Page 38 of Pack Apollo

I go into work relaxed and satisfied. Nothing can bother me all night. Not even when the crowd is rowdier and handsier than normal. By the time the bar closes, I'm exhausted again and can't wait to go crawl into bed with Cordell.

"Hey, Billie," Ross calls out after paying all of us. "Would you mind hanging around for a second?"

I look to the others, but Fran just shrugs and Trinity refuses to look at me. I watch them leave before nervously sitting on one of the stools waiting for Ross to come back.

"Thanks," he says walking around the corner carrying a crate full of beer. He moves over to stand directly across the bar from me. "I can't tell you how much I truly appreciate everything you've done for me and the bar since you started working here."

"But," I say, knowing something more is coming.

"But," he agrees with a short nod of his head. "I just found out that you're running the media account for one of the bars in the city. That's a conflict of interest, so I'm going to have to let you go."

"Just like that?" I ask. "Not going to give me a chance to choose between you."

"I wouldn't ask you to do that, for one," he says, resting his palms on the bar like he's tired too. "Also, I don't like that you didn't tell me. Things might have been able to be different."

I nod, trying not to cry. "Well, thanks for the opportunity."

Sliding off my stool, I check to make sure my last paycheck is secured in my back pocket before walking out for the last time.

Palmer is out of the car, leaning on the hood of his car and stands with open arms when he sees me. I walk straight into them and bury my face into his chest.

"Ugh," he says, sensing my distress. "I can't let you carry on like this if you're going to be miserable every time I pick you up."

"Well, that won't be an issue anymore," I tell him. "I just got fired."

He pulls away to look at me. "Fired? For what?"

I explain to him the reason Ross gave to me, and he shakes his head. "That's a shit-ass reason, but maybe it's for the best. You know what they say about doors closing."

"What? That if you don't hurry up and get out of the way it'll hit you in the ass on the way out?" I tease.

He barks out a laugh and squeezes me tight. "Damn, I love you."

Both of us freeze and he starts word vomiting on his words. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to say that. I don't know why I said that. I know it's too soon. I'm an idiot."

I cover his lips with my fingers to get him to quiet before replacing them with my lips instead. It's all the reassurance he needs as he begins to kiss me back. As we pull apart and get into his car, I warn him. "I promised Cordell that I'd sleep with him tonight. I hope that's okay."

"As much as I'd love to keep you forever as my own, we're a pack deal," he says. "Never feel bad or apologize for spending time with one of them."

His kindness is one of the main things that really sucked me in, and it shows right now, making me want to kiss him again.

The next day as I sit in the restaurant waiting for my mother to show, I sip on my ice water and think about last night. Ross gave no hints whatsoever the whole entire night and knew already then that he was going to let me go. It makes me slightly angry to even think about.

I'd spent most of the night awake thinking about it.Cordell could tell that something was bothering me and didn't pressure us to do anything. Rather, he'd held me all night. When he woke to find me still awake, he'd purred, relaxing me to the bone and putting me to sleep. It'd worked wonders. I knew it was supposed to be a big thing between omegas and alphas, but reading about it and actually feeling it were two different things. The deep vibration leaving his chest and going into mine was an instant hypnotic sedative. Of course, it's now driven me to want to ask Roz and Brent to do it, too, just so I can see if theirs is different.

I wait around for an hour at my empty table alone before I start calling my mother. After the fifth time of getting her automated voicemail, I give up and leave her a quick message. Not wanting to look like the loser whose date didn't show, I go ahead and order food since I'm famished anyway. She still hasn't gotten back with me by the time that I'm done eating and paying my bill, so I send her a quick text telling her that I hope she's okay and to please call or text me back.

Deep down, I think maybe I knew that she was going to be a no show today. Doesn't change the hurt that sits in my chest. For once I wish she'd be the mother who was there when I needed her to be. When it's most important and counts. Unfortunately, I don't think that'll ever be the case.

That thought alone is what spurs my next action. Taking out the business card that I've been carrying around in my pocket, I dial the number on it.

He answers on the first ring. "Hello."

"Hi, this is Billie. You told me to call you," I say.

The words have barely left my mouth before he's already talking. "Yes, thank you for getting back with me. I wasn't sure you would."

"Well, your presumptions are pretty farfetched, and I still think you're wrong, but I'm willing to listen to what you have tosay."

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