“It’s like watching a train wreck,” Tristan said grimly. “You know it’s going to be bad. You tell yourself to look away, but you can’t help yourself, not that I’ve ever seen a train wreck,” he added quickly. “But that’s sort of the feeling you’re talking about, right?”
“I kept waiting for my phone to ding.” Billy sniffed. “I was so determined when Cord left that I was going to go about my day the way I was living just a matter of a week ago - work and spending time with you two. I really wanted Cord to see that he could go out on his missions, which I know are super important. I wanted him to trust that I could be okay. And now this has happened… I feel so shitty about it.”
“Well, we’re not having that,” Cece said, patting Billy’s hand and then standing up. “We’re going out for lunch, my treat. And then we’re going to go down to the Omega Hearts office, and we’re going to lay a formal complaint against Palin.”
“Do you think that’ll do anything?” Tristan got up, too, and Billy realized he was going out whether he felt as though he wanted to or not. His friends were good like that.
“I need to wash my face and run a brush through my hair,” he said quickly. “I won’t be a minute.” Getting up from the couch he went through to his room.It still smells of Cord,he thought as fresh tears started to flow.I’ve got to pull myself together.
Splashing water over his face, Billy dried off on a towel, looking at his bleak expression in the mirror. There was a part of him that couldn’t believe how much he’d changed in the space of a week, but then a mating would do that to a person.
The past few days are just an anomaly,he told himself firmly.
The messages have stopped, which means Cord has dealt with the person concerned, just as he said he would.
Billy held onto Cord’s last words –I have to trust I’m having hot chocolate in the morning…and then, because he was a practical man, and Cord had mentioned he was on the West Coast, Billy added,or at least by lunch.
/~/~/~/~/
Lunch was fun. It was so easy for Billy to forget that while he’d been holed up in his little house crying his eyes out, life in Frankton was still going on around him. People smiled, said hello, and waved on occasion. The food at the Wonky Pig never disappointed, and just the act of eating food with friends helped lift Billy’s mood considerably.
After they were full, Cece and Tristan flanked Billy as they took a slow wander through town. The walk was fun as well especially when Cece was exclaiming over every new thing he saw in a shop display, and Tristan was busy chatting about a date he’d been on the day before.
“The guy wasn’t my alpha, but he has a great sense of humor, and Anthony told me this morning he’s already been in touch again, asking Anthony if he can escort me to a barbecue over the weekend.” Tristan skipped in excitement. “Another chance to meet new people.”
“Ooh,” Cece seemed excited, too. “I’ve been asked to go to a barbecue on Saturday as well. Let’s hope it will be the same one, so we can chat with each other if things get boring.”
“Wouldn’t that be a laugh?”
Billy chuckled along with his friends. Frankton wasn’t a big place – not in comparison to a lot of the neighboring cities, so it was highly possible that Tristan’s alpha was friends with Cece’s date, and they would end up at the same barbecue. He wasn’t sure what he’d be doing over the weekend, but he was determined it wouldn’t involve any crying. With luck, it would involve doing something with Cord.
They paused outside of the bright white building with it’s red door - the Omega Hearts Foundation offices. “Are you going to be all right, Billy?” Cece was peering in the window. “Palin is on reception, but we’re going to ask to speak to a manager and he can’t refuse us.”
Billy twisted his hands. “Is Palin going to get into trouble?”
“He deserves to get into trouble.” Tristan hugged Billy’s arm. “Honestly, you and I know he’ll probably just get a talking-to. He’ll squeeze out some crocodile tears, and he’ll be told to reread the policy manual again or something. But by making a complaint, you’re doing what Cord does in his work – making a stand for all omegas.”
“People like us need to know the information we get from this place is the right advice,” Cece added. “Palin just says the first thing that comes into his head, and his empathy skills are clearly missing.”
Knowing Cece and Tristan were right, Billy followed his friends into the small and cheery reception area. Palin scowled the moment he saw him. “Have you come to complain about anotherpoor misguided alpha who had the misfortune to spend time with you, Billy?”
“I spoke to my alpha this morning, and everything is fine, thank you for asking.” Billy stuck out his chin. “We’d like to speak to your supervisor, please.”
Chapter Sixteen
“I’m not disturbing Mr. Brown for the likes of you.” Palin sneered. “If you have concerns, complaints, or more whinging about alpha behavior, you speak with me. That’s why I’m standing behind this desk. As a duly appointed representative of the Omega Hearts Foundation here in Frankton, it’s my job to deal with any and all petty omega concerns, even yours. Bringing along your two brain-dead friends, who clearly don’t know any better because they’re still associating with you, isn’t going to change my mind.”
“Palin!” A voice barked from down the small hallway behind the reception desk, and then a large figure came into view. “Did I just hear you insult two… my apologies, three omegas who have come in asking to see me?”
“I didn’t want anyone disturbing you, Mr. Brown.” The change in Palin’s tone was unbelievable. His tone rose by a clear octave, and he was almost turning himself inside out to be nice. “It’s just Cece, Tristan, and Billy making a nuisance of themselves. I was trying to help you, in my small way, by telling them to respect your valuable time.”
“These omegas asked very clearly and politely, I might add, to speak to me. I heard them.” Mr. Brown’s glower deepened. “I’m failing to see why you didn’t come and get me immediately.”
“This is the omega I told you about the other day.” Palin pointed at Billy. “The one lying about being in heat and getting messages about the poor alpha who’d been with him, then sleeping with someone else. He doesn’t have parents caring for him. They kicked him out for his unruly behavior. You can see where I’m going with this…”
“You must be Billy.” Ignoring Palin completely, Mr. Brown came around the counter and held out his hand. “I could tell by theparent’s comment. I’ve heard so much about you in the past few days and the incredible things you’ve accomplished since learning to live on your own. I believe you’re an inspiration to omegas everywhere with what you’ve done.”
Shaking the hand quickly, Billy ducked his head. “Thank you, sir. But Palin was right. I did contact the foundation the other day as I was receiving messages from someone claiming he was sleeping with my alpha mate. We’ve only been together a week before he was called off on a mission – he’s in one of the government rescue teams – and… and… I just wanted some advice.”
