Page 10 of The Knotty Omega

“It…I guess I never said it was. But when I met with you, yousmelledbonded.”

Well, shit.

He sits forward, crossing his arms. “If you were even courting a pack, that would be one thing. But…”

Courting a pack? I can work with that. Maybe I can even meet a nice pack of alphas that I have zero sexual interest in and explain the situation. But first…

“Wait…” I shake my head, trying to focus on what he said a minute ago. “Why is the possibility of people finding out my identity suddenly a thing? My one condition was that my identity stays a secret.”

“About that…” Grady says looking suddenly more than a little guilty. “It’s from above me, Cady. The owners of the company…they think it’ll be a big hit if we do a reveal. Of the face behind the Knotty Omega. Killan Roberts is near feral over the idea. He's pushing the other two owners to turn it into a huge spectacle.”

My heart drops in my throat. Killian Roberts is one of the three owners of ABO magazine. Naturally of the three owners, there is one of each designation. Killian is the beta, Hank Hanson is the alpha, and Yvonne Cartier is the omega.

“What?!” I almost shout, panicked. Why would this happen? Who even thought this up? “It was myonestipulation, Grady!”

“When I agreed, we didn’t know how big of a sensation your article would become. The agreement we made…it wasn’t in writing, Cady. I verbally agreed to keep your identity under wraps. Unfortunately, the owners don’t care about anything unless it’s in a binding contract. It’s already set. The reveal is going to happen at the beginning of next quarter.”

Fuck. That’s in two months.

Trying to keep myself from hyperventilating, I attempt to calm myself down.

Okay.

So, the owners of ABO Magazine want to do a giant “The Knotty Omega” reveal, which will destroy my closely guarded secret. None that even matters though if I don’t have a pack and they replace me.

…Fuck.

Okay. One issue at a time.

“What if I find a pack?” This is apparently the last thing Grady expects me to say because he stares at me in shock.

A plan…the OMS…I have a little time to find one. Even if they aren’t great, if I can just get through the next couple of months…it’s a stupid plan. One that sure to end poorly without my heart or my job in tact.

But it’s all I have.

“If you found a pack…” Grady says slowly, as my heart threatens to pound out of my chest, “then nobody would be able to have any sort of opinion on your bonding status.”

Oh thank fuck. I don’t let loose a sigh of relief though, I have to see how he reacts to my stupid,stupidplan.

“Okay.” I nod, standing up. “Here’s what I propose. I’ll keep answering The Knotty Omega submissions, and stay on the TruBond for the time being. In the meantime, I’ll join the OMS. I’ll make it an article. An in-depth look at what the process looks like. No names, no identifying traits. Just an up-close walkthrough of the Omega Matching Service process. I’ll get a pack, you’ll get an article, and in two months, this will all be behind us.”

Grady regards me for a moment, his eyes calculating. After what feels like forever, he finally nods. “Deal. You have sixty days, Cady. Don’t make me regret this.”

I leave his office with my pulse racing wondering how the hell I’m not going to makemyselfregret this.

CHAPTER FIVE

Holy shit.

I’m absolutely reeling with what I just heard. Cady’s not bonded.

Not only is Cady not bonded, but Reggie is a cat.

A fucking cat.

Andshe’s the writer behind The Knotty Omega?

Holy. Shit.

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