Page 24 of Knot All is Forgiven

The pack that was at the hospital today, trying to claim her. "I'll never forget that stupid name."

She laughs so hard it's almost a cackle. "No one should allow sixteen-year-old boys to name their pack. Anyways, I told them I was certain I was their scent match, and they just needed to wait until I presented."

Jealousy fires up inside of me, and I stifle a growl. She'smyOmega. Not theirs. Thankfully, she ignores my Alpha posturing.

"Anyways, when we turned eighteen, and I still hadn't presented, they went to university here in the city. I needed to save up money before I could follow them. I held out hope that I'd present, but when I turned nineteen, they told me they met their scent match."

I can still hear the hurt in her voice, the way it cracks as it forces its way out of her throat. Regardless of how youthful the love was, I am sure it hurt. And to find out the pack you thought you were supposed to be with found another? Brutal.

"If they found their match, why were they trying to claim you?" I ask.

"No idea. But I don't want to speak to them. After it all went down, I ended up in inpatient psychiatric treatment for… just for the way I handled not presenting as an Omega. While there, they told me I needed to move on and accept I wasn't an Omega. I needed to believe I was a Beta. And I figured if the men that I loved didn't believe me, maybe I was wrong and wasn't really an Omega." Her chest shudders with a restrained sob. I abandon her feet and pull her whole body against mine, purring softly.

"Thanks," she whispers. "Obviously, I never fully stopped believing, but I did realize a lot of things about myself while in treatment. I had an unhealthy relationship with food and was suffering from anxiety that felt so commonplace in my life I didn't realize the effect it was having on me. I got on some good medication and started therapy for my eating issues after that. So while it was difficult, at least some good came out of it."

Stroking my hand down her deep red hair, I vow that I will not let these men back in her life. I don't know what they want of her, but I do not trust their intentions. Somehow, they found out she was an Omega before she did and immediately tried to lay claim to her despite already having one.

"How can we keep them away from you?"

She sucks on her teeth. "Cross is my legal name, but it's not the name I use in public or for work. So, hopefully, they won't make the connection and come after me."

"Come after you?" I growl. "No one will be coming after my Omega."

She places a hand on my chest and looks at me under her lashes. "Ooh, I quite like the growl, Vick."

I growl again at the asinine nickname. "I'll have to sock that information away for a later date."

Eventually, we order dinner and discuss lighter topics, like our favorite shows and music. Unfortunately, we get into a heated debate about pizza toppings.

"Fruit does not belong on pizza!" she argues, throwing her napkin on the table. "That's absurd. Pineapple on pizza should be illegal."

"You haven't tried it with jalapeño," I insist, picking up her empty plate and taking it to the sink. "The spicy and the sweet work so well with the smokey bacon."

She follows me into the space, leaning against the counter as I hand-wash the dishes. She makes a move to take over and wave her off. "I don't believe you," she says with an eye roll. "But I will abdicate this argument if you agree that a bloody Mary is a disgusting brunch cocktail."

"Oh, no argument from me there. Spicy ketchup drink?" I fake a gag, and she giggles. I decide with that sound that I'll do whatever it takes to keep her laughing.

When we say our goodnights and I flop onto my bed, my body melting into the comfortable mattress, I feel like there is no way I will fall asleep because I must be dreaming already.

I woke up this morning a bachelor with an asshole cat and a lot of books, and I am going to bed an Alpha with a beautiful, funny, sweet Omega.

Chapter ten

I pull up onmy bike in front of the ranch-style home on the city's outskirts. It must have cost a fortune. It's a single story, and the outside is well-maintained. I'm waiting for Rafe and Cyrus to arrive when another bike pulls up behind me.

My buddy Joey removes his helmet, his dark hair slightly mussed, and beams at me. I haven't seen him much since he found his Omega, and they went through all kinds of shit, but our friendship isn't easily broken.

He grew up in the Hawks, and then after he got out of the military, he wasn't in a great place and never really returned. No one ever held it against him, and his folks are still an active partof the club, so he's family by association. Nitro made it a point to introduce us, and our friendship blossomed from there.

Joey's massive form is swathed in leather, his boots giant and heavy as he stomps towards me. "Alright, Slime?"

"Yeah, brother. Alright."

"So Nitro didn't say what you needed the place for," he calls over his shoulder as he unlocks the red front door. He's always referred to his dad by his club name, not Pops or anything.

"It's a weird story."

"I got time. Nora's got an event today, and Levi went with her. The others are working. So I'm on my own."

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