Elara
“You did it?”
“For the eleventh time, Elara, yes I did.” She combed back the loose bangs from my face and tucked them behind my ears. Then, grabbing my arms, she stepped back and looked at me one more time. “After showing me around his clan’s ship and inside the nestroom, I was surprised to see it spotless, odorless, and thoroughly prepared for whenever he decided to find an omega. Even though he was pre-approved, I wanted to make sure what he provided was good enough for you before I had him sign up for your roster.
“I feel bad for the other alphas who are going to stand before you in there.” She flashed me a playful pout before grinning. “You are so infatuated with Mr. Coco that they don’t even have a chance.”
“I can’t believe you did it.”
“Believe me.” She huffed, rolling her eyes. “I know. You keep asking me.”
“Was his crew nice?”
“That I won’t answer.” Her smile dropped as her expression turned serious. “You can’t go walking into your meeting with the matron and have it settled in your mind that you claimed someone already. Not only is it against station’s rules for an alpha to court—”
“We aren’t courting!’
“Ah! Ah! Ah!” Quinn placed her hand gently over my mouth and shook her head. “No, but purchasing the jewelry you are currently wearing is close enough. Why else would an alpha buy an omega an expensive gift? That’s what they do when they are either trying to tempt you to pick them when you enter The Den—or after you have chosen the select few that you want to move to the courting stages with and they want to swoon you. We both know he wasn’t even on a roster, and you haven’t yet been in the arena.”
“Do you think it’s a problem if I wore these today?” I grabbed my necklace, rubbing my fingers along the coolness of the gems. Somehow, my doubt made the choker feel suffocating. “Should I wear something else?”
“Don’t be silly.”
Quinn grabbed my hand and removed it from my choker, holding onto it as she used the other to thread her fingers underneath the pearl and diamond band carefully. She started making hushing noises, like a mother calming their newborn, as the coolness of her skin eased the tenseness in my neck.
“You look perfect. You are perfect.” Her eyes held mine as she leaned forward and rubbed her cheeks against mine. Her morning dew scent was swirling around me, settling my nerves as I took it in with every long breath I took. “All you have to do is have the Matron interview you, and then, we will wait in a lounge until it is ready for your turn.”
“Are you sure he will be there?”
“Positive.”
She pulled her head away, just far enough that our noses barely touched as her brown eyes held mine.
“He will be there. I promise.” Smiling, she pulled her hand from my neck and slowly dragged the hair back with her clawed hands. “If he isn’t, there will be plenty of eligible alphas waiting for you to choose them. And if they aren’t worthy, then we can try again until you find the perfect one.”
“Let’s begin.” Matron Jacques waved a hand my way as she peered over her tablet, studying me from across her black metallic desk. “I have plenty of ready omegas to survey, all prepared for their first time in The Den.”
“I am ready when you are.”
“Excellent.”
The leader of Syzygy Station was more intimidating in person than all the times I’d seen on the vidscreens. The mature gamma sat cross-legged in a black pinstriped pantsuit, with a partly undone violet-purple button-up shirt exposing just enough skin to tease anyone who dared look. Her long platinum hair framed her face, making her sharp cheekbones and piercing green eyes stand out. A warm peppermint filled the room, pure from any hints of another.
The rumors were true—the matron was a free gamma, unbonded and without a clan. Of course, it was expected with the class, but to know that the single person in charge of regulating the matchmaking between alphas and omegas without a clan was something else.
How could someone without a mate know anything about it?
“My caretaker explained to me the point of this meeting—”
“Good, then I don’t need to go over the reason why you are here and can get straight to the questions.” She gave me a quick grin before flicking her gaze to the tablet before her. “Do you know what happens in the arena?”
“Yes, I do.”
“Do you know that every alpha standing inside the arena has been vetted and registered to take part in your selection?” She raised an eyebrow and tapped on her tablet with its pen, letting out a hum in thought. “It says here that you have a greater than average amount of signups.”
“What does that mean?” I hedged, not understanding why it would matter unless it were abnormally low.
“It means that many alphas have taken an interest in you from the course of years of walking around The Center.” She tilted her head, studying me as if she were trying to solve a puzzle. “Typically, the most signups an omega will have on their roster is their maiden walk. After that, the numbers will fluctuate as alphas come and go from the station. So if you haven’t found anyone after your fifth time in The Den, we start intervening and wonder why none of the alphas are appealing to you.”
