Page 23 of Knot All is Forgiven

Jordan scoffs as she pushes past me into the kitchen. "I am not tiny."

"You most certainly are." Her chin would fit perfectly under mine, and when she laid in my arms in the hospital, all I could think about was how fragile she seemed. She looks over her shoulder, somehow cute even in shapeless scrubs, and rolls her eyes.

"Whatever you say, Vick."

"Come on, Omega, is that really sticking around?" I trail after her into the kitchen. She's taken my tea kettle and set it up next to her espresso machine. For some reason, her giving it a designated spot warms my heart.

"It's sticking around, yeah. Maybe. I don't know. It suits you." She opens my jar of chamomile and sticks her nose in it again. "Is it too early to try a cup?"

"Never." The kettle only needs to boil for a few minutes, and as it does, I fill twin infusers with the loose mixture. "We need to let it steep for about five minutes."

While we wait, she changes into lounge clothing, a pair of baggy black linen pants and a black crop top that showcases a tantalizing strip of smooth skin. We take our mugs to the comfortable navy suede couch in her living room. She pulls her legs up underneath her while clutching the warm mug between her hands and blowing on the steam. "So. I'm an Omega."

"You're an Omega."

"Why don't I feel any different?" There is a vulnerability to her voice that I haven't heard before. Even when she was in my office, awaiting results that she expected to tell her she was wrong again, she didn't sound so unsure.

"Because, as you've always said, you've been an Omega this whole time. Sure, that part of you was latent, but it was always there. Have you ever had any 'classic' Omega behaviors? Like, do you have a nest?"

A deep blush travels up her throat. "I… I do. Do you want to see?"

I know the significance of an Omega sharing her nest. It's a private, safe space for them, and to be invited in as an Alpha is an honor. To reject the offer would be akin to rejecting her. I set my mug down, not caring if my tea oversteeps. "Yes, I would love to see your nest, Omega."

I follow her into her bedroom, expecting to see her bed piled up with pillows and blankets. Instead, she opens a door off the side and steps into a dedicated nesting room. "I bought an Omega condo," she says sheepishly.

Why would she be embarrassed? It's further proof that she has always known her true self. It's just that everyone else was too stupid to see it.

I follow her in and luxuriate in her floral scent, which permeates every inch of the space. The floor drops down to a round, recessed mattress that is easily the size of three king-sized beds. The sheets are neutral cream, but piles of blankets and pillows in different fabrics are strewn on top of them. Grey, navy, pink, mauve and an abundance of maroon dominate the space. She has square tiles with flowers painted on the walls and gold string lights with Edison bulbs stretching across the ceiling.

"Omega," I say softly, putting my hand around her hips and pulling her close to me, "this is a beautiful nest."

She preens under my attention, resting her head on my shoulder. "Thank you, Alpha. I really love it here. I sleep here most nights."

"I can see why." I feel privileged to receive this glimpse into Jordan. I admire how sure she was that she was an Omega. Everyone tried to tell her she wasn't, tried to convince her that she was in denial about being a Beta, but she held firm that she knew her body better than anyone else.

And she did.

That kind of self-assuredness is admirable.

Back in the living room, we sip our tea, which, thankfully, hasn't gone too bitter. She makes a soft, appreciative noise as she takes a sip. "This is really good. I can see why you like it."

"I didn't, at first. But my momma always did, and I wanted to be like her. So we started drinking it together. It's kind of our thing."

"So you have a good relationship with your family, then?"

"Definitely. I've got a younger sister, Athena, who is a Beta. My mom is a Beta, too, and my dad's an Alpha. At least once a month, we have a family dinner. They live just outside the city."

She pulls her legs up on the couch and turns to face me. "Wow, that's amazing. I always wanted a family like that. Sounds like something out of a movie."

"Your family not close then?"

"Uh, you can say that." When she sets her mug down on the table and wraps her arms around a pillow, I know what she's about to say is difficult for her. I scoot a little closer, grabbing her feet and resting them across my lap. I knead the bottoms of them gently as she talks. "It's just really complicated. When I didn't present at sixteen, they were concerned and tried whatever they could to help me present. And then, at nineteen, when…" She gulps.

Nervously, she fiddles with the tassels on the pillow, not meeting my eye. "Anyways, we're no contact now. All of it kind of dovetails into what happened at the hospital today. I suppose I should tell you that story."

I didn't want to ask, so I am happy she volunteered. "Whenever you're ready."

"I'll never be ready." She scoots a little closer to me, subconsciously leaning into her Omega instincts that urge her to seek comfort in her Alpha. "I grew up with these three guys, and they packed up right when they presented as Alphas at sixteen. Pack Stargazer."

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