Page 17 of Knot All that Glitters: Part 1

“Oh, I know,” she says, turning to the alpha next to him. “And you’re Creed.”

Creed grunts his response and doesn’t bother with the niceties of shaking her hand. He’s still staring over our heads. I glance around and find Jude and Tic heading our way, their business with the alpha finished.

Hale cups my elbow, bringing my attention forward. “Come on, omega,” he murmurs, urging me up the stairs. “Let’s get you and your friend a drink.”

“Oh, yes, please,” Ren says before I can respond. She loops her arm through mine, effectively knocking his hand away, and pulls me up the stairs with her, leaning close to whisper. “I don’t know what voodoo you cast over those men, but good god, Haven, teach me your ways.”

I frown and look over at her. “I don’t know what you mean.”

She laughs. “Sure. You have an entire pack panting after you, getting all possessive over you after what? One conversation? I’ve never had a pack respond to me even remotely like that.”

My brow furrows as we make it to the top of the stairs and enter the VIP area. It’s both a relief and a detriment. There’s fewer people, and that feels better, safer for my omega. But since there are less people, faces are more easily recognizable, more memorable. And the VIP section is the type of place my father’s supporters would hang out.

Though everyone knows The Market is owned by the Falcone pack and they’ve loudly denounced him and his beliefs, so the likelihood of any of his supporters being here is slim. Still, I let my hair fall forward, hiding my face as the alphas urge us over to a table, and get us seated. “What do you want to drink, little mouse?” Hale asks. “Champagne?”

It’s a guess, and a good one, considering when I’m with my father in public—which is almost whenever I’m in public—Idrink champagne or wine. But honestly, I’m not a fan of either. It’s just what my father thinks I should drink in order to not seem like an omega who usually favor sweeter drinks.

“I’ll have a Bee’s Knees.” It’s one of their signature cocktails and it’s a delicious blend of lavender honey, lemon and vodka. Just the right amount of sweet.

If he’s surprised, he doesn’t show it, turning his attention to Ren, like a gentleman.

Ren asks for the same as she slides into the booth, ignoring the hungry looks being thrown her way from the table of older alphas next to us. I swear she doesn’t even notice them. For all that Ren says she wants a pack—and I know she does—she doesn’t seem to be hunting for one.

I think she’s secretly hoping that she’ll run into her scent match pack someday, and that’s why she doesn’t pursue any other avenues for finding one, like the scent clinics. Though that would be the best way to find a scent match.

I slide in next to her, and Tic moves like he’s going to sit next to me, but Jude shoves him out of the way. “Nope, not today Satan!” he laughs. “My spot!”

“Jude don’t be a dick,” Creed mutters, sliding in on the other side of the circular booth, but not getting too close to Ren. I don’t know if he’s making a point with it? Or if he’s just lazy.

“Not being a dick.” He drapes an arm over my shoulder and pulls me into his side. I get the impression that this is how Jude is, touchy feely at all times. “Just know what I want.”

My face heats. Silence descends on the table. I want to ask questions to get to know them, but I’m feeling suddenly shy and awkward and I don’t know what to ask that doesn’t sound like I’m totally inept at dating.Which I am. I am totally inept at dating.

I don’t count the monitored courting meetings at AOA, where professors watch every interaction and word said.

Ren nudges me with her elbow and when I look at her, she raises her eyebrows in encouragement. I frown at her, sink my teeth into my bottom lip. She wrinkles her nose. I shake my head.

After a moment, she sighs and turns her attention back to the table of alphas. I do the same and freeze when I find them all staring at us.

“You two just had an entire conversation, didn’t you?” Tic asks with his head tilted.

I shrug. “Yes.”

Ren leans into my side. “We’ve been friends for years, so I can read every single one of her facial tics now.”

“You met at the American Omega Academy?” Jude asks and that question alone is enough for me to know they already know the answer, which means they did some amount of research on me.

“Yep,” Ren confirms. “We were roomies at AOA. She dragged to the top of the standings and I made sure she had some fun in between all the studying we did.”

I relax a little at the topic. This is safe. I can talk about my time at AOA without worrying about repercussions from my father’s commands or without feeling awkward about being on a date with this pack, with my best friend as a chaperone. Because although neither of us admitted it and the Calloways haven’t so much as batted an eye at it, that is exactly what Ren is.

Hale returns to the table and slides in next to Tic on the other side, glaring at Jude as he drapes himself all over me. As the prime, does he feel he should be the one to sit next to me? I know every pack dynamic is different, but it feels like Hale is angry Jude is next to me. In the next moment, he’s smiling, and I can’t tell if it’s a mask or if he really doesn’t care.

My life with my father has taught me to be hypervigilant about the mood changes of those around me, so I can try to headoff any anger before it blooms into something dangerous. Since usually it’s dangerous to me.

“I’ve always been super curious about the classes and stuff they make you take at the academy,” Jude says, turning toward me eagerly. “Alphas don’t take classes. We just listen to our instincts, mostly.”

Ren snorts. “It’s not about the classes so much as it’s about keeping us away from alphas with those newly aroused instincts.”

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