Page 4 of Hired for Research
Heaving a sigh, Evelyn shoved away her disappointment and headed for the kitchen. She could at least call and schedule an appointment to speak with someone at The Haven.
After setting up an appointment for Monday morning, she sat down with a cup of coffee and opened her laptop. She had two days to figure out what tests she wanted to run, how many alphas she would need for comparison, and what she thought she could do depending on the outcome.
Time was ticking.
3. Evelyn
“No.”
Evelyn’s brows jerked up, the sudden response stopping her midsentence.
“Pardon me?”
The woman across from her shook her head, whisps of dark hair floating around a face blank of any recognizable emotion.
“My alphas have their blood drawn for regular health exams per their contracts, but I can’t ask them to allow you to take more for some experiment. And I certainly can’t violate my client’s privacy by allowing you access to the pheromone readings in the rooms during their cycles.”
Evelyn sat up straighter, clenching the arms of the chair.
“You can anonymize it.”
“It’s a breach of trust. I will not allow something that could risk the reputation of The Haven.”
“Ms. Haranne, please. I’ve shown you my credentials. This is for research being conducted by the university at the request of—”
“And I can’t condone it in my facility. Alphas are people, too. They have a right not to be used as lab animals.”
Evelyn jerked back at Ms. Haranne’s snap.
“I’m aware they’re people, but it’s not like I can put out a wanted ad and ask for volunteers. My options are limited, especially being an omega.”
Ms. Haranne’s features softened, but she still shook her head.
“I’m sorry. I can’t force them to give blood, and I don’t even have the facilities for the other tests you want to do. And if I told them why you want the blood, I don’t think it would turn out well. You’re doing research to take away who they are.”
She sighed, breaking eye contact to look down at her clasped hands as Evelyn’s hopes died. She hadn’t looked at it that way, but she could see Ms. Haranne’s point.
“If you wanted to run tests or get the readings from your own room and an alpha who was tending you, who agreed to allow it, that would be one thing. But this isn’t something I can ask of these men. Alphas have had enough taken from them.”
Evelyn’s gut twisted.
“One sample isn’t enough. What about… What about just observation? I’m supposed to assess whether alphas are as dangerous as they are claimed to be so the FBPL can determine if the mandates can be lifted.”
That wasn’t quite the way the director had put it to her, but it was the way Evelyn chose to look at it. She wanted to be as objective as possible, no matter her feelings about what she was being told to do. If the mandates were proven necessary, her research into a drug to calm alphas was the only other option to free them from the Camps.
But Ms. Haranne’s head shook again.
“I can’t allow an omega into the back with so many unmated alphas. One on one meetings can be arranged, but from the sound of it, that’s not going to do you any good either.”
Pressing her lips together, Evelyn nodded. Shifting forward to stand so she could leave, she paused when the woman across from her raised a hand.
“Have you tried Eden? You’d be able to observe alphas interacting with each other and the other dynamics, and you may even find some willing to volunteer to give the samples you want.”
Frozen in place, Evelyn could have kicked herself. It wasn’t necessary for her to do her research at the lab, and she was sure the director would give her leave to go to Eden to collect the data she needed. It was the obvious answer, especially since the hospital there should have the scanning equipment to do all of the tests she wanted to run.
But while she could twist the second part of her research to sound like it was for their benefit, she’d have to hide the real purpose for some of the testing.
“I’ll look into that.”
