Page 11 of Knot So Perfect Omega

I had to bite my tongue from saying something else and followed him into the garage. “Hey, wait. My bag is in the back of the car.”

“I’ll let you in and then grab it for you.” He put a code in the door leading into the house and it opened into a space that had two large sectionals, a bar area, a giant television, and an all-glass wall looking out onto a lap pool and greenery. “I’ll give you a code to get in and out, and that sets the alarm and disarms it.”

“Is this the ocean and city views?” I gestured to the pool and outside area.

The room was cozier than the outside but was still mostly shiny stone and dark colors. At least the couches looked comfortable.

“This is the ground floor. Why don’t you explore while I grab your bag?” He went back out into the garage, leaving me standing there in awe of the space.

Down a short hallway to the left was the gym, which was practically the size of the one back at the academy. There were four treadmills and bikes, all the weight equipment four athletes could possibly imagine, and a glass sauna that looked out over it all.

I took my phone out and snapped a picture, sending it to Kara. She’d wanted pictures of their house, and I certainly was going to give them to her.

It was no wonder Brian and Beckett’s conversation had been so flippant about sending an omega back if they didn’t work out. A hundred grand was a drop in the bucket to these guys, and the tiny part of me that felt guilty for what I was doing decreased to just a tendril.

On the other side of the gym was another hallway that led to the opposite side of the entertainment space. The place was gigantic, and I could only imagine how many square feet it was if there were still two more stories.

Down another hallway, there was a movie viewing room with tiered recliners and loveseats in front of a massive screen and a guest suite. Brian still wasn’t back inside yet, so I went to the wide staircase leading up to the main level and had to pick my jaw up off the floor as I took in the view out the floor-to-ceiling windows.

The main living space was large, with a sitting area, an electric fireplace spanning a wall between the living room and the dining room, and a kitchen barely visible through the dining area.

But the dark colors and geometric elements of the space weren’t what I was focused on. The view was of the Los Angeles skyline, which was turning a faint pink as the sun began to lower in the sky.

I went to the large windows which were telescopic sliding doors that opened across the width of the entire wall. My first thought was of how many bugs and birds must fly in through it when it was open.

The outside wasn’t exactly a yard, more of a giant patio with an infinity pool reaching to the edge, where it looked like it dropped right off the side of the hill we were on. It was amazing, and I found myself walking to one of the lounge chairs outside to sit and enjoy the view.

“It’s quite the view, isn’t it?” I jumped as Brian came to stand beside the lounger. “This is your home now too. They want you to make it your own.”

I glanced up at him, annoyed he had ruined my moment of peace and even more suspicious because he seemed to have changed his tune. Why did he sound nice all of a sudden?

“It’s a party house.” I looked back out at the skyline. “I’d hardly call this an ocean view, by the way.”

He shoved his hands in his pockets and stood there for a minute that lasted what felt like ten. “I left passcodes, cell phone numbers, and the pack credit card on the kitchen counter. If you need anything, call me first before you call or text the pack. They are pretty busy these next few days and don’t need to worry about how you’re settling in. Buy what you need to build a nest. Anywhere would be suitable.”

“Wait, that’s it? You’re just leaving me here in this giant house with a credit card? What if I need to go somewhere?” I stood, a sudden panic welling up inside me out of nowhere.

“There’s a list of omega services on the counter. The credit card has a large credit line, so don’t worry about cost. They will spare no expense when it comes to making you comfortable and happy.” He started walking toward the house, and I grabbed his sleeve, a whimper threatening to embarrass the hell out of me in front of him.

“Are you sure this wasn’t a mistake? You were standing right there when Beckett and I got into it.” I watched his face carefully, but the guy didn’t let any hint of his feelings peek through.

He stepped back from my hold, his eyes not leaving mine. “It surprised me just as much as it probably surprised you. I really need to go. You’ll be fine. You’re an Elite Omega Academy graduate. You should be able to handle setting yourself up.”

And with those departing words, he left me in a giant house that made me feel more alone than I’d ever felt.

CHAPTERFIVE

Rio

There was so much excitement in our car as our driver zoomed along the highway, the traffic light since it was nearly midnight. Not only had we won our Alphaball game and sealed our position in the playoffs, but we’d just landed a deal with United Alpha Sports, making our athleticwear line the official gear with an initial payment of a quarter of a billion dollars.

How was this our lives?

Things hadn’t always been so good for our pack. We’d all really been into sports and easily bonded with each other through our college years. It had taken a lot of hard work to work our way into the professional league, and we’d only really come out as a top contender in the last few years.

And now everything was about to change with the addition of an omega. The timing was all wrong, but sometimes good things came when we least expected or wanted them. We’d been so focused on our careers and building a solid pack foundation, for the longest time we hadn’t even entertained the idea of adding an omega.

But we needed one.

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