The rain had stopped a while ago, though the world was still damp. Cat strode forward, greeted the Beta in charge, and then lead the team into the garage. It was funny to watch every pair of Beta eyes widen in surprise as they took in the gauntlet they were about to navigate.
The lead Beta, her lapel’s golden name tag reading Candice, cleared her throat. “I’m afraid the severity of the necessary corrections was not fully communicated to my team.”
“Does that mean you cannot do as advertised?” Catalina took a step nearer to the Beta, tone professionally firm, but body language bordering on anxious.
“Certainly not,” the Beta lifted her chin proudly. “It will, however, take longer than the quoted hour and will need a more involved treatment. I'm afraid this will incur an additional fee.”
“Another fee?” Our PR momma bear sounded annoyed. “A rush fee. A fee for guaranteed discretion with a V.I.P. vetted team. And now a separate fee for it taking longer? Does the original price for the job not cover more than an hour of time?”
“It does,” the Beta nodded, “What it does not cover is the specialty creams and equipment this job needs. I’ll have to send one of my associates back to headquarters before we begin.”
When Cat didn’t say anything, the Beta nodded. “Wonderful. Jody, head back to the office and grab a Level IV correction kit. While she’s gone,” the Beta clapped her hands together, “We can fully assess the damage. I do love a challenge.”
I had to steel myself as they began to crowd. It was too familiar asituation, and I found myself suddenly at the clinic preparing for yet another brutal treatment. Panic flooded in, but I fought it back. I wasn’t being sliced and diced while Doctor Moorehead lectured students. I wasn’t heading into the tank that always felt on the verge of drowning me. I was at home. I was with my pack brothers.
We were getting ourselves presentable for our mate. Our scent match.
OurOmegaTessa.
24
TESSA
1 DAY AGO...
Morning again.I’d woken up after another safe night’s sleep in a warm, soft bed. It was still so foreign that I couldn’t quite reconcile how quickly everything had shifted.
“This is just so cute.” Lily was playing with the bell on Josie’s new collar. “I feel like, though… maybe the bell’s a bad idea? It’s not loud, but someone might hear it in your bag.”
I frowned, I hadn’t thought of that. When we’d gotten back last night, I’d just waved at the Beta sister at reception and come to the room. I’d still been full when dinner time came around, so I’d just rested with Josie instead of eating.
Reaching over to them, I picked Josie up and brought her to me. I moved her around in the air, left and right, dipping and rising her furry body and intently listening to the bell. It was such a sweet, soft tinkling. I didn’t think it would give her away, but I wasn’t sure taking a chance was smart either.
“It was the only collar I could afford,” I finally admitted. “I think because of the price tag, I didn’t even question the choice.”
Lily looked thoughtful, then proceeded to do one of her gymnastic jumps from the top bunk. She moved across the room to rifle around inone of the desks. After a ‘ha, there you are’, she scooted back over to me, mounting the ladder and returning to her original spot.
“Here, I think this will solve the problem for now.” She had a tiny roll of clear tape in her hand. Plucking off an inch, she coaxed Josie over and then handled the bell for a heartbeat. I couldn’t really see what she was doing, but after another piece of tape and a bit of fiddling, she lifted Josie and turned her around to face me. “The tape muffles the sound. Hopefully you can take it off later. You know, when there’s not a chance of getting kicked out of a shelter.” She scrunched her nose and gave me a silly grin.
“You really are one of a kind.” I shook my head and laughed quietly.
A soft knock on the door, made the air catch in my lungs. Lily’s head jerked to the entrance and then she was off the bed in a flash. I quickly picked up Josie and pushed her into the briefcase. It was always within arms’ length. The door was opening before Lily could get there to head the newcomer off at the pass. Had someone discovered Josie and turned me in? Was my joy meant to be so short-lived?
The creaking hinges set my teeth on edge and further rattled my nerves. The door seemed to be swinging inward in slow motion. Doom shouldn’t arrive that way. It should come hard and fast and be unavoidable, so you don’t blame yourself later for the downfall.
Sister Grant finally entered the room. Her eyes first latched on Lily, registering how the young Omega was slightly out of breath and out of sorts, and then she focused on me.
“I need you for a moment in the office, Tessa," she said in a kind, even voice that betrayed nothing.
“Something wrong?” I shouldn’t have asked that. Asking that question was like admitting that you think there should be something wrong. There’s every chance it could become a self-fulfilling prophecy.
“No, dear child. Don’t be silly.” She didn’t wait for me to respond, or get down from the bunk bed, she simply turned around and left.
Pulse in my mouth, anxiety flooding my chest, I got off the top bunk. “Can you watch Josie for me?”
“Obviously,” Lily rolled her eyes. “I’m sure it’s nothing. If you were being kicked out, she’d have told you to gather your stuff.”
That did make sense.
