Page 45 of Knot Our Reality

“I think you might be right. I don’t know much about omega pairs, but from the little bit we’ve learned, it sounds like it might describe the two of you.” Wilder pauses, shifting us around until we’re lying on the bed facing one another. “How does that make you feel?”

He does this a lot. It used to drive me absolutely insane until I realized what he was trying to do. I spent most of my life surviving off my brain and making plans to get what I wanted. I never paid attention to what my body was telling me unless it was telling me it was tired or hungry.

“Confused. Unsure. Scared.”

“And those are all valid feelings, Camden. Now, do you know why you feel that way?”

Instead of just telling him no, I take the time to think about it. “I’m scared she’s not ready for a pack. That being here is going to send her running. I know she needs a pack, but that doesn’t mean she’ll choose us because she likes us. She might decide to think with her brain instead of choosing from her heart. What if she thinks I’m too much? What if she sends us away?”

I blink up at him as tears fill my eyes. “I don’t want to be dramatic, but I don’t know if I can survive without her.”

“That might be a tad dramatic,” he says with a smile. “But it also might be true. I don’t know what happens to an omega pair if they try to live apart. It’s not like we can do research on it since our internet access is shut down. I’m scared and worried, too.”

“You are?” I chew on my bottom lip as he nods. “But you’re never scared or worried.”

Wilder scoffs. “I might not seem like I’m scared or worried, but I always am. I’m just one alpha trying to keep you safe. You’re pretty damn good at keeping yourself safe, but there’s only one of me. What if I can’t keep you safe? I want us to find a pack. Not just so there are more people for us to love, but also so that your safety doesn’t rely solely on me.”

I reach up to cup his cheek. “I had no idea, Wilder. Why would you hide something like that from me?”

He shrugs. “I didn’t want you to worry, too. It’s all part of being an alpha—worrying about our omega is heavily ingrained in our instincts. I didn’t want it weighing on you, too.”

“That’s dumb. We’re mates, and we rely on each other. Don’t keep things like that from me.”

His lips turn up into a half-smile as he nods. “Yes, omega.”

My lips press into a firm line as I glare at him.

“Do you feel better now?”

“Kind of?” I shrug. “Maybe a little. I don’t think I’m going to be able to just let it go, but I think talking about it helps. It’s not like I can solve the issue right now since she’s out there about to meet her last set of suitors. We won’t even see her again before the rose ceremony. What if she sends us home?”

Wilder rolls on top of me, pressing my shoulders into the mattress as he gets in my face. “You have to stop.”

“Ugh.” I throw my head back with a sigh. “I know you’re right, but it’s just so hard.”

He leans in, his lips brushing over mine in a sweet kiss before climbing off the bed and pulling me to my feet. “Then I say we get out of our suite and join the others. We’ll meet the first two days’ suitors and do the interview. Who knows? Maybe you’ll find some alphas you like.”

“Or maybe you’ll find some,” I retort, sticking my tongue out at him before hurrying into the sitting room. His laughter follows me as I rush to the door, determined to make it out of the suite before he catches up.

I get the door opened, but he kicks it shut as his arms wrap around me and pull me to his chest. He nuzzles my neck. “Omega, don’t you think it would be a good idea to put some clothes on before joining the others?”

Looking down with a frown, I wonder how I forgot I was naked. That’s a really dumb thing to forget.

Heaving a sigh, I spin in his arms and give him a quick kiss before darting into the main bedroom. I pull on my go-to outfit when I’m feeling unsettled—black sweats, a LA Panthers tee, and an old hoodie that’s about two sizes too big.

Is it my best look? Not at all, but it’s comfortable.

I step back into the sitting room to find Wilder leaning next to the door, looking hot as hell in his dark jeans and polo shirt. When I first met him, he didn’t even own a pair of jeans. I made sure to remedy that real quick. Unfortunately, I haven’t been able to get him in a T-shirt. This is his casual look, and I’ll admit, he looks damn good.

“If you’re not feeling up to this, I can let Bree know. I’m sure she’ll understand.”

I shake my head. “No. I’m not going to ask not to do something just because I’m an omega. It’s not like this is the first time I’ve felt off balance or been confused. I’ll be fine.”

“If you’re sure—”

“I am. Let’s do this.”

Wilder opens the door for me, and I duck out. It’s not much of a walk to the second-floor living room—just across the hallway. The other suitors who arrived with us have rooms on the third floor, but because we were the second pack to arrive, we got a suite on the second floor.

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