The Nesting Ward

THE NESTING WARD

Scarlett

"Don't turn around," Kassidy says under her breath, "but Dr. Sexy is here." I cut her a quick glare, but she just twists a lock of her dark hair around a finger, smiling like the witch she is.

"You have to stop," I whisper harshly, praying the nurses bustling around don't hear me. "Someone is going to overhear you one of these days and the last thing I need is for Dr. Enoch to think I have a grade school crush."

"How can you not have a grade school crush on that man?" Kassidy's eyes go comically wide as she pulls a loose thread off of my navy blue scrubs. "He's pressed muscle wrapped in a lab coat and dunked in pure alpha dominance. You should jump his bones."

"Stop it," I hiss, suddenly very aware of the large presence behind me.

"Beta Marin." Dr. Enoch's deep voice rumbles right at my back. I pray he didn't hear us, but alphas have excellent hearing.

"Dr. Enoch." I grab my patient's chart and hug it tight to my chest. "Alphas aren't allowed in the Nesting Ward. I'm afraid I'm going to have to ask you to leave, sir." I slowly turn, then tip my chin all the way up to look the alpha in the eye. He looks damn good, like always. His black hair is brushed back, away from his face, and he has dark scruff all along his jaw. He looks a bit tired. Probably working late again. I swear he lives here.

"My apologies for interrupting." Dr. Enoch's dark eyes crinkle around the edges as he smiles at me, then Kassidy. A single dimple pops in his left cheek and I hug the chart a little tighter. "I wanted to check on Violet. How is she progressing?" He crosses his arms across his chest, making his pecs push out. The alpha has bigger tits than I do. "Did the Galphimia help? Is she still in heat?" he asks as his brows pull together.

"I'll go check on her." Kassidy smiles at Dr. Enoch before giving me a quick wink. We just checked on the omega twenty minutes ago. There's no need to do it again.

"I just put my notes in the system," I say, trying like hell not to sound too stern. The last thing I want is to offend him. Once an alpha sees you as a challenge, it becomes impossible to work with them. "If you'd like, I can give you a summary of my notes." I glance past him toward the exit, noticing a few nurses pause and give the alpha a shocked look. He needs to leave. "Perhaps we can discuss this in the main hallway."

"Has her fever broken?" he asks, not moving an inch. "Is that her chart?" He points at the tablet still pressed against my chest.

"Yes." I immediately hand it over, trying like hell to figure out how to get him out of here without ordering him. While we take every precaution with protective gear and a powerful scent filtration system to keep the pheromones from drifting up and down the halls, it's still risky to have an alpha on the floor.

I open my mouth, ready to politely ask the alpha to leave, but Dr. Enoch lets out a pained sigh and I go quiet. He feels so deeply for his patients. He's so sweet. "This isn't good," he whispers as his eyes drift over the chart. Deep concern builds in his eyes as he flips the page, reading through her vitals.

"No," I cross my arms. "It's not good. Her fever has only gotten worse and nothing seems to be easing her symptoms. She's just…suffering," I shrug, not sure what else to say. Poor Violet.

"Omegas need to be mated young." Dr. Enoch slowly closes the chart. "Twenty-eight is far too old. I fear she might not survive another heat." His voice edges soft, almost pained by the fact. "She needs to be mated off soon."

"I know." My gaze drops, hating that the sweet omega is going through this. But this is how it is for her kind. They need to be cared for. Claimed. Loved. While I'm well aware that omegas don't have rights like betas and alphas do, I sometimes envy that part of their lives. Their purpose is to be cherished and deeply loved. It just seems so wonderful.

And Violet deserves to be happy.

"Are you okay, Beta Marin?" Dr. Enoch's dark eyes drift over my face, and my nipples instantly tighten. It's clear I've been exposed to far too many pheromones today. It's time for him to leave. Now .

"Let me walk you out." I give him my sweetest smile as I hold my hand just at his broad back. The heat from his enormous body warms my very cold fingers. The curse of all technicians: ice-cold hands.

"Of course," Dr. Enoch gives me an almost sheepish nod. Alphas don't like being told what to do or where to go, but Enoch seems very gentle compared to my other alpha work colleagues. He's devoted to his patients and very soft-spoken. I like having him around.

"Any plans for Christmas?" the tall doctor asks as we walk slowly down the hall.

"Just work." I give him a quick smile. He holds my gaze as a slow, sexy smile slides into place, and that damn dimple reappears. I'm suddenly too warm, and I duck my head. Why is he looking at me like that?

"Does that mean you'll be at the holiday party?" His voice lifts as if hopeful.

"I..uh…I hadn't thought about it," I say honestly. The holiday parties at Havenfield aren't exactly ragers. It's forced conversation and fruit punch with co-workers that I already see more than my dying houseplants.

"I was thinking of going." Dr. Enoch's feet slow as the ward's double doors come into view.

"Okay." I smile, not sure what to say to that.

"It would be nice to see you there." He tucks his hands behind his back, making his white dress shirt pull tight across his broad chest. "I hate the idea of anyone being alone at Christmas."

I come to a stop, a little surprised at the turn this conversation has made.

Dr. Enoch is friendly enough, but I've never had anything other than a professional relationship with the alpha. This feels…. like more ? Maybe it's not and I'm just projecting. Kassidy did just tease me about liking him. That has to be it.

"I might go," I finally say, giving the alpha a friendly smile.

Dr. Enoch's eyes widen slightly, as if pleasantly surprised. What is happening here? But before I can ask, the main door to the ward clicks, then pops open. I take a quick step back as it swings open.

"Bennet?" Director Spanner eyes the alpha next to me. "You aren't allowed to be in this ward." Her stern glare narrows as she places her hands on her hips. Spanner is fierce about no alphas in this ward. As she should be.

"My apologies." Dr. Enoch gives a quick bow of his head to Spanner. He's always so respectful to the higher-ranking betas. Not many alphas are. "I was very concerned about one of my patients. Beta Marin was just?—"

"You can check the system like everyone else," Spanner says firmly. I swear her sleek brown hair throws off a vibrant sheen as her lips pull into a tight line. "This isn't a dating pool. You can't wander around where you don't belong just to flirt with pretty betas."

I immediately glare at Spanner, absolutely mortified. I have never once said I was interested in Dr. Enoch, but based on the way she's talking, he has to be convinced I'm obsessed with him.

"Go." Spanner steps to one side to let Dr. Enoch leave.

I want to look up at him and see if he's angry, but I can't. I might never be able to look the alpha in the eye again.

"Beta Marin," Dr. Enoch says to me and I lift my head, but I keep my gaze down. "I'm sure we'll speak soon." His voice is tight. Probably angry.

I nod, waiting for the doors to shut behind him. The second they do, I turn on Spanner, enraged. "What the hell?" I snip at my boss. Thank goodness she likes me. "Why on earth would you say something like that?"

The middle-aged beta shrugs one shoulder almost as if she's bored with this conversation. "He's not allowed in here, and he knows it."

"And I was getting rid of him." I motion at the door. "And now he's going to think I like him."

Spanner snorts loudly before giving me a firm look. "That alpha would love nothing more than for you to like him." She begins to walk, her heels tapping loudly against the tile floors. "I'm sick of seeing that look on his face every time you're near."

For a second, I'm too confused to move. "Wait? What?" I rush up next to her. While Kassidy would tease me night and day about finding a pack, Spanner and I don't have that kind of relationship.

"How many omegas are on the ward right now?" Spanner asks as she walks directly toward the nurses' station.

"Three." I stop just next to her, suddenly very aware of two nurses walking slowly past us. There are only a handful of employees on this floor, but it suddenly feels very crowded. "What look does he have on his face?" I whisper.

"What?" Spanner's face scrunches up with confusion as she looks up from the chart in her hand. "Who's face?"

It takes everything in me not to snarl. "Dr. Enoch," I say softly. "You said you are sick of the look on his face…" I pause as Kassidy strolls past me. She gives me a coy smile before drifting toward the other end of the hall. "What did you mean by that?" I whisper to Spanner.

The beta lets out a very annoyed sigh, before dropping the chart onto the counter. "Look, Scarlett. I get it. Every beta that works here is hopeful they'll catch the eye of an alpha. Packs don't take on that many betas, so it's completely understandable that a beta might flirt at work."

My mouth falls open, shocked. "I have never ?—"

"I know." Spanner holds up her hand, stopping me. "But it's also completely understandable that an alpha might find a good beta for his pack at work." Her dark eyes narrow as she waits for me to understand what she's saying.

"What the hell does that mean?" I shake my head, not getting it.

"Bennet Enoch likes you," she says flatly. "He's shit at hiding it."

"But I'm not exactly the kind of woman alphas go for," I scrunch my face, trying like hell to figure out what he sees in me. "I'm over thirty, have dated before, and I'm nothing like an omega."

Spanner lets out a quick laugh. "Thirty-two is not over thirty," she gives me a hard look. "And packs take in betas of all kinds of ages and temperaments. The fact is," she continues. "That alpha likes you. Everyone knows it. We all see it. And I want it off of this ward." She gives me a firm look before grabbing her chart and walking off.

I'm frozen in place, not sure how I feel.

I do like Dr. Enoch. He's smart, calm, and very handsome. He's the kind of alpha a beta dreams will sweep you off your feet and whisk you away to live in a big house with a proper pack. Maybe even an omega. I'd love nothing more than to care for my alphas, and to protect my omega. It's what every beta dreams of.

My heart quickens and my face warms as I begin to think of all the wonderful ways I could be useful to a pack, but then an alarm goes off and I jerk from my thoughts.

These kinds of fantasies are dangerous to fall into. They only lead to heartache.

There are packs with three or four alphas in them, and most only take in one beta…if that. The thought that Dr. Enoch might be interested in me like that is just too good to be true.

No. I need to let this go.

I'm not the kind of girl that falls for an alpha.