Knot the One They Want (Claimverse Book 1)

I enter the dining room with my head held high, a small, satisfied smile playing at my lips as I take in the scene before me. The alphas are already seated, Damien at the head of the table, his piercing blue eyes immediately locking onto me. A shiver runs down my spine, but I refuse to let it show.

Instead, I announce proudly as the servants carry in the steaming dishes, ‘Dinner is served.’

The scent of perfectly roasted lamb wafts through the air, mingling with the fragrant herbs and spices I hand-selected for each dish. I glide over to my empty seat, acutely aware of every alpha’s gaze following me.

Asher, seated nearest to me, catches my eye. I hold his stare, a silent challenge, until he hastily rises from his chair, apologizing profusely as he pulls out my seat. ‘Where are my manners?’

I feel Damien’s glare burning into us, but I simply smile demurely and thank Asher as I settle into my chair, smoothing my skirt and folding my hands in my lap. ‘I do hope the meal is to your liking, gentlemen.’

Damien’s jaw clenches, his knuckles white as he grips his fork. The others shift uncomfortably in their seats, exchanging nervous glances. I fight back a smirk, wondering if they fear I’ve laced their food with poison. It’s almost amusing, the way they squirm under my gaze.

And they say alphas have all the power.

Lake, the more intuitive of the twins, confirms my suspicions as he hesitantly asks, ‘Will you not be eating with us?’

I widen my eyes innocently. ‘Oh, it would be improper for an omega to eat before her alphas.’ I gesture to their untouched plates. It’s complete bullshit. There’s no etiquette saying omegas can’t eat first, but these jerks clearly don’t keep up on that sort of thing, and I’m not going to pass up the opportunity to use it to my advantage. ‘Please, do enjoy.’

Grudgingly, they each take a bite of the food, their eyes never leaving me as if they expect to keel over at any moment. I maintain my composure, pressing my lips into a firm line so they won’t wobble, and waiting patiently until they’ve all sampled their food.

It’s Cole who breaks the tense silence, a low groan escaping his lips as he savors the lamb. ‘Damn, this is the best thing I’ve ever tasted.’

Damien’s head snaps up in Cole’s direction, his glare so icy it could freeze hell itself. But Cole seems oblivious, too lost in the flavors dancing on his tongue to notice the other alpha’s displeasure.

Even Damien reluctantly takes another bite. He says nothing, of course, but I can tell from the way his glare intensifies he enjoys it.

I hope you choke on it, asshole, I think to myself, taking a dainty sip of my wine.

I allow myself a small, victorious smile as I finally pick up my own fork, spearing a delicate bite of perfectly pink lamb. The tender meat practically melts in my mouth, the rich flavors bursting on my tongue. It’s divine, if I do say so myself.

As the meal progresses and the alphas realize I haven’t poisoned them, I can feel the tension in the room slowly dissipating, replaced by grudging appreciation for the feast I’ve prepared. Even Damien seems to be enjoying himself, though he’d probably rather drink actual poison than admit it.

The alphas attempt to engage in light conversation, but it’s painfully clear they have no idea how to talk around an omega. Their words are stilted, their smiles forced. I can practically see the gears turning in their heads as they try to come up with something, anything, to say.

Good. Let them be as uncomfortable as I am.

I take another bite of my lamb, savoring the rich flavors as I watch them squirm. Their discomfort is even more delicious than the meal. It’s almost comical, the way they avoid eye contact, their gazes darting around the room like trapped animals.

Eventually, Lake clears his throat, his warm honey eyes meeting mine. ‘Thank you for the meal, Evie. It was delicious.’

I feel a genuine smile tug at my lips. At least one of them has manners. ‘I’m so happy you enjoyed it,’ I reply, my voice dripping with sweetness. ‘If you all tell me your favorite foods, I’ll make sure they get put into the rotation.’

I let the implication hang in the air, heavy and unspoken. I’m going to be the one in charge of their food from now on. They’d better treat me accordingly.

Damien’s eyes narrow, his jaw clenching. ‘It’s just food,’ he grumbles. ‘It doesn’t matter.’

I force my smile to stay in place, even as my blood boils beneath the surface. ‘Food is the kind of thing you don’t notice until it’s either of poor quality or absent entirely,’ I reply, my tone deceptively light, considering the threat I’m making.

And it is a threat.

We stare each other down, the tension crackling between us like electricity. I refuse to look away, to back down. Not this time. And I probably look like some kind of psychopathic porcelain doll, sitting here smiling at my mortal enemy, but the version of me that would play by their rules and bend to their will died of humiliation last night.

Asher clears his throat, breaking the standoff. ‘Is there anything you need, Evie?’ he asks, his voice smooth as silk. ‘To make your stay more comfortable.’

My stay. As if I won’t be here long.

I turn my gaze to him, my smile turning coy. ‘As a matter of fact, now that you mention it, I could use proper nesting materials.’

Asher and Lake exchange a confused glance, their brows furrowing. ‘Weren’t the nesting materials we collected before to your liking?’ Lake asks awkwardly, shifting in his seat.

I stare at Lake for a moment, my brow furrowing in confusion. Nesting materials? What nesting materials? My mind races, trying to make sense of his words.

And then I see it. The malicious glint in Damien’s icy blue eyes, the way his lips twitch with a barely suppressed smirk. Realization dawns on me like a bucket of cold water dumped over my head.

So I was supposed to have nesting materials last night.

And Damien, the bastard, clearly instructed the staff to hide them from me. Probably as some sort of twisted power play, a way to assert his dominance over the helpless little omega under his thumb.

My blood boils beneath my skin, a white-hot rage threatening to consume me. How dare he? How dare he try to manipulate me, to make me feel unwelcome in my own home? To deny me control of one of the few arenas in life where I’m allowed to wield it?

I want to scream, to throw my glass of wine in his smug face and watch it drip down his chiseled features.

But I don’t. I take a deep breath, forcing my anger down, down, down until it’s nothing more than a simmering ember in the pit of my stomach. I can’t let him see how much he’s gotten to me. I won’t give him the satisfaction.

Instead, I pause for a moment, considering my next move. I glance around the table, taking in the accusatory looks Lake and Asher are shooting in Damien’s direction. Interesting. It seems there may be a wedge I can drive between them, a crack in their united front. I file that information away for later.

For now, I’ll play the long game.

‘There weren’t any when I arrived,’ I say, my voice carefully neutral. ‘But it must have been a point of confusion with the staff.’

I glance pointedly at Ellen, who’s hovering in the corner of the room, her pale eyes watching me like a hawk. I know she’s listening to every word.

‘It’s not their fault,’ I continue, my tone dripping with false sympathy. ‘It’s clear there’s been some mismanagement over the years, but not to worry. I’m here to fix all of that and I’ll have this household running like a well oiled machine in no time.’

I meet Damien’s gaze head-on, my eyes narrowing ever so slightly. I can see the challenge in his icy stare, the way his jaw clenches with barely contained anger. He knows exactly what I’m doing, the gauntlet I’m throwing down at his feet.

And it’s clear he’s more than willing to match it.

But if I can’t find a way to make these alphas accept me and be the pack I’ve always longed for? I’ll settle for making their lives a living hell.

Just like they have mine.