Page 74 of Knot So Fast
"I love you lots," I tell her, meaning every word. "Thank you for doing this. I know the risk you're taking."
"Anything to help you make a grand entrance back into the racing world," Rory says with a wink that's pure mischief. "Of course, if you get disowned by your parents after this stunt, just know my parents will happily adopt you. They fucking love rebellion. Pretty sure it's a family requirement at this point."
I groan, running my gloved hand over my face.
"Of course they do. They have their daughter literally dressed up as a boy in the racing world, trying not to get all smitten with her all-male team who are probably dying to fuck the apparent 'male' Omega on their crew."
Rory throws her head back and laughs, the sound bright and genuine despite our tense situation. "Beta," shecorrects, pointing at herself with exaggerated innocence. "I'm a Beta, remember? Completely harmless. No threatening Omega pheromones here. Just good old reliable Beta energy."
I roll my eyes so hard I'm surprised they don't fall out of my head.
"Those pheromones you're suppressing are NOT harmless in the slightest. I've seen the way your team looks at you sometimes, like they can sense something's off but can't quite put their finger on it. One day those suppressants are going to fail and then what?"
Before Rory can respond, a third voice cuts through our bickering.
"You two better hurry up and get this show rolling, because I can't stall them with my disabled ass for much longer."
We turn to see Wren rolling in with her custom wheelchair, looking like a queen surveying her kingdom. Her shoulder-length dark hair catches the light, the orange highlights creating a sunset effect that perfectly matches her fiery personality. Her matching star crescent tattoo is prominently displayed, no hiding it like Rory does. Wren's never hidden from anything in her life, and her recent accident that left her paralyzed from the waist down hasn't changed that.
"Listen," I say, adjusting my helmet under my arm, "they're not supposed to be judging you in this day and age. That's discrimination if they do, and you could sue their asses into next century."
Wren laughs, but it's sharp and knowing.
"Bitch, this is the preliminaries of one of the most thriving racing competitions in the world. They don't give a fuck about rights or appearances unless it's good PR. Why else do you think they're letting me use the bathroom in this specific restricted area? One wrong move, one complaint from the wealthy Omegain the wheelchair, and their careers are over. I'm a walking—excuse me, rolling—PR nightmare waiting to happen."
"That's true," I admit, feeling the familiar surge of protectiveness for my friends. "Especially for us Omegas. They'll do anything to look good in the limelight after years of excluding us. Now suddenly we're essential to the sport? Please. It's all about the money and the optics."
"Enough philosophy," Rory interjects, pulling a small pillbox from her pocket. "Are you ready for this?"
When I nod, trying to project more confidence than I feel, she offers me the box. The pills inside are small, innocuous-looking white tablets that could be anything from aspirin to something far more interesting.
"What's this for?" I ask, examining them with curiosity.
"If everything starts to get blurry and unfocused, or if you're on the verge of going full panic mode, take one of these," Rory explains, her tone suddenly serious. "It'll calm you the fuck down. Fair warning though—might make you a bit horny, but YOLO, right?"
"YOLO?" Wren groans from her wheelchair, sounding physically pained by the outdated reference. "Girl, at least you're not near your on-and-off ex-boyfriend, playboy disaster Lucius. Which, by the way, I still don't like his ass. Did you see how 'loyal' he's being, surrounded by all those girls in that announcement this morning? Fucking disgraceful."
I smirk, tucking the pillbox into a secure pocket in my suit.
"We're not official or anything. If he wants to fuck everyone and their auntie for show, he can. His choice. Just gotta keep doing those annoying STD tests because I'm not contracting anything from his wandering dick."
Rory's jaw drops, her eyes widening comically.
"He actually takes the tests?"
"Yup," I confirm with satisfaction. "I force him. If he doesn't come with an updated one from the official medical office, stamped and dated within the last two weeks, we don't fuck. He knows I don't play with that shit. Loss of memory or not, my health comes first."
Wren and Rory exchange a look that speaks volumes, both whistling low under their breath.
"Oh yeah," Wren says with a knowing grin, "this fucker is madly in love with you. No Alpha, especially not one with Lucius's reputation, would submit to regular STD testing just for casual sex."
"Or he's just really in love with her pussy," Rory adds with a mischievous glint in her eye. "Who knows? Maybe it's magical. Maybe it grants wishes or something."
"Oh my god," I groan, feeling heat rush to my face. "I'm leaving. Right now. Before you two start writing erotic fiction about my apparently magical vagina."
I start walking toward the garage exit, but Wren's voice stops me. "Do you really think your parents are going to disown you for this?"
I pause, the weight of that possibility settling over me like a heavy blanket. When I shrug, trying for nonchalance, I know neither of them is buying it.
