Page 84 of His Reluctant Omega

“I think he took a bunch of myHeatexpills. The bottle’s almost empty.”

“Oh shit… what do you need me to do?”

Whatcouldhis uncle do? It’s not like his brother would own up to it and the pharmacist Professor Conover had hooked him up with wouldn’t give the pills to anyone but Avery. “Nothing right now. I’ll call the pharmacist and see if he can have another bottle ready for me early this evening. I came in early, hopefully I can leave a little early to pick it up.”

“Do you have enough to make it through the day? I can bring you some of mine… or badger Lake until he gives me yours.”

“I just took my afternoon dose. I won’t need more until later… and I have one pill left, just in case.”

“Are you sure that’ll do?”

“I don’t want you coming out here in your condition. Stay home. Rest. I’ll just murder my brother when I get home tonight.”

After their goodbyes, Avery hung up and called his friendly pharmacist. Friendly as a pit viper, that was. The man’s tech answered first. “Gatling’s Pharmacy.”

“Can I please speak to the pharmacist?”

“He’s busy with another call.”

“I’ll hold,” Avery replied. He continued to sort data as terrible music played on the other end. Worry filled his belly with every passing minute.

“This is Ernest. How can I help you?”

“Ernest… this is Abraham Norcross.”

Silence filled the other end of the phone for a moment. “You’re early,” he finally said, his voice low and without a change in pitch.

“Someone stole my pills.”

“That isn’t my problem.”

“I need a refill. Today.Please.”

“I don’t have an infinite supply.”

“I understand that… I wouldn’t ask if it wasn’t imperative that I get that refill. I’m working in the AQ today, and I don’t want to be caught.”

Avery could hear the beta huffing on the other end of the line.

“Fine. Be here by six.”

“I’ll be earlier than that,” Avery replied with a smile.“Thank you.”

The pharmacist grumbled on the other end of the line before it clicked off.

Avery chuckled shakily, happy to have a resolution to his problem. He glanced at the time, knowing he could easily leave at four and pick up the new prescription.

Crisis averted.

That was, until Vaughn walked in with an armful of files in his arms. “You brought up the possibility of additional fake vendors yesterday…”

“I’m halfway through the list.”

“I know. I started on the other end of the vendor list, and I’ve already found two others that might be potential fake accounts.”

“Dear gods,”Avery said, taking two files from Vaughn.

“I want to finish the entire vendor listtoday. I want to know how wide this corruption goes.”

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