Page 4 of Accept Me (Fate’s Choice #4)

But I heard it. That doubt. There was something hanging there, just under the surface.

"This is about my former profession, isn’t it?" I offered, calm and still as stone.

He let out a short breath.

"Mr. Daniels, I’m sure you understand this isn’t an easy situation.

If it were, we would have found you a match earlier through more conventional means, like questionnaires and interviews at the matchmaking agency.

Unfortunately, many clients are incredibly demanding.

They come in with big wallets and even bigger expectations.

Believe me, I’ve seen some truly unbelievable cases.

Alphas are usually looking for omegas with no experience at all… " He trailed off.

"You mean virgins," I said flatly, adding yet another icy edge to my tone.

"Yes… and they don’t even have to be objectively attractive, either.

But they still managed to get contracts within their first hours in the booth.

That’s just how some alpha pricks are. Their preferences are unbelievably outdated.

" Storm bared his teeth in a tight smile, almost like he was distancing himself from his own subgender.

"You don’t have to explain it to me," I cut him off sharply. "I know exactly how it works. Former sex worker equals damaged goods, and the alphas are here for premium packages."

I stared him down. His eyes were an unnatural turquoise, almost glowing, like he wore colored contacts. But right now, the light in them dimmed a little. He looked away. There was a brief silence before he added, trying to sound upbeat again.

"Let’s not lose hope, Mr. Daniels. I could suggest another option to improve your odds.

If you open your contract to betas and omegas as well, it would increase your pool of potential buyers.

And believe me, betas and omegas tend to be more open-minded about these things.

A lot of contracts from people in your situation are picked up by them. They carry fewer biases."

"No." The word came out nearly as a growl. I felt the muscles in my jaw lock tight. "Absolutely not! I want a family someday. And with a beta or an omega, that wouldn’t be possible. Or at the very least, highly unlikely."

Storm scratched his chin. "There are options now. Expensive, sure, but medicine’s evolving. There are experimental hormone stimulation programs…"

I shook my head again.

"Mr. Nolan, don’t even try to convince me.

There’s still the issue of my heat. I haven’t had my first one yet, and I don’t know how it’ll go.

What if I end up being one of those people with really intense heats?

I don’t want to risk going through that in a relationship with a beta or omega.

It could completely destabilize everything. I’m not taking that risk."

Storm nodded solemnly. "You’re right. That’s a very reasonable approach. I just brought it up to give you another option and broaden your pool of candidates."

"Unnecessary. I know the drill. Things are the way they are," I muttered, shrugging and keeping up the unfriendly tone.

Then I signed the tablet with a wide, fast stroke. Storm immediately handed me the printed paperwork.

"This is your copy, already signed on our end," he said, slipping it into an elegant folder with the Fate’s Choice logo. He held it out with a smile. I didn’t take it, so he set it next to me on the couch.

"Now, a quick rundown," he said, shifting into a more official tone. "The fair runs in blocks. You’re required to stay in your booth until the lunch break, then again until the short break at 3 pm, and finally until the closing at 6 pm. Tomorrow, it’ll last till 5 pm. We strongly recommend you don’t leave your station for more than ten minutes at a time. "

He walked over to the small, narrow window. It barely let in any light. Outside, you could see the side wall of the administration building. No banners here. Just windows still shattered from the explosion.

Storm stared out at them for a moment, his expression darkening in a way that told me this situation wasn’t easy for him either.

"Would you be willing to prepare some scent cards with your Allure?" he asked suddenly. "It’s something that can be helpful in these situations. Plus, you could make a little money from it. Each card counts as a sample, and people pay to smell them."

I hesitated. "And how exactly am I supposed to do that?"

Storm perked up instantly. He leaned over the desk, pulled out two small pouches, unzipped the larger one, and showed me what was inside without touching any of the thin white cards arranged neatly inside.

To my surprise, each card had my full name printed on it, along with some kind of number, probably the ID of the booth assigned to me. It was kind of impressive that they’d prepared those in advance.

Storm held up the second pouch, which contained cotton pads and a small bottle of some clear liquid.

"You just wipe your neck glands to remove any cosmetic residue," he explained.

"Once the area’s dry, press each card firmly to your gland and hold it there for about five seconds.

Then you seal the card back inside the pouch.

The bag is scent-preserving. If you manage to make at least twenty, we can advertise at your booth that Allure-infused cards are available for purchase. "

I stared at the pouches for a moment. Could this actually help me? Maybe. Maybe it would boost my chances of matching with someone genetically compatible. And that alone would improve the odds of the relationship working out, no matter what kind of past I was dragging behind me.

Storm must have read the agreement on my face, because he placed both pouches next to me on the couch and said, "I’ll give you about ten minutes.

" He glanced at the clock on the wall. "After that, my next clients will start arriving. Unfortunately, I’ll need to bring them in here as well, so I apologize in advance for the crowd. "

More clients? The thought of sharing this space with a bunch of desperate losers made me wince. I wasn’t in the mood to socialize.

"You get a lot of clients like me?"

I deliberately emphasized the word ‘like’, referring to so-called difficult cases.

"At this event? Only four of you. That includes you, two other omegas, and one beta. And just to avoid any confusion, I want to let you know right away. The beta’s here under special circumstances."

His expression grew awkward, and I immediately guessed this was something controversial.

"What do you mean?"

Storm Nolan cleared his throat and muttered, "He’s a convicted felon. The Second Chance Program authorized his presence at the fair to allow his contract to be considered by buyers willing to give him a chance at a normal life, though with an ankle monitor."

I could tell he wanted to leave it at that, but I couldn’t help myself. I asked, almost mockingly,

"So I may be left here with a criminal? First, the bomb attack on Fate’s Choice. Now convicts selling their contracts through your office. Not exactly a safe zone."

Nolan cleared his throat again, visibly uncomfortable.

"Don’t worry about it. Salt’s already out in his booth. They brought him in earlier than everyone else to avoid… complications."

"Oh, complications?" I repeated with a sarcastic tone. "Is he that dangerous? Might attack somebody just randomly?"

"Um… His case drew the attention of the Second Chance Program for a reason. They believe he deserves more than just a life sentence, due to some mitigating circumstances. That’s why we decided to handle the case, and we’re treating it seriously."

I was still dripping with venom. "For a fat commission, I assume?"

Only then did Storm’s expression shift. He turned toward me with a sly smile.

"Well, no one works for free, Mr. Daniels. Everyone has bills to pay. This company isn’t a charity, after all." He opened his arms with a kind of amused shrug.

"I’m painfully aware of that, Mr. Nolan. After all, you’re not giving up my deposit without a fight. It’s all about money." I gestured vaguely toward the wall separating us from the main event hall.

Nolan kept that same sly look as he answered,

"Now, let’s be clear. No one forced you into this. You can leave at any time. Sure, you’d lose your deposit, but this isn’t a slave market, Mr. Daniels. You’re a free man."

The irony was almost too thick to swallow. We both knew damn well that twenty-five thousand dollars wasn’t the kind of money you just walk away from. That invisible leash was tight around my neck.

"I paid you tons of dollars," I snapped, clenching my fists. "And I worked hard for every cent. There’s no way I’m letting you steal it without giving me something in return."

I was ready for a fight, but it never came. Storm just smiled, almost innocently.

"I promise you, I’ll do everything I can to help you find the right partner.

Sure, I represent the company, but I’m also human.

I actually just found my own True Mate a little over a week ago, so it’s made me even more determined to help others find happiness too.

Even if this event isn’t exactly fun, maybe it’ll still be worth it. "

He took two steps toward the door. "I’ll leave you to it now. Try to prep at least twenty cards. More is better, the earnings will be entirely yours."

He flashed me a polite, professional smile, turned the handle, and walked out.

I let out a breath I hadn’t realized I was holding. My whole body was tense, like I was taking an exam I hadn’t studied for. My hands were slick with sweat.

I opened the pouch with the cotton pads, wiped down my neck glands, and then started pressing each card to my skin for a few seconds before sealing it in the scent pouch. It actually went pretty smoothly. I managed to make around fifty cards, which seemed like enough. Besides, time was running out.

A few minutes later, I heard voices in the hallway. Storm came back in, leading an omega.

I’ll admit it. I was shocked at the sight of him.