Page 5 of Knot Your Business

The woman murmurs a thank you and turns for the next Omega, my name and borrowed clout already forgotten now that she has me on film. Another reporter starts zeroing in. I turn away and navigate the others nearing the entrance, catching up to Faedra before she makes it inside.

Faking it for one camera is more than enough for me tonight.

Faedra relaxes the moment I catch up to her, and I elbow her in the side, smirking.

“You’re welcome.”

She laughs.

Good.

“Owe you for that one,” she says as we navigate around a few groups taking their time getting into the ballroom. The moment an Omega bumps into her on the other side, she bites her lip and messes with her hair, scanning the space around us.

“Let’s get you your one allowed drink,” I say over the din, hooking her arm in mine, “and then find a spot to see the Alphas. I’m sure there will be someone that sticks out to you.”

Her shoulders relax as she takes a deep breath, though she fidgets with her ear piercings as we head toward the open doors.

“What about you?” she asks.

Making the most of tonight by finding someone who smells delicious and fucking them senseless. If I can walk straight in the morning, this evening went to shit.

I give her a wink.

“Don’t you worry about me, Fae. You know how I am.”

She giggles as I steer her into the room full of Alphas.

May the Council have mercy on me.

Three

VIOLET

The moment we have our drinks, I make a beeline for the outermost cocktail tables arranged near the dance floor, sidestepping various catering staff as well as a few Alphas already starting to mingle. Everything is done up in white even though it has to be a nightmare to get everything clean afterward. Flowers sit in an elevated vase in the center of the tables, small jewels nestled in some of the larger blooms.

Most of the Alphas stand around the outer perimeter, drinks already in hand, their eyes just as shrewd as mine as they take in the Omegas entering the party. A few pick over the tables of food set up on the opposite side of the room from the dance floor.

“I’m honestly shocked so few Omegas are wearing black. Really expected to be more ostentatious,” I muse. Most of the people around us are dressed in pretty pastels that coordinate with the season, pinks and blues and even a few purples. While the green of my dress doesn’t fit in necessarily, it’s not as outrageous as I’d hoped.

Faedra laughs and shakes her head. “The entire room looked when we came in. I don’t think you’ll have any problem with garnering attention tonight.”

I wave off her comment and look over the room again.

Do I look fucking amazing in this dress? Absolutely. The green silk hugs my curves and shines in the light of the room. But did I pick the color knowing that my mother would choke on her morning coffee when she sees the pictures tomorrow? Of course, I did.

Making my mother squirm is one of my favorite pastimes.

Faedra stands beside me, dropping her clutch to the table and messing with it, her drink nestled between her arms. A metallic reflection of light catches my eye, and I look more closely at what she’s pulling from her clutch.

Of course Faedra would bring her own snacks.

“An entire dessert bar, and you bring Rolos from the airport?” I ask, trying to gauge if she’s calmed down enough to not completely clam up tonight. If I want my own plans to be successful, it means I need to be able to leave Faedra to her own devices.

She smiles, her cheeks reddening, but then takes a sip of her drink. “Emotional support airport Rolos.”

I can’t help but smile a bit and scan over the room again, trying to decide which way to go first: snacks or dancing. The small pins everyone that isn’t an attending Omega are wearing become more pronounced with each pass over the place.

“There’s more Betas here with packs than I expected,” I admit after seeing the tenth blue lapel pin.

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