Page 52 of Puck & Her Blades

He pointed at the first page. “I spent the first couple of hours this morning, working out what stage you’d have been at, before your parents withdrew you from education. I thought that we could start with dynamic biology, since it’s important.”

“This is about giving birth.” I glanced through the page.

He nodded. “The Omega ability to produce slick and widen to take a knot is the same one that enables us to birth a baby with the lowest risk. Tell me one of the fundamental differences between Omegas and other dynamics.”

“They have wombs. It’s the chief reason why they’re considered the dynamic who’s meant to bear children and remain in the home.”

Cygnus’ expression became pinched. “You’re both right and wrong because that’s only the post-revolutionary view. Not all societies even in the modern day think that. It’s the justification for those policies; it’s not the reason. The dynamics fit together, but the rules around how they should act — conditioning those who act anti-dynamic, until they change their ways — are each society’s bullshit alone.”

“Is this still biology?”

He ducked his head. “Clearly, I suck at being a teacher.”

I dropped my toast onto my plate, grasping Cygnus’ hand, instead. “You don’t. No teacher has managed to get me to debate things before or even pay attention, so take it as a win. I agree with you, by the way.”

“I should point out that Omegas aren’t the only dynamic to have wombs. Beta and Alpha women can become pregnant too, even if they’re far less fertile. So, it’s unlikely but possible.”

I stared at him.

Was he right?

I blinked. Mom hadn’t spoken about having periods around me, and the Betas in the household had always been so distant, they wouldn’t have told me. I haven’t had any formal sex education.

Yet I’d never seen a pregnant Beta or Alpha before.

“Then why don’t they ever become pregnant?” I asked.

Cygnus’ expression became grim. “Sometimes they do. It’s just not talked about because it’s taboo. They keep their kids hidden. Plus, if the truth’s discovered, then their babies are taken away. If they’re lucky and they’re Alphas, then the kids are adopted. If they’re Betas, then they’re taken to the Institute to be trained to become Companions for life.”

Horrified, I gasped. “That’s fucking unfair. How didn’t I know that? I feel terrible that I didn’t.”

“Don’t feel bad that you didn’t know, treasure. It only rarely happens. Who’d risk losing their baby? Plus, people hide it. I only know because stuck inside these walls, I spend my time trying to find out about the world that I’m not a part of. I wish that I could change our roles. It was different in pre-Revolutionary times. I wish that anyone could give birth who wants to. That an Omega could become the next President. That an Alpha could decide to stay home and kneel at the feet of their CEO Beta wife. Except, that’s just one of the many stories I spin for myself, while I sit in my cage.”

I gritted my teeth. “It doesn’t have to be. We can fight for that future.”

“Can we?” Cygnus tilted his head, assessing me. “You know, you should have heard Lark hollering, when he gave birth to Millie. I didn’t even know half of the cuss words, until I was holding his hand through that delivery. Well, he was crushing my hand.”

My eyes narrowed. “Where was Sydney?”

Cygnus snorted. “She wasn’t there. My sister is one of those Alphas who believes that it’s the Alpha’s job to breed and the Omegas to birth.”

“Jerk.”

“Asshole,” he added.

Then he looked startled at his own daring, glancing around himself like he was about to be dragged up by the scruff of the neck and whipped for his rebellion.

When he wasn’t, he relaxed and repeated, louder this time, “Asshole.”

“You rebel,” I teased.

Then I wished that I hadn’t because Cygnus froze, paling. He tugged his hand out of mine.

“Don’t joke about that.” His voice was low. “Ever.”

I’d been in the Institute. I wasn’t allowed to mix with the other Omegas there but I knew that some were sent there purely because of being considered rebellious.

They’d back talked their parents or bonded mates. They’d been insolent. They’d disobeyed.

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