Page 38 of Knot Their Arrangement

Because he's a man.

An Alpha.

A being of power.

The thought tastes bitter on my tongue.

I come from money, from status, from a legacy that spans generations. But none of it matters because of my second gender. I can inherit my father's wealth but never his respect.

Can carry his name but never his pride.

Looking left and right, I feel the walls closing in. Every path seems to lead to the same dead end, every road circles back to this moment of powerlessness. The light at the end of the tunnel that I've been desperately chasing since I fled my wedding seems to flicker and die.

Was I fool to think I could escape?

I force my chin up, straightening my spine as years of etiquette training kick in. Let every ounce of kindness drain from my expression as I meet her gaze. This, at least, is a game I know how to play – have been playing since before I could walk.

"Alright. Thanks for your cooperation."

The words come out perfectly measured, devoid of emotion.

I watch confusion flicker across her face, followed by frustration. She expected tears, begging, maybe even anger – anything but this cold acceptance. In her mind, she was winning some sort of battle, but I've been fighting this war my entire life.

Nineteen years of constant degradation.

Even as a baby, when I should have been protected and cherished, the world was already setting me up for failure. Every "she's so pretty" carried the unspoken "she'll make a good bride someday." Every accomplishment was measured not by its merit but by how it would attract potential suitors.

The truth settles over me again, heavy and familiar. I'm not surprised – how could I be, when this has been my reality since birth? This same fear, this same suffocating certainty that I'm worth nothing beyond my biological designation, drove me to run from my wedding.

I remember that day clearly – standing before my community in a wedding outfit that cost more than most people's yearly salary, surrounded by faces that smiled while silently judging every breath I took.

I ran thinking I could escape their clutches, that somewhere out there existed a world where I could be free.

But what is freedom in a world where everything is the same?

The practices might wear different masks, and the beliefs might speak different languages, but the hierarchy remains unchanged. The same venomous individuals will turn on their own kind if it means protecting their position in the pecking order.

It's madness at its finest – a perfectly orchestrated dance of oppression where everyone knows their steps but no one dares to change the music.

Disappointing…

Just the thought of walking home suddenly seems impossible, but it'll give me time to plan. I need to pack, to figure out where to go before the government tracks me down for missing their mandatory "interrogation." The thought of what that entails makes my skin crawl.

I can't stay at the Haven anymore.

The realization hurts more than I expected.

Not just because it's become home, but because of who I'll have to leave behind. Astraea's face flashes in my mind, making my heart clench with guilt. She's worked so hard to build her empire, to become the multimillionaire songwriter known as Blair Vesper.

The last thing she needs is her runaway best friend bringing government attention to her doorstep.

She doesn't deserve that kind of disruption.

And then there's Velvet — kind, fierce Velvet who pours her heart and soul into maintaining the Safe Haven despite constant government scrutiny. I've seen the toll it takes on her, watching how she navigates endless surveillance and bureaucratic harassment with a grace I can only dream of possessing.

The Haven exists in a precarious balance, protected only by Velvet's extensive network of connections and influence throughout the city. She's built something incredible, a true sanctuary for Omegas who have nowhere else to turn. I can't be the reason that sanctuary comes under even more intense scrutiny.

They could help me. I know they could.

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