Page 7 of Feeling the Heat: Part Two
Rehka eventually goes off to do some prep for a meetingshe has in the morning. I’m half asleep, the tea, purring plushie, and weighted blanket combo making me more relaxed than I’ve been in ages, when Lauren chooses to address the elephant in the room. Well, one of them. She can tell that the last thing I want to talk about right now is River and his pack.
“So, as a PR wizard, what are your thoughts on how to handle the article?”
I groan, burying my face in the soft, yielding fluff of the plushie. “Crawl in a hole and never interact with society again.” Lauren snorts, and I lift my head. “Bet you’re regretting your choice of a new hire.”
“Not at all.” Lauren’s expression shifts into an analytical one, like we’re at a brainstorming meeting and I’ve proposed an idea rather than made a dumb quip. “Lying low can often be the best thing to do, but I don’t think you’ll need to become a complete hermit.”
“Okay, then I’ll go hide in a hole for a year or two.”
Lauren chuckles, but sobers after a moment. “Have you read it?”
I shake my head. “Just skimmed. I saw it last night when someone sent it to me and got overwhelmed. I’m scared to read through and find out how fucked I am. Besides, it included my picture, which means that half the conversation will be about my appearance, and I definitely don’t need to read any of that.”
“Oh god, no, that’s smart. Stay away from the comments. Here’s my summary so you don’t have to waste your time reading the garbage article—someone tipped off AlphaNet about you not disclosing your designation change, and claimed that it created a toxic work environment where you were given preferential treatment because alphas were subconsciously influenced by their instinctsto care for an omega, which they would’ve been able to account for if they knew you were one.”
“Preferential treatment? You’ve got to be shitting me.” There’s only one person I know of from my old job who would’ve spewed those lies to an alpha rights news outlet. “Did it name Holden as the source, or was he too much of a coward to claim that?”
Lauren makes a disgusted sound. “Of course it didn’t. Not that it matters. The kind of people who read these articles are alphaholes looking for an excuse to hate omegas and strip our rights away. The article was nonsense, using you as the poster child for the dangers of omegas hidden in the workplace and tying it to a bill they’re trying to get passed that mandates segregated workspaces for omegas to 'make the workplace safer for all designations’.”
Oh god. The implications of a law like that are horrifying. “Sounds like a roundabout way of giving employers the ability to reject omega applicants without getting sued for discrimination. They can just claim they don’t have the resources to provide separate workspaces.”
“Yep,” Lauren says, popping the “p”. “Anyway, it looks like it’s gained some traction on socials. I’ll keep monitoring it to see if it gets any worse, but for now I think you should go about your life as usual, minus the things we always tell clients. Set your socials to private, then delete the apps so you won’t be tempted to look at them or engage with the toxic nonsense. Don’t answer unknown phone numbers. As things are, it’s small enough that I highly doubt anyone will bother you out in public or find your home, but if you want to play it extra safe, don’t let anyone into the building unless you have confirmation they’re who they say they are.”
She’s telling me nothing I didn’t already know, but hearing it aloud makes my stomach sour. “Shit, I’ve spent so manyyears working with people in this kind of situation, but never in a million years did I think I’d be on the other end.”
Lauren nods. “Now you understand why they’re willing to pay so much to get it to go away.”
“You don’t think it’ll cause issues with clients?” I ask, brow furrowing. “Because I have enough funds to wait a few months until this is old news. You can hire me once we know I’m in the clear. I don’t want to fuck over your new business before it’s had a chance to get off the ground.”
Lauren waves a dismissive hand at me. “Nah, if anything, our client base will appreciate that you’re an omega who understands firsthand the struggles they encounter. I promise I’m hiring you because it’s the right choice for my business, not because I feel bad. You’re amazing at what you do, Camille. And once you’ve gotten a few weeks of snuggles in with your new cow pal and have work so you can’t wallow in your nest all day, you’ll see what I do. You’re not okay now, but you will be. And when you’re allowed to be yourself in all ways—the brilliant, resilient omega that you are—you’re going to be even more of a star than you were before.”
The way she says it is so matter-of-fact that I’m almost inclined to believe her. God, I hope she’s right. “We’ll see,” I say, noncommittal.
“We will,” Lauren says brightly. She places her hands on her thighs and stands. “Now, I hate to disturb you when you’re so cozy on the couch, but you mentioned you’re on heat suppressants and I know how finnicky those can be, so we better get you home so you can take them at the right time.”
The thought of going back to my place and being alone again makes a whine rise in my throat, and Lauren’s expression grows pained. Before I know it, she’s sitting down beside me and wrapping her arms around me and the cow plushie that I’m still clinging to.
“Dang, you’re so soft!” she exclaims, breaking the tension of how awkward getting a pity hug is. “Not trying to come on to you, but if you ever want to snuggle platonically, just let me know.”
I release a surprised snort at her offer. “Isn’t that how you and Rehka started out?” I ask, quirking a brow at her as she releases me reluctantly.
She shrugs. “Yeah, but that’s because I was a dumbass and didn’t know I could have anything more than friendly cuddles with another omega. I promise I won’t fall in love with you. Coffee is fine, but it’s not my favorite.”
“Cupcakes are.” I giggle when the mere mention of Rehka’s scent has Lauren’s eyes warming with affection.
“I think I’m good with this little lady for now.” I gesture to the strawberry cow in my hand, which has stopped rumbling now that it’s not crushed against my chest. “Thanks again, by the way. For everything. I don’t know what I did to deserve your being so nice to me, but I appreciate it more than you know.”
Lauren smiles. “I think I have a pretty good idea. Lucky for you, my omega’s favorite thing to do is help other omegas in need, and she doesn’t take no for an answer.”
“Very lucky.” I smile back at her.
When she drops me off at my apartment with a promise to call me in the morning to check in, I worry that the buoyant sensation from spending time with Lauren and Rekha will pop. But with my cow plushie in hand and the knowledge that I finally have some security in my life after months of uncertainty, the peace remains, allowing me to drift off into my first night of restful sleep in months.
4
Deep breath.Straight spine. Don’t overthink it. You’re fine.
My muscles burn as I battle an amount of weight that should be child’s play for me. I barely get through five reps before I’m shot, and when I rack the weights, I struggle to hide from the alphas in the room how my limbs tremble like jelly. Luckily, they’re all too busy checking out their own reflections in the mirror to give a shit about some random beta.
