Chapter XXV
The hallways of Comet XI seem longer the more swollen I get. I feel greasy and winded by the time I reach the West wing where I’ll be greeting the first batch of Omega operators and a few more cleaners.
Ignoring my incessant craving for pineapple juice, I pause near a vending machine, contemplating grabbing a snack now before I’m stuck in work-mode. Preppy laughter fills my ears and my eyes drift to a window facing the gardens outside.
It looks like Chet and Jaimie are out there having a romantic picnic.
I watch the Alpha sensually pop cubed cheese into the Omega’s awaiting mouth before they lean into a slow kiss.
The moment they share is so intimate that I almost feel perverse for watching.
But I can’t look away. My chest aches, not with heartburn, but for some alone time with my mate like that.
Knox and I haven’t seen much of each other all week.
With the new changes at Comet XI, I’ve mostly been on the bottom floors while he’s stuck in meetings at the top.
Even after work there’s hardly any time for cute dates.
I’ve been working on the nursery and Knox has been baby-proofing the rest of the house, overly cautious of everything that is a potential hazard.
Don’t even get me started on the shopping. We’ve got three different strollers now. A durable one for extracurriculars, one for every day, and a stylish one for nice events.
We’re excited to have our first baby, but we need some time with just the two of us. It’s hard watching Jaimie and Chet stroll around aimlessly in love, doing all sorts of cute stuff together.
Jealousy follows me like a shadow as I head outside to wait for the onboarding crew.
Knox and I used to be the hottest couple here.
I know it’s wrong of me to be envious when we initially hated all the attention.
But now that the paparazzi doesn’t care about us at all, I’m bitter that we’ve been forgotten.
Distracting me of my emotions, I straighten my posture as the bus enters the parking lot.
Ignoring the way I can’t button my lab coat over my baby bump, I smile professionally as it stops with a hiss in front of me and a few Betas I work with.
It feels like I’m glimpsing the past from the perspective of my future self.
The sensation of full-circle resolution.
The bus door slides open and the first of the wide-eyed and eager Omegas step off, mirroring the same look I had on my first day.
“Good morning, everyone!” I greet them, feeling fuzzy.
Knox’s pride and love for me fills my heart in waves as he senses my big moment. It’s surreal living in the future that I once could only dream of.
The Omegas tilt their necks and mutter polite greetings, doing their best to prove themselves and their worthiness.
One of my colleagues goes over some basics with a brief introduction and then we head inside.
I help with handing out lab coats and badges to each Omega. The new pink ones are for my operators.
I’ve got six pink badges total, and the rest will be for cleaners and assistants.
As I glance at the last badge in my hand, my heart stutters at the sight of a purple boarder.
I look around the room, searching for who hasn’t gotten theirs yet.
Walking around my group of pink badges who are already becoming friends, I approach a quiet Omega in her own world, studying her embroidered name on the lab coat in her hands.
“You must be Mai?”
Timid gray eyes meet mine and she nods shyly.
Something I didn’t know when I started working here and received a badge different from everyone else’s, was that it symbolized my potential. There was never meant to be a purple badge, but my test exam scores were far too elite for them to ignore. They knew I’d be genuinely useful.
The other cleaners will be wiping tables and vacuuming floors, as I’ve learned.
The purple badge is for Omegas who already know not to dump acetone down the sink drains, and to dry the glass beakers with lint-free paper towels.
I smile warmly at the timid, yet determined Omega, and proudly hand her the symbolic badge.
“This one is for you. Be sure to check out the new Omega section in the library if you get the chance.” I wink and Mai nods, tucking a long strand of sleek black hair behind her ear.
She has no clue how monumental this moment is for me, but I have faith that she’ll fill my old shoes well in her new role.
A Beta gathers everyone’s attention to begin the orientation.
I should stick around, but they’ll probably be a while.
This might be my only chance to sneak up to Knox’s office and indulge in a nice cold juice before I need to bring my crew to the room they’ll be working in.
Mind made up, I haul my pregnant belly out into the hallway and waddle to the executive elevator.
I arrive there just as Chet and Jaimie climb on sporting gushy smiles for each other.
“Hey, guys,” I catch the door before it slides shut and then squeeze between them while out of breath. “Going up?”
They frown down at me as it closes us in.
“Yeah…why are you all sweaty?”
“Because I’m pregnant, Jaimie,” I roll my eyes, “just wait till it’s your turn.”
“Oh, no. No, no, no, I’m not doing that to my body.”
“Wait, what?” Chet sounds hurt as he glances over my head at the Omega. I’m not surprised at all at Jaimie’s admission. He’s a clean freak. Having a baby is just about the messiest thing one can do.
“I do want kids, but they’ll need to be acquired through adoption or surrogacy. I don’t want to be sweaty and big…no offense.”
“None taken,” I mutter flatly, accustomed to his jabs.
“But Cookie…” Chet sulks with despair and I raise an eyebrow at Jaimie. He’s not sweet enough for such a pet name. Face going red, he ignores my expression and stands his ground.
“You’re not going to change my mind on this, Chet. Heats are messy, babies are messy, birth is messy. I can’t- I can’t do it.”
My heart jumps with sympathy as he averts his gaze, sounding utterly defeated at the last part of his sentence.
I guess it’s not like he chooses his obsessive compulsions.
He’s basically a hostage to his cleanliness.
But isn’t that what makes him better than the rest of us?
He wouldn’t be a respectable, top-floor Omega if it weren’t for his picky attitude about everything.
“Let’s be real here,” I interrupt, “you would make pregnancy look far more tidy and graceful than I do, Jaimie. I could easily be lounging upstairs all day, sweat-free, but that’s not who I am. I’m a messy Omega, with even more messy plans ahead. You’re different,” I shrug, fanning my face.
Jaimie looks baffled by my pep-talk but doesn’t argue. He swallows and fumbles for words to say, but the door opens before he can find them. Straightening his coat, he rushes out, freeing himself from my undeserved compliments to him. I glance at Chet as we step into the hall and watch him go.
“Hey, I warned you that some of us Omegas are freethinkers,” I aim for light humor, but the Alpha still looks sad.
“Don’t get me wrong, I can look past him having a job, but…no kids? I want kids, Arius. I never thought that would even be out of the question. Think he’ll come around?”
I don’t know what to say. I shouldn’t feel as bad as I do for either of them, but my pregnancy has been such a gift. I would never wish for them to not experience this for themselves.
“Maybe remind him that he can be asleep for the entire extraction process? No need to sweat profusely and scream in agony like I probably will.”
Chet nods sharply and takes off with a look of determination. I didn’t mean right this second, but I guess he took it that way. Not my circus, not my monkies. Blowing out a breath, I continue to Knox’s office.
“He’s in a meeting until four,” Gomez tells me in passing.
I nod and thank him before letting myself into his office. I’m stunned to see pineapple juice already sitting on the drink counter for me. How the hell did he know? Can he sense my cravings?
It’s fresh and cold, too!
I only meant to take a short break on the sofa, but the quiet room and delicious beverage quickly send me to sleep in the dimly lit space. Relaxation is heavy in each limb, allowing me to drift off deeply within seconds.
“Baby, wake up,” Knox’s voice sounds like it’s in front of me.
I jolt awake, looking around the room only to find it as empty as when I came in.
“Knox?” I call out anyway. With concentration, I focus on our bond, not sensing anything. He’s still preoccupied in his meeting.
That was weird. Very weird. It was like he’d whispered right to my ear. As if he knew I needed to be somewhere within a few minutes and that I don’t have time for a nap.
Rubbing the sleep from my eyes, I get up and leave, pausing by Gomez on my way.
“Hey, quick question. And be honest.”
“Of course. What is it?”
“Does Knox have cameras in his office?” I whisper, glancing around for any hidden contraptions that might be spying on us. Gomez’s eyebrows pinch together.
“No, not that I know of.”
“Alright… Thanks.”
He sounds sincere so maybe I am just sleep-deprived. Without further explanation, I head back down to the Omegas who are just beginning to walk to their departments when I arrive.
Within a few hours, I’ve got my crew settled onto the production floor, introducing each of them to the various stations where they’ll be operating.
I notice that one of my operators is mated with a mark on his neck that appears to be healing still, indicating that it’s fresh.
He’s learning fast, already fitting glass panels into the metal pendants for whichever space craft they’ll be a part of.
He moves with careful precision and inspects his work with a keen eye under the microscope.
I greet him with a friendly smile, unsure if I’m breaking conduct with what I’m about to ask.
“Hi, there. Mateo, right?”
“That’s me,” he pushes up his safety glasses with a shy but friendly smile.
“I noticed you’re recently mated like I am. Could I ask you something Omega to Omega?”
“Of course. I love talking about my Alpha.”
We share a light laugh, and I keep my volume between the two of us when I speak.
“Does your bond allow you to…speak to each other? And like see what he’s doing when he’s not around?”
Unprepared for the odd question, Mateo thinks hard about it for a moment.
“Um, no. Not speak, but I can feel that he’s safe and happy. He’s probably eating lunch right about now or working out with his friends.” His smile widens as he focuses on his bond with his mate.
“Ah, okay. I was just curious about how much to expect our bond to develop. Thanks for your answer.”
“No problem.”
Leaving him to his work, I walk around the room, overseeing the trainers and operators.
Maybe it was just a part of a dream. Or my own brain reminding me to get up but using my mate’s voice for some reason. The mind is a mysterious place.