Page 4 of Knot My Wonderland

It was easy. Pleasant. But then, mid-sentence, I caught a flicker of something in his expression. Something primal.

He cleared his throat awkwardly, rubbing the back of his neck. "You, uh... you going to that dynamics mixer Friday?" The question was casual, but the meaning behind it wasn't. The world expected us to find packs. Expected Alphas and Omegas to pair off like neatly arranged puzzle pieces.

I smiled politely, taking another sip of my coffee before answering. "Not really my thing."

His shoulders sagged a little, disappointment softening his features. But he just nodded, offering me a small, almost embarrassed grin. "Maybe next time."

I watched him leave, feeling a complicated knot of guilt and relief tighten in my chest. I didn't wantthis. Not the way it was handed to me. Not the safe, clinical, sterile bonds people made to tick another box on a life checklist.

I wanted something... else. Something real. Something wild and true and terrible in its beauty. That night, unable to sleep, I ended up wandering the park. It was nearly empty, save for a few die-hard joggers and the occasional stray cat slinking under benches. I sat on the old merry-go-round, my boots resting on the damp metal, the cold seeping up through the soles and into my bones.

The trees that edged the park loomed tall and dark, their branches weaving a black lace against the starless sky. For a moment—just a breath, just a blink—the world shifted. The shadows seemed deeper. The air smelled sweeter, richer, like blooming flowers and old earth. The merry-go-round creaked beneath me, a long, low groan that echoed strangely in the mist.

The hairs on the back of my neck stood on end. I sat bolt upright, heart thudding painfully against my ribs. The city buzz returned a moment later—headlights, distant sirens, the smell of exhaust and wet stone.

The magic—if it had ever been there at all—vanished like mist under a rising sun. But deep in my chest, something had stirred. Something that would not go back to sleep. I shifted and wrapped my arms around my knees, staring into the darkness beyond the park, and whispered into the empty night:

“I don’t really belong anywhere…do I?” I muttered to myself as I heard the wind pick up and the tree branches creak. I stayed there a minute longer on the old merry-go-round, my heart slowed from its earlier thudding panic, settling into a more normal rhythm. There was nothing out there. Just the usual city night — mist and drizzle, the distant hum of traffic, the faint clang of a garbage bin lid somewhere down the street. I gave a soft, almost embarrassed laugh under my breath.

"Seriously, Alice," I muttered, swinging my legs idly. "Spook yourself for no reason, why don't you?" The mist wasn't even that thick anymore, just enough to blur the edges of the streetlamps and make the world look a little softer, like a painting smudged at the corners.

No monsters. No magic

Just me, sitting on a rusted merry-go-round like a soggy, slightly crazy college student. I pushed myself off and started walking back toward my apartment. The mist clung to me, soaking into my sweater, but there was no more fear clawing at the back of my mind. Just the ordinary night pressing in. Halfway down my block, my phone buzzed in my pocket. I groaned, tugging it out, hoping maybe it was Mara with another sarcastic meme to make me laugh.

Instead, the screen lit up with a familiar contact:Mom

I hesitated, thumb hovering over the answer button. A little voice in the back of my head suggested letting it go to voicemail. But another part of me, the one trained to be the good daughter, sighed and answered.

"Hey, Mom," I said, trying not to sound as tired as I felt.

"Alice!" Mom’s voice was cheerful, almost too cheerful. "We were just talking about you. How’s everything, sweetheart?"

"Fine," I said, pulling my sweater tighter around myself. "Just got back from... uh, a walk."

"In this weather?" Dad’s voice cut in, rich with that familiar blend of concern and subtle judgment. "You’ll catch a cold."

"I’m fine," I repeated, sharper than I meant to. I softened it with a quick, "It’s not even really raining anymore. Just mist." There was a pause — not long, but heavy enough I could feel them exchanging a look through the phone.

Mom cleared her throat delicately. "Well, we were wondering if you've thought any more about... you know. Meeting someone." I stopped on the sidewalk, feeling the damp soak into the soles of my boots.

"Meeting someone," I echoed, keeping my voice as neutral as possible.

"You’re not getting any younger, darling," Dad said, trying for lightness but landing somewhere closer to pressure. "You know how important it is for Omegas to settle down with the right Alpha. Someone stable. Someone who can take care of you."

I rolled my eyes at the empty street. It was always the same. Don’t look for love or someone who would actually want me, "Iamstable, Dad. I’ve got myself."

"You know what we mean," Mom chimed in quickly. "It’s not just about... stability. It’s about your future, Alice. About building a strong bond, making sure you're protected."

I sighed, my breath misting the air. "Yeah. I’ve been thinking about it." It wasn't really a lie. Ihadbeen thinking. Thinking about how I didn’t want any of it—not the packaged life they kept offering me like a prize I was supposed to want.

"Good," Mom said warmly. "There’s a mixer this Friday. Some very nice Alphas will be there. We could send you the details."My skin crawled at the idea. A room full of people sniffing around like it was a farmer's market for bonds.

"I’ll... think about it," I said, voice thin. I was definitelynotgoing.

"You’ll be wonderful," Dad said firmly. "You're smart, and beautiful, and you deserve the best. Just promise you’ll keep an open mind."

"Sure," I murmured, already reaching for the door to my building. "Open mind. Got it." We hung up a few moments later after the usual goodnights and reminders to "take care of myself," which sounded suspiciously like "stop being stubborn and fall in line."

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