I nodded, burying my face against his chest.
“You could stay at my place if it wouldn’t be weird. I can sleep on the couch and you can have my room.”
Jude had always been sweet to me, but I couldn’t show up a hot mess and steal his room, no matter how curious I was about his home. “I don’t want to impose like that. It’s not fair to you.”
“You’re not an imposition. I’d be happy to help.”
I couldn’t bear to look him in the eye yet. “I’m sorry I came in with my scent out.”
He stared at me with wide brown eyes. “I’m glad you did.”
“I just want to curl up somewhere safe. I can’t handle anything else today. I’m really really sorry to interrupt your work, but I didn’t know where else to go.”
“I’m glad you did, that you felt safe enough to seek me out. Plus, you’re always welcome here,” he promised firmly. “I’ll leave work early and drive you over.”
“No, no, it’s fine. I can wait.”
Jude eyed me suspiciously. “You can stay in the break room if you’d like.”
“Could I staywithyou while I wait? I think if I don’t have a friendly face I’m going to spiral.”
His hands twitched against me and he pulled in a shuddering breath. “I’m never going to tell you that you can’t be around me.”
Jude stepped back, taking my hand and leading me outside. I followed after him, my body wracked with shivers now that the adrenaline was wearing off.
How had my life gotten so fucked so quickly? And more importantly, how the hell was I going to fix it?
Standing in the throw pillow section of my local Best of Nests trying to discern the difference between dusty rose and blush pink was not how I had been planning on spending my Friday evening. Our designer, Tiffany, had gone on parental leave unexpectedly early, so the task fell to me for now. With any luck, we’d be able to hire a new designer as soon as possible.
I stared helplessly at the pillows. There were ones with tassels and ruffles and sequins, none of which seemed appropriate for my own taste, but Best of Nests was an omega supply store, so I could only assume that the things they carried were items omegas would want.
Where was the pretty omega I secretly took shopping cues from when I needed her? Looking over a designer’s shoulder might be cheating, but I neededhelp.
I could hear Tiffany’s voice ringing through my head.We need people to imagine it as their own home when they walk through the door. Personal touches make the difference.
I was about to declare defeat when a low-pitched whine and the most intoxicating scent I had ever encountered rushed past me to the cash desk. Raspberry tarts, sweet, buttery, and tangy, even with the scorched sugar of distress overlaying it. Every nerve in my body primed to the presence of the brunette omega with tears running down her cheeks.
Fix it.
I followed after her, pillows still clutched in my hands, her story becoming clearer with each step.
“He kicked me out of the car. He took everything.” She burst into full wracking sobs, clutching the staff member desperately.
What. The. Fuck.
She was hustled away into the break room, leaving me awkwardly hovering. A reasonable person would have gone about their day, but I couldn’t go anywhere without knowing she was safe. Whispers of her raspberry scent still hung in the air, and even tainted with distress as it was, it wrapped me up with the visceral knowledge that the omega behind that door wasmine.
Christ on a cracker.
I’d been terribly envious of my business partner getting two scent-matched omegas in his life when fate hadn’t even blessed me with one, and now I was ill-prepared for her arrival.
Whatever was wrong, I needed to help her. Fate had terrible timing. I was buried under additional tasks for work and had minimal time foranything,let alone a mate.
I pulled out my phone while I waited and sent a hasty message to my business partner, Beau, in the wild hope he would have something helpful to say.
Alve:
Personal SOS
