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“From what I see here, you would make a marvelous candidate,” Dean Hightower said with a froggy smile, but it soon faded. “Thisisa position more often given to alphas, so the fact you’re only a beta—thatmightbe an issue. But I think you’ve more than proven yourself capable. I’d like for you to send in your resume and record—along with a letter of recommendation from Professor Higgins.”
“I would love to,” Avery said, edging closer to the desk. “I’ll go discuss the letter with Professor Higgins now.”
The dean smiled. “No need. I’ve already gotten Professor Higgins to write one,” the man said, lifting a sheet from the file he’d gathered. “All I need is your resume and I’ll have it all couriered over as soon as I receive it.”
Avery reached for his satchel and drew a copy of his resume from a folder. “I have one right here.”
Dean Hightower took it, reading over the page. He was silent a moment before his stare lifted from the paper. “You havenoexperience in accounting? None at all?”
Avery reached forward, pointing to his most recent job, Lambeau’s Restaurant. “There at the bottom… I’ve been doing the bookkeeping for the owner for the last year and a half, as well as working as a server. Add in my two years in the campus mailroom—which gave me experience in a more traditional business setting.”
The dean frowned somewhat as he read over that area. “Ah… well, with the recommendation and your grades, hopefully that might be enough.”
Avery stiffened, wondering if it would be. If he was competing against alphas, possibly not. “Is there anything else I can do to ensure they’ll consider my application?”
The dean shook his head. “Don’t fret. I wouldn’t have suggested the position if I didn’t believe you beyond capable.” He leaned back in his chair, and Avery saw a few dust mites floating through the tiny ray of light coming from the practically blocked window behind the dean. “I’m sure you’ll get an interview, at the very least. That’s your opportunity to sell yourself, my boy. Let them see what we do here.”
“Right,” he answered, his stomach knotting in dread. He had little experience in interviews. He’d worked two jobs his whole life. The first had been handed to him as work-study, and his best friend, Brett, had been the one to get him the job at the restaurant. “I can wow them in the interview,” he prevaricated.
He’d sold himself as someone else throughout college. How hard could one interview be?
To the most prestigious accounting firm in the province.
His dream job.
The knots in his stomach grew.
“I have no doubts you will wow them,” the dean said, offering a hand. “Best of luck to you, Mr. Norcross.”
Avery rose and shook the dean’s hand. “Thank you so very much for the opportunity.”
“You’re welcome,” the dean responded before Avery left the man’s office.
With each step down the hallway, his anticipation rose. Stomach still in knots, he drew in a deep breath, trying to quiet the storm within. Four years of hiding his true nature had been a stress he hadn’t expected to wear him so thin. Now, the prospect of working in the AQ was daunting and adding to his stress level. An unmated omega, pretending to be a beta, illegally outside the OQ and enrolled in a beta college… it seemed so easy in his head.
It was nowhere near easy being someone he wasn’t.
Four years of hiding his heats. Four years of taking shots to mask his scent. Four years spending every minute afraid he’d slip up and say something to out himself. Four years living in fear someone familiar would recognize him and blow his cover.
Somehow, he’d stayed under the radar. But how long could it last?
He stepped out into the sunshine and closed his eyes to the warmth seeping in. Avery moved to the side, leaning on the retaining wall at the side of the stairs and drawing in a deep breath of fresh air.
Suddenly, an arm wrapped around his neck—he stiffened, ready to fight.
“There you are,”a familiar voice whispered against his ear.
Avery spun and pushed his best friend, Brett Boyd, away. “Damn it, Brett. You nearly got a punch to the face.”
Brett grinned. “You love me too much to do that.”
Avery scoffed, a hint of a smile on his full lips. “Don’t hold your breath,” he muttered as he skipped down the last few steps and headed out onto the quad, leaving Brett in his wake.
He sensed Brett’s focus on his back. For years, he’d noticed Brett’s too-focused attention, and ignored it. He’d made it clear he was only interested in the guy’s friendship. Of course, that had beenafterthey’d ended up making out one night in Brett’s dorm room and Avery’s slick appeared. Might as well have been ice water.
“Where have you been?” Brett asked as he sidled up beside Avery seconds later.
“A meeting with Hightower.”
