Page 68 of Scent to the Feral Cowboys

"Ladies! Before you go."

We turned at the sound of Vince's voice. The club manager stood down the hall, maybe a hundred feet away. He was a square-built Beta with thinning hair and perpetually tired eyes, but he ran a tight operation and treated us fairly. There was a waiting list of women wanting to work here, simply because he wasn’t a slimeball.

"Just a quick reminder," he continued, consulting his clipboard. "Health testing tomorrow starting at noon. I need everyone here by 11:45 to process the paperwork before the techs arrive."

A collective groan rose from our group.

Jade sighed. "Didn't we just do this like three months ago?"

"Every quarter like clockwork," Vince replied, unmoved by our reaction. "Club policy, ladies. You all signed the agreements when you started. If you didn’t read the details, not my fault."

"We know, we know," Crystal said, waving her hand dismissively. "Poke us, prod us, make sure we're not diseased. We'll be here."

Vince's expression remained professionally neutral. "You'll all need to do the standard consent forms again. Nothing's changed since last time, but legal requires fresh signatures for each testing session. Paperwork’s already been emailed. Docusign tonight so we don’t have delays tomorrow."

I adjusted my bag on my shoulder, stifling a yawn. I'd gone through the initial screening when I'd first applied, and a second time since then. The club checked for everything from common STDs to more exotic conditions, which was why it kept an A plus health rating that appealed to wealthy Alphas. Tomorrow would be more of the same. A couple pokes, a few questions. They’d listen to my heart and lungs, then send me on my merry way.

"Will it be the same nurses?" I asked, remembering the efficient woman who'd made the process as painless as possible.

"Same medical group, no idea on the staffing," Vince answered. "Should take no more than an hour, barring any issues." His eyes scanned over us. "Any other questions?"

We shook our heads, eager to be on our way. My stomach grumbled, and the promise of breakfast grew more appealing by the minute.

"Good. See you all tomorrow." He nodded once, then retreated out of sight.

"Every damn quarter," Jade muttered as we pushed through the exit door into the cool night air. "Like we're suddenly going to develop something catastrophic between tests."

"It's for our protection too," I pointed out reasonably as we crossed the parking lot. "And makes the clients comfortable. Can you imagine the lawsuit if someone caught something here?"

"Always the practical one," Crystal said, linking her arm through mine. "But you’re right. Small price to pay for a safe workplace."

The testing didn't fundamentally bother me. I'd undergone far more invasive examinations during my ballet career—nutritionists monitoring my body fat percentage, physical therapists assessing every muscle and tendon, doctors scrutinizing my injury nonstop. A simple health screening was nothing by comparison. But here, the testing came with that little voice that said, ‘you might be found out’.

I touched my beaded bracelet reflexively as I walked, making sure it was secure. The blocker had nothing to do with bloodwork, but it was a security blanket. Last thing I needed was to walk in for testing and have some smart lab tech peg me an Omega.

We reached Jade's car, an aging wagon that fit all six of us when we squeezed inside. I took my usual spot in the back, wedged between Crystal and Tanya.

"I'm still annoyed they make us come in during daylight hours," Tanya said as Jade started the engine and backed out of her spot. "Noon might as well be dawn for us."

"Sleep is for the weak," Crystal declared dramatically. "Which is why it’s waffle time instead of bedtime."

Stacy held up a hand, one finger extended. “I think bedtime and waffle time should be the same time.”

I leaned back against the seat, letting their banter wash over me as the car took us towards the twenty-four-hour diner we frequented after a long shift. Even though tomorrow was routine, nothing new and scary, for some reason I felt a little anxious.

"Lucky, you're quiet back there," Jade called, meeting my eyes in the rearview mirror after a few miles. "Did Mr. Sexy in the black suit drain all your energy?"

I smiled. “He was… demanding.” I left it vague, letting their imaginations come up with whatever.

Laughter filled the car as the other five women filled in the blanks.

“Ohhhh, you finally gave in?”

“Ugh, he was HOT. So jealous.”

“Shut up. How was the tip?”

“You. Slut!”