Page 13 of Knot A Chance

What’s worse than popping a boner in class in high school when you’re around an attractive person? Try having a self-lubricating asshole that smells so delicious, the captain of the football team is practically panting next to you before you even realize you’re turned on.

Even being a boring ass beta—practically human in biology—would have been better. At least their assholes required a source of external lube, and no one was going to jump them at the first sign of a heat cycle.

And I didn’t even want to get started on the inconvenience of a heat cycle. It was something no longer biologically imperative for a male omega since we couldn’t bear children, and yet our body still went into heat four times a year. Four times! We became desperate, whiney, clingy little fuckers. It was degrading.

Except, I do love being cuddled by a hot alpha during my heat.

Since getting sober and breaking things off with Ryder, I’d been making do on my own during my heat cycles, using a service which provided all of the benefits of having an alpha tend to you during your heat except the actual sex. I was pretty sure you could pay more for that level of service, but I wasn’t interested in paying for sex. Paying for toys on the other hand—worth every single dollar spent.

The only other way I’d ever spent my heat cycles was with Ryder. We’d been together off and on for years, and whenever I went into heat, he was there. I used to think it was romantic, until I realized it was more about him feeling like he owned me than him caring about tending to my needs—emotional or physical. Plus, he’d been a shit cuddler unless he was high.

I set down a glass of whiskey in front of a beta woman who was making flirty eyes at me when the bar door opened and an omega female walked in, her short denim skirt baring nearly all of her long, pale legs. She spotted Bennett and smiled, waving at him as she walked straight toward him and tossed her long, dark hair over her shoulder.

Um, excuse me, that alpha is mine.

I made it to their end of the bar just in time for him to wrap his arm around her shoulders as she kissed his cheek, leaving behind a lipstick print on his skin.

I picked up a napkin and held it out to him while keeping my eyes on her.

Who the fuck is she?

He lifted one eyebrow as the woman settled on the seat next to him and smiled at me. “You must be Felix,” she said. “I’ve heard a lot about you. Can I get a hard seltzer? Wild berry?”

“Sure,” I said, trying—and failing—not to glare at her.

Bennett cleared his throat and I turned toward him, noticing he had wiped the lipstick off his cheek and was watching me with amusement as he folded the napkin in half. “Should we unpack why you’re glaring possessively at my little sister?”

A jolt of recognition hit me as I realized how much this woman looked like Ally. Other than her dainty nose and brown hair, which clearly matched Bennett’s, the resemblance was striking.

She laughed and elbowed her brother. “I think your crush has a bit of a crush too.”

“I know,” he said confidently. “I’m just waiting for him to realize how serious his crush really is.”

My cheeks flushed and Bennett’s features softened sympathetically. “It’s okay, Felix. I’ll file this reaction away for us to unpack after a few more unofficial dates.”

“Thank you,” I said.

“I’m Oakley, by the way,” she said as her head swiveled between us. Apparently, our inability to look away from each other was clear. “Not that I think you care at all what my name is right now.”

I tore my eyes from Bennett and shook her hand. “It’s nice to meet you, Oakley. Sorry about my reaction. I’m not sure what came over me.”

She chuckled. “Want me to walk you through it? Alphas aren’t the only ones who are possessive when—”

“Leave him alone,” Bennett commanded with a growl.

Oakley rolled her eyes. “Okay, okay. Jeez. You don’t have to alpha bark at me. I’m a grown-ass woman now and I don’t answer to you.”

“Remember that chat we had about sisters?” Bennett asked with exasperation.

I laughed and turned away from them, bending down to grab her drink out of the mini fridge. “I do, and I feel your pa—”

My words caught in my throat as I stood up and grabbed the burning bonding mark on the right side of my neck. The can of seltzer slipped from my hands and hit the ground, exploding. The carbonated drink pooled at my feet as I quickly looked away from the door that had just opened and the familiar face entering the bar. Bennett was out of his seat and standing between me and the door with his hands gripping my shoulders before I’d even registered that he’d moved.

“What happened?” he asked, looking me over for an injury. “Are you okay?”

“Can you please get me out of here?” I whispered, gripping his shirt. “Hurry.”

“Okay, let’s go.” He started to turn me around in front of him and I shook my head rapidly.