Page 38 of Building My Pack

"What does that mean?" Santiago asks with concern.

The can of worms is open now and there's no going back so I figure I might as well lay it all out there. "Well, for starters, I've gone years not being affected by alphas and their pheromones. It wasn't until recently that it changed."

"Ever think that maybe it's because you just finally met the right ones?" he asks, bringing a corner of his lips up.

I try my best to fight the butterflies that take flight in my belly with that look, but it's pointless. "Maybe, but there's other things, too." They stay silent, so I fidget with my hands underneath the table as I admit, "I had my first heat the other day and it wasn't good."

"Are you okay?" Kennedy asks gently. "Those are rough to go through alone."

I feel like that entire statement is a setup, or maybe it's just the guilt eating at me, but I tell them, "It was at first. Kit was there and tried to help."

"He's the beta, right?" he asks. When I nod, so does he, clearly saying he understands without me having to point out that I needed more than a beta. Opening my mouth, I find that I can't say what needs to be said and quickly close it back. Coming to my rescue, he adds, "Your other alphas helped you through it?"

My lips pinch tight and I drop my gaze. I want to scream from the rooftops about how nice they were and treated me even better, but there's still a small amount of my own humiliation that stops me from doing it. Kennedy shifts in my peripheral right before his hand slips beneath my chin and lifts it until our gazes lock. I find nothing but understanding within their blue depths. "Next time call us, too," he demands with a slight bite of alpha to it. "Okay?"

"Okay," I breathe.

"Good girl," he says, eyes dropping to my lips before he withdraws his hand and sits back in his seat again.

Cutting my eyes over to Santiago, I find him studying Kennedy before he glances back at me and winks again. "Well, now that that's settled. Let's eat before it gets cold."

"Please," Kennedy begs. "Because you don't need another reason to complain about my pasta."

I laugh at their banter while we start eating. Now that the worst is over, I'm starving and feeling bone tired. Santiago can say whatever he wants. Dinner is amazing and even comes with these delicious, little cheesecakes that Kennedy admits hedidn'tmake. We're relaxed and having polite conversation with the tension gone completely when Santiago asks something about my sales.

At the same time Kennedy says, "No business at dinner," I'm already admitting, "I got fired from my agency."

Kennedy's expression morphs into disbelief with one eyebrow lifting in surprise, but Santiago explodes. "How could they fire you? Your sales beat everyone in the state and probably even set records!"

Holding up a hand towards him, Kennedy asks, "What happened?"

"I wasn't forthcoming on my application," I admit and even quieter, "I didn't tell them that I'm an omega."

"Even still," Santiago growls, enraged on my behalf. "Isn't that discrimination? Can't she fight it?"

The last bit is directed to Kennedy who disagrees, "Not if they let her go for not being honest on her application. It's a loophole. Since she wasn't let go for being an omega, they'll claim that it wasn't the reason she was fired."

"That's bullshit," he growls again.

Kennedy, obviously trying to keep Santiago clear-headed, asks, "Have you decided what you're going to do yet? Is there another agency you've got your eye on?"

"Not yet," I tell him truthfully. "I figured they'd all be about the same, refusing to hire an omega since we have these persuasive wiles that could convince someone to drop a million dollars on a house." While I'm talking, I can literally see the moment a lightbulb goes off in Santiago's brain.

"She can come work for us...with us," he states, quickly fixing himself.

Kennedy smiles, apparently one step ahead of him already, and raises his eyebrows in question at me. The fact that after everything I've told them tonight, they're still willing to offer me a job against all other agency's policies, keeping me in the business that I've worked so hard to be in, really just makes me want to cry. I have to fight it hard as I tell them, "Thank you, I'll think about it."

"The offer stands," he says, taking a sip of his wine.

When we go to clear the table, I'm helping rinse off the dishes to go in the dishwasher when Santiago comes up behind me and kisses my cheek. "I'm going to step out and get us another bottle of wine. I'll be back in a little while."

"Okay," I tell him, turning my head a bit more to steal a real kiss from him.

Kennedy snaps the dishwasher closed and practically shouts at his back, "Subtle."

Santiago throws a hand in the air and I look at Kennedy, questioning, "What?"

He strolls over to the giant fridge and swings it open to reveal another bottle of Chardonnay already chilled. It takes me a second to catch on, but when I do it's like a sack of bricks to my gut. He'd left to give us alone time. Why are all the men in my life these days so thoughtful? Demanding the opportunity to take care of me and going out of their way offering me a job within their company. That omega side of me is soaking it up like rain on a flower in blistering heat.

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