Page 45 of Knot All is Forgiven

I snag my laptop and sit at the kitchen table, ordering some takeout for when Jordan wakes up before getting started answering some emails and letting the Clinic know I'll be backin on Monday. This gives us a couple of days to get rested before we're thrown back into the rat race, but I am excited to go back. There's an email from a colleague about the unidentified gene Jordan has that I'm interested in following up on.

The next thing I have to do is dial Lanie.

I don't dislike Lanie specifically, but I am convinced she is terrible for Jordan's mental health, and I will defend my girl until my dying breath from that kind of negativity.

Lanie picks up on the second ring.

"Has the heat broken?"

I roll my eyes, taking a deep breath so I'm not unnecessarily aggressive. "It has. She's sleeping right now. I just wanted to let you know she'll return on Monday."

"Why did it take so long? Could you not handle her?"

"I handled it just fine, Lanie. It was her first heat; it's going to last longer." Lanie seems to be a heat-seeking missile for people's insecurities because she pegged mine right off the bat.

"Sure you could. Tell her to call me when she wakes up, Vick."

"It's Icarus, Lanie." And then I hang up.

My mom is next on the call list, as I have missed about twelve calls since I missed the monthly dinner and fell off the face of the Earth.

"Icarus Valentine!"my mother scolds. I hold the phone away from my ear in an attempt to save my hearing."Where have you been? You missed dinner! You didn't call. You didn't answer my messages. I've been so worried!"

"Sorry, momma," I say sheepishly. I really should've given her a heads-up. "Jordan went into heat."

She squeals loudly, and I have to pull the phone farther from my ear."Does that mean grandchildren now?"

Momma honestly does like Jordan more than she likes me. They've only met twice at a family dinner but got on well. More than that, my family was ecstatic that I'd met my scent match.I should've known the grandchild hammer would come down swiftly.

"Not yet, momma. We'll consider it once we have more time to settle into our bond."

"So you did bond! Oh, Icarus, honey, I am thrilled for you both."

Absentmindedly, I rub at my chest. "I didn't know it was going to be like this. I feel her with me. I know how she's feeling and can also tell she's sleeping now. It's the strangest thing." I drop my voice, even though only Dae and Blush can hear me. "I never thought I'd feel this, momma."

"My sweet boy. I'm so happy for you both. Did you get her parents to sign off on the bonding?"

My nose wrinkles. I hate how our society treats Omegas. While most families do not take it to the extreme, unlike the Perfect Omega case, it's still a requirement for parents to approve a bonding.

But Jordan has been treated as a Beta all this time. She filed as an Omega with the government, but due to her age, we could bypass her parents and get approval to have me as her Omega guardian. I think the woman at the Office of Omega Affairs was so confused about the whole thing that she would let anything slide.

"They didn't have to because of her age. I'll file our bonding paperwork on Monday and establish our pack officially."

"Well, don't delay on that. I want to plan a big party!"

I chuckle softly and rub my eyes. "Of course you do. I'll talk to Jordan, but it'll have to-" A loud pounding at the door interrupts me. "Sorry, momma. Food is here. I'm going to have to get the door. I'll call you later."

"Love you, sweet boy."

"Love you too, momma." The pounding continues, and I call out, "Coming, coming, calm down!" I get these delivery guys have to keep a tight schedule, but it's been seconds.

When I rip open the door to a panting, harried man with a leather jacket and green hair, a strange feeling overwhelms me, and I immediately know that this is no delivery driver.

Chapter eighteen

"You're sure?"Cyrus asks through the phone."Jordan doesn't own anything in her name?"

"I'm sure," I tell him, rolling my eyes. A car honks its horn as it speeds by me, challenging some pedestrians who decided to jaywalk. I straddle my bike as I look up at the glass building. "No sign of where she works either," I tell him. "But the guys are on it. We'll have something soon."

---