Page 3 of Knot Their Valentine

I don’t care if she thinks this was all her idea. All I care about is convincing Harlow she belongs with us.

Harlow

I toss my hair over my shoulder, giggling at Jack’s terrible joke. Sure, he’s not funny, but he is nice enough to look at.

And if I have to be here, doing this, then I’ll at least enjoy the view.

I know my mother has been plotting this since December. Even if she insists on denying that fact. But it is a fact.

My mother is a lot of things, but subtle isn’t one of them. The woman is a force when she wants to be, and she usually wants to be.

How a strong-willed, stubborn extrovert that adores being the center of attention raised me…? Well, I don’t fucking get it.

I inherited her iron will, and against nearly everyone else, I’m immovable. But Mom? She knows every possible button to push.

For example, she knows the guilt I’m absolutely wracked with because of my early departure from college and the money my parents lost because of my choices.

She’s also not above using the information to manipulate me.

So here I stand, a glass of champagne in my hand, my pink nails manicured. My hair curled to perfection. My makeup accentuating every one of my best facial features.

I added a spritz of scent enhancer just under my breasts as well, hoping it would convince Jack and his pack to bid on me.

Their collective scents remind me of a sunny walk through a garden. Not my favorite, since you know, I hate bugs and dirt… But, it’s not bad. Not unpleasant.

Not like juicy, mouth-watering apricots. Caramelized apricots… No. No. Not going there. The scent might have caught my attention the moment I walked into this fucking torture chamber, but I’m smart enough to fucking avoid it. Especially after our little encounter in the bathroom.

Never should have met his eyes. Never should have stomped down that hall, all flustered and frustrated. Never should have let him get so damn close to me!

I smile, nodding my head as I blink up at Jack, completely missing whatever he just said as images of running away from a swarm of bees flooded my mind. Shouldn’t have taken a deep breath of his grassy scent.

Fresh cut grass. Simple, pleasant… Not the kind of scent you want to roll around in unless you have four legs and bark at squirrels.

This part of the auction is the hardest for me. I don’t want to mingle or flirt. I don’t want to convince Alphas I’m a worthy Valentine.

I’m a simple Omega. Okay, maybe that's a lie, but this is fucking overkill.

But I refuse to stand on that stage, under threat of an almighty guilt trip, and not have anyone bid for me.

Especially not in front of fucking Caelum. Childhood rival and all-around pain in my ass.

The Omegas are summoned to the stage to line up, so I blow Jack a little kiss and wave sweetly before hustling toward the stairs.

“Only way he’s winning that bid is if I drop dead right here, Fireball,” Caelum growls, startling me.

“Gah! Caelum!”

“Mmmm, say my name again, Harlow. Better yet, practice moaning it for me…”

I shake my head at him, refusing to acknowledge the way he just groaned my name or the way it slithered down my spine like a dirty promise.

I just need to ignore him and get through this. I can do that.

I nibble my bottom lip, stepping forward when my mother calls my name. I’m the first Omega up on the chopping block, I mean, auctioning stage.

“First up, we have my daughter, Harlow Grace,” my mom says with this megawatt smile that could melt weaker Alphas. What made her fall in love with my fathers? I suppose it’s easy to see what they saw in her. She’s vibrant and full of radiant energy.

She’s everything I will never be in an Omega. Which is our number one point of contention. I’m not bubbly enough for her.

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