Page 12 of Knot the Stray

My inner Omega craves the genuine warmth and safety they offer. The deep-rooted instinct demands I step into their arms and let them take care of me. The ache between my thighs intensifies, transforming from a dull throb into a demanding pulse. My breath hitches hard in my throat.

I turn my back to them, staring blank at the wall. I squeeze my eyes shut and force air into my lungs. The warmth inside my body climbs higher, melting my professional mask away piece by piece. The storm outside rages on, but the chaos erupting inside my veins feels much more dangerous.

I try to take a step away from the wall. I need distance to clear my head, but my knees go weak. A harsh, intense wave of heat washes over my brain, making the room spin. I sway, my boots slipping against the linoleum.

Jake closes the distance in a fraction of a second. His large hands grip my upper arms, catching my weight before I hit the floor. The contact pushes my overloaded system past the breaking point. The warmth in my veins flashes into a raging inferno.

A thick layer of sweat coats my skin. The chemical barrier of fake roses and musk washes away. The air in the room just smells like ripe fig, clove, and dark tea to me, but I see the exact second my true scent fills the small kitchen.

All three men freeze.

Jake’s grip on my arms tightens. Nolan goes rigid in the vintage armchair, his posture stiffening. Edward stands rooted near the front door. Their eyes darken, the irises swallowing the color as their pupils blow wide open. Their Alpha instincts register the sweet scent filling the small space.

Nolan takes off his dark frames, rubbing a hand down his face. A harsh, jagged breath leaves his lungs.

“Vanilla bean and toasted sugar.” Nolan stares at me, his voice rough with awe. “You smell like a bakery. You’re an Omega.”

Panic overrides my rising arousal. I pull out of Jake’s grasp. He lets me go, his chest expanding as he takes in a massive lungful of the air. I take two deliberate steps backward, pressing my spine against the edge of the kitchen counter. I need a barrier between us.

“I’m sorry.”

My voice cracks. I press my hands flat against the laminate, forcing myself to stay upright.

“I’m so sorry. I knew. I knew the second you walked into the clinic three days ago. The scent match hit me hard, but I panicked. I just wanted you to leave me alone. I wanted to finish my job and leave town.”

Edward takes a slow step forward. The deep rumble of an Alpha purr vibrates low in his throat.

“Thank God.” Edward keeps his gaze locked on my face, a heavy weight lifting from his broad shoulders. “We thought we were losing our minds. We felt the pull the second we met you, but your scent blocker threw us off. Our instincts demanded we claim you, but our brains saw a Beta. We spent the last three days pacing holes in the floorboards.”

Jake steps back, giving me space. He holds his hands up, palms facing out, showing he brings no threat.

“We had a pack meeting this morning at the local diner.” Jake keeps his voice low and calm, but the raw hunger in his dark eyes burns bright. “We decided to pursue you anyway. We agreed to court you, bond with you, and never knot again. We decided having you was worth the sacrifice.”

I stare at them, my heart hammering a frantic beat against my ribs. The confession hits me like a blow to the chest.

Alphas require knotting an Omega to feel a complete orgasm. Denying that instinct makes them sick and pent up. The frustration turns them feral, agitated, and miserable. Giving up a fundamental piece of their nature for a woman they just met is insane.

I shake my head, my wet hair sticking to my flushed neck. “This scares the hell out of me. I don’t know what a scent match means for me. I like being on the move. I like my freedom.”

I grip the counter, my arms trembling. The Heat demands a knot, but my mind demands autonomy. I let the guarded, professional mask shatter. The secret I spent years protecting spills out of me.

“Omegas don’t get to keep their independence. I grew up bouncing through the worst parts of the foster system. I owned nothing. I had no control over my life. A social worker dictated where I slept and what I ate. Moving in the middle of the night with my clothes in a trash bag became routine. I swore I would never let anyone dictate my future again. I refuse to belong to anyone.”

I swallow hard, fighting the slick rush of dampness pooling between my thighs.

“I fought for years to get my degree. I worked insane hours to pay off my student loans. I built this career with my own two hands. I run clinics by myself. I rely on nobody. The veterinary world operates on a strict hierarchy.”

Nolan steps closer to Jake, putting his dark frames back on. He watches me with a deep, protective focus.

“If the veterinary board finds out I’m an Omega, they pull my contracts.” I point a shaking finger at the floor. “They deem me a liability. They assume I need a pack to manage my emotions and my Heats. They strip my licenses. If the town board finds out, they kick me out of this clinic. They want a reliable Beta doctor, not an unbonded Omega who might go into Heat during a shift and compromise the patients.”

“Jessie, breathe.” Jake steps forward, crossing the threshold from the living room into the kitchen. His demeanor drops the intense, predatory edge, replacing it with something grounded and protective. “Look at me.”

I lift my head, meeting his dark, serious eyes.

“Your secret is safe with us.” His rough baritone voice carries absolute certainty. “We won’t breathe a word of this to anyone. We won’t report you to the board or the council. But you misunderstand this town.”

Nolan steps up beside Jake. His intelligent eyes look soft and reassuring.