Chapter 12
I can’t believe this is happening.
My heart races as I head inside the heat clinic, and I’m glad I’m wearing a dark t-shirt so my profuse sweating won’t be as noticeable. Coming to this place I’ve worked at for years, but not dressed in my normal work attire, adds to the surrealness of what’s happening.
A little over twenty-four hours ago, I met my scent-matched omega.
Now, I’m heading back to the clinic to help with her heat.
These sorts of things don’t happen in real life.
Yet here I am, vibrating with nervous anticipation as I drop some things off in my office, then head to meet Daisy in the heat services wing.
Sven raises a thick blonde brow as I pass him in the corridor. “Dr. Stills, what are you doing here? Are you covering for Dr. Janet again?”
I shake my head, and can barely get my mouth to work well enough to mutter something about bringing Jackson a thing he left at home.
Sven nods and continues past me, not one to interrogate me on my weird behavior, but my stomach does a nauseating flip as I realize there’s no way to hide what I’m doing here.
Gossip spreads like wildfire in this place, even if we’re supposed to have a strict confidentiality policy. Sven won’t talk, but as soon as someone else sees my car in the parking lot and notices I’m not working a regular shift in the medical wing, they’ll put the pieces together.
What am I thinking?
Technically, I’m not doing anything wrong.
Daisy checked with HR and assured me there’s no policy preventing medical staff from also working in heat services.
There’s usually a more robust health screening and training for new heat minders, but because of the extenuating circumstances—and my ability to provide a recent negative STI test—they’re waiving all that.
I won’t get into any legal trouble for what I’m about to do.
Still, it’s common sense that a doctor shouldn’t moonlight as a heat minder.
It muddies the ethical boundaries of the doctor-patient relationship.
There’ve been a few times a nurse or med tech assisted with a heat when an omega had medical conditions that needed to be monitored, but never the omega’s doctor. It’s just not done.
It feels like everyone is staring at me as I make my way to Daisy’s office, and I pray they can’t see how shaky my smile is as I greet them with feigned calm. By the time I reach her office, I’m a mess.
The door swings open before I can knock, startling me backward, and I almost crash into a nurse walking past.
“Whoa there,” Daisy exclaims, moving to my side to steady me with an impressive amount of speed for someone of her short stature. “Are you going to pass out on me, Dr. Stills?” Her brows knit together as she takes in my shaken expression.
Do I really look that awful? I try my best to smile and straighten back up. “N-no, I’m fine. Or as fine as I can be.” My accompanying laugh sounds hollow.
“Let’s go into my office and get you a juice box, just in case.” Daisy pats my arm, clearly not believing that I won’t faint at any moment.
I shake my head and suck in a stabilizing breath. “I’m fine. Really. I don’t want to make them wait any longer than necessary. I know it took me a while to get here.”
Guilt at making an omega in need wait for my help, along with leaving Jackson to continue fending for himself, makes my stomach sink.
River and I argued for over an hour about what I should do. I’m still not sure this is the right decision, but he was adamant about me doing this.
Stubborn, self-sacrificing alpha.
It’s not fair to him, or Jackson, for that matter. We agreed to stop pursuing an omega for our pack. We chose to focus on our bonds with each other. Helping with my scent match’s heat is the opposite of that.
The only reason I’m here is River’s confidence that we’ll be able to figure this out, no matter what happens. He’s the smartest, most empathetic man I’ve ever met, and if anyone can keep this from screwing things up, it’s him.
I don’t want to put that burden on his shoulders, but he argued that isn’t my choice to make.
So here I am. I’d be lying if, beneath all my worry about my mate, our pack, and my professional reservations, my alpha wasn’t thrilled at the prospect of joining Camille’s heat.
We barely know each other, but her omega trusts me enough that she’s begging for my help.
My scent-matched omega needs me.
There’s no question to my alpha. When your omega is in need, you help.
Not that she’s my omega. We may be scent-matched, but that doesn’t mean she’ll want or need me after the heat ends.
Another reason being here is a terrible idea, but it’s too late to back out now. I’ve made my choice.
Daisy squeezes my arm, giving me a sympathetic smile. “I know this is unorthodox, but it’s my job to make sure we provide the omegas under our care the best and safest heat experiences. Your help will make that possible, Dr. Stills.”
I nod. “I’d never want an omega to suffer if I can help. I’m just glad that Ms. Clairmont felt safe enough after our brief time together to request me.”
Daisy smiles brightly. “Me too. Though, I’m not surprised.” She lowers her voice conspiratorially. “After all, you’re our resident hot daddy doctor.”
I sputter at her words, and she snorts. “What? You know all the omegas would love to have an alpha like you helping with their heats.”
My cheeks warm at her proclamation, though my alpha preens at the thought. Even if the only omega he’s interested in helping is Camille.
Daisy leads me to the heat nest hallway and pauses by a room I’ve never gone in before.
“Might want to grab a snack and use the restroom before you dive into things. You won’t have time for that for a while.
Her heat is intense.” She cringes a little.
“Poor Jackson is trying his best, but he’s only one man. ”
A mix of arousal and concern coils inside me.
Is it really that intense? And if so, is that a result of her delayed reveal as an omega? I’m curious if there’s any documented correlation between heat intensity and age of revealing, but now isn’t the time for medical conjecture.
I hurry into what turns out to be a break room with an adjoining locker room, complete with showers and toilets. The heat nests have their own ensuite bathrooms to help take care of the omegas, but heat minders must come in here to clean up whenever they get a break.
My alpha urges me to take care of business as fast as possible, growing anxious now that we’re so close to joining Camille’s heat.
I make the mistake of letting down the mental barrier I erected to keep from being flooded by Jackson’s emotions, and almost spill the protein shake I’m chugging when I feel how overwhelmed he is.
Screw this. Who needs calories? I’ll deal with being hungry if I can’t get a break to eat more later. They need me now.
“Wow, that was fast,” Daisy says as I emerge from the break room.
“Show me where to go.” My words are rougher than necessary and the sweet beta’s eyes widen.
“I will, but I need to fit you with bite caps and brief you on Camille’s requests for her heat.” Daisy holds up her hand with a clipboard and a small sealed packet in it, giving them a little shake.
My alpha wants to bark at her to tell me where my omega and packmate are before I barge into nests at random until I find them. He certainly feels no need for bite caps. Only weak, cruel assholes bond an omega without consent.
I fight his indignance and take a deep breath to calm myself. “Sorry. Of course. I’m… this is more intense than I was expecting.”
Daisy nods. “No worries. Alpha instincts are riding you hard, but I’m only delaying you a bit, so you know the best way to take care of the omega.”
Some of the tension eases and I’m able to make it through Daisy poking around in my mouth until she’s satisfied the bite caps won’t come off, and she’s giving me the rundown on Camille’s sexual preferences and limits.
My cock is swelling and my knot aching by the time she’s done, making me clasp my hands in front of my crotch so my coworker doesn’t get an eyeful of the tent in my sweatpants.
I don’t need gossip about how big my dick is to accompany all the other things people will say about me after this is over.
“The most important thing to remember is if she tells you to stop, you stop. Otherwise, you’re in excellent hands with Jackson. He’s a pro,” Daisy says as she leads me to a nondescript door.
“I promise I won’t do anything to hurt her.
She’s my scen—” I freeze mid-sentence, realizing Daisy doesn’t know Camille is my scent-match.
She thinks she met me, liked the look of me, and now is asking for my help because she doesn’t have any other options.
Not that Camille’s omega recognizes we’re matched.
That’s probably for the best. Daisy doesn’t need to know that. It’s too private to divulge before I get a chance to talk to Camille about it. And tell Jackson.
Fuck, there are going to be a lot of intense conversations once this heat is over. I hope Camille isn’t angry that I went into it knowing about what a scent-match connection means. I doubt she understood on a conscious level why she was drawn to me.
I clear my throat as Daisy looks at me expectantly, waiting for me to finish what I was saying. “I’m her doctor. I swore an oath to protect the omegas under my care.”
Daisy nods. “I know. She’s in excellent hands.” Her hand reaches for the doorknob, but she pauses. “All good? Ready to go in?”
“Yeah. I’ve got it from here.” I must sound more confident than I feel, because the beta steps back and lets me open the door on my own. She mouths “good luck” to me, then moves further down the hall, probably to make sure none of her subtle beta scent disturbs the room’s occupants.