Page 57 of Knot Your Sugar

I feel the tell-tale heat rise to my cheeks, but for once, I can’t quite suppress the happy dazed smile that’s been plastered on my face pretty much since I woke up—well, incident aside. "So how's the salon going, Mia?"

"Don't you dare try to deflect with pleasantries!" She leans forward, her eyes sparkling with eager curiosity, her voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. "I've waited long enough. Spill it. Who is responsible for that ‘I-just-had-the-best-night-of-my-life’ look? Wait. Did you see that guy from the bar again?" Oh, she has no idea what she’s missed the past few days.

I take a long, deliberate sip of my latte, letting her squirm with anticipation, savoring the moment. The truth is, I feel lighter than I have in years. More myself. Full of promise.

"Well," I say finally, setting my mug down with a soft clink, watching her jaw practically unhinge as a mischievous smile spreads across my face, "what if I told you yes, but… I also met two more alphas?"

"Elena!" Mia practically squeals, her voice attracting a few curious glances from the other patrons. She claps a hand over her mouth, then leans even closer, her eyes like saucers. "Three? You absolute little minx! You vixen! You… you baking Casanova! I need details! Every single, solitary, scandalous detail! Now!"

"There’s notthatmuch to tell," I protest, but my smile, wider now, totally gives me away.

"Uh-huh. Right. That’s why you’re practically radiating enough bliss to power a small European nation." Her eyes narrow again, then dart to my neck. "And is that… is that ahickeyI see peeking out from the collar of your shirt, Ms. ‘Not-Much-To-Tell’?"

My hand flies instinctively to my neck, and Mia lets out a triumphant, if slightly muffled, laugh. "Busted!"

"It’s… it’s probably just ash from this morning!" I stammer, my face now officially on fire.

"Oh my God, Elena!" she whispers, her voice a mixture of awe and delight. "How do you do it? You are literally living every omega’s wildest fantasy right now, and you're not even one! This is… this is epic!"

“It’s not like that,” I reply, something inside me pulsing with the need to tell her the truth. That I’m not really a beta. That I never was. But I swallow it down. “It's just… I don’t know, Mia… It just feels right. Natural. Like this is how things were always supposed to be. Which is totally insane, I know, but…” I trail off, shrugging helplessly.

Mia’s expression softens, her usual teasing glint replaced by a genuine, heartfelt warmth. "Oh, honey." She reaches across the table and gently squeezes my hand. "You deserve this, you know?"

Her words loosen a knot of ingrained caution I didn’t even realize was still there. For so long, I’ve been afraid of wanting too much, of needing anyone, of letting anyone get close enough to potentially hurt me, to derail my laid plans. But now…

"I think… I think I might actually be," I admit quietly, the words feeling foreign on my tongue. "Happy, I mean. Really, truly, ridiculously happy."

"Good." Her smile is radiant. "Then it’s about damn time." She squeezes my hand again, her eyes sparkling. "Now, drink your cooling latte, my little beta-in-paradise, and tell Auntie Miaeverything. And don’t you dare leave out a single juicy detail! We haven’t had a proper gossip session since… well, since before this whole festival madness started! It feels like ages!"

"Mia, it’s literally been, what, four days?" I laugh.

"Exactly!" she exclaims dramatically. "An eternity! I’ve missed you, babe! We need to schedule some serious bestie time, stat!"

We spend the next twenty minutes in a comfortable, giggling cloud of shared confidences, Mia expertly extracting just enough details to satisfy her boundless curiosity while still respecting my (admittedly somewhat blurry) boundaries. Sharing this feels… so good.

As we finally gather our things to head out for the day, Mia pulls me into a tight, fierce hug.

"I am so incredibly proud of you, Elena," she whispers into my hair, her voice thick with emotion. "For finally letting yourself have this."

Chapter twenty-nine

Elena

The event board stands proudly at the entrance of the competition area, its bold letters announcing today's challenge: 'TASTE IT, NOW MAKE IT.'

A sharp, exhilarating thrill zips through me. This is exactly the kind of event that builds on yesterday’s Foraging Challenge. It's less about memorized recipes, more about technical skill and on-the-fly innovation.

As I weave my way through the gathering crowd of contestants, something feels… different. Off. Several alphas I don’t even know turn their heads as I pass, their nostrils flaring with an unmistakable, almost primal interest. It’s subtle at first, a surprised double-take here, a lingering, slightly unfocused glance there, but the pattern is undeniable. Nearly every alpha I pass seems tonoticeme.

My gut churns with unease. No way my reduced dose is already ineffective right? It can't be. It’s probably just the lingering smell of smoke from this morning. That’s got to be it. Eau de Burnt Breakfast, irresistibly smoky. I casually sniff my sleeve. Yep. Definite hint of char. And alphasdohave those hyper-sensitive noses. That explains it. Phew.

James is already at our station, meticulously organizing his array of gleaming pastry tools. He glances up as I bustle in, attempting to look like I haven’t a care in the world. I watch as his pupils visibly dilate, his hands stilling mid-motion as he polishes a whisk. The look he gives me is different from his usual playful flirtation.

"Morning, Elena," he says, his voice a little huskier than normal. "Sleep well? You look… particularly radiant this morning." His eyes do a slow, appreciative sweep that makes me want to blush like a schoolgirl.

Before I can reply, Dorian’s commanding presence fills the entire area, his voice, smooth and rich as dark chocolate. "Welcome, contestants, to Day Four of the Lakeview Baking Festival!" Dorian's voice cuts through the buzz via a microphone. He’s immaculate, as always, in a crisp white linen shirt and perfectly tailored dark pants; exuding an aura of effortless power.

"Today's challenge, ‘Taste It, Now Make It,’ will test not just your technical skills, but also your ability to think on your feet."

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