Chapter 4 "Iknow it seems daunting, but this is a tried-and-true process. I've only had five omegas walk through these doors in the last five years I've worked here that didn't walk away happy with a pack by the end of it." The words taste like ash on my tongue, and I mentally correct myself. Six. Six omegas, because as of six months ago, I'm one of them. Before that, I was one of the happy ones. Blissfully unaware of what life held in store for me, never stopping to think that Pack Hansen was anything but sincere. What an idiot I had been. Who the hell goes three years without bonding their omega? Unfaithful jackasses, that's who. 'Oh, this one smells nice.' The mousy omega in front of me looks up at us, an open baggie with the scent card still inside clenched in her hand. 'Okay,' Lanie, my best friend, co-worker, and now roommate gives her a smile as she puts the card back in the specially-designed air-tight bag and puts it to the side, 'keep going, Melanie. Statistically, you'll want at least three packs to start off with.' Right. Melanie. That's her name. She gives us a tentative smile as she continues to look through the cards we pulled for her to sample. Lanie, her purple hair pulled into two space-buns, glances over at me. Her brows raise in a silent question, asking me if I'm okay, and I roll my eyes. It's fine. Of course it is. It's been six months. Six months of sleeping on Lanie's pull-out couch because she's too nice to kick me out. Six months of telling my brother Archie that, yes I'm fine, and no, I don't want to come stay with them. Six months of dodging Pack Hansen, not wanting to hear their explanations for what happened. Apparently, they got a call from the OMS while I was out of town visiting my parents, telling them an omega had chosen their scent card. This obviously led them to believe I had been okay with it, considering it's my place of work so I clearly kept the card in the system, right? I still remember pouring over the binders the day after I caught them in the act, and how I found the lost scent-card I had used as a type of security blanket in the back of one of them. I hadn't been able to find it for about a week, and I realized I must have dropped it at some point, and someone found it, putting it back into the binder-it would have been easy, considering the card still had 'Pack 7392' stamped on the front. When I had pulled it out, I realized that over the years, my scent had permeated the card as well. Which made me question even more why the blue-haired omega would have picked them. My scent should have made him steer clear. Regardless of how it happened, the guys never should have accepted a date. It should have been a 'Oops! We already have an omega, but thanks anyway!' situation. Even if they really thought I was okay with it, they should have talked to me about it first. I'm never dealing with alphas again. I just need to make sure not to mention that in front of Mrs. Lopez or she might fire me. The older, severe omega was hired as the manager of this OMS facility a few years ago, and she really started pushing the 'happily ever after' agenda. Not that I minded before. After all, I had thought I was in the middle of mine. Before I know it, Melanie is leaving the room with a smile on her face, and Lanie and I start clearing up the binders to get ready for the next omega's appointment. The computer pings, letting us know what packs the system matched the omega with, and Lanie leans over, scanning the results. 'Huh.' Lanie's brows furrow. 'This one only has three matches.' 'That can't be right,' I frown, coming up behind her to look at the results, 'there's always at least ten.' There are so many packs in Starbrook City, even the pickiest omega has a good selection to pick from. 'Check out the answers to the questionnaire. Maybe there are conflicting selections.' Her eyes scan the screen for a second before she sits back with a sigh. 'Oh. That explains it.' 'What?' I ask, my own gaze flitting over their answers. Kids in the future, up to four alphas, yes to needing the pack to be okay with their omega working... 'They asked to only be matched with packs that have a female alpha.' My stomach sinks. Female alphas are almost as rare as male omegas. I've only ever met one other male omega, and that's my dad. 'And our omega is male. Miles Hawthorne. Age twenty-seven...Wait. I know this one. I think he came in, what, six months ago? I remember because you were gone, and I couldn't believe we got a real life male omega. Declined the OMS bodyguard for his date and everything. Huh. I wonder what happened...' Her voice fades as my pulse roars in my ears. Could it be the same guy? How many male omegas are there in Starbrook City? The thought of seeing him, being close enough to speak to him, fills me with...trepidation. But also...excitement? I shouldn't want to see the omega who took my pack away from me, but at the same time, the memory of his face, the way my body lit up when his eyes met mine... 'Well, hopefully he's not too upset.' Lanie says finally, snapping me out of my thoughts as she lays the three measly binders on the table. 'Let's hope,' I choke out. I haven't told anyone it was a male omega I caught Pack Hansen with. Probably because if I gave anyone his description, they'd be able to find him. If there aren't many male omegas to begin with, the search won't be hard to narrow down once I add in blue hair, glasses, and a tattoo sleeve. There's no way I want to know anything about him. But...don't I? This...this connection I feel with the man I've seen for a total of forty-five seconds...it can't be real. If it's not though, then why is my heart racing as we leave the room and head down the hallway towards the lobby? Why am I secretly hoping I see a head of blue hair as we round the corner? The image is so surreal, that at first I'm sure I've imagined it. It is him. His hair stands out like a beacon, but it's the way he's folded in on himself, curled into one of the egg-shaped chairs we have that pulls at my heartstrings. That makes me want to wrap him up and not let go. His fingers toy with the corner of a blanket as he scrolls on his phone, unaware of our presence. 'Miles?' Lanie asks, and he startles, darting his gaze up to us. A tentative smile starts to fill his face, and my heart aches at the sight. But then his eyes catch on me, widening slightly. Shit. Does he recognize me? There's no way- 'It's you,' he says so quietly, it's almost a whisper. Well. I guess that answers that question. Title: A Mother's Rewind Tomorrow In "A Mother's Rewind Tomorrow" by CrushReel, Flora Hayes's life takes a tragic turn after a fatal car accident. However, her final moments reveal a chilling glimpse of a future fraught with peril for her children two decades ahead. Exploring themes of resilience and sacrifice, this CEO drama intricately weaves elements of modernity and time travel into a compelling narrative set within the grandeur of a mansion and the intensity of an office environment. As Flora grapples with the aftermath of her premonition, the story delves deep into familial bonds and the weight of destiny. What sets "A Mother's Rewind Tomorrow" apart is its masterful blend of suspense and emotional depth, captivating readers with its intricate plot twists and nuanced character development. Discover the gripping saga at CrushReel, where this ongoing tale awaits those eager to embark on a journey through time and motherly love.