Page 18 of Follow Your Instincts

“Iama cop,” I said.

Jess gave a sarcastic laugh from across the table. “Sure, an Omega cop. That sounds like a shitty made-for-TV movie.”

Austin chucked a piece of roasted zucchini at her. “Stop being a brat,” they said.

“No, it’s fine,” I said. “Iama cop, and Iwillbe a detective soon. Being an Omega doesn’t define my life.”

Jess laughed again. “I hate to tell you this, but it kind of does. Yeah, I’m an ‘artist’ or whatever, but do you think that’s what anyone sees when they look at me? The sooner you accept your limits, the happier you’ll be.”

I looked at her squarely. “You might have given up on doing anything productive with your life, but that doesn’t mean I have to.”

“You’ve been here for three days. Let’s talk in three years,” Jess said nastily.

Everyone was quiet for a moment.

“Well, that was fun,” Austin said. “Wonderful dinner conversation, ladies.”

Bridget and the other Omega laughed, but Jess just stabbed at her chicken.

“Ignore her,” the brunette sitting next to Jess said. She smelled almost too sweet, like cotton candy. Her green eyes sparkled with mischief, but her smile was kind. “She’s the one who rejects any pack she meets with. I’m Elizabeth, by the way.”

“Nice to meet you,” I said politely.

“Don’t get attached,” Austin said to me. “Little Elizabeth is moving out this weekend with her new pack and leaving us all behind.”

“Congratulations?” I said. “Sorry, I don’t know the etiquette on this stuff yet.”

Elizabeth laughed. “Congratulations works. I’m really excited to see them. They’re out in Wyoming, so it’s taken a little while to coordinate everything, but they’re worth it.”

“Shit, that’s so far!” I said.

“Love finds a way,” Elizabeth sighed, and Austin mimed puking.

“How about you, Bridget?” I asked.

Bridget smiled sadly. “I’ll get there one day,” she said simply, and I didn’t press the issue. And I wasn’t about to ask Jess anything out of fear she’d stab me with her fork.

“Well, apparently I’m starting scent matching tomorrow,” I said. “Any tips?”

“Yeah,” Jess said and smiled evilly at me. “Bring a puke bucket.”

Jess had been exaggerating, but only a little.

“Oh fuck, no, get this one away for me please,” I said. The card was letting off a putrid scent like an overripe banana.

“So dramatic!” Andreas said and laughed. We were sitting in his office, and he was pulling cards out from a stack of sealed, plastic envelopes. He’d inputted my answers to the questionnaire and apparently these were the packs who aligned best.

We’d already set aside two envelopes for packs whose scents were pleasant, if not earth-shatteringly amazing. The reject pile was growing.

I sniffed hard at the cup holding a paper towel doused with descenter spray. “This is not fun,” I said.

“Finding true love is worth it, dear,” Andreas said in an uncanny impersonation of Steffi.

“Have mercy, please. I don’t know how much more I can take,” I said.

“You’ve got three more to go, and then we can stop for the day,” Andreas said, and I sighed.

“Okay, let’s get this over with,” I said.

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