Page 12 of The Knotty Omega

“Lucky bastard.” Ollie mutters.

“Did she know it was Matt's scent?” Titus asks. “Shouldn’t she be asking around to see who it belonged to? That’s what any other omega would do.”

“I think she thought it was a cologne or something.” I shrug. “Also…I think she has some trauma related to packs, and that’s why she’s been hiding her status.”

“What makes you say that?” Ollie frowns, looking genuinely perturbed at the idea.

“It’s just a feeling.” I shrug again, then look around the room. “So…? The OMS?”

Simon sighs. “I still say we just go talk to her. We can’t even guarantee they’ll present her with our cards. Not to mention that the scents get diluted enough that she won’t be able to tell we’re a scent match.”

“No,” I say vehemently. “This needs to be under her terms, or she’ll feel out of control and run the other way, true scent match or not. Besides…one of my sisters works for the OMS. She can at least make sure the cards are present. If by some fucked-up stroke of fate she doesn’t pick us,thenwe can approach her.”

Mattie puts a hand on my shoulder. “I agree. Omegas in general, and this one especially, I suspect, need to have some semblance of control. This is how we do it without scaring her.”

“She still doesn’treallywant a pack,” Titus grumbles.

“That’ll all change once she scents us all together. She already likes me, I know she does.” I say with more confidence than I feel.

“What’s better, Titus,” Ollie pipes up, “a random omega who settles with us because she’s needs a pack and ‘we’ll do’? Or an omega who will fall madly in love with all of us despite the fact she didn’t originally want a pack?”

“Fine.” Titus stands up. “But if I feel for one second that she’s about to break everyone’s hearts, I reserve the right to pull us out.”

“If that’s what it takes for you to agree, then fine.” Mattie nods at him. “We’ll go to the OMS to register our scents tomorrow, yes?”

Simon and Titus murmur their agreements before both disappear from the room.

Sighing, I pull out my phone and send a text to my sister.

Bethany has a lot more questions about the situation than my pack mates did, but I had to catch her up from the beginning.

“So, can you make sure our scent cards are present for her to test?” I ask hopefully, tapping my foot as I pace the living room.

“Archie…” She sighs. “Yeah. I can make sure they’re present, but I’mnotgoing to pressure her to test them, and I’m not going to sway her inanyway. Got it?”

“You’re the best Bethy! We’ll be in tomorrow to register.”

“Yeah, yeah, you owe me lunch.”

Hanging up, I grin at Mattie. “She’ll do it.”

CHAPTER SIX

“Hi there! Welcome to the Omega Matching Service! Do you have an appointment?” The beta at the front desk whose name name tag reads “Christy” has a black ponytail high on her head, piercing blue eyes, and a blindingly white smile. The OMS building is much nicer than I was expecting, with all the things omegas typically love. Soft, pastel colors, plush chairs, low ceilings, and blankets on every sittable surface.

I have to keep myself from wrapping myself in the nearest blanket and snuggling into the squishy, hollow egg shaped chair in the corner.

“Yes, for Cady Jackman? At twelve thirty?”

“Ah, yes, Cady. I have your tablet right here. Can you have a seat, fill out the questionnaire, and return it to me?” She hands me a black tablet with a super soft, fuzzy case on it.

I need one. Seriously. I need to ask where they got these cases from. And if they come in purple.

Thanking her, I take the tablet and settle onto the couch...not the egg chair. I don’t think they’d be able to drag me out of it.

I’ve decided to answer the questions as close to as I would if I were actually looking for a pack. You know, for the integrity of the article.

The questionnaire is straightforward enough. First things first, do I want all males, or a mix of male and female? I have nothing against female alphas, but I’m not romantically interested in women. All males it is.

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