Page 51 of The Knotty Omega

“I’m aware. That’s kind of the point.” I deadpan, meeting his eyes.

“No, I mean, like,reallyfucks with it. I’m surprised your kidneys haven’t given up after being on them this long.” He looks at me like he wants to give me a powerpoint presentation on why I’m a fucking idiot, and I feel my anger rising to the surface.

“Look, you don’t know what it’s like to be faced with the choice of either—”

My potential tirade is cut off by a swift knock on the outside of the door, and I shoot Titus my best “we will finish this discussion later” look, before the doctor peeks her head in and smiles at me.

“Cady, how are you doing today?” Doctor Mejia looks to be in her early fifties, slight wrinkles give her face wisdom and her brown hair is streaked with gray, tied up in a neat bun on her head.

“Hi Doctor Mejia. I’m doing well. I’m actually just here for a check in. One of my new alphas is a doctor,” I quickly jamb my thumb towards Titus, “not that one,” she nods in understanding, “and he’s worried about symptoms of a breakthrough heat. I don’t think it’s an issue but just to be safe...” In reality, I do think its an issue. But saying things makes them real and I’m trying to go for cool, calm, and collected Cady today. Not my-life-is-a-dumpster-fire-oh-look-theres-my-heat Cady.

A smile lights up the betas face as she looks between me and Titus. “I’m so happy for you, dear! It’s been a while since we’ve seen you last, so I’m glad to hear about the changes. You're off the TruBond now that you've found your pack?" At my nod she continues. "Let me just look at the results of the blood draw….” Her brow furrows as she swipes through her tablet. She clicks her tongue. “Oh dear. I’m afraid that your Doctor alpha was right, Cady. You’ve been on the suppressants for so long, they’ve become less effective. Based on your hormone levels…I’d give you a month, tops, before your heat hits.”

“Does that estimate hold if she’s found her…true scent match?” Titus asks, somewhat hesitantly.

Doctor Mejia pales slightly and shakes her head. “That complicates things. Scent matches affect your hormones differently than non-compatible alphas or even scent sympathetic ones.”

“And if she’s…livingwith them?” Titus hedges, giving me a pointed look that makes me want to stab him.

Damn. I really am hormonal.

“Then all bets are off.” She looks between the two of us. “If this is the case, Cady, listen to your body. The heat spikes will become more frequent the closer you get to your heat, and you need to make sure you and your pack have honest conversations regarding bites and bonding beforehand. We all know how pheromones can cloud judgement. This heat will probably be a lot longer and more intense than it would normally be considering it’s being brought on by a scent match.”

Numbly, I nod. My first heat. And it’s probably going to be a shit show.

She gives me a few pamphlets on heats after being on suppressants, checks some more of vitals, and then clears us to check out with the receptionist up front.

“Can I ask you something, doctor?” Titus asks before we stand to leave.

“Go ahead.” She nods at him.

“Why would you allow her to stay on suppressants for so long when there are so many studies that show the long term health risks to omegas who have been on them for over five years?”

My jaw drops. He didnotjust do that. I go to defend Doctor Mejia, but she holds out her hand to stop me. “It’s okay, Cady. It’s a common question from alphas who are unaware of the way life is for omegas.” She raises a brow at him. “As a doctor, it is my responsibility to weigh the risk versus the benefit for each of my patients. For a patient like Cady, it could be emotionally and physiologically detrimental for her to go through a heat alone. Given her history with packs, it would be just as detrimental to go through a heat at a clinic. After the five year mark, I set her up to come in every six months so we can make sure the suppressants aren’t affecting her kidney function. The plan was, and always has been, to re-evaluate if her health was ever at risk.”

Titus looks properly chastised, and I keep my snort to myself. I’m glad she only said “history with packs” though, and didn’t detail out the whole incident for him. I’ve been coming to Doctor Mejia since I started having pre-heat symptoms right after I moved here. She knows my entire story and has looked out for me the last ten years.

“I apologize,” Titus clears his throat, “I didn’t mean—”

“Oh, I’m sure you absolutely did,” Doctor Mejia says, before smiling softly. “However, I do not take offense, because I am so grateful that Cady seems to have a pack of alphas in her corner that cares for her health.”

Titus gives a stiff nod and we get checked out then head to his car. We buckle our seatbelts, and I give him a look as he pulls out of our parking space. “Did you really have to go after her like that? Doctor Mejia helps not just me, but many other omegas who have escaped from bad situations.”

His grip turns white knuckled on the steering wheel, but he doesn’t answer me. His jaw only ticks and I sigh, turning to look out the window.

“I know you don’t think I’m capable of taking care of myself, but I’ve been on my own for ten years, I can handle it.”

He finally answers me. “I don’t think you’re incapable.” I wait for him to elaborate, but he just keeps driving, looking out at the road ahead of him. I guess I’ll take the win but I really wish he would just tell me what his deal is.

“So, um, any word on who broke into my apartment?” I ask, hoping the subject is close enough to work that he’ll actually talk to me about it.

“Not yet,” he says, not looking at me. “It seems they were smart and didn’t leave any physical evidence behind. Your building doesn’t have security cameras, and none of your neighbors noticed anything out of the ordinary.”

I snort. “Yeah, besides thekicked in door.”

He shoots me a grim look. “Yeah. Besides that. The police and the OMS won't give me the names of the pack you saw the night before us, and Archie's sister doesn't have access to the pack names.”

Then, as quickly as the conversation started, it ends, nothing but awkward silence yet again. I hate it. This…weirdness between us. It’s so easy with everyone else. But with Titus? It’s like he’s trying his damndest to not interact with me at all.

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