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

Six Months Later

The second my stick hits the puck, I know it’s going in.

The buzzer on top of the goal sounds, flaring red as the opposition’s goalie crumbles to his kneepads.

A defender tackles me into the boards, but he’s too late. I’ve scored. The goal is good. And the Jumbotron on the ceiling⁠—

Four, three, two⁠—

Our stadium erupts, the packed stands exploding into cheers as time expires and we win.

We. Win.

Damon Mathers tackles me next, his grin flashing white as half of the Timberwolves pile on top of me. Cameras flash, cannons blow, and teal confetti rains from the ceiling, swirling down to cover the ice.

My disbelief dissipates as our team captain fists my jersey, shaking me with raucous shouts.

“Gunnar! You did it, kid! Great fucking shot!”

Holy shit.

Did I just win the Stanley Cup?

I guess so. Because that’s my face on the Jumbotron. Just over the score.

5-6. Final.

For a moment, the silence in my center is disorienting. Then I remember—I have my part of our bond closed, blocking the others out so I could focus.

Whipping my head toward the stands, I scan for the box Emma secured as my Christmas gift. There, she and Zane jump up and down, both of them shouting while she waves her homemade glitter-glue sign over her curly head.

Number 49 is mine! it shouts.

I grin every time I see it and now is no exception. Even with shock reverberating through my entire body, Em always knows how to make me smile.

The way Zane looks when he’s laughing definitely doesn’t hurt, either.

I feel them then, impatiently waiting on the other side of my interior curtain. The second I drop it, they both rush in, bursting with love and clamoring excitement.

HOT SHOT! YOU FUCKING DID IT! Zane shouts through our tether. Emma echoes his enthusiasm, so happy for me that she can’t even form words around her joyful giggles and sobs.

Pride floods me as Micah and Knox join them, the former projecting an image of everyone in Knotty Hollow gathered at the town’s only sports bar, cheering. Even Knox, who looks like he’s clapping so hard, he might break his wrist.

They both wanted to be here—but they had too much to do up at the house. Preparing the surprise we’ve been planning for Emma since the New Year.

The last month has been wild. My training and playoff schedule; closing up our Orlando house and opening the cabin for our summer up in the Blue Ridge. All the deliveries and planning sessions we had to keep under wraps.

Lucky for us, our girl is extraordinarily trusting. And generally unobservant.

She’s also been by my side every single day and night, supporting me in any way she possibly could while my team fought our way here.

A year ago, I may have lied to myself. Claimed that I kept her close to make our surprise easier to manage. But she’s helped me come to grips with just how much I need my pack. And now, looking up at her beaming face, there’s no shame curled in my middle.

All the nights she’s held me to her purring chest and helped me overcome my game anxiety so I could sleep. All her patience when I had to stay late at practice or couldn’t be home for movie nights. All the times I just needed a distraction and she happily bounced into my lap.

Gratitude swells to block my throat while I point my stick up at her.

She dances in Zane’s arms—and I catch the flash of his grin while he thinks, You won’t get any sleep at all tonight, Hot Shot. I hope you’re good with that.

Skating toward my team’s boisterous huddle in the center of the ice, I toss him a parting glower. Don’t think I didn’t notice you going down on our omega during the intermission. I had my curtain up but the two of you are loud.

He grins wider, shoulders shrugging. Had to remind you what you were fighting for, babe.

That parting taunt is enough to keep the smile on my face as we’re presented with our trophy. There are pictures, speeches, more pictures. By the time we get to the showers, I’m so impatient that all four of them snicker through the bond.

Micah and Knox blink off, not wanting Emma to see any of the surprises set up at the cabin as they arrive home from the bar. While I stumble into my post-game outfit, Zane sends me glimmers of the celebration brewing outside the locker room.

The Pierson Pack is gathered, along with Emma’s brother and his pack. Our omega mingles happily, oblivious to the way I watch her from the threshold.

Zane stands off to the side, looking cooly gorgeous in a pale blue linen suit that matches our omega’s dress. He notices me first, clipping through the small crowd to envelope me in a huge hug.

Emotion bursts through our bond as his hand grasps the back of my collar. Without a word, he turns my head, catching my mouth with his.

I can taste Emma—her cinnamon sweetness, layered onto his lips. My cock jumps as he takes over, sweeping his tongue along mine. As effortlessly commanding and sensual as ever.

My heart pounds and I let him feel it. He hums, breaking our kiss to hold me closer and murmur low against my ear, “I’m so fucking proud of you.”

I feel how true that is. His pride glows, fierce and bright, along our tether. I turn my face into his neck for a moment, leaving my scent along his throat.

He loves that. Every time Emma and I both do it, I swear he tears up. I hear him sniff now as we both straighten.

He doesn’t hide any of his emotions, but he does cock his head in a teasing gesture, nodding at the collar he just mussed. “Always such a mess, Hot Shot.”

I raise a brow. “Yeah, well, my stylist had his face between our omega’s thighs.”

He grins and shoots me a wink while he rearranges my collar. “Only during the first intermission. She was getting suspicious, so I came up with a perfect distraction.”

“Mm,” I hum dryly. “That’s what you said last night.”

Zane’s smile grows. “Shame you had to save all your energy for this and couldn’t join in.”

Uh huh. As if he doesn’t live to bait me. “I’m going to get you back for that, Pretty Boy. Tonight.”

He looks so handsome when he laughs. My pulse stammers while he loops his arm around my waist. “You’re welcome to try, babe. But I think we both know who usually wins our competitions.”

Yeah. Both of us.

But Emma most of all.

She reminds us of that very fact when a deluge of dirty images flood the bond. I turn and find her grinning while she barrels across the room.

You checking us out, squirt?

Happiness thumps through our connection, even as she narrowly avoids tripping over her feet. Only always.

Zane and I both laugh. He stops before I do, reverence rippling through him while he sends me a brief glimpse of what I look like in this moment—with my eyes crinkled and my lips spread in a grin.

Your best look, he thinks.

I bend close enough to nudge his cheek with mine. His dark eyes fall shut while pure love sings inside of him. I absorb it and send some right back.

Showing him my own mental image, I raise my brows in question. Together?

He nods with a smirk. Always.

We turn and open our arms for Emma to leap into them. The second she hooks her elbow around my neck and leans into my embrace, the whole world makes sense again.

We won, I realize, the thought finally sinking in as she scent-marks my cheek and gushes her praise.

Zane lets her go on, petting her hair with his free hand and meeting my gaze over her shoulder, winking once more.

Come on, he says internally, just to me. Let’s get our girl home.

Last summer, I rented a house on Lake Como.

It was a big place, right on the water. Smack dab in the middle of what is, arguably, one of the most beautiful, tranquil places on Earth.

But as I lie in the gold light creeping into our omega’s suite, I feel myself smirk.

Because that was nothing compared to this.

Sunrise slips over Emma’s exposed back and Gunnar’s bare chest, filling all the dips and curves I spent the night worshipping.

They’re mine, I marvel, still unable to believe my luck.

Emma senses the emotions swelling inside my chest and stirs. Green eyes flutter open, her gaze soft as she smiles from her place on top of our hockey boy.

Good morning, shona, I think, giving my most dazzling grin to distract her while I send Knox and Micah a quick heads-up. They both duck behind their curtains, hiding their surroundings from her.

Our girl doesn’t even notice, God bless her. She’s too busy following my appreciative gaze, looking down at Gunnar’s body—and all the bruising bite marks we both left on him during our little, uh, celebration.

Think he’ll be able to walk? she teases, raising a brow.

I scoff. If he can, we’ll just have to try harder tonight.

That’s if Knox and I feel like sharing, Micah interrupts.

We don’t, Knox gruffs, sending us the mental equivalent of a scowl. Especially after everything you three put us through yesterday.

Their fake grumpiness is a nice touch, honestly. I know we’ll all spend tonight as a pack, but, under normal circumstances, whichever two alphas stay behind at the cabin typically get dibs on our omega the first night she gets home.

Well, our other home.

In a way, the cabin will always feel like our “home base”; but we have this nice house in Orlando now, too. Knox bought it within a month of our bonding, as Emma’s Christmas gift.

At least, that’s what he claimed—her real gift will come later this afternoon.

Still, having Emma travel for Gunnar’s games while the rest of us took turns going with her was torturous. Having this house enabled us all to travel together, whenever possible.

We definitely prefer to be together as a pack at all times. Hopefully, this week will be the last exception for a while.

Today, Gunnar, Emma, and I will head back up to the mountains for our summer vacation. And when it’s time for Emma to start her new (former) job as a pee-wee school counselor next fall, we’ll all migrate back here as a pack.

Micah is all set up with the Orlando Fire Department and I’ve slowly transitioned my socials from travel content to home-making. That was nerve-wracking, at first, but it turns out my followers love Emma.

I mean… who wouldn’t?!

My girl is gorgeous, and her bubbly personality totally shines on camera. The more content I shoot with her, the more people beg to see her.

I only narrowly catch my train of thought before it turns to all the videos and pictures I plan to take today. I want to document every single moment of this surprise for her. It’s been a long time coming and it’s nothing less than everything our omega deserves.

Underneath her, Gunnar shifts and groans, clearly feeling the effects of two hours on the ice and three hours between me and Emma.

She giggles—and, I swear to God, the sweet sound still sends butterflies to my stomach.

“How you doin’ there, Hot Shot?”

He keeps his eyes shut, but tests out his lower half, lifting his hips with a grunt before pouting. “You two are mean.”

“Me?!” Emma squeaks. “I’m an innocent bystander!”

Gunnar and I both bark out deep laughs at that. “Oh please,” I chortle, sliding closer to them both, sliding my thigh over our hockey boy’s. “We all know better by now, gorgeous.”

Knox growls through our bond. You’re a very naughty omega, he tells her, only half-kidding. Teasing Daddy the way you did yesterday.

Micah’s interior laugh is warm. He might need to teach you a lesson, sweet girl, he thinks. But I have other ideas.

He sends a few images of our sexy girl, stuffed so full of his cum that she drips. She shivers and perfumes. I feel his thump of smug satisfaction when Gunnar moans in tormented pleasure.

You’re all mean, he grouses. Let me sleep.

No can do, I reply, slipping him the thought directly so Emma won’t overhear. They’re all waiting for us.

His eyes finally drift open, falling first to Emma’s content expression and then over to me. Big day.

I think back on the months I’ve spent with them. How my life has changed.

For years, I chased validation from strangers. Looking for the ultimate vacation, the greatest food, the prettiest people.

It all seems so empty, now that I’ve found the greatest adventure I ever could have imagined.

It’s not a mountain or an ocean.

It’s a family. Our family.

I smile as I press into Gunnar’s side, scent-marking his shoulder before I drop a kiss to Emma’s forehead and send him one final reply.

Best day.

The way Emma runs and jumps into our arms will never get old.

I’ve been waiting days for this exact moment—the way her eyes glimmer, the glow of her cheeks, her unfiltered exuberance.

I bundle her straight into my body, kissing her face while she squeezes my neck. “Sweet girl. I missed you so fucking much.”

No matter how many times we do this, she always has tears in her eyes when we reunite. A very small part of me will miss that, now that the season is over and there won’t be any reason for us to be apart, going forward.

But, mostly? I’m so goddamn relieved.

In a way, this new year has been a new beginning. For each of us, for our pack. Today feels like the culmination of all of that. The end of our beginning.

And the start of our future.

Zane and Gunnar both slap my back in greeting, each taking charge of one of Emma’s bags while I carry our girl out of the small, executive airport, toward the landing pad.

“Where’s Daddy?” she asks, burrowing her face against my throat.

I hug her harder. “Home waiting for his girl. He sent me in the helicopter.”

The first time those words left my mouth, they felt ridiculous. But I’ve mostly gotten used to our alpha’s wealth over the last six months. It helps that he never flashes it for any purpose other than making our lives easier or making Emma happy.

In this case, he couldn’t leave our compound with everything going on, but he wanted her home as quickly as possible.

Can’t say I blame the guy.

Emma senses the roiling impatience climbing my insides, even with my thoughts concealed by my inner curtains. When she frowns in befuddlement, I grin and kiss the puckered V between her brows.

“Come on, love. We have a surprise for you.”

That perks her back up. She squirms in my arms, doing a happy dance as she launches into a series of guesses.

“Is it a puppy?”

“Nope.”

“A pony?”

Zane laughs, “No, baby. Can you imagine Knox’s face?”

She pouts at that. Then suddenly rears back, eyes wide as she gasps, “Am I having a baby?”

I suppress the carnal growl that scrapes my lungs at the thought. Not yet, I think. Give me another heat or two…

Gunnar smirks at me and then shakes his head at her. “I think you’d be the one surprising us if that were the case, squirt.”

She deflates. “Oh. Right. Then, what is it?!”

“You’ll see!” we all chorus, loading her into the chopper.

Our pilot has an easy day. It’s perfect weather—warm and sunny, with minimal wind and lower humidity than we had any right to expect this time of year. Within twenty minutes, Emma squeals over the hum of the blades overhead, her voice shrieking, “What is that?!”

The guys and I smile at each other. You tell her, Zane thinks, nudging me.

Yeah man, Gunnar agrees, you did all this work. You should get to tell her.

Their gratitude is palpable. I’m still getting used to the way they all appreciate me so openly. Especially my omega.

I stare into her pretty green eyes, absorbing her excitement as I point to the enormous white tent erected in our backyard.

“That,” I tell her, “is our wedding.”

Knox

My blood thrums as I watch Emma take in her surroundings.

Our bubbly omega is markedly quiet, turning a slow circle in the center of the dance floor laid out over the grass. Her head tilts back, rounded eyes absorbing the bower of wildflowers strung above her.

Those were my idea. Something I remembered from the night she admitted her previous wedding plans really didn’t have much to do with her preferences.

One of dozens of details the four of us hoarded over the past six months, waiting until she fell asleep each night to discuss how we could bring them all to life.

The simplicity of most of the things on her list still sends a tender pang through my chest. My baby girl didn’t want anything lavish or ostentatious. She wanted wildflowers. And a donut wall. And some sort of booth for photos?

I let Zane field that one.

We all played to our strengths, in a way. Gunnar took charge of wrangling friends and family, inviting Emma’s relatives, their friends from Orlando, Micah’s family, and our favorite acquaintances in town.

Micah was on point for setup and entertainment. Zane jumped at the chance to pick a caterer, design a cake, and choose our clothing. Which left budgeting and logistics to me.

But every spare second spent plotting is worth it the second Emma’s mouth wobbles into a watery smile. “It’s like a dream.”

No, I think, knowing she hasn’t noticed me yet. You are.

She spins, finding me on the opposite side of the checkerboard floor tiles. With a squeaked sob, she bolts right for me and I swing her up into my arms, turning with a laugh.

“Hi, honey,” I hum, marking my scent along her cheek. “How’s my baby girl?”

“I’m—I—” she cries. “Knox, how did you all do this?”

The guys fill in around us, each of them touching Emma as they all smile proudly. “A lot of late nights,” I admit. “But we wouldn’t have had it any other way.”

“Yeah,” Zane agrees, cupping her cheek. “We wanted to give you the wedding you deserved, gorgeous.”

“Everyone is coming,” Gunnar adds, smiling over Zane’s shoulder. “The Ospreys and Timberwolves both leant us their company planes. They left an hour after we did this morning.”

Micah pets her hair back. “Patrick is already inside. He has your dress, and he’s going to start your hair and makeup, if you want those done.”

Astonished joy fills Emma’s entire body as she bobs her head in agreement. “What about McKinley?”

God. Every day I think I couldn’t love her more.

Every day she proves me wrong.

I whistle and our dog comes bounding into the tent, showing off the bow-tie collar Zane ordered him. Emma giggles, wiggling her toes when he licks her sandaled feet.

“Well, as long as McKinley’s in, I guess I am, too,” she quips, casting each of us bright grins. “When do we need to start getting ready?”

Micah checks his watch. “Right now, love.”

Her shocked delight echoes through all four of us. I let it sink into my center, balancing her on one of my arms while I reach into my pocket and pull out the ring we spent weeks designing.

I set the case in her hand, displaying the large oval diamond at the center, with four smaller ones clustered around it.

“What do you think, omega? Will you marry us?”

“I still can’t believe they did this!” I blubber, swiping at my eyes. “Oh crap, my mascara!”

Meg’s smile is calmly amused. “It’s waterproof, babe. We all know you better than that.”

Remi pats at my hair, her deft fingers re-curling a strand that frames my face. The curve of her lips is much kinder. “We figured you’d shed a couple of tears today.”

“A couple?” Lucy snorts a smirk, then schools her face into a serious expression. “Sorry.”

Bridget laughs, the sound brighter than I’ve heard in a long time. “It’s her wedding! Leave her alone!”

“Not a chance,” Serena chimes, expression severe. “I’m never leaving this girl unattended at her own wedding ever again. Remember what happened last time?!”

They all groan while I giggle. Yeah, I guess that was sort of a disaster…

Except I found my mates because of it.

And now I’m here, under a waterfall of wildflowers, holding the bouquet Micah picked himself. I look down and send him a mental picture of the gorgeous blooms, along with another beat of gratitude. The rush of pure love I receive in return sends me right back into tears.

You’re so welcome, my sweet girl. A second later, Gunnar sends me a loud thump of amusement and an image of Zane fiddling with Knox’s bowtie.

The murderous look on my pack alpha’s face is enough to make me giddy with giggles again. Knox’s grumbles about his tuxedo have kept me in stitches while Patrick and the girls helped me get ready, carefully maneuvering me into the most gorgeous gown I’ve ever seen.

The dress is all creamy, candlelit tulle, with floral appliqués covering the bust, waist, and hips. As soon as I saw the deep-V neckline and thigh-high slit, I knew exactly which alpha was responsible.

Just as I suspect Zane is also totally milking our pack leader’s annoyance, making a hundred unnecessary adjustments to his tie just goad him.

Yep! Zane confirms.

Meg notices me bouncing on my toes, grinning like a loon, and raises her brows, bringing me out of my head. “You good, sis?”

“Yes!” I burst. “Is it time to go yet?! I want to see them!”

“You just saw them like four hours ago!” Bridget replies. “Besides I think Jonah is still getting mic’ed up.”

Serena grimaces. “I know Jo will be a great officiant, but I hope he doesn’t make the mattress-mony joke again. We all tried to talk him out of it on the plane this morning.”

We all frown at her and she sighs, “Matri-mony? Mattress-mony? Like for sex? Honestly, I don’t even know. He’s been spending too much time with Theo and Damon.”

“Oh boy,” Bridget groans.

Meg titters behind her hand while Remi fiddles with the strap of her lilac bridesmaid dress. “Okay,” the little omega with dark curls announces. “Everyone looks perfect. One last picture?”

Lucy spins to the living room coffee table and picks up the collection of heart-shaped sunglasses sprinkled there. They’re a minty blue-green, to match my own special pair the girls’ dresses. We all slide them on and crowd together, smiling for the photographer.

Impatience flurries into my bond. Usually, that means Gunnar is about to come looking for me. Sometimes Knox. Now, it’s all four of them, filing out to the ceremony set-up facing our mountain’s cliff.

It’s time, baby girl, Knox tells me. We’re ready to start when you are.

I step up to the back door, peering out at the lawn. All the chairs are filled and Jonah stands under the flowery arch at the end of the aisle. There, off to the right, dressed in coordinated white tuxes, are my four alphas.

Waiting for me.

A giddy thrill blooms beneath my lungs. So many feelings and thought swirl inside of me, but most of all, there’s awe.

How did I get so lucky?

Who knew anything could ever be this incredible?

They all turn and stare back at me through the window. Gunnar’s voice answers, quiet and sure, You did, Em.

A deep vein of adoration flows from Zane. He’s right, shona. You knew all along that we would end up here.

You believed in us, sweet girl, Micah adds.

And Knox nods, so full of pride I could burst from it. You made this into a home and turned us into a family.

Months ago, I might have dismissed their praise. Written it off as platitudes or convinced myself it was all some stroke of good fortune.

But, now, I feel their words reverberate through me, and realize they’re right.

I knew it.

They all grin in reply to my smug internal cheer. Off to the side, a string quartet starts up and the girls begin to file out. I step out into the sun and smile up at the sky before turning to my guys.

The wedding march swells to fill the summer air and it’s all I can do to walk instead of sprinting…

Despite that restraint, I still wind up tripping on the last step.

But my mates are there. And they catch me.

Together.