Page 66 of Talk About… Rivalry

“Not all of us find scent matches, some of us just find someone we are scent compatible with, and that’s okay. Chosen mates are just as important.”

The way he said it was too familiar and convincing to not be something that he held close to his chest. He chuckled a little at the way I was studying him and nodded his head.

“In fact, my omega is chosen,” he confirmed. “There are too many factors in this world for every pack to perfectly align. If you think you found someone that you’d like to spend your life with, then you have to embrace that, Sidney. You can’t hide forever.”

“I know,” I admitted, my voice small. I closed my eyes and took another calming breath not wanting to let any panic get in the way. “What would you do if you walked out of this office today and found a scent match?”

He gave me a soft smile. “I would explain to her that I was a bonded alpha.”

The way he spoke, as if it were that simple, was wild. The pessimist in me wanted to say that everyone would say that until faced with that moment.

He gave me a moment to process before continuing.

“Now, I could give you some heat suppressants so you don’t go into a heat, but I think from the stress, and the scenting, your heat is coming. Swiftly. It will likely be a true heat, not like the ones you’ve experienced. In my professional opinion, I think suppressors would hinder any chance you have at fixing this.”

I let those words sink in.

For all my other short bursts of heat, I’ve been locked away in my tiny cabin alone. I couldn’t exactly waltz three men to my tiny cottage on my father’s property.

“How long do you think I have?” I asked in a quiet voice. He looked relieved that I wasn’t panicking.

He let out a breath and ran a hand over his chin trying to think it over before answering. Everything Dr. Graves did was well thought out and I trusted him implicitly.

“I’d say no less than a week to two weeks. It would be smart to get your plan in place now. You do have options. There are heat rooms at the Network Clinic if that’s what you’re worried about. It’s not always ideal for every omega, but you can reserve them early and rent a nest there ahead of time, Sidney, if that’s what you need.”

His compassion wasn’t helping me hold myself together.

“I’ll think about it,” was all I said.

With that he patted my shoulder one last time before gathering his things. “Call the office anytime. They will route the call right to me, I’ll make sure they know. Be careful, I wish you luck.”

“Thank you,” I whispered. My doctor gave me one last reassuring smile before leaving the room.

My head was spinning and I really didn’t know what to do with myself now.

Honestly, my first instinct was to call Avery but she’d been so busy with her pregnancy and was also insanely close to giving birth. I didn’t want to burden her or stress her out.

Not to mention, I was a terrible fucking friend and had yet to admit that I wanted her brother.

Fuck, this just got even more complicated.

Hopping down from the table, I stumbled my way out of the office and out to my car. My hands were shaking so bad thatit took me three tries before I could even get my keys in the ignition.

If I were to try to drive like this it would be an accident waiting to happen.

Instead, I pulled my phone out and called Grace. She answered me on the first ring, taking one look at me and her smile faltering.

“Sidney, talk to me, what’s going on?”

Just like I had with Dr. Graves, the moment I opened my mouth, the entire story was spilling out. I gave Grace quite a few extra details I’d kept from Dr. Graves, but by the time I finished she had a hand over her mouth, eyes comically wide, as she absorbed every detail I threw at her.

“Holy shit, Sidney, this is huge. This means you could actually have a pack and scent matches. You didn’t think you would ever have that.”

“Yeah, and I’m still on my dad’s property and I don’t want to go to the clinic.”

“Dude we’re in Rockwood Valley. There are cabins you can get all over. Just rent one for the week, or the next two weeks. You barely go out and don’t pay for your drinks. You can’t tell me you have nothing in your savings.”

We both knew I did, but that wasn’t the problem.

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