“You totally can,” I said. “You need to punish your alphas a bit for going away.”
“So true,” she said with a grin.
A question I’d been thinking about for a while but had been too afraid to ask sprung to my lips. “Charlie, are your alphas your mates?”
She cocked her head. “Yeah, they are, why?”
Poppy and Josie’s alphas were their fated mates as well, which meant they were a perfect biological match. Although everyone I’d spoken to who had mates said it was more than that—a connection that transcended biology and felt more likesoulmates.
“I thought it was rare,” I said.
“The Designation Government made it seem that way,” Josie said. “They removed all the published research articles about mates and made it seem really rare to convince us all to be happy to join whatever packs served their interests. But I think it’s actually really common.” Her eyes narrowed at me, and I had the feeling that she was seeing too much.
I knew I couldn’t have mates, had been sure of it for a long time. My omega was withdrawn and broken, and my scent had vanished permanently. But I couldn’t stop my mind from returning to Bear and Nox, as if there were strings tying me to them.
“How did you know?” I asked, trying to sound like it was a purely intellectual exercise.
“It’s scent-based,” Poppy said. “You scent them, they scent you, and you just know.”
Josie rolled her eyes. “That might be simplifying it a bit. It took me a while to catch on because of the suppressants I was using. It took a while for it to click for me, but it was like mybody knew the whole time. I was drawn to them immediately and hated being away from them. I also trusted them, even when my mind said I shouldn’t. So I think it’s much deeper than scent—that’s just the cherry on top.”
My heart raced at her words, but I quickly cut off the hopeful excitement growing in me. I was mistaking the crush I had on Nox and Bear for something more.
Just then, Luc came out of his office. He crossed his arms when he saw us all sitting down, but Charlie just giggled and blew him a kiss. His eyes softened the moment they landed on her, and my heart ached to see the tenderness he had for her.
“Omegas. Can’t leave them alone for five fucking minutes,” he muttered.
“Um, Clementine is a beta.” Charlie rolled her chair towards her alpha. “And it sounded like you were insulting omegas.”
Luc smirked as he looked down at her. “I would never.” He cupped her face and pulled her in for a kiss.
Just then, the door slammed open, and Josie’s alphas—Cam, Theo, and Ben—stormed in, making a beeline for their omega.
“What are you—” She was cut off when Cam threw her over his shoulder and headed back to the door.
“I think it worked,” she shouted back at us, giving a cute little wave before they left.
Luc’s mouth fell open as he took in the scene. “What the fuck was that?”
“Nothing,” Charlie choked out between her peals of laughter.
“That was all your fault,” Clementine said to me.
“I guess so,” I said, snorting out a laugh. “I suppose alphas really are simple creatures.”
The mood was bright as we gathered our things. Poppy offered me a ride like she did every week, but I told her I was happy to skate home. Usually I turned down rides because I didn’t want to be inconvenient, but today, I actually wanted toskate back. I wanted to take advantage of my newfound energy for as long as it lasted.
I gave my friends a wave, feeling light as I headed back home. The sun was setting, and the spring air was filled with the scent of flowering dogwoods.
When I arrived at the house, I took off my skates at the mailbox, tucking the stack of mail under my arm as I crossed the gravel driveway in my socks. I chucked the mail onto the kitchen island and got a glass of water before sorting through it. Most of it was junk. My chest tightened as I looked over an advertisement for the Omega Center that read, “Find your pack! Enroll in the new interview process today!” I crumpled it up and threw it in the trash. Fuck them for rejecting me and then rubbing my face in it.
My heart sank further when I saw the envelope containing last month’s utility bill. I put it to the side, not brave enough to open it yet.
My fingers froze over the last piece of mail. It was a small envelope with my name on it, but it didn’t have a stamp or return address, just like the one I’d gotten with the creepy note. I wanted to put it aside with the bill or just throw it straight in the trash, but I found myself tearing it open.
I clenched my jaw as I pulled out a small white card.
My dearest angel, with hair so beautiful it shines like stars in the night sky
