He glances toward Oli. “Give her a call. See if she’s okay with the change.”
Oli’s already reaching for his phone.
Caleb watches me, cautious. “Did you tell them about us?”
I shake my head. “Not exactly. Just that I found my scent-matched Alphas. I didn’t say anything about you already having an Omega.”
Jethro nods. “Probably smart. We don’t need rumors. Not until we figure things out.”
He turns to the others. “Caleb, Ross, go with Oli in your car. I’ll drive her in my truck.”
They both nod. Oli lifts his phone to his ear and walks toward the back.
“She just answered. I’ll be right back.”
Ross stands and stretches. “Ready when you are, Jethro.”
Caleb adjusts his glasses again and gives a small nod. No words, but the tension in his shoulders has lessened.
Jethro turns to me. “You okay to go?”
My legs feel unsteady, but I nod. “Yeah. I’m sorry you have to do this, that any of this has happened.”
He places a steady hand on my arm. The touch is light but grounding. “We’ll take care of you, Sandra. I promise.”
His voice and the look in his eyes chip away at the weight I’ve been carrying. I inhale slowly and straighten up.
We step outside. The night air hits my face, cool and sharp. Ross and Caleb head for a sleek black car. Jethro walks me to a beat-up truck. It’s not flashy, but it’s solid. Like him. He opens the passenger door, waiting while I climb in. The seat’s worn but comfortable. He gets behind the wheel, and the engine rumbles to life. As he pulls out of the parking lot, I turn toward him.
“Thank you, Jethro. For all of this.”The words feel small and inadequate, but I mean them.
He shifts in his seat, hands tightening on the steering wheel.“Sandra, even if we weren’t scent-matched, we’d still help. It’s the right thing to do.” He glances over. “Omegas shouldn’t have to live in fear. Being sold off like that? It’s wrong. I’m sorry your father did that to you. He had no right.”
The weight of his words lands hard. I hadn’t realized how much I needed to hear someone say that. A lump rises in my throat, and I nod, unable to speak.
The drive lasts only ten minutes, though each second drags beneath the weight of my nerves. We pull up in front of a single-story brick building with a glowing sign that readsWillowside Family Clinic. Warm light spills through the front windows.
Jethro parks the truck and looks at me.
“Do you want us to come in? Or wait out here?” His tone softens. “Either way, I can keep an eye out and make sure no one tries to enter the building.”
The offer warms me in a way I didn’t expect. I haven’t had anyone look out for me in so long.
“Could you all come in? Please?”
He doesn’t hesitate. “Of course.” He pulls out his phone and taps out a message.
A soft chime sounds as he shifts the truck into park. We step out together. The cold air slaps me in the face. I wrap my arms around myself.
Jethro rounds the front of the truck and places a warm, steadying hand on the middle of my back.
The others approach. Ross offers a small smile. Caleb gives a nod. Oli walks beside me, his hand joining Jethro’s on my back as Ross opens the door and lets us go in first.
We enter the clinic. The waiting area holds a few chairs and a counter, behind which sits a woman in scrubs with warm brown skin and a stethoscope looped around her neck.
She glances up from the computer in front of her and offers a polite smile as she stands. “Sandra?”
My throat tightens as I nod. “Hi.”
