Page 33 of Their Perfect Omega

Me:Sounds like your next hit single. Spunk In The Bunk.

Alvaro:Gross. We are being called for sound check. Want to know the surprise or actually be surprised?

Cal:Tate just had to open his big mouth, didn’t he? I vote for a surprise.

Me:I like your surprises, so I don’t think you should tell me. Just knowing there’s a surprise will help me make it through the rest of today.

There was a knock at my door, and I quickly swiveled around and put my phone screen down on my desk. “Come in.”

It wasn’t long ago I was a student, so it felt a bit weird speaking to other omegas that I once passed in the halls or sat next to in the dining room as an authority figure.

Blair Connor walked in, not even looking the slightest bit concerned about why I had scheduled a meeting with her. The academy had only been in session a few weeks and she was already failing Advanced Pack Conflict Resolution. From what I saw in her file, this had been an issue since she started at Elite Omega Academy and now she was in her final year.

“Have a seat.” I pulled up her test results on my laptop and moved it so we could both look at it.”How are you doing this afternoon?”

With a heavy sigh, she flopped down in a chair across from me and dropped her bag dramatically on the seat next to her. “Can we make this quick?”

In a way, she reminded me of how Kayla used to be, but a little more extreme. “Well, that’s up to you. I wanted to go over the test questions with you and make sure you understand the material. This year is a very import-”

“Important year, blah blah blah.” She scooted the chair, so her knees were against the front of the desk and put her elbows on the top. She tucked her pink hair behind her ears and rested her fists on her cheeks. “Let’s just go over the questions.”

I clicked on the first one to bring up her response. The first unit had been short, and I’d given the same short answer test the regular instructor did. Out of the hundred omegas I had in my five classes, Blair had scored the lowest.

“Do you have your notes with you?” I wanted to try to figure out why she had the lowest percentage in all of her classes over the years, even if they were just general education. She was barely passing, and there had to be a way to improve her scores.

She huffed and grabbed her bag, pulling out a spiral notebook and opening it to a page full of intricately drawn squiggles. “Before you try to lecture me on how to take notes, I know how, and I don’t need them.”

“I think with just a little note taking, it will help with studying for exams. With the match at the end of the school year, you’ll want to have your grades be as high as possible to appeal to packs.” I was trying to put things as gently as possible. Packs might be enamored with her at first, but once they saw her poor academic record, they might change their minds.

She sat back in the chair, crossing her arms over her chest. “How did all of your perfect little grades work out for you? It’s not worth the time or effort.”

Ouch.

I sat up straighter and decided not to respond to her jab. If I’d learned anything in my life, it was that those that hurt others usually were hurting themselves. It wasn’t an excuse, but reacting would give her satisfaction.

“We are given one chance to choose how to spend our time and efforts. I know you can do better than answering a question about conflict resolution with ‘kick them in the balls and lock them out of the nest.’ You have to at least have them please you first.” I had to admit, I did laugh when I read her answers on the test.

The tiniest of smiles peeked through but fell as quickly as it appeared. “What would you do if all of your choices were taken away from you?”

“Aren’t they already?” Even I wasn’t brainwashed enough to see that omegas were left with very few choices besides the list of packs they got to put on their match applications.

“You have the choice of packs. You might not have matched, but you chose the packs, and they chose you. When you finally do have a pack, you’ll get to choose if you work, your heat schedule, if you want children.” She looked past me and out the window. “I don’t get those choices.”

“Are you in trouble, Blair?” I asked softly.

She shrugged, and the shield was back over her emotions. “There are few things I can control, but while I’m here, I can control the color of my hair, how I dress, and the grades I get. None of it will matter when spring match rolls around and decisions have already been made for you.”

“Are you trying to say that someone is going to decide what pack you match with for you?” My heart beat a little faster. It was illegal to tamper with match results or force a match decision against an omega’s will.

“My whole life has been decided for me, Kara.”She stood, grabbing her notebook and shoving it into her bag. “Just... let me have my time to rebel before I’m forced back into my cage.”

“You can go to OPS. They’ll-”

“Fuck.” She put both her hands on the desk and leaned forward, causing me to lean back. Her cheeks were tinged pink, and her brown eyes were wide. “You can’t say a word. It’s not just about me. Promise me, please.”

“Are you going to be in danger, though?” I couldn’t promise anything when she looked like she either was about ready to burst into tears or wring my neck.

“No more danger than anyone doing Omega Match.” She stood up and put the strap of her bag over her shoulder. “I shouldn’t have vented to you. I’m sorry.”

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