Page 104 of Knot All is Forgiven

"And all they have is common is they're late presenting?"

Crystal crosses her arms over her chest with a smug smile. "No, that's not all."

"Are you going to make me beg for it?" Crystal is significantly younger than me, probably in her mid-twenties, but she's proven to be more than capable in the time she's worked for the Design Clinic. She's playful and not yet jaded by the world.

"Of course not," she chuckles. "They all have scent matched packs."

I raise a brow, leaning back a little in my chair. "When did they meet them?"

"They all knew at least one member of the pack before they presented."

My feet hit the floor, and I sit up straighter. "How many examples of this do you have?"

Crystal hums and examines her nails like she has no cares in the world. "Not many. Only fifty or so."

"Fifty! Crystal, that's massive! This is a huge breakthrough. With this, we could get a study funded easily. Why haven't you told Dr. Talbot?"

She drops her shoulders, looking down at her feet. "I don't have the time for a research project. I work a second job." I slump back in my chair dejectedly and she gives me a small smile. "That doesn't mean you shouldn't run with this. Dr. Talbot won't give this the care it needs, and you know it. He won't be sympathetic to the women who may have this gene but haven't presented."

"I wouldn't feel right doing this without you, Crystal. This is your discovery." I flip the folder closed and stare at it. My mind is running rampant at the potential within. This could explainwhy we have always had so many fewer Omegas than other designations. If we could figure out how to activate this gene in all women with it, it would change everything.

Crystal fiddles with her lab coat and smiles sadly. "I appreciate you are thinking of me, but trust me on this one. You don't want me attached to this." She pushes to stand, wavering slightly on her too-tall heels. "Run with this, Dr. Valentine. There are so many people out there that you could help with this."

"Do you want to come work for me, Crystal?" I blurt. It's tacky to poach a colleague's employee, but I could use someone like Crystal on my team.

She looks over her shoulder at me, sadness in her brown eyes. "I wish, Dr. Valentine, but I have to be where I am now."

I watch the Omega leave before opening the folder back up. It would be wrong to keep this information from society. As much as I wish Crystal would be a part of a study on this with me, I can't hold it back. Jordan wouldn't want me to. If I could find a way to save other Omegas from the pain she went through, I have to do it.

The savory smell ofsautéed veggies fills my nose as soon as I open the door to the condo.

"Sunshine!" I call as I round the corner. "Are you making dinner?"

Jordan spins around from her position at the stove and smiles softly. I can still see the weight of everything that is going on in the corner of her eyes, but she's putting on a good face. Slime sits at the island, slowly chopping red onion and tomato.

"I decided to make fajitas," Jordan says as she quickly kisses me. "Steak alright? I think I can scrounge up some shrimp in the back of the freezer…"

"Let's save the freezer-burnt shrimp for another time." Slime snorts a laugh, and Jordan picks up the stem of a bell pepper and pegs him between the eyes with it.

The Alpha howls and dramatically throws himself off the stool, wailing about losing an eye.

"Shush, ya big baby," Jordan admonishes. "Or I'll give you something to cry about."

That gets Slime up on his feet. "Promise?"

Suddenly, it feels like all the air has been sucked out of the room. The tension between them is so thick, and I can feel arousal pulsing from Jordan through the bond.

It almost killed me when she fucked Slime the other day. She was so turned on that my dick was a steel rod in my pants. I need to teach her to shut down the bond if she isn't going to invite me to join in.

Slime takes several tentative steps towards Jordan and wraps his hands around her waist. He casts a furtive glance at me, asking my permission, before pulling her body flush to his.

Watching the way my Omega's body moves when she's turned on is unfathomably erotic. The way her hips twist and buck as Slime lowers his mouth to hers, the little pants of breath she gets out, the way her fingers grip his cut.

Fuck.

I'm not into men, but Slime is beautiful, with his creamy pale skin covered with ink and that mop of vibrant green hair. I would be lying if I said the idea of seeing him twisted up with Jordan is unappealing.

As they kiss, their bodies move in sync with one another, and I try to adjust myself stealthily. Jordan catches my movementfrom the corner of her eye, and she pulls away from Slime with a chuckle, reaching out to me.

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