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My fingertips go white as I clutch the tablet. I glance at the door, swallowing hard.

Charlotte asked me whether it was reassuring to know that this pack was mine. Mine as in they’re my scent match?

But wouldn’t that be something I can tell?

“Scent matches are very easy for either party to sense if both parties aren't already bonded. Scent-matched alphas and omegas will be unable to identify their scent match should either party be bonded due to the pheromone changes that occur after that process.”

My hand flies up to my neck in panic. Alpha Nialldidn’t bond me, did he? No way. I don’t know a lot about this, but I would know if he bonded with me.

From what I remember, Charlotte was very interested in the way I’ve spent my heats.

I open up another tab and look up another question:“What happens when an omega goes through heats without any alphas?”

My eyes go wide at the results.

“Omegas who are on suppressants for extended periods of time or omegas who repeatedly go through their heats without any alphas can have significant damage to their natural hormone cycles. Such damage can negatively impact heat cycles and their frequency, an omega’s sense of smell, and their fertility.”

I rub my eyes, my head swimming with this information. Did the Ward pack tell Charlotte they think that I’m their scent match?

Am I their scent match?

Can I not tell because I went through most of my heats without alphas?

But… can I really not tell? I’ve never scented any alphas as delicious as the ones that’ve taken me in and shown me this kindness. Granted, I haven’t really met that many alphas, but none of the ones I have scented have gotten close. Even the scents that weren’t necessarily bad, like the ones from the alphas at the railroad tracks, pale in comparison.

Is this what the internet means by them being my scent match?

What does that mean for me? What does that mean for them? Is this why they’ve been so kind to me? Because they’re after a magical soulmate connection?

My throat closes up at the thought of these amazing alphas being stuck with an omega like me, an omega who’s defective. Even if they’re not after the kind of omega that Alpha Niall tried to beat me into, they’d probably prefer an omega like Charlotte over an omega like me.

They deserve an omega who isn’t terrified of everything. An omega full of softness and warmth, not jumpiness and insecurity.

But at the same time, the thought of them with an omega like that makes me feel sick to my stomach. There’s a part of me that desperately hopes that whatever this scent match stuff means, they’re not going to find another omega that’ll suit their pack better and leave me in the dust, to watch as they care for another omega.

I try to distract myself from drowning in my own thoughts, continuing to scroll through that first website and trying to learn more about omegas and omega nature. When the letters start swimming together and my eyes grow heavy, I let them drift closed. A nap wouldn’t hurt.

When I open my eyes,it’s dark outside. Oh my god, how long was I asleep for? I tap on the screen of the tablet and see that it’s four in the morning.

I literally passed out for twelve hours.

Panic twists in my chest. I wanted to make dinner for the pack! I have no clue what I wanted to make them, but I wanted to try and make them something.

I know everyone’s been telling me I don’t need to earn my keep, that they want me here without wanting me to do anything for them, but still. How else am I ever going to manage to pay them back?

By bonding with thema small voice at the back of my head says.

I shake my head. I can’t think about that right now. I’ve spent my entire life thinking that a bond to an alpha, let alone four, would be a death sentence. After my research earlier today, I know that bonding with my scent-matched pack is basically the best opportunity I could ever have as an omega, but still. It’s hard to get rid of the weight of my past.

I notice a few notifications on the tablet from themessaging app.

Madden

Hey Luna, this is Madden. I knocked on your door earlier, but you didn’t answer. I understand if you want space after what happened earlier, I’m sorry if I pushed

I just wanted to let you know the guys and I are ordering pizza tonight, we got you a cheese pizza that’ll be in the fridge for whenever you’re ready to eat

Here’re all the other guys’ contacts in case you want to reach out to them too