Page 88 of Knot Our Reality

Reginald leans off the stage, taking something from Tessa before joining us. “Don’t worry, we’ll cut this part out.” He sprays scent-blocking spray over both omegas and in the surrounding air before stepping away.

Once I finish waving the mist out of my face, I see both omegas are much clearer-eyed.

“Thank you.” Camden leans down and brushes his lips against hers before coming back to join me.

I squeeze his hand. “I’m happy for you.”

“Wilder, while you and I don’t share the same connection between us, I don’t think that’s a bad thing. It means that it isn’t all hormones and fate ruling us as I fall for you. We may not quite be there yet, but I know we will be. It would be an honor if you’d be the second member of my pack.”

I blink at her, not sure I heard her correctly. At least not until Camden digs his elbow into my side.

“Don’t leave her hanging, alpha.”

“Shit. Sorry. I didn’t…I wasn’t…” Giving up on words, I step forward and take the rose from her. I brush my lips against hers as happiness floods through me from both Camden and myself. “Thank you for choosing us.”

She nods. “Of course. Would the two of you remain on stage with me for the rest of the ceremony, please?”

Camden immediately nods. “It’ll be our pleasure.”

He takes Emilia’s hand, and I move to stand behind them. Any remaining tension in Emilia falls away as she nods to Reginald.

“Okay, now that Emilia decided to go out of order, I feel like I need to mix things up, too.” He chuckles at the glare Emilia shoots his way. “I’m joking. I wouldn’t do that to you. Next, Emilia would like to invite Bradley and Malik to the stage. If the two of you will join us on stage, please.”

Now that I’m behind her, I get a clear look at the roses in the vase and realize someone is about to have a terrible night.

“Hello,” Emilia says softly. “I feel like when I first met the two of you, I’d never been more comfortable with anyone in my life. But it seems like both of you withdrew as time passed. I don’t feel like I’ve gotten a chance to get to know either of you better than I did in the first few days you arrived. Because of that, I’ve decided to send both of you home ahead of meeting my children.”

Her sigh is heavy when she takes the two black roses from the vase and offers them to Malik and Bradley. “I don’t know what went wrong, but if I did something to cause the distance between us, then I apologize.”

“You didn’t do anything, Emilia,” Bradley assures her. “The longer I’ve been here, the more time I’ve had to think about it, and I’m never going to find what I’m looking for onHeated. I should’ve talked to you about it, and for that, I’m sorry.”

Emilia offers him a soft smile. “It’s okay. I understand. I hope you find what you’re looking for, Bradley.”

“And I hope you find the perfect pack.” He takes the rose and kisses her cheek before leaving the stage.

Malik doesn’t look happy, but he also doesn’t look surprised. He shakes his head and takes the black rose. “I also should have talked to you instead of acting like a child. There’s no excuse for my behavior, but if you’d like me to explain, I can.”

“I’d love to understand, if you don’t mind.”

“When you confirmed that you and Camden were an omega pair, I made a realization of my own. I don’t want a pack with two omegas—especially not a pair. I already know when I become part of a pack, I will have to share my omega’s affections with other alphas and possibly betas. But the connections between omegas like you share?

“That’s something completely different. It’s something you’ll only ever share with an omega. It’s not something an alpha or a beta can understand. What the two of you share is beautiful, but it is also something I can’t have. I know it’s selfish, but I don’t want my omega to have a bond with someone that I can’t also have. Am I even making sense?”

Emilia nods slowly. “I wouldn’t call you selfish, Malik. I’d say you’ve learned what you want out of a pack and an omega. I can’t offer that to you, but I’m glad you know now.”

“I’m surprised this is just now coming up,” Camden says slowly. “Wasn’t there an omega pair in your first season?”

“There was, and I felt irrationally jealous of their relationship. At the time, I didn’t understand it.” He chuckles with a shake of his head. “Hell, I didn’t understand it until just this week. I’m very sorry for how I behaved and any hurt I caused. I wish both of you the best in completing your pack.”

Then, he too, exits the stage, stopping beside Bradley.

“That was unexpected,” Reginald says, breaking the silence that follows.

Emilia and Camden both try to hold in their laughter at his droll tone but fail.

“It seems that nothing is going the way I expected tonight to go,” Emilia says softly. “But isn’t that what these shows are all about? For those of you who may have forgotten, Christmas is on Friday, so we’ll be forgoing the Monday group hangout.

“For the remaining eleven of you, I have lavender roses for each of you. The dates will take place Monday through Thursday, with Hawk and Jasper joining us. We’ll do a group activity and then we’ll go shopping—because we’re doing a Secret Santa! Surprise!”

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