Page 9 of Knot Gonna Lie
My stomach tightened. Somewhere in that flood of information could be the answer I needed. Or the confirmation I was afraid of.
“Coco Pharma,” she began, her voice taking on the cadence of an educator sharing knowledge, “is one of the leading pharmaceutical companies in the galaxy. They specialize in omega comfort medications—advanced suppressants, heat regulation therapy, nesting comfort enhancers. Their research has revolutionized omega care, making heat cycles more manageable and giving omegas more control over their reproductive timing.”
She scrolled through more information, her expression growing impressed despite her earlier skepticism.
“They’ve also pioneered alpha stability medications, helping prevent the madness that comes from prolonged omega separation. Their mission statement focuses on ‘bringing dignityand choice to all gender presentations.’ They employ more betas in leadership positions than any other major corporation, and they’ve funded the construction of three omega sanctuary stations currently being built beyond Syzygy.”
“Wait—so he’s not just wealthy?” I murmured slowly, still trying to process the new information. “He’s part of an organization that actually helps people like me.”
“It appears so,” Quinn admitted, though caution still colored her tone. “But Elara, you must understand—companies can present beautiful facades while hiding darker truths. And more importantly, corporate ethics don’t guarantee personal character.”
I closed my eyes, trying to separate the threads of desire weaving through my consciousness. The memory of Mr. Coco’s scent still lingered, but was it the scent I craved, or the safety he’d represented? The protection he’d offered? The way he’d treated me like something precious rather than something to be claimed?
“Find him,” I said finally, my voice steady despite the fire building in my veins. “Ask him to register for my roster. But Quinn…” I met her eyes, seeing my own uncertainty reflected in their depths. “Make sure he understands that I want the choice to be genuine. Not just biology. Not just heat. If he agrees to stand in that arena tomorrow, I want it to be because he’s interested in me, not just any omega in need.”
Quinn nodded, understanding passing between us. “And if your heat arrives before the ceremony?”
I looked toward my window, where space stretched infinite and dark, filled with possibilities I couldn’t yet imagine.
“Then I’ll face whatever comes with whatever clarity I can maintain,” I said softly. “But I won’t let fear of my own biology rob me of the chance to choose wisely.”
CHAPTER FIVE
LUCA
“I still don’t understand why you had to buy that omega those pieces.” Stella’s dagger scraped against the laser file in sharp, irritated strokes. She’d pulled her fiery curls into a severe ponytail, and the air crackled with cinnamon-laced pineapple tartness—a sure sign of her displeasure. “You could’ve just walked away.”
“Something compelled me.” I crossed my arms and studied my clan gathered around the mess table. The tension hung thick as the ship’s hull plating. Only Seth seemed unbothered by my spending, while Maia and Xavier wore matching frowns. The others—Jaxom, Sylas, and Tobias—maintained their usual poker faces.
“Her gamma had everything under control.” Each scrape of Stella’s psyblade punctuated her words like hammer blows. “You always play hero when nobody asked. This is Syzygy Station—the safest place in the galaxy for an omega. Owen would’ve backed down the moment station enforcers arrived.”
Heat flared in my chest. “You’d sit there and watch a female omega get harassed? Do nothing while some desperate alpha ruins what should be her special day?” I challenged, gritting my teeth as I tried to get control of the surge of protectiveness that coursed through my veins.
The words erupted with more force than intended. My crew jerked back, necks exposed in automatic submission. The metallic scent of fear leaked into the air.
I gripped the table edge and forced my breathing to slow. Control. Always control.
“I don’t care if she was a stranger. Owen violated something sacred—turning her joy into fear for his own gratification. The least I could do was try to fix what he broke.” My gaze found Stella’s defiant green eyes. “You’ve never questioned me before. Since you’re making this particular event into some grand conspiracy, let me clarify a few things. Those credits came from my personal account—not the company’s, not the clan’s. My money, my choice. If you have a problem with how I run things aboard my ship, you’re free to find another clan.”
The silence stretched taut as a vacuum.
“I have no problem with what you did.” Seth’s quiet voice cut through the tension. My medic rarely spoke during group discussions, preferring observation to confrontation. His delicate features and long brown hair often led strangers to mistake him for an omega—a comparison that never failed to set his teeth on edge. “If you hadn’t intervened, I would’ve alerted station enforcers myself. Alphas like Owen need to learn their place.”
“Keanu could request to stand alone if he wanted,” Tobias muttered, rolling his eyes. “But both twins insist they should share everything.”
“Little is known about alpha twins.” Seth’s medic training kicked in, clinical and precise, eying his older brother. “Most killeach other before puberty—survival instinct overriding sibling bonds. That’s why they’re raised separately now.”
Jaxom lifted his glass of hard liquor—a treat from our station excursion. “Imagine being murdered by the person who shared your mother’s womb. How did you manage growing up with Eli? Two alphas under one roof seems impossible.”
“Eli and I established boundaries early.” I ran fingers through my hair, the familiar topic helping my tension ease and stepped away from the table. I knew the reason my scent was rolling off me in waves was that I was still keyed up from the confrontation—thanks to Stella. I needed to get a hold of myself before my crew started to believe that I’d become unhinged by an unmated omega I would probably never see again. “We took Father’s company and expanded it, then split into two entities. Clean divisions, mutual respect. He handles planetside operations, I run the shipping. Neither of us trusts anyone else with what matters most.”
“Don’t you ever wish you could own a plot of land on one of the newly established exotic planets?” Maia glanced up from her tablet, engineering stylus pressed to her lips. “The clan has enough credits to purchase a nice suite at one of those new resorts that have become popular lately. Or we could get a condo on one of those dome space stations.”
“I haven’t brought up how much we have accumulated yet, because I didn’t know if we would need it for an emergency or…” I stopped, unwilling to voice what everyone already knew. Our clan lacked the one thing that made wealth meaningful—an omega to share it with.
And part of the problem wasme.
I hadn’t gotten around to registering myself for The Den and signing up for the available rosters. I’d been too focused on building the company—on making it work.
