Page 5 of Knot Gonna Lie (Syzygy Omegaverse #1)
The power of his words rolled over me like a tide seeking to drag me under, making my knees weak with the effort to resist their pull. Every fiber of my being fought against buckling and begging him to leave me be.
He wasn’t attractive—at least, not to me—and I found his scent repulsive enough to steel my resolve against his wishes. I wouldn’t allow my hormones to let some random stranger have his way with me.
“You can try, but your alpha bark doesn’t work on me.” Quinn stepped closer to the cocky male, releasing her hold on me as challenge blazed in her eyes like forge-fire. “So how about you stop ruining my omega’s experience and go try to impress someone who cares. Like your reflection.”
“You gammas are all the same—”
“And you haven’t changed at all,” a rich, powerful voice mocked, each word articulated like daggers thrown with deadly precision.
“You’d think after thirteen trips to The Den, you would’ve learned something by now, but it seems only to make you more desperate.
I’d say you need another attempt, but I don’t think whatever unfortunate omega graces your presence would be able to teach you anything.
So how about you stop tarnishing the reputation of other alphas aboard this station and listen to this gamma who’s trying to do her job? ”
The alpha in the familiar business suit stepped beside Quinn, using his body to shield me from the unruly intruder like a living wall of protection. His scent of warm coconut, sweet pineapple, and tart cherries washed over me in waves, making my mouth water with sudden hunger.
The ventilation system couldn’t hide his sticky sweet essence nor Quinn’s calming morning mist as they blocked the unpleasant aroma from the alpha who’d overstepped his bounds and the beta awaiting our purchase decision.
Licking my lips, I studied the neck of this new alpha, wondering what lay beneath his business suit.
The thought of how protective he would be in my nest, naked with his knot begging for me, had me suddenly breathless and wanting.
The lack of any underlying foreign scent made me squeeze my thighs together and swallow a whimper.
“I don’t care who you are, but you’re no longer welcome in this establishment,” Toasty demanded, his voice lacking the power of the businessman alpha but still making his point clear as mountain air.
“I’d advise you to leave before I report you to the enforcers and have you escorted off the station. ”
“Let’s not be hasty,” the burnt lime-scented alpha replied, jerking his wrist away from Quinn while raising his hands in mock surrender, eyes still locked onto my delicious protector beside me.
“There’s no need for reports. I know I’m no longer wanted and will see myself out. I’ll leave the four of you in peace.”
“I’m glad you finally see reason,” Quinn snapped like a whip crack. “There might be hope for you yet.”
The room fell silent as my hands instinctively found the back of my tropical paradise’s suit, pressing my face against him, seeking his strength for comfort. The back muscles beneath my touch stiffened as he became aware of my presence, but he made no movement to escape my touch.
I was too afraid to move, to breathe—to do anything that might shatter this moment like spun glass.
This alpha had come to my rescue, placing his body between mine and danger without hesitation.
I should’ve been shaken—but all I could feel was heat.
My body reacted before my mind caught up—nipples tight, slick already gathering between my thighs.
We were strangers, but it didn’t matter.
I was already captivated by him—by the raw power, the instinct to protect.
His name could come later.
Suddenly, I wanted nothing more than to place my hands on the counter and let him have his way with me. I was willing to arch my back and cry out loud enough for the store to hear as I begged for him to fill me with the thick, knotted essence I knew he possessed.
All alphas carried such gifts, and they knew how much betas and omegas craved a taste. That’s why they often grew arrogant, wanting to control everything, especially those of lower-class sub-genders.
Gammas were the only gender capable of resisting both alpha barks and omega whines. They brought balance to society—ensuring alphas never overstepped their bounds, betas were treated fairly, and omegas weren’t abused.
“That’s enough, Elara,” Quinn said, gripping my shoulder.
Her touch felt oddly wrong upon my skin—a first shock.
Soon it lifted as she overrode the alpha’s scent and surrounded me with her own.
Her aroma was so familiar it felt almost mine—and would remain so until I was claimed.
“Leave the male alone, and let’s depart.
It seems you’re too affected by your approaching heat to be in public right now.
We don’t need you giving the wrong person dangerous ideas. ”
“I don’t want to,” I whined and pouted, closing my eyes as I gripped my savior’s suit harder, hoping to avoid forced removal. “I don’t want to leave, especially without knowing his name.”
“Is it only my name that you want?” the remaining alpha asked, chuckling with a sound that made his chest bounce slightly with each laugh. “Aren’t you missing something?”
“What?”
The word escaped before I could stop it, tumbling from my lips like water over stones.
“I’d advise you to watch your tongue, alpha. If you don’t, the same threat I just gave—”
“Owen,” he interrupted her smoothly. “His name is Owen, and his twin brother’s name is Keanu. They’ve been known for hunting down unmated omegas without their gammas aboard the station, hoping to convince them that two are better than one when it comes time for The Den.”
“He didn’t mention a brother.” Quinn raised an eyebrow, skepticism lacing her voice. “How do I know you’re speaking truth?”
“I’ve heard of them,” Toasty confirmed, crossing his arms while nodding gravely. “They’ve drifted in here from time to time, scoping out pieces they could give their future omega. Unfortunately, they’re no longer welcome after what he just displayed.”
“Toasty, could you please package those three pieces this omega was examining for her dress and charge them to my account?” The alpha gestured toward the jewelry in the black case. “Once my betas finish their shopping and pay, we’ll be on our way.”
My betas.
The way he spoke those two words suggested more pack than clan. How could I compete with an alpha who didn’t need an omega? Yet he lacked any lingering scents that would come from bonding with another—and he hadn’t resisted my touch.
Could he be uninterested in me? Possibly, but if so, why give me such expensive gifts when we were strangers?
People wouldn’t do that unless hoping to impress someone or seek forgiveness, especially since we hadn’t met in The Den.
Furthermore, he’d never formally announced courtship intentions, so why make such a grandiose gesture?
There had to be a reason I couldn’t see.
“I can’t…”
“You must,” Toasty said, his words carrying an underlying warning but lacking the power of a command, much less than what an alpha refusing to use their bark would possess. “Do you know who he is?”
Suddenly, I realized the man who’d instinctively attracted me might be someone of importance. Someone who could afford such lavish gifts to mere strangers without thought.
Gifts I didn’t want or care about, even coming from him.
We were going to purchase something here anyway before this embarrassing event erupted.
What was the point of wearing something gifted by someone I didn’t know, especially when I was supposed to wear these items to select an alpha to spend eternity with?
Why would I want to wear something that reminded me of someone I could never have?
What would my future alpha think, knowing another had given me such elaborate gifts?
Forcing myself to release him, I stepped back into Quinn’s embrace. He wasn’t mine, no matter how much I wanted him to be. It wasn’t fair to cling to him, unwelcome, when he had a pack.
Quinn instantly pressed her wrist beneath my nose, forcing her calming scent to overtake his. My arousal soon faded—as the heavy fog lifted from my mind like shooting stars blasting through asteroid fields—dispelling the empty promises his aroma had whispered.
“He’s Mr. Coco, co-owner of Coco Pharma,” Toasty whispered; his voice had instantly lost its bite.
“Elara,” Quinn hissed. My name emerged more like a curse as she tightened her grip on me. “What are you doing?” she whispered in my ear before pulling away. “I apologize for my omega, Mr. Coco. Unfortunately, she’s approaching her heat and makes her debut at The Den tomorrow.”
“There’s no need for apologies.” He spun around and straightened his jacket from the wrinkles I’d created, smoothing away evidence of my desperate touch.
“Others, especially alphas, should control themselves around omegas, regardless of their heat status. That’s the point of being vetted.
So they can move freely amongst others without trouble. ”
“Are you sure you want to pay for my jewelry?”
Scanning his body, I tried to prevent myself from licking my lips as I absorbed his athletic build, dressed in his black business suit like a treasure wrapped to be hidden from me.
His sapphire vest and tie brought out his icy blue eyes as they locked onto mine.
My chest ached as I drew deep breaths, forcing myself to calm and not lunge for the male I could somehow still scent over my gamma’s aroma.
Instead, he stared at me in shock, as if unsure how to respond to my question or perhaps confused why I wasn’t blindly accepting his gift.
Omegas loved gifts…and I would love whatever Quinn had selected for me for my debut, but I hadn’t met him in The Den, and we weren’t currently in our courtship phase. Perhaps that was why something deep inside felt so wrong.
“I thought all omegas loved being spoiled.” He offered me a soft smile that made my heart flutter like caged wings.
“It would be my honor to provide you with these pieces. It’s not as if alphas don’t already sponsor omegas.
We provide you with safe homes away from the rest of the human race as we work on rebuilding.
Our government focuses on expanding our reach within the galaxy, providing enough space to create alpha-led communities.
It’s in our best interest to shelter our future from past mistakes and only allow those who’ve proved themselves worthy the opportunity to court an omega.
“All omegas should be treated like the treasures they are, surrounded by their caretakers until you select the alpha you want to fulfill your dreams. Then, it’s up to them to win your heart.
” He glanced over his shoulder at his pack, who watched our exchange with curious intensity.
Taking a deep breath, Mr. Coco turned toward me before releasing a deep sigh.
His icy blue eyes had darkened into sapphire gems, studying me as he licked his kissable lips.
“If we never meet again, at least I know I was able to help your gamma by intervening.”
“I had it under control,” Quinn muttered, pulling her wrist from my nose with unnecessary roughness. She’d never been aggressive with me before—never like this. Did his very presence threaten her? He hadn’t done anything to justify her anger. “I’m fully capable of doing my job.”
“I didn’t say you weren’t,” he corrected with carefully measured words that carried the weight of diplomacy. “It wasn’t my intention to upset either of you, so please don’t take offense at any of my actions. I’ll be more conscious in the future.”
I believed him…And for my sake, I wished I would meet him again, and soon.
Forcing myself to look away from him, I leaned past Quinn and reached for the jewelry case.
I picked up the three-tiered necklace designed to tempt eyes to trace my spine along my bare back and gently bounced the precious stones, feeling their surprising weight in my hand.
It seemed strange how something so small could weigh so much and be worth more than most people saw in a lifetime.
“If you were me, which one would you wear?”
“That would be easy,” he purred, the growling sound from his throat making me shiver as goosebumps spread across my skin like ripples on still water.
“If I were you, I would wear the choker to show all the alphas in that room that if they wanted me, they would have to work hard to prove themselves worthy of marking me.”