Chapter 3
The omega in my arms is tiny by any standard.
She’s just plain short. Not that I’d risk my life or limb by telling her that.
She seems like a right firebrand that could take a chunk outta me if she was feeling better.
She’s also fucking adorable. Her name’s Sarah, and her room is across from the omega I helped move out earlier this year.
I believe he mentioned her a few times while we were hauling his stuff down to storage.
Something about drums, if I’m remembering correctly.
’Course, she looks like the type of girl who would enjoy hitting stuff repeatedly, either with a stick or her tiny fists.
I’m dragged out of my ruminations by her talking to the doctor about alphas.
It’s not a sore spot. I mean, I couldn’t have my job if I was an alpha, but it still sucks sometimes that a roll of the genetic dice made my choices for me.
My dad’s an alpha, Mom’s a beta. So my two older brothers are alphas, my sister’s an omega, and my younger brother and I are betas.
It’s just strange how it works out. Not that I mind, really.
Though I would like to be able to purr at times like this.
It’s like an alpha superpower for calming down omegas, and I’ll admit I’m sometimes jealous.
I wonder if they make purr synthesizers, like something I can put in my pocket that vibrates and makes that sound. I need to look into that.
Sarah and the doctor are both looking at me, and I’m not sure what I missed when my mind went off on that tangent. “Sorry, I was zoning…what’s up?”
Sarah snickers at me, but the doctor just sighs, looking tired.
“I said that Sarah is looking better. If this is touch sickness, you might be helping. I was asking if you had any pressing business this morning or if you would be able to stay with her for a few hours and monitor her condition. If she can’t stabilize on her own or with you, I’d like you to bring her back by this afternoon.
” I just nod at the doctor as Sarah nuzzles her nose deeper against my chest. The term beta guard is pretty inaccurate in that we do work as guards if necessary, but in reality, the job is eighty percent “other duties as assigned.”
We sit there for a few more minutes, letting Sarah cuddle and relax.
After a little bit, I hear soft snoring against my chest. Maybe she didn’t sleep well if she was feeling bad?
Doctor Terra covers her mouth to stifle a laugh and nods at me as I try to wrap Sarah up tighter to make sure she stays covered and warm.
She’s probably feeling pretty vulnerable in just a sheet.
But seriously, there are omegas all over here, and so many strange things happen with them, so nothing should faze me at this point.
At least she’s wrapped in a sheet. I’ve seen a few omegas streaking across campus before. That’s always an interesting day.
Sarah takes a deep breath, relaxing further into my arms and cuddling closer as we leave the building—but before long, she’s shivering.
Even in L.A., it’s still wintertime. While it takes a bit of effort not to wake her, I wiggle out of my jacket and wrap her up in it, hoping that my body heat, if not my scent, will help keep her calm and sedate.
Not that I’d be upset if she found my scent relaxing, but it’s always felt kind of generic to me.
Like…ho hum, I smell like mud—dirt and water.
Meh. It’s not exactly unpleasant, but I don’t see why it would appeal to the woman in my arms who smells like strawberries and sweet cream.
I’m a bit bigger than average for a beta, and the denim of my jacket swallows her tiny frame as I maneuver it around her, lifting her higher and humming against the top of her head.
It’s easier once we’re outside. I don’t have to worry about one of the clinic staff thinking I’m being inappropriate.
I just enjoy singing, and I’ll try any weapon in my arsenal to help the girl feel better.
Something about her calls to me, and I feel a powerful need to make sure she’s ok.
I worry a lot about the omegas here without family.
Most of them have people that come and visit on a regular basis, but not everyone.
Normally, I run security on dorms A through C, but I’m happy to help out wherever anybody needs it.
Something happened last night with another omega from Dorm F, though, and several of their normal security guys are dealing with that.
The rumor mill hasn’t circulated yet about what it was, but I’m sure I’ll hear about it eventually.
Most of the guards gossip like old ladies in the break room, and nothing important ever stays secret.
So, while I know more about the residents in my usual dorms, I’ve worked with others before.
My mind flickers back to the big guy I helped to move out earlier this year, and I wonder again if this is the same Sarah we talked about.
I’ll have to ask her when she wakes up if she knew him, if she was the one he was worried about leaving behind, and if she has any other friends here.
She’s not old, but she looks a bit more mature than most of the omegas I see, so I’m just curious now.
She snuggles closer, mumbling in her sleep, and I switch from humming to singing softly.
It’s just a random tune I’ve been working on.
One of the lucky parts of working here is that I get room and board in exchange for being on call constantly five days a week.
I get to sleep, but I’m on location in case we have an emergency, like last night.
Though that was one of my days off, at least up until midnight.
It lets me have a weekday and a weekend to take care of any business stuff I need, as well as try to look for music gigs.
Not that there have been many of those lately with all the time I’m working.
Her cold nose presses against my chest and she sags, settling further into the cradle of my arms. I get another brief spike of irritation at my inability to purr for her like an alpha would if he were here.
Of course, they don’t hire alphas to work as guards, just us betas.
The bigger the better. Though there are a few ladies on my squad that could easily be mistaken for omegas—and have been a couple of times, much to some poor alpha’s detriment.
My mind scrapes back to Teddy, whose name is a bit on the nose really considering his size.
He had a guitar case of his own, and he talked a lot about his friend Sarah.
If this is the same Sarah—the drum kit I saw in her nest would indicate as much—she’s also into music…
I wonder if the vibrations from my bass or guitar would be close enough to a purr to help her feel better?
Nah, Greg, don’t be a dumbass.
Omegas don’t work that way.
Neither do alpha purrs, it’s something you have to be built with.
Is there somebody I can call to purr for her…does it even work over the phone?
Shit.