Chapter 17: Knot Happening Again: Chapter 17

I stand in the dressing room of a cute little boutique, surrounded by a sea of silky fabrics and sparkling sequins. The harsh fluorescent lighting does me no favors, highlighting the dark circles under my eyes and the tension in my shoulders. I’ve been trying on dresses for what feels like hours, each one either too tight, too loose, too short, or too long.

Nothing feels right.

‘Ophelia? You alive in there?’ Natalie’s voice filters through the curtain, tinged with amusement and impatience.

I sigh, running a hand through my tangled hair. ‘Unfortunately,’ I call back, shimmying out of yet another ill-fitting dress. ‘This one’s a no-go too.’

Natalie pokes her head around the curtain, her red curls bouncing with the movement. Her brown eyes scan my half-naked form, a mix of sympathy and determination in her gaze. ‘Don’t worry, we’ll find something. There’s got to be a perfect dress in this store somewhere.’

I give her a weak smile, grateful for her unwavering optimism. Natalie’s been my rock through everything, My foray into escort work, and now this… whatever this is with the Carver pack.

‘Thanks for coming with me today,’ I say, reaching for my own clothes. ‘I don’t know what I’d do without you.’

Natalie waves off my gratitude with a grin. ‘Please, like I’d miss this. It’s not every day my best friend gets to meet her potential pack for the first time. Well, officially meet them, anyway.’

I freeze, my shirt halfway over my head. ‘It’s not… I mean, they’re not…’ I stammer, unable to find the right words.

Natalie’s expression softens. She steps fully into the dressing room, closing the curtain behind her. In the small space, I catch her familiar scent. Vanilla and cinnamon, warm and comforting. ‘Hey,’ she says gently, ‘talk to me. What’s going on in that head of yours?’

I finish pulling on my shirt, buying myself a moment to gather my thoughts. ‘I’m just… I’m nervous,’ I admit finally. ‘What if they don’t like me? What if they change their minds once they really get to know me?’

Natalie puts her hands on my shoulders, forcing me to meet her gaze. ‘Ophelia Thompson, you listen to me. Those alphas would be lucky to have you. And from what you’ve told me, they already adore you.’

I bite my lip, the guilt I’ve been carrying for weeks bubbling up to the surface. ‘But they don’t know everything,’ I whisper. ‘I haven’t told them about… about my job.’

Understanding dawns in Natalie’s eyes. She knows better than anyone the stigma that comes with working at places like the Scent Bar.

‘Are you planning to tell them?’ she asks carefully.

I nod, my stomach churning at the thought. ‘I have to, don’t I? If there’s any chance of this… whatever it is… working out, I can’t start it with lies.’

Natalie squeezes my shoulders reassuringly. ‘That’s very brave of you,’ she says. ‘And mature. But… have you thought about what might happen if they ask you to stop working there?”

The question hits me like a punch to the gut. I’ve been so focused on the act of telling them, I haven’t really considered the potential consequences. ‘I… I don’t know,’ I admit, my voice barely above a whisper. ‘I don’t enjoy the work. You know that. But…’

‘But you don’t want to rely on alphas,’ Natalie finishes for me, knowing me too well.

I nod, feeling a lump form in my throat. ‘Is that stupid? To potentially give up something good because I’m too afraid to let go of something I hate?’

Natalie’s quiet for a moment, considering her words carefully. ‘What if these alphas are different?’ she asks gently. ‘What if they don’t want to control you or make you dependent on them? What if they just want to support you, to give you the freedom to pursue what you really want? Like your art?’

Art.

The word almost feels like a joke, considering I haven’t sculpted or painted anything in years. Those feel like the privileged hobbies of another lifetime. The girl who spent hours holed up in her studio, perfecting everything she put to kiln and canvas might as well be another person.

The possibility of going back to that is both thrilling and terrifying. I’ve spent so long protecting myself, building walls to keep everyone out. The thought of letting those walls down, of allowing myself to be vulnerable again… it’s almost too much.

‘I can’t…’ I start, then shake my head. ‘I’m going to take it one thing at a time. First, I need to tell them the truth. Then… we’ll see what happens.’

Natalie nods, understanding in her eyes. ‘That’s fair,’ she says. ‘Now, come on. Let’s find you a killer dress to wear while you drop this bomb on them. They’ll be so distracted by your T&A, they won’t even be able to take it in.’

I burst out in laughter for the first time in weeks. ‘That would be one hell of a dress.’

We leave the dressing room, diving back into the racks of dresses. As we search, Natalie keeps up a steady stream of chatter, filling me in on the latest gossip from work and her latest MatingMatch hookup app disaster. I’m grateful for the distraction, but I can tell she’s holding something back.

Finally, as we’re flipping through a rack of cocktail dresses, she turns to me with a serious expression. ‘Ophelia,’ she says, her voice low, “are you sure the meeting with the alphas is all that’s on your mind?”

I freeze, my hand still on a hanger. For a moment, I consider lying, brushing off her concern with a casual excuse. But Natalie deserves better than that. She’s always been honest with me, even when it wasn’t easy.

Taking a deep breath, I meet her gaze. ‘Something happened,’ I admit. ‘Something I haven’t told anyone about. I guess I’m still kind of processing it myself.’

Natalie’s eyes widen with concern. She grabs my arm, pulling me into a quiet corner of the store. ‘What is it? Are you okay?’

I nod, then shake my head, then nod again. ‘I’m fine but… Leon showed up at the Scent Bar. On your day off.’

‘Leon?’ Natalie repeats, confusion clear on her face. Then realization dawns, and her jaw drops. ‘Wait, you mean the Leon? The one who…?’

‘The one who marked me and left, yeah,’ I finish for her, my hand unconsciously moving to the scar on my neck.

Natalie pulls me into a tight hug, her arms wrapping around me protectively. ‘Oh, Ophelia,’ she breathes. ‘Are you okay? What did he want?’

I lean into her embrace, drawing comfort from her familiar scent and warmth. ‘He said he wanted to apologize,’ I mumble into her shoulder. ‘To make things right.’

Natalie pulls back, holding me at arm’s length. Her eyes search my face, concern etched in every line. ‘Do you think he was genuine?’ she asks carefully.

I shrug, feeling the weight of years of pain and anger pressing down on me. ‘I don’t know,’ I admit. ‘And honestly? I don’t care. I want nothing to do with him.’

Natalie nods, understanding and support clear in her expression. ‘That’s fair,’ she says. ‘You don’t owe him anything. But… are you sure you’re okay?’

I force a smile, trying to inject some lightness into my voice. ‘I’m fine, really.’

I can tell she doesn’t really believe me, but she drops it. ‘Yeah. Let’s forget about that asshole and focus on your amazing new pack instead.’

‘Potential new pack,’ I correct quickly, but Natalie just rolls her eyes.

‘Please,’ she scoffs. ‘From everything you’ve told me, those alphas are already head over heels for you. This dinner is just a formality.’

Before I can argue, Natalie’s eyes light up. She reaches past me, pulling a dress off the rack with a triumphant cry. “A-HA! This is the one,’ she declares, holding it up for me to see. “It’s perfect. You have to try it on.’

I eye the dress skeptically. It’s a deep sapphire blue, with a sweetheart neckline and a flowing skirt that falls just above the knee. The bodice is covered in delicate lace, adding a touch of elegance to the otherwise simple design.

‘I don’t know,’ I hedge. ‘It’s pretty, but…’

‘No buts,’ Natalie insists, pushing me toward the dressing room. ‘Trust me on this one.’

With a sigh, I allow myself to be herded back into the small cubicle. I slip into the dress, surprised by how easily it glides over my curves. The fabric is soft against my skin, cool and light.

As I zip it up, I can’t help but gasp. The dress fits like it was made for me, hugging my waist and flowing out over my hips. The color makes my pale skin glow, bringing out the blue in my eyes.

‘Well?’ Natalie calls impatiently. ‘Let me see!’

I step out of the dressing room, suddenly feeling shy. Natalie’s eyes widen as she takes me in, a slow smile spreading across her face.

‘Oh, Ophelia,’ she breathes. ‘You look stunning.’

She guides me to a full-length mirror, and I can’t help but stare at my reflection. The woman looking back at me is a far cry from the tired, nervous wreck I’ve been feeling like lately. She looks confident, beautiful, maybe even a little dangerous.

‘It’s perfect,’ I admit, running my hands over the soft fabric. ‘But are you sure it’s not too much? I don’t want to look like I’m trying too hard.’

Natalie snorts, shaking her head. ‘Trust me, you’re going to knock those alphas dead. In a good way,’ she adds quickly.

As I change back into my own clothes, a mix of excitement and nervousness swirls in my stomach. I’m still not sure this whole thing is going to work out. There are so many ways it could go wrong, so many reasons why I shouldn’t let myself hope.

But as I hand over my credit card to pay for the dress, I can’t help but feel a tiny spark of optimism.

Maybe Natalie’s right.

Maybe these alphas are different.

Maybe this could be the start of something good.

And even if it all falls apart, at least I’ll look hot while it happens.