Page 101 of Where There's Smoke
Sunny cocked her head to the side. “But you were visiting as a friend, not professionally. By the way, that baby blanket you gave us is the best thing ever, and I am obsessed with it.”
“You are amazing at making blankets,” I agreed. “I am so thankful all the ones you made for the rescue were here, instead of at the rescue, when the fire happened.”
Hailey beamed at me. “Well, if they had been, I simply would have remade them for you! Okay, let me grab some tape, and you’re good to go. But you still need to be careful, and we’ll keep checking on this.”
“Did the guys say anything about Reed?” My voice shook as I asked. I wasn’t sure where he’d run off to, but I knew what he’d done. That…that was something I couldn’t forgive. He needed to be held accountable for burning my shelter twice, once with me in it.
Sunny reached over and grabbed my uninjured hand, offering me a look of sympathy. I held my breath.
“They did. The police picked him up a few blocks away from the shelter. He reeked like the gasoline and was acting erratically, so they brought him in just as the call went out about him from the officers at the scene. He’s behind bars, Melody. And he’ll be staying there.”
A flood of relief hit me, and I nearly fell over as my muscles finally relaxed. He’d been caught. Reed was behind bars. I wasactuallysafe.
“Thank you, Sunny. Oh, god. I…I’m so damn tired. But relieved.” I bobbed my head in a slow nod.
“You’re going to be just fine, Melody. I’ll make sure you’re taken care of.” Hailey leaned over her medical bag, and in doingso, the neckline of her sweater slipped down, exposing her neck and the bite mark on it.
“What is that?” I asked, leaning forward to get a better look.
Hailey’s face flushed bright red. “Oh, uhh, nothing!”
From the other end of the bed, Sunny put down the dog and scrambled over to take a look. Hailey was trying to thrust the neckline of her shirt up higher to hide it.
“That’s a bonding mark!” Sunny declared excitedly.
Hailey’s face contorted with what I could have sworn was panic. “Shhh! Please don’t say anything.” She glanced toward the door, like she was scared the guys would hear her, which made me tense with concern.
That’s not the usual reaction.
“Why? You know the guys won't give a damn,” I said, frowning. “Unless… is it another firefighter?”
Sunny and I both made noises of excitement. “You joining our ranks as a firehouse omega?!” she asked excitedly.
“No, umm—maybe. Ugh!” She broke off in frustration. “Look, if I tell you, youcan’ttell your guys. This is very new, I’m very confused, and I don’t know what I’m going to do,” she rambled. Her scent was charring, her stress evident, and the excitement Sunny and I were both exhibiting died immediately. Hailey seemed more upset than one might be if it was just a fast relationship, and I leaned forward, placing my good hand on top of hers.
Sunny and I glanced at each other as the silence persisted before she turned to Hailey.
“Hey, we can keep a secret from our pack if need be. Are you okay? This is making me worried.” Sunny scooted forward, putting her hand on Hailey’s shoulder.
“Is there anything we can do to help?” I offered. I didn’t know Hailey as intimately as Sunny, but she was nice, had done things for the shelter, and I couldn’t stand to see any woman this upsetabout something, especially a friend of Sunny’s, who was always so nice to me.
“No, I just—” Hailey broke off, running her hand through her sandy hair, her fingers shaking slightly.
“Talk to us,” I said with a sympathetic smile. “We're here to help.”
“I don't think youcanhelp,” she whispered. “The other night, I was stressed out about just life things, and I decided to go into town to the local bar and have a few drinks. I met an alpha, and his scent was amazing. It was like crack. But…ugh. The next thing I know, we’re fucking in the back alley behind the bar.”
“Heck, yeah!” Sunny giggled, clapping. “Girl, you deserve to get laid.”
“If this is how hard you work for everyone, with the blankets and house calls, you do deserve something nice,” I agreed, adding, “but you don’t seem happy.”
“Yeah, well. I was happy about getting laid against a wall in an alley until something weird happened. I don’t know what came over me. I just accidentally bit him, andhebit me back.”
Sunny and I both stared at her for a moment, blinking.
“You bonded someone you’d just met?” I asked in shock. “That's not normal, is it?” I turned to Sunny. She was the one who understood omegas far more than me. I was still flailing, new to the designation and all.
“It's not. Don't get me wrong—it happens occasionally when an alpha and omega are really closely scent matched,” Hailey said. “But no. It’s not common. Still, like it or not, wearebonded now. And I don’t know what to do about it, because I don’t even know the guy. What if he makes a terrible mate?”
