Page 4 of Follow the Rhythm
“I’m ordering furniture and stuff to be delivered there. So that’ll be a normal amount of stuff,” I said.
“Totally.”
“I can’t look at this anymore,” I said and fled the room.
I did need to order furniture and bedding for my nest, but I also needed to book my heat partner. There were plenty of agencies to choose from, but my favorite was Heatsync. They had a profile on me, my likes and dislikes, and would do their best to send an Alpha that would be, if not compatible, at leastnot actively repellent. I didn’t have to look at cringey headshots of Chad and Thad because they did the choosing for me. The Alphas were all certified non-psychos, too. I’d only had to turn away an Alpha from Heatsync once: he said I looked “fertile,” and his “earthy” scent was closer to manure.
I submitted the request through their system and had a little thrill when I input my new address. I mentally ticked that box and shoved thoughts of my heat aside. Over the years, it had become more manageable. The first year or two had been miserable, back before I was in the Center. But now that I was a seasoned (a.k.a. old) Omega, they were only a day or two long. It should be bearable, even more so since I wouldn’t be in the clinical confines of the Center.
Austin helped me move my six boxes across town a few days later. We packed them into their truck, and I said my goodbyes.
The only other Omega I knew well was Bridget. She’d been at the Center about as long as I had and, while we weren’t exactly close, we had that certain kinship that develops in captivity. Especially when you’re both, clinically speaking, mentally ill.
“You can come visit whenever the warden lets you out,” I joked. We’d always been free to leave the Center, but Bridget and I had stuck close to home. We didn’t talk much about what had brought us both to the center, but she still seemed fragile. I was just a misanthrope.
“Thanks,” Bridget said. “I’ll probably come with Austin sometime.”
“Absolutely. Once I have everything unpacked, you guys will have to come for a housewarming. I’ll expect gifts.”
Steffi tried to stop me for another hug, but I dodged her and escaped out into the spring sunshine and immediately started sweating. My almost exclusively black wardrobe was much more suited to winter.
My new building was imposing. The Orinth was fifteen stories and had a gate and a doorman. I recognized the architecture as brutalist thanks to the one class I took in college, though someone less educated might think it just looked Soviet.
I buzzed us in through the gate, and we pulled into the loading zone. Austin put on the truck’s hazards and looked at me with raised eyebrows. The parking lot was uninspiring. An empty chip bag rolled through like a tumbleweed.
“The inside is nice, I promise,” I said, trying to convince both of us. The pictures I’d seenwerenice, but I’d never set foot in the place.
The doorman chose that moment to open my door, and I swore in surprise.
“I’m so sorry,” he said, putting his hands up in surrender. He was an older man, and looked like a nice grandpa, complete with a bushy white mustache. He was a Beta, like all the staff at the Orinth. As an Omega-friendly building, there were no Alphas on staff or in permanent residence.
I swallowed my annoyance; I didn’t need to get on his bad side on day one. I planned on ordering a lot of takeout, and he would be the gatekeeper to my food arriving while it was still hot.
“No problem,” I said with an attempt at a smile. “You were… just trying to help.”
“Of course, Miss Moretti,” he said and held out his hand to help me down. I hated being short. Even Austin’s dinky truck was a long fall to the ground for me.
“Thanks.” I hopped down. “You know who I am?”
“Of course,” he repeated with a kind smile. “Darrell, Valentino, and I all work very hard to get to know our residents, especially the new ones. I’m Henry.” We shook hands.
“Great,” I said weakly. The last thing I wanted was three nosy doormen in my business. But that had to be preferable to Steffiin my business, right? At least they wouldn’t be trying to set me up with Alphas.
“I’ll get a cart for your boxes; you go on in,” he said and opened the door for us.
The lobby was as bare-bones as the outside of the building, but it smelled good. The young man at the desk straightened up as we entered and crossed the beige and white mosaic tile floor. He was a Beta too, and by the looks of him, about nineteen.
“Miss Moretti?” he asked.
“Jess,” I corrected. The rent wasn’t that expensive, so I did not need to be “Miss” anything.
“Of course, hi. I’m Jack. Can I see your ID?”
I passed it over. Jack studied it and passed his thumb over the “Omega” designation before handing it back with a smile that was just a little too friendly.
“We’re so excited to have you. We think you’ll be a great addition to the community.”
I looked impassively back at him. “Can’t wait.”
