Page 2 of Rescuing Red

After scowling for a moment, Staci shrugged again and sighed.

“You know, you’re right. I don’t know what’s twisting her snout, but whatever it is, she sure doesn’t like you. Clock out before you leave, and I’ll tell her you had a family emergency.”

Not close enough to call her a friend, Liz thanked Staci and waved as she hurried to the back of the building. She curled her tails around in front of her, protecting them from the doorframe, and rushed out into the street.

***

Too impatient to wait for the elevator, Liz hurried up the stairs, banging open the worn door at the top and sprintingdown the hall. Although the building had outdated wallpaper and faded carpet, it was clean and sturdy at least, which was more than many families could boast on their side of town. Pulling her key out of her pocket, she rushed into her apartment, careful to lock the door behind her before she went searching for her mom.

A glance at the hall clock showed she’d barely made it home before her mother left for her second day job. Her shoes squeaked across the linoleum as she took the turn into the kitchen a little too fast.

The click of the old phone’s receiver settling into its resting place accompanied a frustrated sigh. Liz’s heart jumped into her throat as she studied her mom. With head hanging and both palms on the countertop, Chelle’s sandy brown hair gleamed in the overhead light. Her defeated posture dropped the bottom out of Liz’s stomach. She tried twice before she forced out a single word.

“Mom?”

Chelle straightened her spine and rolled her shoulders before turning to face Liz. Before her mother could open her mouth to speak, Liz’s anxiety got the better of her.

“Was that Nana? You heard about the attack on Jun’gale? You told her? What did she say? She’s coming here, right?”

Lifting a hand to stop the flow of questions, Chelle motioned Liz closer and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. After a squeeze, she held her daughter at arm’s length and sucked in a tired breath.

“Yes, I heard about the probable attack. That was Nana. She refuses to leave Jun’gale.”

The floor dropped out from under Liz’s feet, shooting her heart back into her throat while she grabbed her mother’s forearms. Flexing her fingers on the slim muscles, she cleared her throat and managed not to shriek at the woman.

“So when are we leaving to get her?”

Sleek brows furrowed as Chelle’s expression tightened.

“She’s fully capable of making her own decisions. The news sensationalizes things, so it’s likely the attack will never even happen. I have to go to work, and you have responsibilities. We don’t have the time or money to traipse across the solar system to save someone who doesn’t want to save themselves.”

“But—”

“No, Liz. My mother has gotten herself out of worse situations. We’re not going. She’ll be fine.”

As the last syllable left her mouth, a chime rang through the air, pulling Chelle’s attention to the cracked tablet on the counter.

“That’s work. I have to go. I’ll see you tomorrow morning if I don’t pick up another shift. We’re so close to having enough for the down payment for a nicer place.”

Liz dropped her hands to her sides and balled them into fists so she wouldn’t wring her tails and give away the anxiety fluttering in her stomach.

“Liz, she’ll be fine. Get some sleep tonight so you can study well tomorrow. There’s no reason to worry yourself over something that’s only a possibility.”

When the tablet rang again, Chelle pecked her daughter on the forehead before scooping up the device and dropping it into the small black bag slung across her torso. Without a backward glance, she hurried out of the kitchen.

Liz didn’t move until the door closed behind her mother’s retreating form. The second she knew she was alone, she swept her tails around her leg and smoothed her fingers into the silky fur. Eyeing the ancient phone on the counter, she sighed and wished she knew how to use it. Even if she did, she couldn’t make her mom pay for another off-planet call.

Ears perking as an idea formed, Liz sprinted down the hall into her tiny room and flung open the bottom drawer of her desk. After pulling out the little ugly box in the back corner, she dumped out the credits she’d saved and counted them.

She had enough for one round-trip ticket to Jun’gale, plus a little more for food and a hotel room. It wouldn’t be enough to bring Nana back with her, but she had more credits in her account. The second she made an electronic transaction, her mother would know, so she had to use the credits in her hands until she was too far away for her mother to stop her.

A wave of heat rushed up from Liz’s toes as she contemplated the dangers of her half-thought-out plan.

It didn’t matter. She couldn’t worry over what might happen to her when she knew her nana was in actual danger. All she needed to do was get face-to-face with her. The second her omega grandmother saw her, she’d do anything to get her precious Liz to safety.

And if Nana was busy ushering Liz away from danger, then she’d be safe, too.

Chapter 2

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