Page 23 of Knot Gonna Lie (Syzygy Omegaverse #1)

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

SETH

The Center’s corridors buzzed with their usual rhythm—gammas escorting their charges, betas conducting business, alphas prowling for opportunity. I’d witnessed this dance countless times before, but today everything felt different.

Elara moved through the crowds ahead of me like starlight through shadow, and I couldn’t tear my gaze away.

She’d wrapped a silver scarf around her head this morning, tucking her blonde hair beneath the fabric.

Protection, maybe—from the bitter stares of alphas still nursing yesterday’s wounds, or simply from the weight of so many eyes.

I didn’t ask. If the small disguise brought her peace, that was enough.

She didn’t need more eyes on her. Not today.

Not when she would be leaving her gamma behind for good.

Her emerald dress caught the station’s artificial light, drawing attention to the healing mark at her throat. Pride and possession in one elegant statement. Maia and Stella flanked her like devoted sentinels, their quiet conversation drawing occasional smiles from our omega.

Each time she laughed, something resonated through my chest—unexpected and sharp, like something I hadn’t known I’d been waiting for.

Is this what we’ve been missing? What an omega brings to make a clan whole?

“Another set of thermal sleepwear, with matching robe and slippers.” Jaxom’s fingers danced across his vidtablet beside me, cataloging each purchase with methodical precision. “And those temperature-regulating blankets she selected.”

I nodded absently, watching how Elara’s fingers tested textures with careful consideration. Her body knew what it would need during the cycles ahead, even if the station’s education had left her knowledge incomplete.

Protective heat kindled in my chest. How many crucial truths had they withheld? How many surprises awaited us beyond these walls?

This should be her last time walking these corridors. She doesn’t belong to this place anymore.

She belongs with us.

“Seth? Seth Titanus, is that you?”

The familiar voice made me turn. My breath caught. Dr. Miranda Chen emerged from an aromatherapy spa, her dark hair threaded with premature silver—each strand earned through decades of healing. She approached with the confident stride of someone who commanded respect without demanding it.

Dr. Chen’s gaze swept over our group, sharp and efficient, lingering on Elara with a warm, professional smile before flicking back to me.

“Dr. Chen.” I inclined my head, aware that Elara had paused to observe our interaction. “I didn’t expect to see you here.”

“Emergency consultation.” She gestured toward the spa behind her. “Several omegas experiencing heightened scent sensitivity. Environmental triggers, most likely.” Her sharp gaze found mine with knowing precision. “Though I suspect your company’s latest innovations might hold solutions.”

Of course she’d kept tabs on Coco Pharma’s innovations—she knew I’d left her private practice after graduation to work with Luca and his brother.

Heat crept up my neck as Elara drifted closer, curiosity bright in her emerald eyes. I silently prayed this wasn’t about to turn into an impromptu business pitch. The last thing I wanted was to bore her with pharmaceutical details on what should be her day of freedom from this place.

“I contributed some, but the credit belongs to the whole team—”

“Nonsense.” Dr. Chen’s tone cut through false modesty like a scalpel through tissue. She gripped my arm briefly—cool fingers steady—and shook her head. “Those scent-absorbent gems were pure genius. Without your breakthrough, omegas would still be suffering needless separation anxiety.”

Elara’s eyes widened, her attention sharpening to laser focus. “Comfort jewelry?”

“Specialized pieces that hold and release pack scents.” Scientific passion overrode my usual reserve. “The gems absorb pheromone signatures, providing steady comfort during separation or stress. Essential for omegas who need constant scent connection when their pack can’t be physically present.”

“That’s incredible.” Elara stepped closer, her lavender-vanilla scent curling around me—soft, warm, impossible to ignore—drawing me in, like silk made of starlight. “How does the absorption process work?”

Something warm unfurled in my chest. Most people used the products without a second thought—but here Elara was asking about the work behind it.

For the first time, I let myself believe she might actually care about what I do—who saw innovation as an act of love.

“The crystalline matrix creates molecular pockets that bond with specific pheromone compounds.” My hands moved as I explained, mapping invisible structures in the air. “We were delivering a shipment to Glamorous Gems when—”

Her wonder vanished, swallowed by shock. “You were selling to Toasty?”

“That’s why we were there when our alpha stepped in to protect you,” Stella interjected smoothly, protective instinct evident in her positioning herself slightly between Elara and Dr. Chen. “Right place, right time.”

Dr. Chen observed the exchange with sharp attention. A smile ghosted across her lips—subtle but knowing. “Ah.” Understanding dawned in her expression. “You’re part of the pack that caused such a sensation yesterday.”

The weight of passing scrutiny pressed against my skin. Strangers paused to stare at Elara—the omega who’d shattered protocol to claim her chosen alpha. Their attention made my skin crawl, but she stood taller, meeting each gaze with quiet dignity.

“My choice entirely.” Steel wrapped in velvet, her voice carried no apology. “I regret nothing .”

Dr. Chen’s smile held genuine approval, perhaps even relief. “As it should be. Choice remains an omega’s most sacred right.” Her attention returned to me, expression growing serious. “Care for her well. Don’t disappoint me. And remember—trust the science, but trust her instincts more.”

“Seth?” Elara’s fingers drifted to her throat, tracing where a comfort necklace might rest. “Would you help me select some pieces? I want to wear something that you’ve created, to understand.”

Her request hit hard—she was asking me to guide her selection—settling deep in my chest.

“Of course.” The words came out rougher than intended. “It would be my honor.”

“I’d like to see that too,” Dr. Chen added, stepping forward again with a knowing smile. “I’ve read the research. Now I want to see what my brightest student built with his own hands.”

Suddenly I was thirteen again, presenting prototypes to academy boards—except now the stakes were personal, the audience infinitely more important.

“Of course.” I turned, guiding them toward the vendor, pulse thudding like I was walking into a trial, not a jewelry store. “Follow me.”

As we moved deeper into The Center, Dr. Chen matched my pace. Her presence carried the weight of decades spent revolutionizing omega care across the galaxy.

“I must say, your company’s pharmaceutical line continues to impress.” Professional admiration colored her words. “Those temperature patches—artistry disguised as chemistry. The post-heat stabilizers? Revolutionary.”

Heat crept up my neck. Elara walked just ahead, and I was almost certain she could hear every word.

“The claiming mark analgesics were born from patient observation. The answers weren’t in formulas—they were in listening.

Sometimes, solutions hide in suffering, just waiting for someone to pay attention. ”

Dr. Chen’s sharp gaze softened with something approaching maternal pride. “Which brings me to a delicate matter.” Her voice dropped to a confidential whisper. “Your omega’s dramatic selection yesterday—how is she adjusting?”

The question carried undercurrents I wasn’t sure how to navigate. Clinical details felt like betraying intimacy, yet her expertise could prove crucial.

“The mark heals well. Vitals stable.” Medical training warred with protective instincts as I chose my words carefully. “But heat indicators suggest acceleration. A week out, maybe less. Two if we’re lucky.”

“Change in environment and massive life transitions can do that—trigger or delay a heat cycle. Combine new pack bonds with unfamiliar atmospheric conditions, and it creates a perfect storm.” She nodded knowingly. “Where are you heading?”

“Planet Tera.”

“Smart move.” Her expression brightened. “It’s an omega haven. The atmosphere there nurtures their biology.”

She produced a sealed medical kit from her bag—slim, clinical, unmistakably high-grade. “Emergency heat regulators. Beyond standard grade. Keep them on hand.”

I accepted the container with care. “Thank you, but…why this level of assistance?”

“Because yesterday I witnessed something rare—an omega choosing from the heart, not calculation.” Professional distance cracked, revealing fierce compassion beneath. “Whatever you’re building deserves every chance to flourish.”

“Thank you.” The words felt inadequate for the gift offered.

“Once you reach Tera, stay put.” Her tone brooked no argument.

“Through her first heat, through the adjustment period. On her own now with only a clan and no gamma. She’ll be forming new bonds, learning new dynamics.

If she builds a pack, those relationships need time to stabilize. Naturally. Don’t rush it.”

I nodded, already filing it away for Luca. “Understood. I’ll ensure our alpha knows.”

Dr. Chen glanced back at Elara, now nestled between Maia and Stella, her scarf adjusted with care. “Good,” she said quietly. “Then don’t just monitor her. Support her. Trust her instincts. And make damn sure you don’t let the science speak louder than her voice.”

Glamorous Gems welcomed us with its familiar symphony of light and luxury. Crystalline displays caught The Center’s artificial illumination like captured stars. Toasty materialized from behind the counter, his diamond-studded smile gleaming with merchant’s joy.

“Miss Elara!” Warmth radiated from every word. “Congratulations on your beautiful claiming. Word is, love conquered bureaucracy—my favorite kind. You’ve got the romantic dreamers lining up.”

Elara’s smile held quiet grace, fingers brushing her healing mark. “Thank you, Toasty. Your kindness means much.”

“We’d like to see the scent-absorption jewelry.” Stella cut straight to the purpose. “Seth’s designs specifically.”

“The comfort collection!” His eyes lit with commercial delight. “My finest sellers.” He gestured with theatrical flair toward the elaborate display table dominating the store’s center, where delicate pieces sparkled under soft light. “Take your time. Please, examine everything at your leisure.”

Dr. Chen lingered beside the cases, studying each piece with scientific precision and maternal pride, evaluating the jewelry built around my revolutionary cores.

Elara approached the display with careful fascination, fingers skimming chains and settings, weighing craftsmanship against comfort.

“These are beautiful.” She selected an emerald, sapphire, and silver set—bracelet, ring, and necklace that would complement her natural coloring perfectly. “How exactly do they work?”

Pride swelled—not the hollow kind, but the warmth that came when someone genuinely wanted to understand what you’d made.

“They store pack pheromones.” I kept my voice clinical, steady. “Any fluid with chemical markers—sweat, saliva, blood. The matrix bonds with scent molecules.”

“Seth was my most gifted student.” Dr. Chen’s voice held notes I’d never heard directed at me before—measured pride, maybe even warmth. “Always seeking applications beyond the obvious, turning theory into comfort.”

My face burned. Elara absorbed this information with visible interest, gaze flickering between us.

I demonstrated the mechanism carefully, avoiding activation. “Press here to trigger absorption. Rub against your mate’s skin to gather their essence. Release to store. When you need comfort, hold it close and breathe.”

“The molecular bonding process he developed is being studied at three different medical academies,” Dr. Chen added, her smile carrying genuine warmth. “I’m proud of what he’s built—bringing tangible solace to those who need it most.”

Elara’s eyes held more than awe—they held understanding. “That’s incredible, Seth.”

Then she closed the distance between us.

Her embrace was soft, grateful, brief. But her scent—lavender and vanilla and starlight—wrapped around me like a blessing. The contact lasted heartbeats but left marks deeper than skin.

“Elara?”

Luca’s voice cut through the air like a psyblade, with surgical precision.

Our alpha stood in the doorway, ice-blue gaze sweeping the room, taking in everything—Elara stepping back, comfort jewelry scattered across the table, Dr. Chen’s knowing expression, and me, frozen in the middle of it all.

She moved to him with radiant joy, jewelry clutched like treasure. “Luca! Seth showed me what he created—comfort jewelry that holds pack scents. He explained to me how it works…”

She pressed the emerald orb to his claiming mark with tender reverence, activating the mechanism to capture his essence.

My throat constricted. Watching her use my creation to preserve his scent—a moment that would never include me—twisted something deep inside.

Pride and ache, tangled in equal measure.

“Your medic possesses rare gifts.” Dr. Chen’s voice carried weight meant for alpha ears. “Both in innovation and in character. You’re fortunate to have him in your clan.”

Luca’s expression softened as his gaze moved between Elara and me. “Seth’s work never disappoints.”

Never disappoints. I tucked the words away like precious data, saving them for darker moments when doubt crept close.

“Indeed.” Dr. Chen gathered her things with practiced efficiency. “I should continue rounds. But Seth—” Her gaze pinned me with familiar intensity. “Continue your research. The galaxy needs healers who understand that medicine serves hearts as much as bodies.”

As she departed, approval echoing in her wake, I caught Elara watching me—with something new in her gaze. Not the unguarded joy she gave Luca, but something quieter.

Recognition. Understanding.

Maybe even acknowledgment of what I offered—not passion or protection, but innovation born from compassion.

Maybe one day, she’d gift me a fraction of that radiance.

Until then, I’d devote myself to her happiness. To the work that eased omega suffering across the galaxy.

To becoming worthy of whatever small corner of her heart she might one day choose to spare.