Page 92 of The Price of Ice

His mum raised both eyebrows. “We can,” she agreed. “But you don’t need to do that, baby. I’m happy you have friends.”

It hadn’t occurred to him to think about it that way. Of course, Brad and Analisa were his friends. Levy, too, in a verydifferent way. He couldn’t remember when he’d lost track of everyone his own age he’d had by his side growing up. It was like hockey had eaten his whole life, both inside and outside himself, leaving no room for other people. Or himself.

[Yes] Brad had said at first, but messages kept arriving as Kallen hurried to his mother’s car (his own was still in the building back in Jiro).

[My dad taught me.]

[I can make an alpha behave, if you know what I mean ;)]

[Is your dad an omega too?] Kallen asked back.

[Yeah, don’t think an alpha can teach it]

[You trying to learn?]

Brad seemed a bit more confident about it, enough to make an alpha behave had to be, well, enough, right?

[How long did it take you to learn?]

[Mmmm 2 months maybe]

Twomonths? Kallen stopped in the middle of the street, almost getting bumped into by someone with a million bags.

Okay, so maybe Taylor wasn’t full of shit.

HE COULD HAVE EASILYmissed the text message notifying him that his test results were back and had been sent to his primary care physician.

It was not even something he could point out as unusual, he hadn’t asked for any of his medical information from the team.

He hadn’t wanted to know. Even though hedidknow; if he hadn’t been able to have children, they wouldn’t have hired him.

If the pill he’d taken had shown up, there was little he could do about it, but something in him rebelled at the idea of looking away and leaving it to Maslow to make sure he was healthy.

The guy was either useless at his job or didn’t give a fuck about Kallen’s wellbeing. Not beyond his ability to get pregnant anyway.

He was just about angry enough to call the doctor’s office and ask.

“The results have been sent to your doctor,” the receptionist told him mechanically.

“Sure,” he agreed, and he was calm, too calm if there was such a thing. It was crazy, but he found himself relaxing against his chair. “But could you also send them to me, please? For my records,” he added, soft and self-deprecating.

“I...” He remembered the beta, only a bit older than him, blue eyed, copper hair kept short and neat.

“Should I give you my email?” Kallen asked, pretending distraction. He was anything but, he was wide open and focused.

“I can’t actually send them. If it’s not on your records...” And it made sense it wouldn’t work on the phone. Of course it did.

Except it was still working onhim, he was still confident in his task, unflagging in the face of the frankly absurd objections.

“Ah, of course,” he agreed. “Could you check if it is? Or maybe my phone number?”

His number had been on file, and within minutes, the guy had given in and sent him the results.

“Thank you,” Kallen told him, easy. “I appreciate the trouble you took, really.”

And when he’d told Kallen he was welcome, it’d sounded like he meant it.

Kallen hoped he didn’t get in trouble for it, but if he did, he was going to have to deal. It was his body and his life, and he was done letting others run it for him.

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