Page 112 of False Catch

Everyone looks at me. I fight the urge to pull my hoodie higher, to hide the evidence of last night written across my skin.

"How would that even work?" My voice sounds surprisingly steady. "Eight Alphas and one Omega?"

"Actually, the law is quite progressive on that front." Tyler scrolls through more documents. "Pack bonds can include any configuration of designations, as long as all parties consent and meet certain compatibility requirements."

"Compatibility," Beckett laughs, but there's no humor in it. "That's one word for it."

"We're compatible on the water," Bo points out. "That's what matters for rowing."

"Is it?" Gray asks sharply. "Because from where I'm sitting, we can barely get through a practice without someone losing their shit."

"That's because we're fighting what we are," Jackson speaks for the first time, his voice cold. "A pack bond would eliminate the ambiguity. Set clear boundaries and expectations."

"You just want to legitimize marking her," Gray snaps.

"Yeah, I do." Jackson meets his stare. "Because pretending this is just about rowing is bullshit and we all know it."

"It would solve the administration problem," Eli adds quietly. "They can't sanction a legally recognized pack for mixed-designation training."

"But they could sanction us for forming a pack just to circumvent policy," Gray counters.

"Only if we admit that's why," Tyler says. "The compatibility tests, the paperwork, it's all based on biological and psychological markers. Which, given recent events, we'd pass easily."

Recent events. Like my heat. Like Jackson's claim. Like whatever primal thing happens when all eight of them are near me during practice.

"You've really thought this through," I observe.

Tyler nods. "I ran probability scenarios. Our chances of making it through nationals without exposure are approximately eighteen percent. With a formal pack bond, that jumps to eighty-seven percent."

"Those are just numbers," Gray says.

"Numbers don't lie," Tyler says.

Zane reaches for another donut, then stops. "Would this mean... we'd all be bonded? To each other?"

"The legal framework creates a family unit," Tyler explains. "It doesn't require individual bonds between every member, though those often develop naturally within established packs."

"Naturally," Beckett echoes. "Right. Because there's nothing natural about this situation."

"It’s more natural than you think," Cameron says, his first contribution to the discussion. Everyone turns to look at him. "Pack structures in nature are about cooperation and protection of the group. Multiple individuals contributing to the survival and success of the whole. We've been unconsciously following that pattern for weeks."

"We're not animals," Gray says tightly.

"No," Cameron agrees. "But we're not fighting our instincts either. We're fighting the structures that tell us our instincts are wrong."

The room falls silent again. I can feel the weight of decision pressing down on all of us. This isn't just about avoiding administrative consequences. It's about acknowledging what we've been dancing around since my first day on the team.

We're already a pack in everything but name.

"What would you all get out of it?" I ask. "A formal bond with me means restrictions. Legal obligations. You couldn't just walk away after graduation."

"Bold of you to assume we'd want to," Zane says, but his voice cracks on the last word.

"I'm in," Jackson says simply. "I've already made my choice."

"Same." Bo doesn't hesitate. "We're already acting like one. Might as well make it official."

"The logical benefits outweigh the potential drawbacks," Tyler adds, though his voice wavers slightly. He adjusts his glasses, that nervous tell I’ve been noticing more and more lately. "At least... theoretically."