Page 6 of Knot So Perfect Omega

She shook her head. “The best packs match in the spring.”

“Maybe this was a mistake and you did match.”

With a shaky sigh, she scooped her phone up and wiped her cheeks. “You’re right. Let’s go see the dean. It’s probably just a glitch. Maybe I matched with several in a tie and need to pick.”

Matching didn’t work like that, but I’d go along with it for now. “Definitely a glitch. Technology these days; you can’t trust it.”

She stopped at the door, nearly causing me to run into her. “Wait, which pack did you match with?”

I bit my lip and looked at my shoes. “I opted out.”

I could feel her eyes boring into me as she silently stood there. “Mom is going to be upset.”

“Well, that sounds like a her problem and not a me problem.” I shrugged even though my sister’s comment made me want to scream.

I loved my mom and valued her opinions, but we always seemed to walk on eggshells around her in order to not upset her. It had gotten worse since we emerged as omegas. Our designations made us much more vulnerable, and she wanted us protected at all costs.

I felt like an asshole for my thoughts and inwardly smacked myself. It might have been over a decade since my father passed away, but my family’s grief was still fresh. A pack bond is something that doesn’t quite fully recover from a death; like a crumpled-up piece of paper that’s still wrinkled, even when you attempt to smooth it out.

With her head down, Kara grabbed her sweater, opened the door, and walked into the hall where we could hear the celebrations down in the common room. I looped my arm through hers, and we walked as quickly as possible down the stairs and past the common room that had comfortable seating, a large fireplace, and a television.

There were four dorm buildings at our academy, each housing a year. We stayed in the same building all four years, and next year, an incoming class would take our place. It had been my home away from home, and I hated to admit it, but the comfort of leaving it made me anxious.

I was sure those that were going to packs weren’t anxious, though, judging from the excitement in the air as we slipped by unnoticed. Once we were outside, we both let out a collective sigh of relief; Kara because it was obvious from her tear-stained face that Omega Match hadn’t gone her way, and me because I didn’t want to hear about the heat plans of my friends.

We walked across the courtyard and past the other dorms to the administration building. It was a bit chilly, and I shoved my hands in my hooded sweatshirt pocket. It might have been May, but it was cold in the mornings.

The administration building loomed ahead, three stories tall with red brick and windows reflecting the gray sky. A security guard opened the door for us, sympathy on his face as he nodded to me, assuming we were there for me. There was only one reason you’d come to the administrative building on match day; if you didn’t match.

“What if this isn’t a mistake?” Kara whispered as we took the elevator to the third floor.

I took her hand in mine. “Like I said, maybe there was a reason you didn’t match.”

“I should have put down Beckett Thomas’s pack.” She sniffled and froze in place when the door dinged and slid open. “I don’t know if I can handle this.”

“I’m here for you Care Bear.” I squeezed her hand and led her out of the elevator into the reception area.

There was a lot of activity with phones ringing and people rushing around, no doubt fielding phone calls from students, parents, and packs. The academy had nothing to do with the match results, but they were responsible for arranging moving to our new pack houses. Those who didn’t match would stay a few more weeks before moving to an omega compound of their choice.

“Ah, the Sterling twins. What can I help you with?” The secretary was simultaneously writing something on a sticky note, typing something on her computer, and looking at us with a smile as we approached the reception desk.

“Can we please speak to the dean? I know she’s probably swamped right now, but we really need to speak to her about Kara’s match results.” Kara was shaking, and I held her hand tighter. “We’ll wait if we have to.”

“Let me check here...” She finished her two tasks and then picked up her phone. “Kara Sterling would like to speak to you if you’re available... perfect! Go right on back, ladies.”

My phone buzzed in my back pocket as we walked down the long hallway to the dean’s office, and I pulled it out. My mom was calling, no doubt to see what packs we had matched to.

“She’s probably freaking out because I didn’t call her right when the match results were sent. I left my phone in my room.” Kara knocked on the partially opened office door before entering. “Ms. Monroe, thank you so much for seeing me on such short notice.”

The dean smiled at us, although the smiles she gave never quite reached her eyes. Ella Monroe was the youngest dean in the history of the academy system, being thirty years of age. None of us really knew her story, but judging by the sadness in her eyes, it wasn’t good.

“Not a problem at all.” She folded her hands on her desk, giving my sister a knowing look. “I’m sorry the match didn’t work out for you this time around. There’s always the fall or waiting until next spring. Sometimes the timing is just not right. It doesn’t mean you’re any less of a wonderful person and a perfect omega for a pack.” She spoke with sincerity, as if she wasn’t just saying the words to pacify my sister.

“But...” My sister cleared her throat and wiped at a wayward tear. “It has to be a mistake.”

“I looked over all the match results before they went out. While I was a little surprised, you have to remember that it’s not just our academy vying for the packs, but all omegas who are looking for a pack. Meeting the packs isn’t required, so a given pack might have over a hundred omegas with that pack in their top spot and if they put even one of them before you, they’d match.”

Basically, the system calculated scores based on where you ranked a pack. So, if Kara put a pack third and they put her fourth, that would be a score of seven. If another omega put that same pack second and they put her fifth, that would also be a seven and then the highest omega score would match to the pack.

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