Page 15 of Knot Their Valentine

“He’s your Omega–”

“We haven't talked about it. Never needed to before, and well, he hasn’t said anything except that he wouldn’t be upset if I was interested in another person.” Lachlan grunts, shoving a fork full of pasta in his mouth like it personally offended him.

“Riiiight. Well, that goes against every Omega instinct I’ve ever had. I would rather rip your throat out than let you fuck other Omegas,” I scoff, shaking my head. I sip my wine, and when I lower my glass, he’s looking at me. “I mean, if I was Quin, that is,” I add, becauseshit. That sounded suspicious.

“I guess it depends on who that other Omega is.” He gives me a long look before shrugging. “Cae and Quin were already an item when we bonded. We agreed we’d be open. If I like someone enough to take things that far, they’d know first.” He sounds slightly angry, and I hold my hands up.

“Shit, sorry, I didn’t mean to upset you.”

“You didn’t, I was just making it clear where I stand in this pack. Where Quin stands, and what he wants.”

“I understand,” nodding.

“Listen, I know you and Cae have a shitty history, but he’s…”

“If you say he’s a great guy, I will put Nair in your shampoo,” I vow, pointing at him with my wine glass as I glare at him. Lachlan has known Cae since long before he went from mild nuisance to full-blown fucking pain in my ass.

“I wouldn’t dare,” Lachlan chuckles, shaking his head. “I was going to say he’s not the same dumb kid he was in high school, and that I’ll do my best to keep him from behaving like a thoughtless shit.”

“That's barely better,” I grumble, making him chuckle. “He was worse before. Back in high school. I can deal with his bullshit now. No one gives a shit what he says about me anymore. I might have been a nerd, but at least I wasn’t an asshole.”

“You were pretty nerdy, huh? I always thought it was hot. Even after Cae nearly dislocated my knee at football practice for saying so. In fact, he wouldn’t let anyone near you without severe consequences, if I remember correctly,” Lachlan smirks, glancing sideways at me, and I scoff.

“Of course not. How could he convince everyone I was obsessed with him, if I had any friends at all?” I shake my head before finishing off my second glass of wine. I can feel his gaze as I set down the glass. I’m feeling much better at this point, and despite how ridiculously horny I am right now, I’m able to ignore it. Ish. Okay, I’m not ignoring it at all. All I can think about is climbing into Lachlan’s lap and riding him like a cowgirl.

Lachlan’s needs are even harder to ignore. He’s an Alpha, and I’m made to serve the needs of an Alpha, after all. His scent is heavy in the air, fooling no one. He’s just as desperate as I am.How the fuck does Quin ignore that? I’m not even his, and I want to serve him…

Their combined scents are unlike anything I’ve ever experienced. I can’t even tell if it's the wine or their scents that are making my head a foggy mess.

I grab my phone, pulling up the website of the local heat clinic. I might be needing a room soon.

Once Lachlan finishes eating, he helps me put the leftovers away and wash the dishes. I’m refilling my wine glass one last time, finishing off the bottle, when Lachlan places another freshly cleaned plate on the drying rack.

“Have a goodnight, Harlow.” Lachlan leaves me there, the scents mingling in the apartment, sending my head spiraling.

I need to get a grip before I wake up in the middle of the night humping my pillow.

Or worse, one of the men I now live with.

Chapter Four

“Come on, you need to get out of this apartment. We’re going out.”

It’s my day off, and normally, I would enjoy lying in bed doom-scrolling as I binge-watch reality TV. However, I can’t take another moment of the scents in this apartment. I’m either going to go crazy or try to fuck Quin.

Both are terrible ideas.

It’s only been six days.

“What?” Quinton looks up at me with wide brown eyes. He likes to sit on the couch to do whatever web designing work he’s busy doing. I’m standing in front of him, hands on my hips. “Going out?”

“That’s right. We’re going out.” I tug his shirt, getting him to his feet, and give him a gentle push toward his room. His laugh warms a spot inside my chest I haven’t felt in a while as I follow him down the hall. “Dress up for me.” I wink at him teasingly. “Embrace your instincts. You deserve to enjoy being an Omega just as much as anyone else.”

As fun as it is going to bed every night with the delicious scents filling every corner of every room, waking up with an aching core is not fun at all, and I need exposure to some newscents today. I shouldn’t be so drawn to their scents, but I clearly don’t get much say in whose scent I find alluring.

I close my bedroom door most of the way, leaving it cracked, and pull my phone out to text Caelum. Quin deserves some time outside the apartment, without worrying that he’s going to lose control of his instincts. Being an Omega relies on letting your instincts guide you, but I know from experience how that can truly fuck said Omegas over.

Like the instinct to fuck Quin. Right now. On this bed. Bend me over and slap my ass. Pull my hair… I shake the thoughts away, and return to my text.

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