Page 26 of Knot Your Karma
By the time I’m done, Destiny is grinning like Christmas morning. “Did I mention he also fed me?”
“Good for you,” she says, raising her mug in a mock toast. “That sounds absolutely perfect.”
“Perfect? Destiny, I basically threw myself at a stranger!” I gesture wildly with my coffee cup, nearly splashing Destiny. “Who I’d never met before today! Who caught me falling off a ladder and then somehow ended up with his face six inches from mine and I wanted to kiss him so badly I forgot how to breathe!”
“You didn’t throw yourself at a stranger. You had chemistry with someone who caught you in a scary moment, and you almost acted on it like a normal, healthy omega.” She sips her spiked coffee, her expression serious but supportive. “This is good news,Mija. After Blake’s bullshit, you deserve someone who makes you feel like you’re worth wanting.”
“Someone, singular. Not multiple someones!” My voice goes up slightly, and I glance around to make sure the coffeeshop is still empty. “Normal omegas don’t want multiple partners!”
Destiny slides the Bailey’s bottle across the table without being asked. “Mija, your definition of normal is deeply flawed. Tell me about the multiple someones situation.”
I pour another splash into my coffee and try to organize my thoughts. “Pack life is still new. My mom had one mate. One who left her for an omega. My Grandma Rose, had one mate.”
“You live in a world where pack dynamics are completely normal,” Destiny continues, leaning forward. “Multiple partners with one omega isn’t weird, it’s a hot Friday night.”
When Destiny sayspack dynamics, the word makes me sit up straighter in the booth. I don’t mean to—my spine just straightens like someone called my name. My pulse quickens, and something low in my stomach flutters with want.
“But I’m attracted to both of them. Differently, but equally. And I almost kissed Reed even though I kissed Declan. Is that... is that normal?”
“Honey, you’re a late-blooming omega who’s still figuring out what you want. Maybe your instincts are telling you that you need more than one partner. Maybe you’re built for pack life.”
“Or maybe I’m just broken and defective and that’s why I can’t pick one person like a normal omega.” The words come out smaller than I intended, and I press my palms flat against the table.
“Or maybe you’re perfectly fine and you just happen to be compatible with multiple people.” Destiny reaches across and squeezes my hand, her warm touch immediately soothing. “Listen to me—you’re not collecting pack members like Pokémon cards. You’re responding to people who make you feel good about yourself.”
“Even if what I want is... complicated?”
“Especially if what you want is complicated. The bestthings usually are. And honey, after Blake made you think you weren’t enough for one person, maybe the universe is showing you that you’re actually enough for three.”
I take a long drink of my spiked coffee and try to process this. The wordpackkeeps echoing in my head, and every time it does, something in my chest loosens like a knot finally being untied.
“Reed mentioned there’s a third one. Adrian.”
“And you’re worried about being attracted to him too?”
“I’m terrified I’ll be attracted to him too, and also terrified I won’t be, and also terrified about what it means if I am.” I start tearing the fresh napkin into strips. “What if my omega brain just completely short-circuits and I end up doing something even more embarrassing than falling off a ladder?”
“Then you’ll deal with it. Like you dealt with Declan’s intensity and Reed’s charm.”
“This is insane. Two days ago I was single and focusing on my business. Now I’m apparently collecting gorgeous men like they’re limited-edition antiques, and I can’t even follow through on kissing all of them.”
“You’re not collecting anything. You’re responding to people you’re compatible with. Dare I say a scent match.” Destiny’s expression becomes more serious. “The question is, what are you going to do about it?”
My breath catches. Scent match. The words hit me like a physical blow, and I have to grip the edge of the counter to steady myself. Because that’s what this is, isn’t it? Not just attraction or chemistry or whatever I’ve been telling myself. A scent match. The thing I thought I’d never have after Blake destroyed everything.
“Don’t.” My voice comes out sharper than I intended. “Don’t call it that.”
“Karma—”
“A scent match is supposed to be rare. Special. Something that happens once in a lifetime if you’re lucky.” I press myhand to my chest, but I can’t ease the tight knot that’s been there since meeting Declan.
Destiny just hums at me, not buying my bullshit.
“Which brings me to my next question,” Destiny says, her voice taking on that protective edge that means she’s shifting into problem-solving mode. “What’s the update on the compass situation? Because last time we talked, you were about to be exposed by a black-market dealer who sounded like she’d sell her own grandmother for the right price.”
Right. The compass. The actual crisis that started all of this.
That’s a better focus than anything scent match related.
