“Is there an alarm under the counter? Cameras?”
“Yes to both,” I said when we arrived back in the sales area.
“That’s good. A beautiful woman like you shouldn’t be alone at night without security.”
I rolled my eyes but my cheeks heated. Damn my body betraying me like this. “Every person, man or woman, regardless of their looks, should have a safe place to live and work. Don’t you think so?”
He looked down and shook his head, hiding his stunning blue eyes. What a shame. “I didn’t mean anything by it. I was trying to compliment you.”
“Thank you. And…I’m a bit touchy. Sorry about that.”
Carter raised his head and laughed. “My pack and I don’t mind touchy omegas. Trust me.”
I froze. His words splattered ice water over my body and any reaction it had to his smell or flirting. “Your pack.”
“Yes. There are three of us.”
I felt the seizing up as my walls rose and my heart hardened into stone. “I see. Is this inspection done, or is there somewhere else I can show you?”
Carter’s eyes widened. Good. Maybe he got the hint. “I’m done.” He tore a page from the clipboard and handed it to me. “Please give this to the owner. My contact information is at the top in case anyone should need or want it.”
“I’ll let her know. Have a nice night, Carter.”
“You too, Anathea.”
I shut the door and for the rest of the shift tried not to think about the two alphas who had me hot and bothered.
That night, I got home and showered and changed into some comfy clothes while I heated up a serving of soup. It wasn’t much, but it was cheap and, with a grilled cheese, it turned into a full meal.
“Shit!” I yelled as I reached for the handle and ended up touching the side of the pot. Pulling my hand away, I saw the palm was red and already beginning to blister.
It hurt like hell.
Damn it all. I had to go to the clinic for this one. I hated the omega clinics back home. They always treated omegas like they were fragile and stupid. Explaining things to us like we were toddlers.
Maybe this one would be different. Either way, I had to go.
I walked the few blocks to the clinic, making sure to check my surroundings and keep my purse and phone close. Not because of any dangers of the city but because of me and always wondering if someone was looking for me even though I knew they weren’t.
“Welcome to the City Clinic. Ouch! That looks painful. Elias, can you take this patient?”
Chapter Six
Elias
“Elias, can you take this patient?”
“Of course.” I finished washing my hands and dried them on a paper towel before moving into the waiting area of the omega clinic where I worked. We’d had a busy afternoon and my shift was almost over, but from the sound of the tech at the front desk, I’d be here for a while. I arrived just as she finished taking the basic information. “Elias is the healer who will take care of you, Anathea.”
“How can I—”Oh.It was her. The female my pack mates had met. Violet eyes were too rare for one thing. Her scent had greeted me even before I saw her. Even behind the scent blockers and heat suppressant she was taking. I didn’t like those things. They could have some very unpleasant side effects. Was that what brought her here?
She thrust out her hand, the red, blistered burns showing me it was not her supplements that had her big violet eyes shiny with tears. “It hurts.”
“Of course.” I guided her toward the exam/treatment rooms at the back. “But we can fix that.” I always hated that our omega patients suffered pain, but this time it was much worse. Her pain rolled over me as if it were my own.
“I feel so foolish.” She sniffed. “It was totally my own fault.”
“I doubt that, but sit right here, and I’ll take a closer look.”
