnar takes my hand and brings it to his lips. Zane does the same, only he adds a small bite to my other palm.

But Knox holds my gaze, his blue eyes burning. “Because we love you, Emma. And we want to be your alphas. As a pack.”