Page 18 of Knot Gonna Give You Up

I grab an apple before walking to get my shoes on. Smelling cinnamon has increased my desire to see Josie, so to mitigate that, I’m going to go buy her something nice. Maybe a soft blanket.

“Ray, do you need anything from outside the house?”

She hums, “Where you goin’?”

“Grabbing a present for Josie, then a coffee maybe.”

“Bring me back a hot chocolate?”

“You got it, princess,” I say with a shit eating grin.

She bristles at the nickname, like always. “I swear one of these days I’m going to actually punch you in the face, Henry!”

“That means you’d have to touch me,” I point out.

“Oh, it’s gonna happen,” she says, shaking her fist exaggeratedly.

We both laugh as I walk out the door, and I hop in my car, heading toward downtown to find an Omega store. There are a few big-box stores in the area I could go to, but I find that the smaller, local stores are better for presents. If I ever need to supply a nest, then I would go to a big store. There’s an open spot in front of one of the local shops, so I parallel park and head in.

I meander through the small shop, enjoying the different displays that have clearly been created with care. I’m not sure if Omegas are big on scents, but there is a space near the back with scented soaps and lotions, sealed up so the Omegas won’t get overwhelmed. Each one has a scent sample, though, which is smart if you ask me. Finding myself in the pajama section, I see an oversized fluffy robe.

My hand reaches out to feel it, and I almost purr at the texture. Keeping my instincts firmly reined in, I make sure that the inside is as soft as the outside. I’m a little disappointed that it’s not quite as soft. As I glance around the shop, I see an extremely fluffy, oversized blanket. There are a few sizes, so I make sure I get the largest size they have. Josie’s tall, and she’s no stick figure, which honestly turns me on more. Having a large blanket will hopefully satisfy her Omega desire to be snug and small.

Snatching it off the rack, I take my prize to the checkout desk and accept the offer of wrapping it in a box. The box is gently placed in a bag, and I swipe my card before heading back to my car. I’m not sure when Ray’s next appointment is, so I’ll keep it in my room until I look it up. Next time I see her, she’s gettingthis gift. My inner Alpha puffs his chest up, loving the idea of providing something to her.

It’s a nice day today, so I drop the box in my car, make sure it’s locked, and start walking down the sidewalk toward a new cafe that opened. There have been good reviews online, and it’s nice to try new things sometimes. I have a favorite shop already, but if these guys are better, I’ll have a new favorite. Never know until you try. Once I’m in front of the café, I peer in the windows before opening the door and walking in. It’s decently busy in here, not a huge line, but it looks like they have a steady flow of customers.

The baristas are smiling but busy and have an air of concentration about them. Customers who are seated chat with each other comfortably, and everyone seems at ease here. Other coffee shops have customers who tend to be quiet and keep to themselves, but the socialization is almost encouraged here. Nobody is sitting with a book or a computer and avoiding the crowd. When I reach the employee taking orders, I put in for my latte and a hot chocolate, extra hot.

“You don’t need to check the feedback boxes every ten minutes,” I hear a deep voice near me say.

A sigh comes next, “I just want to know if people are enjoying themselves.”

“Clearly they are, Vic,” the first voice chuckles.

“Sorry, I’m just so excited!” Vic, as the first voice named him, says.

Something about their voices intrigues me enough that I turn to them. Both of them are tall with black hair like me, which almost makes me chuckle. Their combined scents of vanilla, orange, and sandalwood call to me. I’m not sure which of them carries each scent, but the combination is delicious. Typically, men don’t do it for me, but there’s something about their combined scents that piques my interest.

One of them looks over my way and pauses for a moment, his slicked-back hair falling around his face, refusing to cooperate with his style. A smile appears on his face, and his eyes flick from his companion, then back to me. The other guy turns a bit more, so I can see his face, and there’s a small scar running through his right eyebrow. It gives him an almost roguish look. I lift my hand in a small wave, accepting that I’ve been caught looking.

The guy with the scar gives me a tight smile and a nod, but the other one comes over to me and offers his hand. His subtle Sandalwood scent reaches me and helps me identify who owns each scent, and that he’s a Beta. His scent is too soft to be anything else. I take his hand in mine, noting he’s not a Match. There’s still something that draws me in, though.

“Hey, I’m Victor, Vic for short.”

“Henry, no nickname,” I reply with a grin.

Vic grins back at me, seemingly pleased with my response.

“First time here?” he asks.

“Yup, saw an ad for it and figured I’d stop by. Just got done at a local store, and my little sister wanted a hot chocolate, so here I am.”

“You went all this way for your sister? That’s nice.”

I chuckle, “It wasn’t far out of the way and I got myself a caffeine boost, so it’s not an entirely altruistic visit.”

Vic turns to look at the other guy and signals him to come over. To his credit, he obliges while looking unhappy, but not rudely so. Mentally, I peg him as a guy who likes his space and only opens up for his people.

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