Such a Broken Omega (His Alpha Desires #14)

Chapter 1

Chapter One

Wulf

His framed photo on my desk was a daily reminder that I once had a mate. And that when he needed me, I hadn’t been there to save him. His easy smile and kindness greeted me every day when I got home, until that one night when it didn’t…

“Your next patient is waiting for you, Wulf.” The receptionist stood in the doorway office, and from her tone, it wasn’t the first time she’d tried to get my attention.

“I’m sorry.” Pushing the past into the back of my mind, I stood up.

“On my way.” My patients deserved my full attention, which they all received.

Not only for their benefit but for mine.

For the first year after I lost my mate, those sessions were almost the only moments of peace I found, and I felt so much gratitude to the patients who made that possible.

Today, I had an appointment with a fox shifter who’d been injured in a challenge for his skulk’s leadership. He’d actually won, and he had to hide coming to me so no one else who might want his job would think him weak. Which he was not.

And he never came alone.

“How are you doing today, Todd?” I scanned his records and a recent series of tests in my tablet. “Ready for a workout?”

“As ready as I’ll ever be.” The male grimaced, stretching his arm out to the side. “When my mate insisted I come to you for therapy, I had my doubts about the whole thing.”

“You were rather more forceful than that, dear,” his omega mate put in from where he sat in the corner.

“It’s fine.” I’d had these two here often enough to know that what began as a friendly discussion of details could erupt into a boisterous argument that used up most of Todd’s appointment time.

Not that I minded running over, if an opening followed, but we’d been booked solid lately.

The pair could verbally spar on their own time.

“Now, let’s get started. Have you been doing your exercises every day? ”

Of course, he had not, as his mate was quick to point out.

We wasted a few more minutes while they argued this point before I could begin his therapy.

Maybe their conversation held therapeutic value as well, an opportunity to opinionate away from those who looked to them to rule the skulk.

I knew from growing up in a pack, with a pack alpha father, how difficult the leaders could find it to live any sort of life of their own.

They and their mates were expected to present a front of smooth agreement at all times.

So, while their argument might be helpful in a way, I still needed to get at least some physical therapy done here, so when they paused for breath, I swooped in and got started.

Todd swore he’d do his homework, his mate promised to make sure of it—and I didn’t believe either of them.

But I could only work on them in the office and request they take the time to do what they needed to heal.

Three clients later, I flicked off the lights and locked up on my way out of the office. For the past few hours, I’d been able to shut down the loneliness, but the end of the day came with a wave of sadness.

I needed to move on—everyone said so—but to what?

Mates came along once in a lifetime, for most, and all I could see in the future was more of the same.

Go to work, come home, and thank the Goddess for Crowned.

The club my chosen mate and I had frequented at least once a week for our entire relationship.

He had not been my fated, but ow could I have loved him more even if he were?

After he died, I couldn’t face going home every night to the home we’d shared, so I sold it and bought a condo conveniently close to the office. Arriving there now, I showered, dressed, and left right away. Some nights, even after a long day at the clinic, I just couldn’t face being alone.

Another advantage to the plain-Jane condo’s location was that it was also walking distance to Crowned.

Just far enough away for a refreshing stroll, which I set out on, using the time to switch mind frames from work to relaxation.

The clinic had been my mate’s idea. Although he was not in my field, he had a head for business and pointed out that while I could join a regular clinic where I would see mostly humans, the shifter community had an unmet need.

I argued that they were proud and had shifts that would repair most damage, but he insisted that there were things that were not so easily repaired.

Many whose injuries were hidden behind a stoic facade for the sake of pack and pride.

At first not many came, and I feared our life savings would be lost, but, gradually, word got around and people began to try us out.

We went from just me and a nurse/receptionist to a full and bustling clinic with three busy therapists and our support staff.

If only the omega whose idea it was had lived to see it thrive.

Crowned’s front door did not stand out from its neighbors, the sign only a brass plaque beside it, but inside lay what I needed to get through another day.