Page 55 of Heat Hesitation

With a heavy sigh, I hold my hand out, gesturing to the front door, and follow her toward the garage. We drive into town, but it's a comfortable ride. She rolls the windows down, and when we pass the infamous covered bridge, she surprises me with a wistful smile.

"Every year, it gets harder to remember her laugh. Alma had this belly laugh that bubbled up out of her. It was so ridiculous; we were tiny little girls, small even for omegas, and Alma was naturally demure. She dreamed of being an OFA graduate, but she could never change her laugh. Red used to tease her relentlessly for it. She'd get embarrassed and try to change it when she giggled, failing miserably every time, which only made her snort and made us laugh harder. That's why I was at the bridge that night. I just wanted to hear her laugh. I know it's silly—"

"No, it's not silly at all. Thank you for telling me. I was worried that night." Worried is the understatement of the fucking century, but we need to get passed that.

"I know. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to scare you. I’ve gone out there before, just to be alone, to think about them. In the summer, I jump off the bridge and swim.”

Knowing she goes through that pain makes me want to strip it all away. I don’t know loss like that, I don’t know what to say or how to help, but I reach out and squeeze her hand, reminding her she’s not alone. Her contented sigh as she clutches mine back sets everything right inside of me.

“I honestly didn't even mean to run away from you. Maybe I would have, I don't know,” she shakes her head, holding me tighter. “You know how I feel about…"

The sentiment hangs in the air. Yes, I know how she feels about our pack. The way we come across in the papers, her assumption that all packs associated with the OFA are like the Olcenes. We're not at all, but it doesn't mean there aren't more packs like them.

"You were right to be cautious after what Olcene did to Alma. I'm glad you're allowing us to prove you wrong now. I can't blame you for staying away, even if it was the hardest year of my life."

She's quiet for a minute, the wind lifting her hair in soft waves. She's been letting her natural scent down around us more lately, especially since she bonded with Enzo. In public, she smells like a bonded omega, and unbonded alphas who randomly pass her on the street will leave her alone. But she's used to covering up. Bonded or not, as I've come to learn, omegas have trouble in the workforce, so she wears scent-block when working.

I don't blame her for it, even if I wish I could smell that beautiful lavender and earthy sage.

"I'm sorry, Asher."

"There's nothing to be sorry for."

"I can't say I regret my initial reaction because there's no way I'd have been ready for… you know, all of this. But I'm sorry it took me so long to make my way back to you. I sensed kindness in you that first night on the bridge. And last month, when we met again. You've never been anything but sweet and supportive of my choices, which is the opposite I'd been led to believe about high-society alphas. I'm really sorry I didn't give you a chance."

"Thank you, little one."

She smiles wide, and we make our way into town, pulling over in front of a building a few doors down from Constantine Industries. She tells me it's a short gig, just a couple of hours.

I don't realize until she’s hopping out of the car that we own a portion of the company she's working for today. We own a lot of companies indirectly, and we're rarely involved in day-to-day operations with any of them.

I feel sick that she's working a catering gig for a company we indirectly own, but I need to get over it. I take a page out of Theo's book, applying his theory that eventually she’ll give in to having a heat, but letting her come to the decision on her own. I can only hope that's what happens when she finally quits her jobs, when she realizes we're stable and she can rely on us, not just financially but emotionally as well.

Since she's only a few doors down from my office, I head into work, stopping by Sully's office first.

"I thought you were with Ophelia today?" He asks, pointing out our unofficial agreement that someone is always with her.

I hook my thumb toward the building next door, "She had a catering gig."

He grunts, "She really needs to quit her fucking jobs."

"I tried. Don't bring it up for a while. She'll come around when she's ready. Meanwhile, she's serving lunch to a bunch of execs at Blockaide."

"Blockaide? Don't we own—"

"Yep."

"Well, that's fucking awkward," he huffs, leaning back in his chair. "Our own omega, working a lunch gig in an ugly ass catering outfit for a company her alphas own."

"Don't remind me. She also informed me on the way here that she has another gig next Saturday, another OFA event. She only accepted because her friend Melanie asked her to cover. Apparently, Melanie is having an easier time working less since she's now living rent-free."

"So, she indirectly is working more because I made it easier for her to say yes."

"Pretty much." I laugh, rapping my knuckles on the door. Before leaving for my office, I ask, "How's that going, anyway? The apartment renovations?"

"Good, actually." Sully runs his hands through his short hair, sighing tiredly. He's the only one of the four of us that hasn't been interacting with his omega and it's weighing on him, clear as day.

"Ophelia still makes pointed comments, but she's pleased to be involved. Actually…" His eyes light up, and he sits a little straighter.

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