Page 28 of Knot All that Glitters: Part 1

“How’d the meeting go?” Brian asks, making my hair prickle. They do this a lot too. Discuss business in front of me like I don’t exist. And I suppose to them, I don’t. It only takes a few words from them for me to never be able to spill any of their secrets.

“Good. Good. I think the drug is almost there. He’s a brilliant scientist, approached it in a way that no one else has.”

I carefully carry the drink to my father while biting back a snort. He has no fucking clue what the so-called scientist he just met with did, whether it was the same approach as all the others he’s worked with or not. But he can’t let anyone know that, now can he? Not even is closest confident.

“Really?” Brian leans forward eagerly. “You think it’ll stop the designation from forming all together?”

My father nods, beaming as my stomach roils with unease. This is one of the more evil things he’s ever pursued. Seeking a way to eliminate designations, making it so all babies born are beta.

I’ve known this is the end goal for a while now. Any omega that sets foot in that fancy clinic we just broke ground on weeks ago will be given the option of having the drug administered. And by option, I mean, I suspect my father will give orders to simply have it done to all patients, but specifically the omegas and alphas, since those pairings are more likely to result in alpha or omega children. While two betas will probably have beta children, there have been cases of alpha or omega children from them as well.

If my father has his way, everyone will be given this new drug he’s been working on. His ideal would be to make it as common as the flu shot or the mumps vaccine. Something that everyone just does in order to combat a sickness.

The only difference is being an omega or an alpha isn’t a sickness. It’s not killing people, it’s not a threat to ourpopulation. It’s just… instinct. Being a little out of control every so often because you can’t help it. It’s an omega going into heat and begging for an alpha to knot them. It’s an alpha going into a rut because their omega needs them.

The only time alpha and omega instincts are actually a danger is if someone threatens their pack, in which case most alphas—and some omegas—lose their shit and rip them apart. Sometimes literally, sometimes figuratively.

But that same could be said of a beta shooting an intruder to their home. Their family was threatened, and they took protective action on instinct.

I’m not sure I’ll ever understand the distinction in my father’s head. But I know it’s there.

“We believe so,” my father says. “Of course, we’ll need to do extensive testing to be sure, which will take years. But the projections look good.”

I wonder if whoever he’s working with knows what he wants to do. What his end goal is. It’s not just to give people the option of making sure they have beta children. He wants it to be the law.

“Hmm.” Brian leans back in his chair, crossing one leg over the other. “It’s lucky that doctor figured out how to suppress the omega designation, isn’t it? Gave us something to work off of.”

“Suppression isn’t a cure,” my father snaps back.

It doesn’t need a cure. It’s not a disease.

I clench my teeth around the words, swallowing them back. Saying them will only result in drawing attention to myself, reminding them I’m here, and then they’ll punish me for speaking the truth.

“Of course not,” Brian says smoothly. “But it gave us something to work off of.”

My father nods his agreement and settles back in his chair. I tense when his gaze slides to me. “Haven.”

“Father.”

He points to a spot on the floor in front of him and I scurry over to stand there, like a dog beckoned by its master.

“Your birthday is coming up,” he says this like I’m not aware. Like I don’t know what day of the month it is.

My heart thunders in his chest and I resist the urge to cross my fingers, as I hope for what he says next.

“Which means I’ll be leaving for a week.”

I stay very still, not letting my excitement show. If I do, he’ll wonder why. Or maybe he won’t wonder. He knows how I feel about him, about the life he forces me to live. “I see,” I say carefully, keeping my voice free from inflection.

“You may stay here or you may go stay with Florence.” It’s been the same every year since I returned from AOA. He disappears for a week around my birthday, and then comes back surlier than ever. I’m allowed to spend the week with my best friend’s family, though if I choose to do that, I have to be prepared to send update photos to him, to prove where I am.

Usually it’s not a problem, because I stay with Florence, Ginny and Moira. We spend the week just hanging out and I can relax. It’s the only time I get to.

Some part of me thinks my father views this as a punishment, like I’ll resent that he’s leaving me behind or something, but it’s the best part of my year. The only time I’m free of new commands, even if the old ones still linger.

“Florence,” I say. “I’ll stay with Florence.” As if I would pick anything else.

Well, this time I am going to do something else. He just doesn’t need to know that.

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