“The first doctor said that the news of my infertility was so distressing to my omega that it was causing me to have physical symptoms. When I told him I didn’t even want kids, he seemed to think I had further proved that I was out of my mind. The second doctor said something similar. And the third said I was making up my symptoms for attention. That was around the time my aunt was getting sick. The doctor said I was jealous of the attention she was getting. I wouldnevermake things up like that. But it was enough for me to stop talking about it.”
“I’m so, so sorry,” she murmured. “I feel so bad I missed all of this. I’ve known you for almost two years.”
“I didn’t want anyone to know,” I said with a soft smile.
“How can I be helpful? I shouldn’t have made you work late.”
“No,” I said quickly. “Please don’t treat me differently. That’s part of the reason I don’t tell people.”
Josie eyed me. “Well, I’d like you to tell me if you need a break or need to go home early. And we could help you get set up with a doctor. You know Angie from self-defense. She’s a doctor and I can’t imagine her accusing you of making things up.”
Angie had only come to a few self-defense classes, so I hadn’t gotten to know her well, but I had thought about askingabout my symptoms. But any tests would have to be run in the hospital, and I didn’t want to go back there.
“I’ll think about it,” I said, sensing that Josie would keep pushing if I said no.
“Fine,” she huffed. “I guess it’s up to you. But you promise you’ll tell me if you need help?”
“I will,” I said, finding that I was telling the truth. Now that I’d gotten over the major hurdle of telling Josie, it didn’t feel as daunting. “Should we wrap up the rest of the cupcakes? We’re almost done.”
“Let’s do it. But we are not cleaning up tonight. That’s a problem for future us.”
21
WESTIN
“I’m going to take out the trash.” I looked around the kitchen. “Then we should be done for the night.”
Josie was packaging up the last of the cupcakes and glanced up. “Nooo, we said no cleaning. Just leave it for tomorrow.”
I threw Josie an incredulous look. “The trash cans are overflowing.”
“Okay, fine. But are you sure you can manage? I can get Theo to do it.”
I didn’t like the look of concern on her face. A flicker of rebelliousness shot through me, and I felt the need to prove that I was capable. “Nah, I’ll be fine.”
I hefted the two large trash bags into my hands and instantly regretted it. The weight of the bags pulled on my shoulder, intensifying the pain radiating down my neck. I gritted my teeth. It would only take a few minutes to bring them to the dumpster in the back alley. I could do it.
I half dragged them to the back door and awkwardly balanced them while pulling the door open. I was so focused on the bags I didn’t notice the outside light was out. I blinked intothe darkness as I tried the light switch, but the bulb must have burned out. The dumpster was only a few feet away, so I let the door shut behind me and let out another distinctly un-sexy grunt as I grabbed the bags. Just as I was getting ready to heave them into the dumpster, arms grabbed me from behind.
I let out a shriek, and my mouth was promptly covered by a massive hand.
“This might be a job, but I’m going to fucking enjoy it,” a deep voice said.
Fear seized every part of my body, and I froze. I tried to breathe around the hand, but panic made my breaths short and choppy. The alpha dragged me deeper into the alley, the shadows swallowing us up.
“Can’t wait to get into that tight omega cunt.”
His words were like ice through my veins.
Fight, Westin, you have to fight.
Why wouldn’t my arms move?
The man kept one hand over my mouth but moved his other to the button of my jeans. My limbs unfroze. No, I wasn’t going to let this happen without a fight. I slammed my head back. Pain shot through my skull. The man’s soft grunt let me know I had hit him but not hard enough to make a difference.
“Bitch,” he said as he tried to work the button on my jeans.
I bit the hand covering my mouth, and this time, the alpha cried out and removed his hand. I stomped on his foot, fighting with all I had to escape his grasp. He let me go and hope fluttered in my chest. I ran away as fast as I could but only got a few steps before I was slammed to the ground. I cried out as the asphalt scraped my hands and knees. The crushing weight of the alpha on top of me made it hard to breathe. Panic clawed its way into my throat and spots danced in my vision.
