Knot Her Shot (MVP: Most Valuable Pack Book 2)

Chapter 11

chapter

eleven

There are rules for omegas.

A lot of them aren’t official. No one will put you in jail if you break them. But no one will care if something terrible happens to you, either.

Omegas shouldn’t walk home alone. Omegas should wear de-scenter. Omegas should find good alphas to claim them, so they aren’t as appealing to unbonded alphas.

And if an omega follows all of these rules and still somehow sends an alpha in rut? Well, that’s bad luck. Biology is just a fact of life…

So, there are rules. And, generally, I’m a person who follows the rules. Likes them, even.

But this alpha?

He makes me want to break every rule I know.

I don’t think I’ve ever met a single other person who’s as handsome as he is. Black hair cropped short on the sides and left in tousled disarray on top of his head. Full, sculpted lips. High, prominent cheekbones, and an angled jaw wide enough to balance out his Roman nose.

I don’t know where to look first. After a dizzying bounce, I land on a set of aqua-blue eyes. They’re so gorgeous, it’s easy to forget the purple splotch covering one of them.

His scent doesn’t help my memory. The blend of warm autumn spices is mind-bending. It takes me a moment to match him with the scent card Celine gave me.

Good Lord.

This model-beautiful, broad-shouldered, pro-athlete alpha smells like pumpkin bread.

That makes me want to smile, but my body has other ideas. Goosebumps break over my skin as my knees wobble. I’m grateful I have both hands pressed to my chest; my arms hide the way my breasts peak, nipples stiffening, while my lungs shudder around air that tastes like him.

A whine sails right out of my mouth. The exuberant smile drops off his face, leaving him slack-jawed as he stares down at me. Giddy vertigo bends my mind as his scent swells, growing warmer, pressing all around me.

A rumbly sound echoes behind his navy T-shirt, but he quickly catches the maybe-growl-maybe-purr and coughs over the rest.

“Sorry,” he apologizes, his voice a full octave deeper. “I’m just—Am I…? You feel this, right?”

I feel like my legs won’t hold me up much longer.

Turns out, I’m right.

As my consciousness returns,I’m utterly heartbroken.

I’m asleep?

I knew all of this had to be a dream. That alpha was far too beautiful to be real.

Loss echoes through my middle, and I whimper, not wanting to open my eyes and lose the illusion. Based on how warm I feel, I’ll probably crack my eyelids and find myself on the floor of my closet, wrapped in my oversized hoodie again.

Only… sweatshirts don’t vibrate.

Oh, fluff.

Did I leave one of my alpha substitutes on the floor of my closet-nest and roll on top of it?

That is just humiliating on way too many levels.

I cringe automatically, recoiling into something solid that moves. A deeply unattractive squawking sound leaves my lips as my limbs twitch in all directions.

A dark, warm laugh has me whipping my head to the side, where I find myself face-to-face with the alpha from my dream.

Damon.

He’s real?

He’s here?

He’s… holding me?

Fond amusement lights his aqua eyes while they drink in my shock. “Hi, pretty girl,” he says softly, smiling. “You went down hard. Are you okay?”

Went…down?

I went down on?—

Oh. He means I fell down.

Good Lord. I’m turning into Meg.

His features soften the longer we stare at each other. One of his huge, calloused palms comes up to brush my hair over my shoulder, rubbing my back gently. “Remi?”

I need to get myself together. If he thinks I’m scared or too timid, he might decide he doesn’t like me enough to introduce me to his packmates.

Is he their alpha?

He certainly seems strong enough, though he doesn’t have that steel, weighty dominance that usually smacks me in the face when a pack leader walks into a room. His energy is more… electric.

Even so, I should be trying to make the best impression possible. My lower back bows forward while I attempt to straighten my posture and paste on a pleasing smile.

“Yes,” I answer, “I’m”— hopelessly awkward —“just fine. But I’m sorry I fainted.”

Damon’s smile comes easily, stretching his plush lips over perfect, white teeth. “According to Celine, it happens all the time. That’s why the couches in these meeting rooms are big—room for us alphas to make our omegas comfortable. I guess passing out is common for omegas when they meet their?—”

I feel a spark ignite in my middle. “Mates?”

His blue, blue eyes never leave mine. “Mates,” he repeats.

The purr in his chest gets louder, unwinding the last bit of tension twined around my lungs. When he feels me relax, his features soften. For a moment, when his focus flickers to my lips, I think he might try to kiss me.

But his attention darts to the corner of the suite, one eyebrow quirking over his bruised brow bone. “Celine also mentioned that there are cameras in here. Multiple times.” A spark of mischief touches his expression as he bends closer. “Apparently, I don’t look very trustworthy.”

He doesn’t. Especially with that sexy-as-sin look in his eye. But every neuron in my brain pumps out geysers of oxytocin, telling me he’s safe.

For the first time in as long as I can remember, I feel protected. His arms flex, our hug heartrendingly tender as he holds me in his lap.

I carefully trace a finger along his black eye, biting my lower lip. “I can’t imagine why…”

He grins, his pumpkin-spice scent thickening. Hmm. This alpha likes jokes and playfulness.

Okay. I nod to myself internally, frantically taking mental notes. I can do that.

It’s going to be essential for me to learn all of them as quickly as I can. The faster I make myself useful to them and the happier they feel around me, the more likely they are to want to keep me.