Page 61 of The Knotty Omega

“What do you mean?” I frown, my heart still pounding in my chest from the adrenaline of this morning.

“You haven’t been on social media this morning, have you?” He asks, pulling out his phone. “I haven’t either, but Jenna’s the one who sent me this video this morning.”

He takes a second to pull up the video and hands me the phone, and I prop it between Arch and I so we can both watch.

It’s one of the more popular sites, showing a split screen video by user “SheffieldAlpha89”.

On the right is a screenshot of one of my advice responses, all the offending parts highlighted as a man on the left rips apart my article. He’s wearing a mask and his voice is distorted while he goes on about the most popular advice columnist in the country is blatantly “anti-alpha” and that alphas need to take a stand against this “blatant attack on pack values”. After he finishes complaining about how the “Knotty Omega” brainwashed his omega into leaving their pack, he starts going off on birth rates.

“This ‘Knotty Omega’, is fully dismissing the importance of scent-sympathy, encouraging them to leave their packs if they do one thing wrong,” the digital voice rants. “Our birth rates will continue to go down because of omegas like this one sowing discontent among pack omegas. Every pack omega who does not birth at least one child per male pack member is doing a disservice to the country! Every unbonded omega past the age of twenty-five is doing a disservice! They try to placate us by saying they’ll have children, but they want to keep working. Who will be around to raise the children?!”

The comments are still pouring in, some full on supporting this nonsense, while most of them comment their arguments against the guy. There are also tons of response videos, again, not a lot of people agree with him, but the sheer number of views and reactions is startling.

Shaking my head, I turn off the screen and hand the phone back to Grady. “I think I’m going to be sick.”

His expression is grim as he takes it back. “Yeah. I don’t know if I would go as far as to say these are the guys targeting you, but maybe someone who got wind of this video and this guys ideology. The thing is though, nobody is supposed to know who you are.”

“I was thinking about that too,” Archie says, turning towards me. “Who else knows besides us?”

I frown. “Not a lot of people, and nobody who would hurt me. My best friend Hannah, and my new friend Wren are the only two people I’ve told. Though, if Wren knows, I might have to assume Brennan does too. But he’s an omega body guard for the OMS. There’s no way they’re involved.”

Grady’s brow furrows. “Well, you might want to—”

“Wait,” Archie jumps in, looking intently at me, “What about Laura? She said something weird when we came out of our meeting the other day.”

Fuck. Laura. I had completely forgotten about the really weird way she reacted to me packing up with Archie.

“What do you mean? Grady asks, his voice serious.

“After I told you about finding my pack, we left your office and she had been eavesdropping or something. She told me that it was too convenient for me to find my scent match pack and that I needed to be careful before I pissed off the wrong alphas.”

“Well, dammit.” Grady rubs the back of his neck. “I wish you would have told me that sooner, kid. But, as it stands, Laura’s been working from home all week. She couldn’t have been the one to destroy your desk.”

“Grady,” Archie says, looking down at his phone. “One of our Alphas, Titus, he owns Lone Star Security. Would you work with him on getting what he needs if he decides to investigate the matter himself?”

I almost tell Archie not to bother. But then I remember that even if Titus doesn't seem particularly fond of me, he at least takes his work very seriously.

“Of course,” Grady nods gruffly, running a hand through his gray hair. “We’ll be launching an internal investigation as well, but it won’t hurt to have another set of eyes on it, especially ones that have Cady’s best interest at heart.

“Do we think that the ‘big reveal’ will put a big target on my back?’” I ask, picking at the hem of my skirt.

“It will definitely put you in the spotlight,” Grady concedes, leaning back. “But that also means more people will notice if something happens to you. I think it’s better for it to be out in the open, and for everyone to know just how powerful your pack is. Matteo De Lucca? Now that’s not someone I’d want to mess with. He’s a powerful man.”

I can’t help the smile that tugs at my lips. This is the first I’m hearing anything indicating that Mattie is anything but my even-tempered Italian heartthrob.

“I guess we’ll find out in a month.” I grimace, moving to stand.

“There is…another option, Cady,” Grady says quietly. “I’m not suggesting it, and I’m not saying that it’s the best course of action. I’m simply making you aware.”

“Okay?” I ask, unsure of where this is going.

“The owners…they can’t reveal a Knotty Omega if there is no Knotty Omega.”

“What, like…quit the article?” Even saying the words hurt my heart. This article is my baby, born from my blood sweat and tears. Before he can say anything, I’m shaking my head. “No. I won’t let them take it away from me.”

Grady gives a small smile. “Good. That’s what I like to hear. We’ll keep on, business as usual, and I’m sure this whole thing will blow over soon. Cady, you…you should probably work from home the rest of the day, given the state of your work station. Actually until further notice, since I’m not sure if your desk is going to be treated like a crime scene.”

“That works out for me anyway since my heat is coming up.” I say more to Archie than to Grady, but Grady’s cheeks pinken as he waves us out.

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