Page 8 of All Packed Up

“This is my room,” he said, pointing down the hallway to the right. “And yours will be that way,” he informed her, pointing in the opposite direction.

“Bathroom that way too?”

“Yeah, feel free to barricade yourself. I’ll be up late, around noon, probably? Let me know if you need anything before then. And if you’re gone by then... well, you know, please don’t steal anything before you leave.”

Wendy, fighting the twinge of insult at his comment, scoffed. “Please, look at your decor. What is there to steal?”

Nic arched a brow at her, arms crossed, before he shook his head. “I’m going to bed.”

Wendy watched him walk down the hallway and eyed the vicinity for a weapon. “Don’t fuck with me. I know where you sleep,” she called out.

“Ditto, sweetheart,” he retorted, before he ended the conversation with a soft click of the door.

She didn’t bother exploring, because, as clean as that gym had been, she really wanted a shower and she wasn’t going to look a gift horse in the mouth. If this beta wanted to offer her room and board for a night or... like seven, who was she to argue?

Besides… her only other option was waiting at the end of her bond, like a tingle in her scarred bite mark, furious and terrifying.

No thanks. She’d take the guest room.

It wasn’t like she had much choice.

Chapter 3

NIC

The next morning, Nic stood in the middle of the living room and stared down the hallway that contained the guest room.

Contrary to what he’d told Wendy the night before, he was up with the sun. Which was bullshit. After the night he had, and with someone covering the desk, he had the day off. He should be sleeping in, rolling around on his cloud soft mattress until the afternoon.

But no, here he was, considering making breakfast because his brain wouldn’t stop asking questions.

Questions that only Wendy had the answer to... assuming she was still even around.

Did he risk it and check to see if she was still here?

Or did he make breakfast for two and risk throwing away the extras?

Or did he just make breakfast for one and risk the wrath of a hungry omega?

He shivered at the thought.

Nic kept his steps quiet as he navigated around the couch and through the hall. It was quiet, and suspicion crawled up his spine.

Did she leave already?

That would be one less thing to worry about but... he would still wonder where she’d gone to. Probably still worry too. The bite mark he’d spied on her neck meant there was an alpha somewhere out there looking for her.

His heartbeat was growing louder with each step. He thought he might wake her with the sound of each heartbeat alone as he pressed his ear to the door. It was silent, and he couldn’t smell her sweet scent as much.

Quietly, he twisted the doorknob, but the lock stopped him.

Nic didn’t look too closely at the stark relief that poured into him. He ignored it and waited for his racing heart to slow the hell down as he turned and walked back into the living room, then the kitchen.

So she was still here.

Now what?

Nic paced in the kitchen as his mind raced. What did omegas in heat need? Should he go buy her some... stuff?