35. Juno

JUNO

Julian led her over to their table and pulled out her chair so she could sit down next to Ollie and Everett. She glanced at the two empty seats beside them.

“Where’s Isaac and Miles?” she whispered. Before Ollie could reply, the lights went low and the MC approached the stage. Juno recognised who he introduced — Dr. Anita Kokotis had spearheaded the bond dissolution trials and worked with Juno directly several times during the process. It was strange seeing her all done up instead of in a lab coat. Though as she looked down at her own gown, it really felt like their time together was a lifetime ago.

“I am pleased to announce that after the overwhelming success of our bond dissolution trials, we will now be offering our groundbreaking treatment to the general public.”

“Wow that’s big, isn’t it?” Ollie said as the room applauded the news. Juno nodded, a bit lost for words. Hopefully many other omegas who had been trapped in situations like hers could see a way out.

“I know some of our successful participants from the trials are in the room tonight, and I want to thank them for trusting us with the process. Thank you for your hard work. We wouldn’t be here without you.”

Everett slid his hand over her bare knee under the table and gave her a proud look that made her heart stutter.

Dr Anita ended her speech by directing their attention to the silent auction. “Each item will benefit a different aspect of the National Omega Commission’s operations. We thank you for your generosity in helping us continue our important work.”

In the midst of the applause and chatter that followed, Isaac and Miles slipped into their chairs.

Juno leaned over Everett so she could talk to Isaac. “Where have you two been?”

“Nowhere,” Isaac replied immediately.

“On an unrelated note, the second floor balcony is positively deserted,” Miles added without an ounce of contrition.

“Miles, your tie is a little—” Julian made an askew motion with his hand.

“Oh my, you’re right,” he said, using his phone’s front camera to fix himself up.

“Did we miss anything important?” Isaac asked Everett.

“Bond dissolutions going public, we want money,” Everett grunted.

“Succinct, thank you.” Isaac turned back to his plate.

The evening wore on and they all pretended they knew exactly how to bid on a silent auction and acted like they belonged in that lavish room. Isaac bid an absurdly high amount on an item that would go towards room and board at the Omega Village for those in need. “Because I rudely missed the speeches due to unavoidable circumstances,” he explained. Juno did manage to chat with a couple other omegas she knew from the trials, pleased to see them doing far better in their current circumstances compared to before they went through the dissolution process.

Juno was retouching her lipstick in the bathroom when another omega made her way over to the basin. Her scent reminded her a little of Miles with its wine notes but was far more fruity and bubbly. Juno gave her a polite smile before turning back to the mirror, her hand frozen halfway to her lips while her brain was screaming OMG you’re in the bathroom with Sage North!

She could feel Sage’s shy tentative glances her way, particularly at her tattoos. It didn’t feel malicious in any way, probably the same way Juno was also trying not to be obvious about looking at the famous omega out of the corner of her eye. After a minute of this, Juno exhaled loudly, letting her anxiety rush out of her before holding her hand out.

“I’m Juno,” she introduced herself, praying she hadn’t overstepped or misread the situation.

Sage let out a silvery laugh and clasped Juno’s hand with hers. “Sage, but I think you know that.” Juno cringed internally at the contrast between Sage’s husky smooth American accent and her own comparatively broad Australian twang.

“If you want to ask something, you can,” Juno prompted her with a friendly nod.

Her green eyes widened and she looked around quickly to see if they were alone. “Were you in the bond dissolution trials?” she asked in low, hushed tones.

Juno felt such a strong affinity for the other woman in that moment, like seeing a version of herself from almost four years ago. “Yes, I was,” she replied. “It’s hard but they will take amazing care of you here.”

“I-I’m just a bit worried about the mental fortitude aspect. What if—”

“You’re Sage Fucking North.” Juno snipped her doubt off at the root, knowing how important it would be to keep her spirit strong. “He’s nothing. You can do this.”

Sage took a deep breath in and released it, trying to get her trembling hands under control. Juno gave her a quick hug, steadying her before a wordless conversation passed between them. You good? Yeah, thanks.

She was halfway out of the bathroom when Sage spoke up.

“My name’s Sophia by the way,” she said, quietly. “Sage is just a stage name.”

Juno paused at the open door. “It’s lovely to meet you, Sophia. Next time I see you, you’ll be on the other side, I know it.”

As she left, she desperately hoped for Sophia’s sake that was going to be true.

* * *

Juno spotted Ollie’s telltale messy mop of hair in the middle of the room and smiled, deciding to take a detour at the bar before heading back to her pack. A row of champagne glasses was calling her name. Right as she was choosing her new best friend, her ears picked up a familiar name being said by a decidedly unfriendly voice.

“I saw Isaac Rivera disappear with that boyfriend of his.”

She quickly grabbed a champagne and glanced over surreptitiously to see if she recognised the speaker. Red hair, omega, stunning old Hollywood vibes. But a total stranger. Juno nonchalantly slithered closer to see if she would continue.

“This is a high class event,” the omega complained with an annoyed huff. Her conversation partner, another omega, nodded sycophantically. “What are they even doing here?”

She must have been one of the ones Marco warned Juno about. Head up ass? Check.

Juno wasn’t sure what came over her but she reached over and tapped the redhead on the arm. “I heard he’s about to get a second boyfriend. Can you believe the audacity of that man?” she said, doing her best impression of a gossiping Rivera Tita.

She gave Juno a once-over and did little to hide that she found her wanting. Alas, her thirst for gossip won out and Juno got a strong punch of her rose-heavy perfume and she moved closer. “How do you know?” she asked with an edge to her voice.

“Well, because I brought him one, silly.” Juno chose that moment to take the first, refreshing sip of her champagne as the other omega made scandalised gibbering noises. “I never did introduce myself did I? I’m Juno, Pack Rivera-Gunnarsson’s omega.”

To her credit, the omega recovered quickly, her gaze sharpening and a disingenuous smile curling on her lips. “Emma. Bonded to Pack Grosvenor.”

The name and perfume together rang a bell. Oh. Everett’s scent match.

Emma continued, falsely sympathetic. “Not bonded? They dragging their feet with you?” She turned to her original conversation partner and elbowed her until they were both giggling.

“Oh definitely not,” Juno replied, completely unbothered. “If anything, I’m the one dragging my feet.”

Annoyed that her barb hadn’t landed, Emma stopped laughing and regarded her coolly. “Well, good luck with them. It’s all a bit unnatural if you ask me, the prime and that beta. And such a shame you’ll never be Everett’s scent match,” she gloated, clearly expecting Juno to reel from her finishing blow.

Juno stepped closer, just a little too into Emma’s personal space, coiled and ready to strike. Emma stood her ground but Juno could see the slightest wobble in her lower lip. “It is a shame,” Juno said, her voice dangerously soft. “Your bigotry that is. Is it that he’s a beta or that they’re both men?” Emma wouldn’t meet her eyes and Juno’s lip curled in contempt. “It’s both, isn’t it? My, you’re quite the multitasker, aren’t you. And I wouldn’t worry about the whole scent match issue. Turns out you don’t have to be one to be knotted on every surface of the house.”

Emma looked disgusted. “God, you’re crude. You’re perfect for him.”

“Yes, she is.”

A large hand slid around her middle, spanning almost her entire waist. She was pulled back against a hard body and engulfed in a wave of briny sea and foam. “She bothering you, baby?” Everett’s voice was so filled with lust he may as well have licked her bare skin in front of everyone.

“Definitely not,” Juno assured him, sliding her arm atop his. “She’d have to matter to bother me.”

“Mm, good.” She held back a shiver as the vibration of his deep voice travelled all the way down her spine.

Emma chose that moment to give her hair a calculated toss, exposing her bondmarks and flashing her giant wedding set. A moment later, her overpowering floral scent hit them. Everett’s grip tightened on her hip in anger at her blatant manipulation.

“Oh sweetie, that’s just sad,” Juno cooed at her, diffusing Everett’s tension with a light scratch of her fingernails on his forearm.

Everett pressed his nose into her neck, inhaling her scent and letting out a satisfied purr. “Your scent makes me so goddamn hard when you’re a defensive little omega for your pack. I fucking love it.”

Yep, that was definitely his heavy cock nestled between her ass. “You still here, Emily?” Juno said, breathily.

Emma grabbed her friend as she walked away. “Ugh, they just let anyone attend these things now,” she complained loudly. The other omega cast a wide-eyed apologetic glance back at Juno and Everett. “I’m sorry. I didn’t even know who Isaac was, to be honest,” she said hurriedly, earning her a hard yank from Emma. Everett didn’t give his scent match another glance, focused entirely on driving Juno crazy with the smallest yet barely publicly acceptable touches.

Isaac’s smooth liquor scent enveloped her as he sauntered next to them, watching Emma push through the crowd probably in search of her alphas.

“What happened to compassion is free?” he asked her mildly.

“Not for homophobes,” Juno replied immediately before sculling her entire glass of champagne. It wasn’t as badass as she was hoping it would be, as she felt a rather unladylike burp bubbling up. She tried her best to quash it but it ended up coming out as a sort of wet hiccup.

Instead of being turned off, Everett let out a groan. He was grinding so hard between her cheeks. Juno swore she could feel the raised ridge of where the base of his cockhead met his shaft, even through the layers of clothes between them. Then she made the mistake of imagining him slapping it hard on her throbbing clit right before he shoved his length deep inside her. A needy whine slipped out.

“Fuck, can we leave now?” He sounded like he was one pheromone inhale away from rutting her right then and there.

Isaac looked amused by Everett’s situation. “I think we’re done here, don’t you?” he asked her.

Juno smiled up at her prime alpha.

“Let’s go home.”