“How often does someone get to that point?”
“It’s not uncommon… but once they get to ten failed sessions, then I usually have to reevaluate whether or not they are ready to be claimed.” Sighing, she attached her pen to her tablet and placed it onto her desk with an audible thump. “Honestly, I do everything in my power to prevent omegas from getting that far. I have a reputation to be upheld, and those stubborn enough to decline ten rosters worth of alphas make me appear incompetent. Sadly, I have one omega who will be having their third meeting with me soon because they keep rejecting anyone I give them.”
“Are you saying that you are a matchmaker?”
I’d read stories about arranged bondings in the past. Families use their omega children to tie themselves to an alpha’s family. Others sold them to alphas for profit. They thought it was better than being kidnapped and forced—by having the family involved.
This was why omegas were taken away once we hit puberty—so our families couldn’t use us for their advantage, and we were given a safer environment to find a mate—and form a pack.
“You can say that.”
She stood and dragged her hand across her desk as she walked in front of it. The way she watched me made me feel as if she were an alpha—not a gamma—and I was her prey as she tried to figure me out. Her fluid movements had a certain grace to it that I wouldn’t have believed someone her age would have, and yet, for some reason, I knew if it came to a fight, I would lose just by the amount of power and confidence that radiated from her.
She was a bad bitch for sure.
One whose wrong side I didn’t want to end up on. But, on the other hand, I could see why Quinn and the other gammas looked up to her—perhaps even wishing to become the matron’s replacement one day.
What gamma didn’t want to be in charge of not only the safety of all the omegas in existence but also aiding them by playing matchmaker to give them the safest and best opportunity to find a mate without outside pressures.
Leaning her back against her desk, she grabbed both sides and peered down at me like a medic does when they are about to deliver news to their patient—only she was in a suit and not a lab jacket.
Gripping my chair’s arms, I tried to stifle the unease that threatened to creep up on me. No matter how much calming peppermint she gave out, it didn’t prevent my nerves. I didn’t like her being so close, for I didn’t know her, and she wasn’t mine. Her unfamiliarity and position of power, especially when she could know everything about me with a few swipes of her tablet.
She wasn’t Quinn.
Matron Jacques controlled my fate—and she knew it.
My success at finding a mate was hindered by the system she put in place. And if I failed, it would reflect on not only me but her too.
“Just as sometimes an omega takes five or more times to find the mate that not only smells good but has everything she wants, there are the omegas who know the first time they walk through the door. If you don’t end up discovering an alpha that checks all the boxes you want in a mate, then don’t force yourself to settle just because it’s your maiden run. But,” she paused on that word and shot me a toothy grin that would’ve appeared almost predatory if I were looking onto the conversation from afar. “If you end up finding the perfect alpha your first time, it not only looks good for both you and your partner but the system too.”
“Are you trying to convince me to take the first alpha that smells good and appears promising?”
My jaw opened in shock as I tried to piece together what she was saying.
Had she discovered my infatuation with Mr. Coco? It had just happened yesterday, and I hadn’t thought that Quinn would’ve told her, but would have been more discreet with it all. So was she unofficially telling me that she knew and approved?
“Exactly.” She nodded. “It’s always been said that an omega’s instincts know what they want. Just as an alpha’s first instinct is to protect any omega that whines, and others react to an alpha’s bark at first, even if it’s just a flinch. Being a gamma, I don’t have such instincts, other than to protect—but our allegiance isn’t to just omegas; it branches out to betas as well.
“What I am saying is, if you have an instinct that pulls you to one—or more— alphas, grab them, allow them to court you, and then decide if they are worthy of marking your neck. You were drawn to them for a reason. Discover what that reason is.”
“And if I don’t?” I winced from the weak tone in my voice.
Something about what she said placed a heavier weight upon my shoulders tha I had fathomed. I knew today was an important day and that The Den was the pinnacle of many beginnings, but I never thought about what would happen if I messed up.
“I can sense you are upset.” Breathing in, she leaned forward and cupped my cheeks, engulfing me in her warm mintiness that matched her eyes. “Forget about everything I just said about numbers and what would happen if you… fail…” She kissed the top of my head—somehow, I didn’t wince—and gave me a gentle smile. “When you step onto that arena floor, follow your gut. Don’t hesitate. Your first instinct about someone is usually the correct one, so if someone feels right, and their scent draws you in, take it.
“I see time and time again omegas refusing to choose—in fear that they would make the wrong choice. And after a few sessions, they realized they made a mistake—only to be too late because the alpha they wanted was already chosen and mated. I don’t want to see that happen to you, or anyone else for that matter, because it’s heartbreaking.
“This is why I need to know that you are not only ready for The Den but are willing to listen to your instincts—and not be discouraged if none of them feel right for your first time.”
“I am ready.” Nodding, I licked my lips, slightly disappointed that I couldn’t taste the mint cloud around me. “I want this.”
“Excellent. I look forward to watching your selection.”
