Page 1 of Knotty Pumpkin

Chapter One

“Slutty pumpkin? Again? Really, Saylor?” Izzy asks as she enters the bathroom, her tone full of utter disbelief. Like she’s not reusing last year’s cat woman costume herself.

“It works. This gal needs some action tonight.” I shrug, keeping my eyes on the mirror while I blend my orange glittereyeshadow.

The slutty pumpkin costume has never failed me before, matching perfectly with my pumpkin spice scent. The combination lets me have my pick of alpha men to take home. Tonight, the Linnara Lions—my university’s hockey team—are hosting an early Halloween bash to celebrate winning their first game of the season, the perfect excuse to dress up and let loose for the night.

Izzy snorts, her flaming red hair swishing in its high ponytail as she moves in beside me and opens her make-up bag, rummaging for the products she needs.

“You don’t need any help in that department, babe, you’re an omega. They all want to push your pussy to its limits, stuff their knots inside you.”

“Izzy!” I exclaim, swatting her on the arm. “God, you’re in fine form tonight.”

“You know it’s true.”

It is true. But the attention I receive from being an omega comes with downsides, too. Not all alphas are respectful. A lot of them take what they want, or think they’re entitled to claim me, just because I might have shown a tiny bit of interest or they like my scent. Like Luke.

A shiver runs down my spine at the thought of him. Nope. Not going there tonight. He doesn’t deserve an inch of space in my memory. He’s in the past, and that’swhere he’s going to stay. Not a chance I’m going to let thoughts of that mother fucker ruin my night. Taking a deep breath, I hold it for a beat, before blowing it out and packing up my make-up.

“Are you okay, Saylor? Your face just fell.” Of course my beta bestie notices the shift in my mood. She might not detect the way my scent just soured, but she’s got me pegged anyway.

“Yeah, sorry. I’m fine.” I say, dancing away from the mirror and back toward my bedroom in search of my thigh-high boots. “My class load is heavy this semester. I really need to take a break and enjoy myself tonight.”

“Dance the night away until you’re dancing in someone’s sheets?” she calls from the bathroom.

“Exactly.” Izzy’s laughter tinkers from the bathroom, bringing a smile to my face. We’re due a night of fun. While I might have been deflecting, I’d spoken the truth about my workload. I took on an extra class this semester, hoping to get my degree completed that little bit faster. I’m still undecided on whether the extra pressure will be worth it.

Pulling on my boots and fastening the zipper up the back, I stand in front of my floor-length mirror, adjusting the poofy orange costume. A typical orange pumpkin, the ‘slutty’ aspect comes from the triangular cut outs across my breasts, supposed to represent the eyes but really justreveals the black lacy cup of my bra and the healthy swell of my breasts. The length of the dress adds to its name, barely covering my ass.

My long, dark-brown hair hangs straight over one shoulder. There isn’t much point in doing anything else with it. By the end of the night, I’ll be throwing it up in a high ponytail to get it out of my face.

“Ready to go?” I ask Izzy, popping my head back into the bathroom.

“Five minutes. Just got to get this wing right.”

“Great. I’ll grab a traveller.”

I make my way to the small kitchen of our two-bedroom apartment. It’s a cosy place, only a few blocks away from campus, the other tenants quiet and unobtrusive. It’s a much calmer environment than I experienced at my last school, and I say a silent prayer, forever grateful Izzy’s dad had been so willing to help me relocate and set up a safe home for his daughter and I when she insisted on coming with me.

Gods knows I need to feel safe these days, something I took for granted in the past.

Opening the fridge, I pull out a half-finished bottle of wine, as well as two sampler bottles of vodka just as Izzy declares, “Bitch, I’m ready.”

She enters the kitchen, her cat eye on point and takes one of the vodkas from my outstretched hand.

“To a wild night.”

She twists the lid off the bottle, and I do the same, before we salute and down the contents of each. The alcohol burns its way down my throat, warming me from the inside, and I grin, tossing the bottle in the trash.

“To a wild night.”

Locking the door behind us, we make our way down the stairs and out into the cool night air. Thankful for the warmth still supplied by the vodka, I take a deep breath. I love this time of year.

By the time we reach the end of the street, we can hear the pounding thump, thump, thump of the music. The Lion’s house is only a block from ours, making for a quick, uneventful walk over.

Passing the bottle of wine between us, we quickly finish it as the house comes into view. There are students everywhere, some in costumes, some not.

“Come on, let's go dance,” I shout above the thumping music, grabbing Izzy’s hand. She laughs, taking a final swig of wine before dumping the bottle in a bucket by the door full of other empty cans and bottles.

---