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It had been so long since I’d been anywhere but the Ferrini estate, I’d forgotten what the real world was like. From here on out, I was no longer under their protection. I had no privilege. I was just an omega. An unmated, pregnant one.
I wished I could fast forward to just being in my new town.
At the rate we were traveling, it would be midnight before I actually landed in my new home.
The first order of business when I arrived would be to find the boarding house to see if I could move in. If not, it wouldn’t be too hard to find a motel that would rent a room for a week or more at a time.
I got back on the bus and chose a seat near the front. If any strange alphas took an unwelcome interest in me, I wanted to be close enough to the driver to ask for help.
Sighing, I realized that was gonna be my life now. Not only would I always be watching my back for alphas who wanted to make a move, I would have a helpless child that I was dragging along with me. What kind of parent intentionally chose a life of running and looking over their shoulder?
The alternative, unfortunately, was no child at all.
A tear dripped down my cheek as I was about to host my own little pity party, but before I could completely succumb to my emotions, the alpha I’d been avoiding dropped into the seat beside me. “Everything okay, little one?”
Shit. Straightening my back, I sniffed away my tears and forced a smile. “I’m good. Just sad to be leaving my friends.”
He crossed his arms over his chest, respecting my personal space. At least that was something. “I’m sorry to hear that. Leaving is always hard.”
“Yep.” I cleared my throat. “But I’m fine. How is your day going?”
He allowed me to change the subject as he rambled about his trip to Detroit to visit his dad. When we got to the next stop, and he said he had to transfer to a different line, I waved goodbye and breathed a sigh of relief. He seemed harmless enough on a crowded bus, but strange alphas couldn’t be trusted.
No matter how harmless they seemed.
The bus stopped just outside a tiny little building with a wooden sign reading “Welcome to Apricot Grove.” From one end of Main Street to the other, I could see just about everything the town had to offer. A grocery store, coffee shop, a diner. Only one of each, and all of them mom-and-pop style shops. I loved it. Even though it was later in the evening, there were people out and about. Kids were riding bikes, couples walked hand in hand and were pushing strollers, there was an older man with a dog on a leash.
It was cozy. Like a scene out of a movie.
I didn't have to look very far for the boarding house I had read about before smashing up my phone. It was right next to the bus stop. The tall, Victorian-style house had three stories and a wraparound porch with several rocking chairs. There were stairs on the outside of the house that led up to the second and third story.
I grabbed my bag and threw it over my shoulder. My muscles ached from sitting all day, but I was here now and I really could use a bed to lie down and rest.
I knocked on the door that read "office" and was surprised when someone actually answered. I had expected it to be past office hours.
The lady who answered was a plump woman who had to be in her sixties. Her red hair was streaked with gray, wound in a loose bun on her head. She had an air about her that told me crossing her would be a mistake, which I appreciated. At least as long as I was on her good side. Which is where I intended to stay. "Can I help you?"
"Well, I just got into town, and I was wondering if you had a room available or if one will be available soon?"
She eyed me up and down. "You running away from something?"
There was something in her tone that told me honesty was the best policy here, though I couldn't give away too much. It might feel like I was out of reach from the Ferrinis, but that didn’t mean danger didn’t lurk around every corner.
"Not quite. I just want a change of scenery, perhaps a different opportunity than what I was experiencing before." That was true enough.
She nodded and opened the door wider, allowing me to pass. "I can understand leaving one life behind and starting a different one. Come on in."
The office was a simple little space with a desk that had an older style desktop on it. "Do you have an ID with you?"
"Yes." I pulled out my wallet, handing over my driver's license. "I can pay rent up front. Cash."
She raised an eyebrow. "You'll need a job while you're here, unless you have enough cash to live on forever."
"I don't." I squared my shoulders and looked her in the eye. "I plan to look for a job first thing in the morning.”
"The grocery store is hiring for a second-shift cashier. Think you could handle that?"
I nodded. "Yeah, that sounds great."
