Chapter 35
When I wake up for work Monday morning, sweaty and a bit crampy, I almost call out sick.
All I want to do today is lie in my nest surrounded by my pack, soaking up their scents and their touch, but it seems none of them are on the same page because when I get up, they’re all already bustling about.
River has a mandatory staff meeting, then therapy.
Ambrose has his usual shift at the clinic, and is booked with appointments the whole day.
And even Jackson, the one who is always ready to drop everything to be with me, can’t play hookie because Pulse is meeting for negotiations with the firm today.
Negotiations, which I thankfully don’t need to be present for because I think I’d perish if I had to deal with whatever bullshit they’re going to claim about me while I’m fighting off my impending heat.
So, I go to work. Thankfully, my office has its own thermostat, I can control the lighting, and there’s industrial-strength scent-filtration in every room.
My only client meeting today gets rescheduled, so I’m able to hole up and get as much done as I can in advance of my heat.
It’s daunting knowing I’m going to be missing multiple days of work, but the good thing about working with omega clients and having an omega boss is no one bats an eye when you tell them you’ll be out for a week.
I don’t even have to feel guilty about leaving clients in the lurch or stressed about all the work that I’ll have to catch up on when I return, because Lauren has structured our team to be able to cover for each other when someone is out on heat leave.
Maya’s new pack she’s dating sent her a gourmet muffin basket that she’s doling out to all of us, and I’m mid-devouring my second one of the morning when there’s a rap on my office door. I startle, a shower of muffin crumbs falling down onto my blouse and into my cleavage.
“Come in,” I call, brushing the mess away.
The door swings open to reveal not any of my coworkers, but Astrid.
“Oh, shit.” I totally forgot we were having lunch together today. She even texted me yesterday to confirm.
A blonde brow quirks. “So happy to see your best friend. I’m touched.”
I shake my head. “I am! I’m just, uh, running late. Give me a second and then we can head out.” As much as I’d rather stay in my cool, dark office and eat muffins until it’s time to go home, I haven’t seen Astrid in a few weeks, so I’m not about to cancel on her.
She eyes the muffin wrappers still strewn on my desk, but doesn’t say anything as I pretend to finish an email before getting up and grabbing my purse.
Astrid pulls me into a hug, and my omega lets out a tiny purr at the comfort, which makes her giggle. “Alright, kitty, let’s go get you something to eat.”
The restaurant Astrid chose is too stuffy and loud, packed from the lunch rush.
The second we step inside, I have to stifle my omega’s whine of discomfort.
By the time we’re seated, I’m queasy and my head is throbbing.
My eyes won’t focus on the menu, and I recoil when an alpha walks by our table and brushes against my arm.
“You look pale. Are you okay?” Astrid asks, brows knitting together.
“I…” It takes all my willpower not to shove down my discomfort for the sake of seeming like my “normal” old self, and shake my head. “Can we go somewhere else?”
Astrid frowns. “If you didn’t want sushi, you could’ve told me. I’m fine with eating whatever.”
“It’s not the sushi. It’s all the noise and smells and people in here. My omega is freaking out.”
“Oh!” Astrid blinks at me, processing that information for a split-second before taking a five out of her purse and setting it on the table for the trouble of seating us, then stands up.
I’m too relieved by her willing accommodation of my needs to pretend to protest, so I follow, gulping down the fresh air as soon as we’re outside.
“Thank you,” I sigh, wiping the sweat off my brow.
“The suppressants still not working?” Astrid asks gently. She knows how frustrated I am about the lack of control I seem to have over my omega hormones despite all our modern medical advancements.
“Not at all. That's why I’m a sweaty, overstimulated mess right now. Ambrose said it’ll start in a week. Maybe sooner. Given how shitty I feel today, I’m thinking sooner.”
Astrid reminds me why I love her when she doesn’t protest that we could’ve cancelled our lunch, giving me another hug and nodding. “Damn. Do you think you’re ready for it?”
She’s really asking if I’m ready for what going through my heat with all three of the men courting me means. Even a beta like her recognizes that a heat with a pack courting you—a pack that I’ve moved in with is much more serious than using heat services.
If she’d asked a few weeks ago, my answer would’ve been no. Or at least it would’ve taken me a lot of internal struggle between my omega’s instincts and my rational brain to be okay with it. Now, I realize there’s no question.
“Yeah. I am.”
Astrid’s eyes go wide. If she were a cartoon character, she’d have giant hearts in them. “You are?”
I snort, but a soft flush rises on my cheeks. “Yeah.”
“That’s fucking amazing!” Her exclamation garners some sidelong glances from passersby on the sidewalk, but it’s hard to care when she’s hugging me and squealing in delight. “I’m so, so, so happy for you.” When she pulls back, there are tears in her eyes.
My lower lip wobbles, and I shake my head at her. “No, stop it. If you cry, I’ll turn into a blubbering mess.”
Astrid sniffles, then huffs as she wipes away the water from her eyes. “How can you tell me not to cry when my best friend is finally getting the love and appreciation she deserves?”
My throat tightens and my eyes fill. “Dammit.”
Astrid pulls me into a hug again, and we both lose it, blubbering in the middle of the sidewalk until my phone starts to ring.
I pull back and swipe at my tear-streaked face, pulling my phone out of my purse to see who it is. The name on the screen has me sobering.
“It’s Megan.”
Astrid sniffs, wiping at her nose. “Whoa, really? But she never calls you.”
She doesn’t. My sister hasn’t called me since the last time I tried to help her and she called me a jealous, hateful bitch. Seeing her at Nesting a few months ago was the first time I’d heard her voice in over a year.
“I…I have to take this.”
“Yeah, of course.” Astrid reaches out and squeezes my hand as I bring the phone to my ear.
“Megan?”
“C-Cami?” I can barely hear her shaky whisper.
My blood runs cold with dread. “What’s wrong?”
“I-I can’t stay here anymore. You w-were r-right.” There’s a muffled sob from the other end of the line that shatters my heart.
I don’t think before I reply. What is there to consider?
“It’s okay. I’m coming to get you. Tell me where you are.”
Megan sucks in a shaky inhale. “I c-can’t…He’ll get m-mad and…” More broken sounds of distress fill my ear.
Fuck. I should’ve never left her with that man.
I should’ve fought harder. I should’ve taken her when I saw her at Nesting and held her hostage until her brain cleared from all the bullshit brainwashing he did to her.
I should’ve stopped her before she even got involved with that monster. I’m a horrible sister. I abandoned her.
I swallow down the bile and shame rising inside me. “Text it to me.”
“I can’t. He reads my m-messages.”
“Megan, I promise I’m coming to get you right away, but I can’t do that if you don’t tell me where you are.” Panicked tears stream down my cheeks. “Please, Megan.”
There’s a long pause filled only with the sound of my sister’s sobbing. “O-okay. We’re at the W-W-Wilshire. Room 409. I-I’m alone right n-now but he’ll be b-back in an hour.”
“Good. Stay put. Lock the door and don’t open it unless you hear my voice. I’m on my way.”
“I’m s-s-sorry, Cami,” Megan whispers.
My chest cracks open at how small and scared she sounds. “It’s okay. It’ll all be okay.”
The second I hang up, I search the Wilshire, cursing when I see it’s on the other side of the city. It’ll take me at least thirty minutes this time of day to get there by car and even longer with public transit because there are no direct routes.
“I’m so sorry, I have to go.” My heart is pounding so hard I can barely think of anything other than getting to my sister in time.
“Wait! What’s going on?”
I’m trembling with adrenaline as I order a rideshare. I’ve avoided them and going most places for fear of being recognized and ridiculed, but none of that matters right now. “Megan is in trouble. I have to go get her.”
Astrid places a hand on my arm. “Wait for one of your guys to come with you.”
“I can’t!” I’m pacing back and forth as I stare down at the screen, willing the driver to get here faster. “I need to go now or I’ll lose this chance, and they’re all super busy today.”
“Then I’ll go with you.”
I shake my head adamantly. “I’ll be fine. I know you need to go pick up the girls, and she’s alone, so I can handle it.” There’s no way I’m letting my friend get pulled into Bryce’s bullshit if I get there and he shows up. I can’t have both Megan and Astrid’s safety in my hands.
I give her a weak smile. “I’ll text you when I have her and we’re headed back to my place.”
“If you don’t, I’m calling the cops. Text me the address.”
I nod and send it to her, then send a quick message to the pack group chat to let them know where I’m going. They’re going to freak out, but I can’t wait for them to help.
Sweaty and shaking, I climb into the rideshare and wave goodbye to Astrid, praying that the ache in my stomach is from nerves, not a sign that my impending heat is here.