Page 24 of Pack Apollo

I open my mouth to tell her that she doesn't have to thank me when a woman comes out of the same door she just came from and calls out for her.

She hands her a small, discreet, white bottle with no label. "Take these with you just in case you have any lingering side effects."

"Thanks so much," Millie-Jane tells her, stuffing the bottle in her pocket.

The stranger turns her attention to me, holding out her hand. "I'm Lisa. I'm one of the life coaches here at the center."

"Billie," I tell her, taking her hand.

"Ah, yes," she says. "Ms. Bardot. I was wondering if we were going to get to meet you while you were here with us."

"You know who I am?" I ask, surprised.

She nods, "Indeed, I do. It's kind of our job to be familiar with all of the omegas on campus. So that we're able to assist in any way that you need us. I'd love to speak with you for a few minutes, if you have the time to spare."

I knew it. I got sucked in and have no one to blame but myself for it. To calm my nerves enough to help my palms that have started to sweat, I just keep repeating ‘Apollo’ in my head.

Adding to my surprise, Millie-Jane reaches out to take my hand, giving it a good squeeze. "You won't regret it. Promise. They'll help you in any way that you need them to and take real good care of you."

"Sure," I hear myself saying.

Millie-Jane squeezes my hand again with a big smile. "I'll catch up with you tomorrow at breakfast."

"Okay, bye," I say, now feeling nervous as hell to be left alone with this stranger.

We part ways as I follow the lady through the door they came out of. I focus on the back of her cream-colored sweater to keep from throwing up on the floor from nerves. She doesn't take us very far, motioning me into a room halfway down the hall. The room is done in a light sage green with thick, cream-colored carpet with matching plushy chairs and a desk against the wall.

"How are you doing here on campus?" Lisa asks as we take our seats. Her beta lavender scent is very soft and it makes me so relaxed that I'm almost sleepy.

"I'm okay," I tell her honestly. "I've been self-sufficient for several years, so it wasn't much different being here."

"That's good," she says. "Some people struggle a bit their first semester of college, especially omegas since everything is more intensified for you guys. You haven't been feeling overwhelmed at all?"

The more time I spend in her presence, the more she starts to remind me of my mom before she started drinking. It makes me want to spill my guts to her, revealing all my darkest secrets that I've kept inside for so long.

"Just about normal things that I think everyone feelsfrom time to time," I tell her. "I'm taking a full load of classes and working a lot to save money, so that can get to me if I'm not careful."

She nods. "That's understandable. It's a lot of responsibility."

I bite my bottom lip for a second before I add, "I agreed to a pack courting recently, too."

With a small dip of her chin in acknowledgement, she says, "That's good. I hope you're both familiar with everything that entails."

"I think so," I admit.

That one phrase might as well have been a cry for help. By the time that I'm walking out of the center, I've got several small books and pamphlets to read. Not to mention the plethora of information that Lisa dropped on me. Not exactly the information I came here seeking, but I'll take it nonetheless.

Brent texted me halfway through the meeting with her and set a time to swing by and pick me up. I'm cutting it close and now have to hoof it back to my room to get ready.

Chapter Eight

I'd asked probably a million times what we were doing tonight but just like Cordell, Brent keeps his secrets. The only thing he'd said was to dress comfy and that I could bring my school work if there was anything I needed to get done. Of course, it'd given me a clue as to where we might be headed, so I'm not all too surprised when he pulls up outside of his pack house. It's late in the afternoon, but still early enough that we're the only ones parked in the driveway.

"Is this the part where I bribe you to do all of my work for me?" I tease as we get out and go inside.

He chuckles. "Not exactly."

I follow him up the stairs and into his room. I should probably be worried that he's expecting something that I'm not sure I'm ready to give at this point, but I'm not. His sweet, fruity-cereal scent covers me like a blanket the second I cross over into his room.

---