Page 19 of Knot Our Omega

Wilder leaned closer to Rumor and sniffed. “You smell different today. Rumor, are you maybe going into heat?”

Rumor looked like she wanted to melt into the floor and disappear. Wilder hadn’t meant it to be rude, but intentions didn’t matter…not when our mate was hurting.

“My mother made sure I stayed on my suppressants.” Her answer was cold and practiced. I hated it.

“Oh—I wasn’t trying to be… I just...you didn’t smell like you. There was no jasmine and vanilla. I like those.” He wasn’t helping.

“It’s scented suppressant,” she mumbled.

Penn gasped. “Why do you use that?”

“Because I’m supposed to. I have to.”

We were walking a very fine line here. We didn’t want to scare her or make her feel like we were invading her space, but also, she needed to know how categorically unlike her family we were.

“Rumor, if you like those sprays, use them. But don’t use them for us.” If I had my way, she’d never use them again, but it wasn’t up to me.

“You don’t need to use any suppressants, if you don’t want to. We’d gladly help you through your heat, or we could just keep you safe while you handle it on your own.” Wilder put his fork down. “But you don’t need all of that unless it’s what you want.”

“You would…my... I’m…I’m suddenly not feeling well.”

She put her napkin down and ran off.

Fuck.

Chapter Twelve

Rumor

Wilder hadn’t mean anything by what he said. None of them had. They’d been nothing but amazing to me at every corner.

But hearing the mention of my heat, my suppressants, my scent blockers—it was all too much.

I was too visible.

Too seen.

I wasn’t hiding or blending like I needed to. No. Not what I’d grown to believe was needed. I’d been forced to be invisible, ever since coming out as an omega. I had my place and it wasn’t with the alphas.

And now I was in the bathroom crying…because that helped.

“Come on, Rumor. Pull it together.” I grabbed a washcloth and ran it under cold water. I held it to my face, willing the tears back, hoping I wouldn’t look every bit the mess that I was.

These alphas were different. They were. And they weren’t saying, “Oh, I’m different. You can trust me.” I’d met alphas like that before. Wilder, Penn, and Vargas showed me they were different.

They let me eat first. They might never understand how meaningful that small gesture was. It would be a while before it would be automatic for me, but I was getting there.

They didn’t throw chores at me. They barely let me help. That wouldn’t last forever. I liked being useful but being a choice…wow.

The first time I saw Penn, I knew he’d be kind to me, and that he was a better option than staying where I was. I had no idea about the others, but it hadn’t mattered because the bar had been in the basement, so it had already been surpassed simply by him giving me that small smile.

This should be easy. I was someplace where people actually wanted me. Adjusting shouldn’t be difficult, except it was. There was so much to take in.

I pulled the washcloth from my face and peered in the mirror to make sure I didn’t look too much of a mess. I very much did. Anyone would know I had been crying. I pulled my hair forward to try to shade my face a little, braced myself, and walked out. These alphas, my mates, deserved better than me melting down and hiding from them simply because I was freaked out over a sex talk that hadn’t even included sex really, just the mention of heat.

I don’t know why I was surprised to find Wilder standing there, arms open. I shouldn’t have been. His face had fallen when he realized what he’d said. He wasn’t being a dick, just comfortable enough with me to say all the things.

“Hey, I just wanted to—”

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