“Oh,” she sat up, and leaned away from me. She jumped as Tracker licked her hand, then reached behind her neck just as I was withdrawing the compress. Our hands brushed against one another. She blushed. I cleared my throat.
“You fainted.” It was all I could think to say. “My name is Rowan. That’s Tracker. You’re safe.”
She looked around, taking stock of her surroundings.
“Where am I?” she asked.
“A little cafe on the pier,” I told her, and watched as she hugged my jacket to her chest. “What’s your name?”
She looked around again, probably getting her bearings. “Skye,” she said, returning her gaze to me. “Skye Heller. Is my pack here?”
“I haven’t seen them.” I flagged down the waitress to pour a fresh water for Skye, and she did. I nudged it toward her. “Drink.”
Skye hesitated, but picked up the glass of cold, crystal clear water, and swallowed a few sips. Then a few more, her body craving the refreshment. Dehydration probably contributed to her passing out. Soon, the glass was empty except for the crowd of ice cubes.
“Do you live far from here?” I asked.
“No,” Skye said.
“Are you safe?” I asked.
She hugged my jacket a little tighter and her eyes seemed to grow bigger and brighter. “What do you mean?”
“I mean, you were running, almost got hit by a car. Were you in danger? From your pack, maybe?”
She blushed and her eyes widened. “No, my pack is wonderful. I just…” she hesitated. “Even good relationships have their hurdles. It’s nothing.”
I studied her carefully, but she didn’t seem hurt or afraid, just embarrassed about the entire situation, how she unwittingly dragged a stranger into her personal drama.
“Do you want me to walk you home?” I offered.
“That’s not necessary.” Skye swallowed. “And, I don’t think I’m strong enough to walk back yet. I don’t have my phone. Can I borrow yours to call one of my alphas to pick me up?”
I pulled my phone from my back jeans pocket. “What if I called you a rideshare?”
“I don’t have my wallet,” Skye said.
“It’s on me,” I offered, already pulling up the app.
“That’s very kind of you, um, Rowan, was it? I’ll pay you back. Oh, you can add me on Packspace.”
“I don’t have Packspace,” I said.
She blinked and looked at me like I suddenly started speaking a different language. “Oh. Okay. Well, I’ll find a way to pay you back, anyway.”
“Tomorrow,” I said. “We can meet back here.”
“Alright.”
“The car should be here any minute,” I told Skye.
“So, what do you do, Rowan?” Skye asked, passing the time by making conversation.
“I’m just a barista over at Fair Grounds,” I answered. “Tragically boring and mundane.”
Skye grinned. “At least you have a job. I’m basically a homebody,” she giggled. “No, that’s not fair. I love being a traditional omega. Besides, I’ve been sick, so I couldn’t hold down a job right now even if I wanted to. That’s why I passed out,” she explained.
“Sick?” I didn’t want to pry. “I hope you get better. Youlookbetter already.”
