CHAPTER FORTY-ONE
Dear Knotty Omega,
I just had my first heat with my pack and we’re finally bonded. The only thing I wasn’t expecting is how hard it would be to differentiate my emotions from the ones of my mates. I’ll be doing something totally mundane then get it hit with a wave of annoyance or frustration. Nobody else I’ve spoken to has had this. What advice can you give me so I’m not so overwhelmed all the time?
Signed,
Too Many Feelings
Dear Too Many Feelings,
That is…unusual. Short of speaking to your alphas and asking them to try to tamp down their end of the bond, can you tell if it’s all of your alphas or just one? If it is just one, he might be unintentionally sending the feelings your way. For my bonded alphas, bonded beta, and I, we’re always aware of what the other person is feeling, but in order for it to be so overwhelming you confuse it with your own emotions, they would have to be feeling it so strongly, or intentionally pushing it to you.
Meditation might be a good first step to see what’s going on.
Signed,
The Knotty Omega
***
“Oh, fuck, blossom,” Archie gasps in a whisper as I take his cock all the way into the back of my throat. His head drops back, hitting the shelves with all the post it notes when I hold him there, cupping his balls with my hand.
Sucking my beta’s cock in the supply closet at work had not been on my bingo card today, but then he asked me if I wanted to grab lunch with him, and when I asked what he was hungry for, he said fucking orange creamsicle, so here we are.
Popping off his length, I move to stand, and he whirls us around so my back is against the shelves, moaning into my mouth as he roughly kisses me, moving my panties under my skirt to the side so he can thrust up into me.
Mattie’s mild amusement hits me through the bond, and I hear my phone vibrate in my purse that’s discarded on the floor.
I ignore it for now. I’m on my lunch break.
Ever since bonding and the heat, I’ve been insatiable, hungry for my pack’s cocks and knots whenever I can get them.
My legs wrap around his waist, keeping him close to me, and my arms twine behind his neck, holding on for dear life as he thrusts into me so hard the shelves rattle behind us.
His cock rubs against my inner walls, the sensations sending waves of heat through me. When he brings his hand between us to rub furiously at my clit, a shriek starts to escape me and he claps his other hand over my mouth.
My walls clamp hard around him, and he groans as I hurtle off the edge of the cliff, my cry muffled by his hand. His hips stutter as he slows his bucking movements, and then we’re both breathing hard, him gently lowering my feet to the ground.
“Fucking hell,” Archie gasps, stuffing his cock back into this pants and helping me right my skirt. “We need to have supply closet quickies more often.”
I snort a laugh, pressing a kiss to his lips. “I doubt we’ll be able to convince Titus to stand guard again.”
Ever since we came back to work after my heat and bonding leave, Titus has stayed true to his word, making me his assignment, sticking to me like glue any time I leave the house, including for work.
Laura had only gotten one snide comment in before Titus' growl ripped throughout the area and put her in her place.
Grabbing my purse from the floor, I pull out my phone, cracking up with laughter when I see the group texts that came through while Archie and I were busy fucking like rabbits.
We forgot to tamp down our bonds before going at it. Well, we would have left it open for Mattie. He likes to feel when we’re together.
After making sure we’re both presentable I crack the door open, peeking my head out to come face to face with Titus’ back.
“Are we all clear?” I whisper, and Titus grunts.
“You’re all clear.” He confirms. “And I have half a mind to make the beta stand guard next time you’re feeling like you need a good fucking.”
“Thanks for lookin’ out, grumpy,” Archie quips as he slides out behind me, and Titus rolls his eyes.
“I ordered the three of us lunch,” Titus says, walking us back to the bullpen. “It should be here in about five minutes.”
“Well now I feel like a douche.” Archie mutters, and I giggle behind my hand.
“You can make it up to me by waiting in the lobby for it,” Titus bares his teeth in a feral smile.
Rolling my eyes as Archie heads for the elevator, I pause as Titus turns to me. “So, I got a call while I standing guard.”
“And?” I hedge, wondering where he’s going with this. Is it about the harassment?
“Well, my guys attacked the case from the new angle, knowing that the Sheffield pack has an issue with you…and they spotted them near your apartment building the day it was vandalized. Well, three out of four of them. They weren't flagged when they first went through the footage because my guys weren't looking for...businessmen.”
My heart leaps into my throat. This is good right? But why doesn't he seem happy about it?
"Why doesn' t that sound like things are moving forward?"
"Well...my guy obtained the footage by...less than legal means. We're going to have to figure out a way to make it a legitimate claim so the police actually look into it."
“Do you think they even realize that it’s me they’re harassing? I feel like if they knew who I was, they would have sicced their followers on me.”
Titus rubs the back of his neck. “Yeah, I think so too. We’re just going have to keep at it. Hope they mess up somewhere.”
I frown. “I hate that.”
Titus pulls me against him, tucking my head under his chin. “I know, angel. Me too.”
***
At the end of the day, the three of us are exiting the building when a scent makes me freeze. Two of the alphas from Pack Sheffield are walking past the building when we’re coming out. Chadwick and Brody.
In a purely instinctual reaction, I move behind Titus, and he immediately senses the threat, a growl rumbling in his chest. Archie crowds my back, making me feel more secure, and rubs a hand down my arm.
Chadwick's nostrils flare as he passes us, his gaze whipping to me, his eyes widening before they move up to the giant sign on the building, “ABO Magazine”. I see the exact moment when he connects the dots. His brows furrow, a snarl on his lips, but before he can do anything, Brody grabs his arm and ushers him away. It’s only when they’re out of sight that I relax fully, and Titus whips around, taking my face in his hands. “Are you okay? They can’t touch you, not while I’m here, and I’m never fucking leaving you, angel.”
The words crack in my throat. “He knows.”
“What, blossom? What does he know?” Archie asks soothingly behind me, rubbing his hand down my arm.
“I saw the moment it clicked.” I rasp, tears stinging my eyes. “He saw the sign for the building, and he smelled me. They were in my apartment with my unbonded scent. I had said I work for the magazine, but they weren’t really listening. He just figured out that I’m the Knotty Omega.”
"Are you sure?" Titus looks alarmed as he takes my arm and we hurry to my car in the parking garage. Archie curses as he follows behind us, and helps me slide into the backseat of the car.
Titus peels out of the parking garage like we're being chased, and he pulls out his phone to call someone on speaker.
"Sawyer." The deep, male voice sounds over the speaker.
"Sawyer. We just had a breakthrough on the Jackman case. We're going to push it to the police, tell them we got a tip from an anonymous source that they saw the alphas identified as Pack Sheffield in the hallway of her apartment the day of the break in. Tell them they need to check the traffic cams to corroborate, and tell them that Pack Sheffield was rejected by Ms. Jackman."
"Got it. But sir...will we actually have a source to refer them to? Or are we just crossing our fingers they won't ask to see it?"
"Check the inbox. We should have an email from one Mrs. Heisman asking to remain anonymous to the authorities."
"Ten four."
They hang up, and my mouth gapes open. "Mrs. Heisman saw them in the apartment? Why did she wait until just now to say something?"
"Is that what you were working on after lunch?” Archie asks, arching a brow.
“Mrs. Heisman was conveniently shown a picture of Pack Sheffield from the social media account that ran the silent auction,” Titus says, drumming his fingers on the wheel. “When she saw the picture, she miraculously remembered seeing them at the scene of the crime and can describe what they were wearing.”
“And what actually happened?” I ask, my heart pounding.
“What actually happened is when I picked Reggie up from Mrs. Heisman weeks ago, she sung your praises and asked me to let her know if there was anything we could do to help. The traffic cams place the Pack Sheffield at your apartment, so all I did was have her send an email to prompt the police to look into the footage themselves.”
Archie barks a laugh. “Holy shit, dude. You’re a damn genius.”
“What, did you think I was all brawn, no brains?”
Before we go to bed that night, we get the call from Sawyer, letting us know that the police are officially opening an investigation into Pack Sheffield.