Page 39 of Knot Our Reality (Heated #5)

Alexei

“ W ilder is without his omega?” Sasha asks quietly, nodding toward the door.

I spin around to see that Wilder is, in fact, alone. It’s not that the two of them are constantly attached at the hip, but they usually arrive together.

“I wonder why.” Dalton frowns. “Would it be rude to ask?”

I shrug. “I do not know, but I am going to ask, anyway.”

I hear my brother hiss a curse at me in Russian, followed by laughter from Sasha, but I ignore them as I approach the alpha. “Hello, Wilder.”

Wilder’s head snaps up, his eyes blinking before they focus on me. “Oh, ummm…hi…” He leans close to sniff me, and I can’t help laughing. “Alexei. You’re Alexei.”

“I am. The best way to know which of us you speak to is if they scowl, they are Nikolai. If there is smile, it is I.” I grin as he chuckles.

“I’ll keep that in mind. What’s up?”

“Oh, I was just concerned that Camden did not arrive with you. Is he okay?”

Wilder shrugs one shoulder, a half-smile on his lips. “According to our bond, he is, but I haven’t seen him yet today.”

Now, my eyebrows shoot up. “Why have you not seen omega today?”

He chuckles. “I’m not sure if I’m supposed to tell anyone, but you’ll find out eventually. He stayed the night with Emilia last night. And all day. I’m not sure they’ve left her suite at all.”

“Oh. This is good news. They are omega pair? ”

“According to Remington, they are.”

My heart flutters in my chest for many reasons. First, because this will be good for both of them. Second, this means they will bond. Third, they may both be interested in any or all of us.

“So she will choose him tonight? And you?”

He shakes his head. “No. She did ask both of us to meet her sons tomorrow.”

“Oh, you get to go to family day? You are shoo-in.” I slap Wilder’s shoulder. “You will like Jasper and Hawk. They good kids. Her brother is good person. He will like you, and you him.”

Wilder looks more than a little overwhelmed as he looks back at me. “How do you know that?”

I chuckle. “Nikolai and I, we were his suitors. He just wants someone who will love his sister. Who will make her happy once more. You can do that—especially with Camden.”

He doesn’t look as sure of himself as I feel, but I can understand. I just know this is a step in the right direction.

If she’s accepted Camden as hers, she will want more of us to be hers.

“I am sure he will join you soon,” I tell him, both of our heads snapping up when someone calls his name. I smile when I see it’s Camden rushing over.

He’s dressed in his tuxedo, but he’s a mess. His tie is hanging around his neck and his hair is a mess. I can count a few hickies on his neck even from across the room. He also can’t wipe the grin off his face.

Oh, yes. This is an omega who has been well fucked.

I’m a little jealous.

“See, I told you he be here soon.” I pat his shoulder once more. “We talk later.”

I step away, allowing Wilder to help his omega look a little more put together as I move back to join my brother, Sasha, Dalton, and Maverick.

“So?” Maverick asks, all their eyes locked on Camden and Wilder.

“He spend night with Emilia—Camden only—and all day today. They are omega pair.”

“Good for them,” Dalton says with a grin .

Maverick nods. “This is good. This means she’s working on moving on. We all know it’s going to be hard for her.”

“A step in right direction,” Nikolai agrees. “Now, we stop staring at other omega.”

Before we get a chance to respond, the doors fly open to reveal Reginald escorting Emilia into the ballroom, with Lucas, Bree, and Tessa trailing in behind them.

I couldn’t tear my eyes off her, even if I wanted to.

Emilia Reinhardt is always beautiful, but today, she’s glowing. Her long blonde hair falls over her shoulder in soft waves and she wears minimal makeup—except on her exposed neck and cleavage. There’s definitely some heavy cover-up there.

It seems the omegas wanted to leave their marks on one another.

“Welcome back to our viewers and our suitors. It’s hard to believe we’ve already arrived at the second rose ceremony of the season.

” Reginald smiles, patting Emilia’s arm.

“Our omega has been a busy girl this week with four dates. I hope you’ve all enjoyed the glimpses you’ve been given of those dates, viewers. Are you ready, Emilia?”

I want to pout because we don’t get to see clips of the other dates. If any of them turned out like ours did—or even better than ours—I’d love to watch those clips.

“I am. Thank you, Reginald. I’ve enjoyed having the last week to get to know each of you a little better.

If we didn’t get a chance to spend much time together, don’t worry.

I kept that in mind while I was deciding who would have what color rose.

This week, you’ll be called up alphabetically by your first names. ”

She runs her fingers over the roses collected in the vase on the table, and I notice there are only lavender, peach, and yellow. It seems she’s not planning on sending anyone home this week, either.

“First up, we have Alexei and Nikolai Ivanov.” I startle at Reginald’s voice, not really thinking about the fact that my name comes first.

Nikolai chuckles as he digs his elbow into my side. “Go.”

Instead of starting anything with him, I head for the stage with him right behind me. It doesn’t take long for us to reach my lovely omega .

“Alexei and Nikolai. I had a wonderful time with the two of you on our group date. I wasn’t sure how it would go, adding Evander with the two of you, but the three of you got along great.

I’ll admit I was relieved.” Her mouth kicks up on one side as her eyes find Nikolai.

“I wasn’t sure how you would do with someone new, Nikolai, but I should’ve known better.

I saw you with my brother’s other suitors last season, and even if you didn’t say much, you got along with them. ”

Nikolai nods. “Evander is good, honorable man. He easy to respect and get along with.”

“What about me?” I ask.

She waves me off. “We know you could get along with a door if it was the only thing to interact with. In the future, I think it will be good to see you without the other attached at the hip. With that being said, there won’t be a date for you this week.

I want to spread my attention to others this week. ”

Nikolai and I both take the yellow roses she offers to us. I grab her hand and lift it to my lips. “We are happy you are happy.”

She just stares at me for a moment before we head off stage.

Next comes Bradley, who is handed a lavender rose.

“Camden and Wilder Montgomery, if the two of you will join us on stage.”

I watch the pair walk up to the stage, hand in hand.

“I would like to pause here for just a moment.” She shoots Pack Montgomery an apologetic smile.

“As I’m sure all of you realize, my boys are very important to me.

I can’t make any life-changing decisions without them getting a say in it.

Because of that, I won’t choose anyone for my pack before they’ve met and been approved by both my boys.

I am the adult in this situation, but I have to consider their feelings.

“Remington advised me yesterday that Camden and I are an omega pair. If you’ve paid attention to the vase beside me, you’ll notice there aren’t any red roses there.

That’s because they have not met my boys.

I discussed this with them last night, and they understand.

But I did ask them to join me for tomorrow’s family day.

Even fate can’t tell me to mate someone without Jasper and Hawk getting a say in the matter.

” She grins, plucking two more yellow roses from the vase.

“There won’t be a date for the three of us this week, but that’s mainly because you get to meet the family tomorrow. ”

Camden leans in and kisses her as he takes the roses from her, handing Wilder his when they break apart. Wilder kisses Emilia’s cheek, and then they walk off the stage just as they approached it, hand in hand.

Dalton and Maverick are the next suitors called to the stage, and like us, they receive yellow roses. Dylan, on the other hand, gets a peach rose.

I’m beginning to see a pattern here.

All the suitors who had dates with her this week are receiving yellow roses, while those who didn’t are getting dates with her. It’s smart of her, making sure she gets time with all of us. I certainly can’t fault her for that.

That means that Evander, Ian, and Sasha also receive yellow roses. While Gavin, Lee, and Malik receive lavender roses, Paxton gets a peach rose.

Am I sad I won’t get to go on a date with her this week? Of course. I’m sure all of us wished we could spend that extra time with her, but I also don’t mind.

I know we had a good time together, and she likes me and my brother. She liked us before she knew we were her suitors.

For now, I think we’re safe, and that makes me happy.