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Even through a phone screen, it’s impossible to miss the scrunch of Cadence’s nose or the grimace pinching West’s face.

“C’mon. It can’t be that bad!”

“I mean…” West worries her bottom lip with her teeth. Her soft gray sweater hangs loosely off one shoulder, and her long pink hair falls in soft waves down her back. The happy glow from pregnancy makes her skin look fucking phenomenal. “It’s definitely not good . God, Elle. You basically told this poor Alpha to rub one out before he goes on his next date to help ease his knot tension.”

“And let’s not forget you told him to call an Omega he’s never even met before sugar lips .” Cadence shivers as she says it, like it’s so despicable, her entire body has to react. Her long blonde hair is pulled up into a messy bun, and I think she’s wearing one of Barrett’s old Phoenix Heat sweatshirts. You’d never know this woman was bonded to one of the richest packs in the country, but that’s our Cadie. Down to earth with a heart of gold.

Not that said heart is being very sympathetic right now. I flop back in my oversized, comfy gray chair with a frustrated growl, dragging my glass of sangria with me. “See? I told you. I can’t do this! I’m never going to get that transfer.”

“Okay, look, we can help you through this.” West’s bright blue eyes are studying me through the phone, her shoulders straightening as she gets her game face on.

Cadence nods before adding, “She’s right. Maybe we can give you a…crash course in romance or something. Just enough to get you through the next week in case we’re not around to edit each response.”

“You think a crash course is going to reverse a decade of avoidance and mistrust?” I shake my head. “What have those boys done to my super intelligent best friend? Oh. Right. Fucked her brains out.”

Her eyes narrow, but before she can reply, West cuts in, a smile spreading across her face. “I’ve got it!”

“What? Hypnosis to help rewire her personality?” Cadence unhelpfully quips.

“You’re hilarious. Hell, maybe she’s got a magic wand, and with a single bibbidi bobbidi boop, I’ll suddenly think and act like a normal Omega? If not, then it’s pointless. I’m doomed.”

“Ah, ah, ah.” West waves her finger in front of the camera. “None of that now. Wait until you hear my idea.”

“It better be a good one because I’m one sangria in and it’s only going to be downhill from here,” I mutter, my eyes snagging on Cadence’s suspiciously empty hand. “And why the hell aren’t you drinking?”

Her eyes widen as a slight pink tint stains her cheeks. “That was actually what I needed to tell you guys.”

“Oh my god!” West squeals, clapping her hands together with glee. “Okay, okay. Tell us.”

I roll my eyes. “Jesus, West. It’s like you already know what she’s going to say. If you bitches are telling secrets behind my back?—”

“You know we aren’t. Don’t be pissy because my Omega genes aren’t malfunctioning like yours clearly are. It’s easy to guess why she wouldn’t be drinking. Now spill it, Cadie.”

“I’m pregnant!” Her eyes go glossy, a trembling smile breaking free.

“Ah! I knew it!” West stands up and does an awkward happy dance in the middle of her living room floor. “That means I’m going to be an auntie!”

“Or a big sister,” I correct with a smirk, earning a laugh from Cadie and a shrug from West.

“I don’t even care. I’m just so damn excited!”

Watching two of my best friends bond over an experience they’ll now get to share together warms my heart. Though, while I’d never admit it out loud, there’s a part of me that also feels a little left out.

It’s not that I don’t like kids. I do. I can’t wait to be Auntie Elle. I just don’t want to have any of my own, which is yet another anomaly that makes me an Omega black sheep. I decided pretty early on that getting pregnant wasn’t something I ever wanted. The trauma associated with the process was burned into my memories in a way that leaves me feeling sick, even now. I know that Omegas are so much more than baby-carriers, but my strong anti-pregnancy stance means the chances of me finding a pack were always going to be slim to none. What kind of Alpha would willingly attach themselves to an Omega who isn’t willing to carry their baby?

After the kind of upbringing I had—a desperate Omega mother who wanted as many babies as she could possibly have but got stuck with just little old me and Alpha fathers who loved their Omega more than their own daughter—it’s no wonder I still have a visceral reaction even to this day. They couldn’t see the damage my mother’s obsession was doing to me. No little girl should be forced to watch her mom try and try and try to get pregnant by any and all means necessary to no avail, which ultimately left her emotionally checked out and absent. When it finally became too much for all of them, I was simply handed over to foster care like my place within the pack held no value. So, on top of all my other baggage, I honestly have no personal experience in how a healthy pack even works.

Shaking myself out of my melancholy, I smile as they gush over the details that I do my best to block out.

When their excitement finally calms to a low murmur, I say, “Congratulations, Cadie. I bet the guys are over the moon.”

“They really are, and somehow even more clingy than they were before. You’d think I was made of glass or something.”

“Hey, you were just in a pretty serious accident. Bet they’re all still reeling a little after that.”

She scoffs. “I’m absolutely fine. Doctors gave me the all-clear before my heat. No residual side effects.”

“Which we are all thankful for,” West adds.

“But they just keep…” she waves her hand through the air, searching for the right word, “ hovering every second of the day. I may have told them if they didn’t stop, I was going to abscond to Chicago and hide out at your place because you’ll protect me. Pretty sure you terrify all of them just a little.” She blinks her long lashes at me, sporting a ridiculously serious pouty face.

“Damn. Breaking out the big guns, Parker. Didn’t know you had it in you, but I fully support this plan.”

“Can I come along for solidarity's sake?” West playfully begs.

“Of course,” Cadie and I say in unison, which has us all giggling like we’re in high school again.

“Okay. Now back to West’s awesome plan to fix Elle. Hit us with it.” Cadence leans forward expectantly.

West raises her hands, fingertips drumming against each other like an evil villain. “The Love Nest.”

Cadie and I sit, patiently waiting for her to finish the thought. When she doesn’t, I’m glad to see that Cadie doesn’t have a fucking clue what our friend is talking about either.

“What the hell is The Love Nest?”

“It’s an ultra-exclusive private island that caters to people looking for companionship with no commitments. You can take romantic strolls along the beach, have a couple's massage, or just dance the night away, all without worrying about messy things like bonds or bites. There are pretty strict rules in place, including unbonded Omegas needing to have an escort, but I think this might be the perfect place for you to brush up on your romance skills. Flirt with strange Alphas, test out some of the cliché romantic gestures, get a feel for what works and what falls flat. You mentioned you already have some vacation time planned around your impending heat, so… Why not?”

I blink. “You think jetting off to some foreign island is going to help turn me into some rom-com vixen?”

“Just think about it. There’s a strict NDA in place, so you can be as serious or as ridiculous as you want while you try to get a handle on this shit for the column. Hell, you can continue to receive submissions and test out your responses with real people before you send them in! It’s perfect .”

“I think West might be onto something here, Elle. This is way better than us trying to cram years’ worth of knowledge and know-how into a video call. Plus, you’d get an amazing vacation out of the deal and maybe even be satisfied through a heat.”

“I don’t know, guys…”

I picture a tropical paradise, with white sand beaches, clear blue water, hammocks hanging between the trees, and all of the hot Betas just begging to be ridden hard and put away wet. I take a deep gulp of my drink to soothe my suddenly dry throat. It doesn’t matter that my impending heat won’t actually happen. The illusion of being a totally normal Omega is all that matters, and normal Omegas take time off for their heats. The little pack of Heat Curative—a nullifier that counteracts all hormonal changes leading up to and during a heat—sits dutifully in my purse, taunting me with my secret. I mean, it’s not in-love-with-my-best-friend’s-dad level of Sin Bin material, but it’s a secret nonetheless. I’m not ashamed of the choices I’ve made for my own sanity, but I also don’t need my friends pitying me either.

Still, I’ll admit there’s definitely some appeal to this whole island idea. “But wait, you said I’d need an escort. With both of you bonded and preggers, who in the hell would I get to come with me?”

West taps her finger against her lips, deep in thought. “There are services where you can hire a Beta escort. Maybe you could look into that?”

“Or…” Cadie gets a mischievous gleam in her eye. “You could ask Sy.”

The thought of my hot Beta best friend has me clamping my thighs together a little harder. Imagining him in a pair of trunks, all of that tanned, muscled skin on display, gets me a little hot and bothered. Or maybe it’s just the alcohol. Yeah, that’s totally it.

“Ooooh. Does someone have a crush on their Beta assistant?” West sing-songs.

I clear my throat then toss back the rest of my sangria. “Definitely not. I’m just not sure he’d be interested in going, that’s all.”

“Don’t make me remind you that any secrets you’re keeping will land you in the Sin Bin. Considering Mommy Dearest over there has ruined a majority of that for me, I’m counting on you, Elle.”

Cadence’s laughter rings through my empty room, and I find myself smiling along with her.

“If and when there is something worth sharing, you guys would be the first to know, trust me.”

The clacking of a keyboard is followed by West’s little hum. “They have an opening the first week of your vacation. I just reserved it for you and your escort—whoever you decide that should be. You’re welcome.”

“What the fuck, West? I haven’t even agreed to this asinine plan yet.”

“What’s there to say no to? You already have two weeks off, and you need to figure this shit out in order to keep your job. Hell, if you put some real effort in, I bet Asshat signs that transfer sooner rather than later which means you’ll get your perky ass back to Arizona faster.”

“Do it, Elle. Take the leap and enjoy yourself while doing it. You deserve it after all the asshat has put you through.”

They’re both right, but I’ll be damned if I’m not just a little terrified by the thought of failing at something that should be second nature to an Omega. Most of the time, I can ignore my shortcomings, but the older I get, and the happier my friends seem with their packs, the harder I’m finding it to pretend I’m okay alone. Heading off on a whim to an island where I’ll be forced to face not only my romantic deficiencies, but also Alphas who are going to want their knots squeezed… It’s a lot for a girl to take in. What if they demand more than I’m willing to give? Or what if my instincts do? There’s a reason I’ve avoided putting myself in a situation like this for twenty-three years, but my friends are right. What better way to test those waters all in the name of saving my job?

I huff out a rough breath. “Okay. I’ll go. But if this turns into a dumpster fire and I end up arrested in a foreign country, you bitches better come bail me out.”

Their laughter and excited chatter plays like background noise in my head as my mind whirls with all the possibilities suddenly laid out before me. Which, fingers crossed, might also include hot, willing Beta sex and potentially my first Alpha knot, along with the ability to keep my job. Grabbing my phone, I type out a quick text to Sy.

Me: Hey, you still up, buttercup?

Sy: It’s not even nine o’clock. What kind of pansy do you think I am?

Me: Can I call you when I’m off the phone with the girls? I have a question to ask.

Sy: Why am I suddenly terrified?

Me: Say yes.

Sy: Yes, because when have I ever been able to say no to you?

I grin before I can think better of it.

“I don’t know what has you suddenly looking like the cat who ate the canary, but I want to hear all about it.”

I laugh at West’s eager face and pray I’m not blushing. “You thirsty bitches.”

Cadence rolls her eyes. “This surprises you?”

“But seriously, look who’s talking.” West pointedly raises one brow.

My smirk says it all. “For now, there’s nothing to tell. If that changes, I know where to find you both.”

She and Cadence start making bets on the cause of my sudden mood shift while I ignore them and plan my upcoming conversation with Sy. This has to work. My entire life as I know it is on the line, with my dreams for the future hanging by the barest thread. I need this to work, almost as much as I need to ride a knot…or a sexy Beta.