Page 68 of Tangled in Knots

“One more question, and then I have a call to make and I’ll show you to a room. Does any of this have to do with the auctions?” she asks.

“Yes,” I state, shuddering as I think about what it was like to be on that stage. A ragged breath tears through me as I swallow hard. I don’t want to get sick or lose my mind in front of this girl.

“Okay,” she says with a nod. “I’m not going to make you go through that with me. Give me just a second.”

Picking up her cell phone, she makes a call, and I wonder who she plans to speak to. The police? Yeah, I don’t think they much care about a mafia daughter caught in the middle of a vendetta she has nothing to do with.

“Aiden? Hey, it’s Aurelia,” she murmurs. “I’m calling you because I don’t want to wake up Aisling if I don’t have to. There’s not an issue per se...”

She listens to the person on the other side of the line with a nod, rolling her eyes.

“I have an omega here who knocked on the door. She’s connected to the families,” she says without explaining.

My lips part as I begin to guess at why she recognized my name.

“Names are Dresmond and Firestone,” Aurelia continues.

She’s quiet for a moment before she nods.

“Yes, she mentioned that someone blew up her house,” she murmurs. A short silence has her shaking her head, giving me the beginning stirrings of anxiety. I wish I could hear the other end of the conversation.

Who is Aiden?

“Don’t wake up Aisling, man. Come on. I’ll talk to her when she comes in tomorrow before I leave. Yes, I know she’ll probably start her day earlier because of this. Someone will just have to make sure she doesn’t overdo it, won’t they cousin?”

Aurelia hangs up a moment later, turning back to me. “My cousin is engaged to the co-founder ofOmega’s Haven,” she explains. “I moved back to Minneapolis about eight months ago, so the mafia gossip isn’t something I stay up to date on. Aisling is going to want to talk to you tomorrow, maybe go a bit more in depth about what happened, so that she can make sure you get the help you need.”

“What kind of help?” I ask cautiously. “I don’t know much about this place, I decided this was better than staying with Pack Dresmond on a whim.”

There’s a lot that I’m not telling her. It’s been a lot to process for me, information dumping doesn’t seem right. I’m sure I’ll betoo graphic and traumatize the poor girl. She seems too nice to be tied up in the “mafia gossip” as she called it.

“Ah,” Aurelia says with a nod. “We’re an outreach and shelter that serves the omega community, both women and men. We take families and kids, as well as single omegas, to help them rebuild their lives, or simply offer a little help. We have computers for job opportunities, a small daycare, group therapy, knitting circles, law services, and individual therapy as well. There’s a lot that we offer.”

“Therapy?” I ask dully. I can’t imagine reliving what I went through continually by talking about it.

“Yes,” she says with a nod. “It’s not mandatory, but sometimes it helps to talk. We also have rooms for omegas who are riding our their heats as well, and there’s a service for people who need alphas with knots to help.”

“Umm, really?” I ask. “You offer alphas… My experience with them doesn’t allow me to think of them as philanthropic with their dicks.”

Aurelia snorts as she shrugs. “Aisling and Wren, the co-founders, worked with the university in the city to make it happen. It’s a host club and they need community service hours. I promise it works. Sometimes toys don’t cut it, and we don’t judge. Biology isn’t the easiest to get along with. We simply make it easier.”

Remembering my heat and the way I was begging for a knot, I nod.

“I understand,” I say. “Sometimes, it’s not enough. I can appreciate that this is available. Ugh, I didn’t think about my heat.”

“When was your last one?” Aurelia asks.

“Three weeks ago,” I grumble. “Does being underweight affect it at all? I just had my first one during that time too.”

“Okay,” she says with a nod. She doesn’t ask questions, because I’m sure that there are many reasons why omegas have their first heat delayed.

Unfortunately, I doubt many are because their fathers were manipulating them the way mine was.

“Well, there are options for you,” Aurelia explains. “Being underweight can delay your heat as well. If that’s what’s happening, you may not have it. However, it’s good to have a plan.”

“If I’m bonded to someone, that’ll make things more complicated,” I state, almost a hypothetical that’s not a question. Aurelia doesn’t blink as she nods slowly.

“It would, yes,” she says. “Is that the situation? Toys may be helpful, but it’s going to suck without them.”

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