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I gave her a warm smile. “I hope you do too.”
I wasn’t able to keep my hands off my collar as I floated back to my apartment. My sister had great taste, and I knew she would love it as much as I did. I wrapped my coat tightly around my neck so I could dramatically unveil it.
I was barely in the door when she barreled into me. “Where have you been! What did you learn about!”
I opened my coat and gestured to my neck with a flourish. “I have been collared.” Her eyes went wide as she took in my jewelry.
“That is gorgeous… but what does that mean?”
“Let’s grab some dinner, and I’ll fill you in.”
Chapter Five
Tofigureouthowto be good alphas and omegas, and how to navigate the Season, we were all required to attend several assemblies. We were kept separate, like we were back in middle school sex ed, and actually, I guessed that wasn’t a bad comparison. Our bodies were going through new changes and all that jazz.
When I entered the large classroom, Omega Reid was already at the front, and about half the seats were filled with other eager omegas. I smiled at a few of the girls I knew, grabbed a seat near the front, and took out some paper for notes. I didn’t want to miss a thing.
In just a few minutes, the room was full, and Omega Reid got our attention. “Welcome, my dears, to the first omega assembly of the Season. Today you’re here to learn about the Season and what to expect. I hope youexpectto find your mate.” Her proper smile twitched a bit at her own joke. “There is a perfect alpha for you, and we’re here to help you find him. Safely.” She tapped her neck and gestured to our collars, but as a bonded omega, her neck was bare. She had a large, silvery bite mark instead of a collar.
“If your scent hasn’t started coming in yet, it will over the next few days, and once it does, your collars will help you from getting bonded prematurely. They serve as a physical reminder to alphas and yourselves that you’re still in this courting period. Also, quickly, on the subject of your scents: once yours has fully developed and you can clearly identify it, please report it to me so I can enter it alongside your other information in our database.”
Omega Reid pointed at the whiteboard behind her. “Now, take out your phones and add this contact information. CEDAR is the nickname for the system that will keep you informed of all mixers and dates. It’s the Courting Event Digital Assistant Reminder, and it’s going to be your best friend.”
I entered the CEDAR information into my phone and immediately got a text. Phones around the room pinged as their confirmation texts came through.
CEDAR: Welcome to the Season, Omega Mia Torres. You are now subscribed to receive CEDAR communications. Msg & data rates may apply.
“You should be getting a notification of the first event, the masked Snow Ball, which will be this weekend in the Grand Ballroom. It will have the location as well as dress code details. You’ll also be getting a personalized access code that you’ll need to check into the ball. Anonymity is critical for this first event, so everyone will be masked and silent. Not a peep.” She pretended to zip her lips.
“Alphas and omegas will be allowed to dance and scent each other without trying to make small talk or getting distracted by their friends. Afterwards, alphas will submit requests for courting dates based on the omega perfumes that called to them the most. It’s crucial for you to dance with as many alphas as possible for the best chance at finding your scent match. Any questions so far?”
A hand went up a few rows over. “What if we don’t dance with our mate that night? Could we still find him later in the Season?”
Omega Reid thought for a moment. “I guess it could happen. But I would be surprised if you don’t find him at the ball. Scents are powerful connections, and mates have been known to scent each other across the ballroom.”
Omega Reid gestured to an omega at the back of the room. “If we find our mate at the ball, what’s the point of participating in the rest of the Season?”
“Ah, yes, good question. Scent matches are tricky. Most of you will be drawn to several scents at the ball. Maybe in varying degrees of intensity. That doesn’t always directly correlate to your mate, which is why we have the courting period. So you can get to know your alphas and see how that bond develops. Lust and love are very different emotions, and we want to ensure that when the mating ceremony comes, you’re asking the right alpha for a bond.”
Another hand shot up, and Omega Reid gave her the nod. “What if we don’t likeanyof the scents at the ball?”
“You’ll have different reactions to different scents. Some may entice you. Some may repulse you. Most will be somewhere in the middle. Take the scent of baby powder. It does nothing for me. But that may be the magic spark for one of you ladies.” She looked around the room. “All that to say that you won’t dislikeallthe scents. You may not get smacked in the face with a smell you can’t live without, but that brings us back to the point about needing the courting season to explore those scents. A scent, and its alpha, may be just mildly pleasant at the ball, but he may feel the connection more strongly, and over the coming weeks as your courtship evolves, it may bloom into your great love story.” Every omega in the room sighed dreamily.
She walked back to her podium. “Anything else before we move on? No? Okay, so courting dates!” She clapped her hands.
“Alphas will submit requests for dates through CEDAR. They must be public and appropriate to be approved by the council. If approved, you’ll receive an alert with the name of the alpha, the day and time of the date, and any necessary information. You’ll be prompted to accept or decline the date, which will be passed on to the alpha. While we do not require you to accept all dates, we do highly encourage it in this first stage of the Season. You may go on as many dates as you’d like. As long as the dates are approved, we don’t limit how many you go on or how many alphas court you.” A few giggles snuck out at that, and the omega in front of me raised her hand.
“What if we run into the alphas outside of a date?”
“Then that’s not a date, is it?” Omega Reid smirked, then addressed the rest of the room. “Of course you’ll see the alphas on campus or around town. That’s fine. But the alphas trying to court you will follow protocol. Any other questions?”
When no one else raised a hand, she wrapped up the meeting. “Don’t hesitate to reach out if you do have any questions. My door, and my inbox, are always open for you ladies. You’ll receive a notification when it’s time for our next assembly. Until then, have fun at the ball!”
Chapter Six
“Youhavetotakeme shopping with you!” Anna begged when I told her about the Snow Ball. “You know I have better taste than you do!”
I shot her a glare. “Is insulting me a good plan?”
