It Started With a Scent

Acting like Thir-teens

He trained his beady eyes on her and she fought not to avert her own gaze even though every instinct in her body protested against it.

Sharp regret flashed in her mind, taunting her for even considering the idea in the first place, especially when she had to face an alpha like Denny. He was so stuck in his old ways that the only reason he had hired her was because he didn't want the discrimination courts in his business.

The omega rights foundation and other movements had made amazing achievements in terms of protesting inequalities and actually having their voices heard. Things like omega-only schools, and omega-only workplaces were becoming less common, as opposed to the past where omegas were often victimised and shut away for things out of their control.

Heats, for example.

The development of things like heat suppressants and even scent blockers, for those who could afford the often high premium, had definitely helped to put away the stigma that omegas were safer at home- where an impromptu heat couldn't send all the alphas in the area nuts.

Denny was old school, so to speak. If he had his way the world would still be living fifty years in the past, where omegas were expected to be barefoot and pregnant for half their lives and the only job they were trusted to do was work with other little omega children.

Rachael knew that the man didn't think he was bigoted. In fact, he thought he was doing it out of a sense of misplaced duty- keeping omegas safe from those alphas who thought with their knot and not their brain.

It was why he looked at her with a sense of caution when she came into his office, questioning him about higher positions at the diner. He was one of the few that could afford scent blockers so all she had to go on was his few half-baked facial expressions and his stiff posture. It was a crying shame because that was how he looked most of the time anyway.

She didn't go outright and say she would love to take over when he was gone. She had to be honest with herself, and she didn't know the first thing about taking over a business. She hardly had enough money at the best of times, surely not enough to buy the diner from him. The smart thing to do would be work her way up, find out how things were operated, and then maybe she would have a chance at convincing him to sell it to her when the time came.

He opened his mouth and her dream started to shatter.

"You want to run the diner."

He had seen right through her facade and judging by the expression on his face, he was not aligned on the same wavelength as her.

"I didn't say that!" She stammered out, "I just think that I want to be a bit more involved around here."

"Right."

"I can't be a waitress forever." She tried, hoping that he could see where she was coming from. She tried to find the right words to say. "I have bigger dreams than just waiting tables. I've been here for so many years that I think it's time to climb higher up the ladder. It's either that, or I might have to find another job where I can stretch myself."

At the mention of her finding another job, Denny's eyebrow twitched and he put his clasped hands on the desk in front of him. "Maybe that's something you should discuss with your alpha first," he told her.

She flew to bite her tongue.

The old man knew damn well she didn't have an alpha.

"Sir," she began politely. "I'm not mated and I don't plan to be anytime soon."

"I was talking about your father." He paused for a second. "Or your Head Alpha."

"My fa-" Her cheeks puffed out and she squashed down the impulse to laugh. "Thank you, sir." She decided to say instead, not foolish enough to think the conversation would be going any further. "I'll do that and get back to you. I should get to work now."