Page 80 of Knot Their Omega

“Imagine you go from being acknowledged and having choices to make a friendship or relationship with someone, only for it to turn sour the moment you become an Alpha. Your personality, likes, traits… all of that doesn’t matter anymore. Now, your identity revolves around your career, how much you make annually, and if you’re attractive enough to even have anOmega. Anything else about you becomes unimportant. If you like dogs or cats. What is your favorite color? Whether you read fantasy novels or romance ones. All those tidbits of information that make a person more attractive are no longer valuable to anyone.” The corner of his lips dips further.

“I can’t go about telling people what I do, so I’m just the businessman. That’s nothing to Omegas now. They think I’m a struggling mute who can barely make six figures a year. Just the idea that six figures is the new minimum income to make per pack member is mind-boggling.”

“That’s a bit tedious,” I agree. “I mean, most packs are between four to five men. Why does each pack member have to make six figures or more? Also, how about the Omega? Isn’t she bringing money?”

Kai chuckles at that part of the question.

“You realize most Omegas don’t work, Astraea.”

“Th-They don’t?” I knew it was bad, but I could never imagine not having a flow of income of my own. Relying solely on a man to pay for my continued existence? Then how about the babies come along, and suddenly your pack is gone? How would you survive?

The mere idea makes me cringe and think about how my mom relies on my dad’s income for everything.

As if she’s exactly that. Relying on everyone’s income but her own finances because she sucks at money management.

“95% don’t,” Kai reveals. “A survey about it was released last week. Before this fiasco, Omegas felt as though they no longer needed to work or make a living because it was their Alphas’ duty to take care of them in all aspects. Physically, emotionally, sexually, and financially. I’m sure they’re going to throw spiritually in there as well at this point, but you get it.”

“But… a lot of Alphas don’t have an Omega and vice verse. Why would an Omega assume they’ll be financially supported when they get a potential pack?”

“A way of blackmail, in a sense,” Kai admits.

“How?” I don’t get it.

“There’s an Omega shortage, remember,” he reveals. “To every twenty Alphas, there’s one Omega. The ratio is so unbalanced now that it’s pretty guaranteed that 25% of packs will never experience what it’s like to have an Omega. It’s also why there’s been a bigger age gap between Alphas and Omegas.”

“Do we have a big age gap?” I wonder. “I’m nineteen.”

“You don’t act nineteen,” he admits. “Twenty-three for me and Icarus. Kenji is twenty-two, and Nathaniel is the youngest. Twenty-one.”

“That’s not a huge gap to me,” I admit. “But I guess there are others who are probably ten years age gap or more.”

Kai nods.

“Has to be with the shortage. Alpha packs are finding their Omega later on in life, which can be good or bad when you think about it,” Kai elaborates. “Especially if they want kids.”

“By forty, most Omegas can’t give birth,” I mutter, though I hate to believe that apparent philosophy. I feel as long as an Omega takes care of herself and avoids long-term usage of all the drugs they like to force upon us Omegas to tame our Heat, she still has a few years to potentially have children.

Sure, there are still risks, but it’s not impossible.

“Well, that’s what the government projects, right?” Kai offers and waits for me to meet his gaze. “Do you believe it’s true?”

“No.” I don’t mind being honest with him.It feels natural.“I feel it’s another tactic of control and blackmail when you think of it. Our society is so focused on reproduction, they use it like a weapon. Don’t have kids at XYZ timeframe and you’re useless. There’s also very little talked about those who pass the primetime for having kids. Not because there is none, but because the government and the society don’t want to shine a light on the possibilities.”

“Which leads us younger generation rushing to find our Omega, then being forced to have kids in our twenties.”

“And the cycle continues through the generations,” I conclude with a frown. “I want kids… but not now. Maybe that’s selfish of me to say, especially as an Omega, but…”

“But?” he urges as he continues to peer into my eyes. The fact he isn’t shying away from the conversation pushes me to keep going.

“I haven’t enjoyed life.” The truth is always hard to admit. “Haven’t seen the world. Done things I enjoy. I feel as though I’m still a child, despite my age. I know nineteen is still considered young, but other Omegas have experienced a whole lot. Traveling. Trying different sports. Heck, some ride and own motorcycles. Obviously, it’s based on the activities of their packs that they found right before they reached age, but I’ve never done any of those activities.”

“Mostly because you can’t, right?” Kai asks for clarification. “Omegas basically can’t do anything alone. You have to be with your pack or have parental permission; the latter option is probably non-existent with how toxic your mother seems.

“Essentially,” I whisper in defeat. “It’s not like I don’t want to try those things,” I try to defend. “But… I can’t do them myself. Our society doesn’t allow it, and until I find a pack, I’ll never be able to do them.”

I’m fighting not to feel a certain way about my present circumstance and what the future has in store for me, but it’s hard not to be a bit depressed about it all.

“When I find a pack, I’ll have no choice but to be what I was born to be—be the Omega of my pack. The sex slave who just deals with her Heat with a group of men who barely know meand have children by the time I’m in my early twenties. Then I’m stuck, raising our kids while my Alphas will continue enjoying their lives, careers, and all the benefits of having an Omega while I’m forced to raise a child or children until I’m no longer useful to my pack. When that happens, it’s the pack’s decision to kick the Omega out or get a younger one and start the cycle all over again.”

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