Page 41 of The Heat of Us

And make me think about bonfires and mint like the scent-obsessed hussy she was.

Don’t forget mountain lakes too. Beautiful, calm and such a lovely shade of blue just like—

I rushed out of the last interview, desperately trying to find a window to shove my head out of. How could an inoffensive moss-like scent card conjure up so many thoughts of mould, spores and fungus?

Jill was right behind me, her eyebrows drawn together. “Hazel, do you need to go back to the scent matching department and do another round? You’ve never turned down alphas so quickly before.”

I pressed my fingers into my eye sockets. “I don’t know what’s wrong with me, Jill,” I told her despondently.

You do! crowed my omega. I already know who I want!

Scent. Obsessed. Hussy.

“Go home, get a good night’s sleep—”

Yeah, that’s definitely not happening.

“And come back tomorrow for your next round of interviews and I’m sure things will go better,” Jill finished, giving me a reassuring pat on the shoulder. She chanced a hesitant look my way. “But maybe you could consider re-booking one of your past heat partners if you are having trouble picking someone.”

Well, that wasn’t happening either. I mumbled an apology, thanked Jill profusely for her time and left, grateful to breathe in the crisp autumn air outside. My back slumped against the brick building and I rubbed the spot between my brows.

“...caught up at the office. I’m so sorry, honey. Bloody grads mucked us up real good today. I don’t know what they’re teaching at uni these days, honestly.”

My ears pricked up. I inched my way to the edge of the building and peeked around the corner. He was in a suit, with a full head of silver hair and a beard. I couldn’t tell his designation from this far away. But he exuded the glow of a man who did not have to work very hard for what he had but believed that others who had failed to reach his eminence had not pulled hard enough on their bootstraps.

Alpha. I was certain of it.

And he absolutely was not caught up at the office.

“I’ll make it up to you this weekend,” he continued in his booming voice, oblivious to my snooping. “I promise. That new restaurant along the promenade you’ve been wanting to try. Of course, you deserve it.” He checked his watch with a flick of his wrist. “Honey, I’ve got to go. I’ll see you later tonight.”

The alpha hung up abruptly and to my complete and utter dismay, pulled off his wedding band easily and stuck it into his pocket. He walked straight into the alpha-only entrance to the heat services building. I managed to catch his extremely familiar afternoon, ladies, how are we all doing? to the receptionists before the glass doors automatically closed behind him.

Oh.

He was a married alpha.

At the National Omega Commission’s heat services department.

Alphas only came here for one thing. I should know. I just interviewed four of them for it.

I spun on my heel and abruptly reentered the building.

“Please, I have to see Jill again.” The receptionist looked a bit stunned by my sudden, frazzled request.

“Hazel?” Jill’s colourful head appeared from the hallway beyond. “What’s the matter?”

My leg jiggled restlessly as I sat in Jill’s office. “Do you check if the alphas are in bonded relationships? Or married?” I asked her once she had shut the door.

Jill looked confused. “None of our alphas are bonded to omegas. We’ve only ever had a handful of bonded alphas apply in the time I’ve been working here and we are pretty firm about turning them away.”

My hands were shaking. “No, Jill. Not bonded to an omega. But to a beta, I’d imagine. Probably? I assume she must’ve been,” I prattled aimlessly.

Jill wrapped a very unprofessional but comforting arm around my shoulders. “What’s happened, Hazel? Talk to me.”

I really wished the churning, nauseating feeling in my gut would go away. “There was an alpha outside. Talking to his wife,” I said, staring at my hands. “I watched him take off his wedding ring and go into the alpha-only entrance.

Jill didn’t say anything for a long moment. “Well…I’m not saying it’s right, but some alphas have open relationships so they can satisfy urges that a beta partner might not—”

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