Page 65 of Knot That Delicate

I nodded. “Oh, I think that’s the sequel to the one I’m watching now. I’m watching that really long fantasy series where everyone dies.” I laughed. “I’m currently on season five.”

Lyle’s face lit up. “That is one of the best shows of all time! You’ve got great taste.”

I laughed again. “I wish I could take credit for it, but my friend Fawn suggested it. She said she wasn’t a fan, personally, but thought I’d really enjoy it.”

“And are you enjoying it?” Ben asked, leaning forward slightly.

“I really am! I thought I wouldn’t, but there’s something about the violence that’s just so satisfying to watch,” I admitted with a small smile.

“So, how are you guys finding courting?” I asked, changing the subject. “Are you talking to many omegas? How is the process from your end?”

They exchanged glances, as if unsure how much to share.

“Usually, omegas don’t want to talk about alphas courting other omegas,” Josh said, giving me a questioning look.

I shrugged. “I honestly don’t know if I'm courting. At the moment, I am just open to learning, I guess. So, how many omegas have you spoken to?”

“We have been talking to three or four omegas, but there is one we do really like.”

“Who is it? I may know her.” I beamed.

“Her name is Lily. I don’t know if she feels the same about us, but she is something special,” he said, ruffling his hand over his hair. “Sorry, I shouldn’t be talking about this. I’ve probably offended you.”

“Not at all, Lily is a sweetheart! When I first came here, she was one of the first people I met. She came to my room and brought me cookies.” I bit my lip. Should I tell them that Lily had been on cloud nine for the last four weeks, talking about this handsome blond pack she had been talking to? I had a very good feeling in my gut about them, so there was no pressure. It was like the minute I knew they were probably going to end up with another omega, all the tension leached out of my body. “I think she’s mentioned you,” I said with a grin, and the guys’ faces all lit up.

“Wait, she’s talked about us?” Ben said, his entire body perking up at that prospect.

“Oh yeah! And I’m not saying any more than that,” I said, even though my face was giving away the good news. “Let me guess—you were in the later stages of courting, and Dr. Sarah and Fawn bullied you into coming and meeting me?”

Eric spoke up next, glancing at his pack mates. “I wouldn’t say they bullied us. They simply said there was an omega they wanted us to get to know. They didn’t really explain why, but after meeting you, I can kinda understand now.”

Carl chimed in. “Yeah, I can imagine it would be nicer for you, to start easing you in with a pack who is actually already known by some omegas. And one who isn’t, you know… champing at the bit or asking inappropriate questions.”

I nodded. “Oh, God, I’ve heard horror stories from some of the other girls. Don’t get me wrong, I love it here in the Haven—this is my home, and I’m so happy here—but my word, some of the packs that come through here can be mouthy.”

Ben laughed. “Oh, we can be mouthy. But it’s mainly because we’re a bunch of idiots who can’t keep our mouths shut—and it’s not usually rude.” He shot Lyle a look. “Usually, it’s something stupid, like Lyle giving away spoilers for a TV show.”

“That wasone time!” Lyle called out indignantly.

Grinning, I picked up my tumbler of soda and took a sip. Sure, I probably should have been drinking more water, but how was I to deny the call of the sugary sweet soda—especially when it was on tap here in the Haven?

“Okay,” I said, setting the tumbler down. “How about this? You guys tell me about yourselves, we’ll have a nice conversation, and then I can go back to Dr. Sarah and tell her I was a good omega who had conversations and interacted with people outside the Haven. Then I can tell Lily that you guys are sweet and gentlemen.”

Ben beamed back with a big grin. “That sounds like an amazing idea.”

As much as I hated to admit it, I missed talking to people. After being kept away for so long, I was becoming a downright chatterbox.

What I appreciated most was that these guys didn’t seem to want anything from me. It was clear from the dopey looks on their faces when they spoke about Lily, they were head over heels for her. They weren’t interested in talking to me about usual courting stuff; they just wanted to be friendly. The fact that they’d gone along with meeting a strange omega, just to make other omegas happy, meant they were pretty decent blokes.

After a week of meeting packs, I was getting used to it. I had learned that there were even TV screens that we could playMario Karton.

So, every day, I spent one or two hours talking to packs while playing. At first, they kicked my ass, but by the end of the week, I had gained sufficientMario Kartskills and was decimating my opponents. Most of the alphas took it in stride when I won, even when, at times, I could be a very sore winner—I would throw the controller down, dancing and singing and cheering.

Luckily, most of the alphas found my antics adorable.

It was kind of heady, having so many guys interested in me. Every interaction was fun, and I found myself having a good time. But none of them called to me the way my guys did.

I waited and discussed it with Dr. Sarah the first moment I could.

---