Page 108 of Sunshine

“Do you, now?” Jackson, the battalion chief, stood on the other side of the room, arms crossed. I wondered where he’d been to be so close by. Maybe the kitchen or laundry room.

Chuck’s face turned white, and I didn’t bother hiding my glee. Chuck was usually careful not to be so obvious around other people.

I could always tell Jackson or any of the other two rotating BCs that Chuck was harassing me. But the thought of essentially saying ‘he said mean things’ made me stubborn, because I was determined not to appear weak as an omega in any way. I was a big boy. I could deal with heckling and lewd comments.

Chuck cleared his throat. “Sir. I didn’t mean anything by it. Kahele and I were joking around.”

“Right.” Beside me, Chloe crossed her arms over her chest and raised her eyebrows. “Just like the other day, when his beta was visiting, and you asked Kahele if his pack was open to another alpha?”

“Well, now.” Chief Jackson cocked his head. The chief was an older alpha, with neatly trimmed salt and pepper hair. He was probably in better shape than me, and exuded calm authority. All of the battalion chiefs in our company were competent, but Jackson was the best of them. He kept every single emergency moving efficiently with as little stress as possible.

The chief looked at me. “Is that true?” It was a simple, seemingly innocent question.

But my skin had started to feel uncomfortable and prickly, and I wanted to snarl at the lot of them. I didn’t like dealing with this sort of thing on a good day, much less the day before I went into heat.

I huffed. “He did. But if I’d really been offended, I would have come to you.”

“Sounds like Kahele is being pretty reasonable, consider the level of harassment that’s been going on…and for some time, apparently.” The chief leveled a steely glare at Chuck. “When you rotated into this company, I told you we don’t tolerate harassment. Not to any designation, or gender. There is enoughstress to deal with on the job. No one needs to be worrying whether everyone on your crew has your back.”

Chuck rolled his eyes. “Kahele’s used to it. He’s an omega firefighter; he knew what he was signing up for.”

Hackles raised, I glared at the alpha. “But that doesn’t mean it’s okay. What year do you think this is— 1890?”

“Here’s what we’re going to do.” Chief Jackson stabbed a finger at Chuck. “You aren’t going to sayanythingto Kahele that you wouldn’t say to me. If I hear that you’ve said one thing out of line, you’re suspended without pay.”

I blinked, shocked the chief would take it that far. I tried to hide my embarrassment and concern. If Chuck got suspended because of me, wouldn’t there be some sort of backlash?

Chuck glared. “Oh, come on, we were just kidding around.”

Chief Jackson gave him a steely look that had me and Chloe straightening up.

“Yeah?” Chuck crossed his arms over his chest. “If we’re suddenly enforcing rules around here, then why don’t you suspend Kahele, too? He’s perfuming all over the place while he’s at work. How am I supposed to concentrate?”

“Make up your mind, Chuck,” I snapped. “Either I shouldn’t be here because my heat’s an inconvenience to you, or I shouldn’t be taking heat leave because that puts you out.”

Holding up his hand, Chief Jackson walked over to stand right in front of Chuck and gave him a direct command. “Meet me in my office.”

Chuck opened his mouth to say more, but the chief just gave him a look, and he changed his mind. Then he stomped away like a whiny toddler.

The chief looked at me. “You’re not in heat, obviously. Would you like to finish your shift, or would you like to go home?”

I stood up to my full height. “I’m okay. I did a hormone panel this morning before I came in to make sure.”

“We appreciate the deep clean.” Chief Jackson nodded. “Is there anything else you would like to add? Anyone else bothering you?”

I shook my head. “You don’t have to suspend Chuck. I can deal with it.”

“Iwillbe suspending him—for breaking protocol multiple times. That’s my job. We don’t tolerate harassment.”

I swallowed, grateful he actually cared enough to follow through on policy.

“We don’t need Chuck’s behavior turning into a bigger issue in the field. Based on Chuck’s anger, I don’t think it would be safe to pair you two together in the field.”

I couldn’t help but feel guilty, even though it wasn’t my fault. It was hard to undo the years of social conditioning telling me I was a sex bomb and that alphas literally couldn’t help themselves around me. It had only been fifty years ago that the law had changed to make it a crime to rape an omega.

“Yes, sir,” I said, still feeling like this was my fault.

Chloe flicked at my shirtsleeve. “Chuck is an asshole to everyone, Julian. Especially you, but he has a chip on his shoulder. We all see it. The chief’s decision will make calls less tense.”

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