Page 1 of Omega’s Oath

Chapter 1

Rose stared at the doctor in shock, her heart thudding in her chest as his words sank in, the consequences of that one sentence reverberating around her head. “Menopause? How can that be? I’m only thirty-four. Isn’t menopause for women in their fifties?”

The doctor wrinkled his brow and locked his fingers together on the large glass desk. His eyes were kind and Rose almost winced at the sympathy in his eyes. “You’re young for this to happen but sometimes it does and we don’t know why. It’s often something that’s hereditary. At your age we tend to call it ovarian failure, where your body fails to produce the eggs. There are some options open to us as we’ve caught it early and you’re still producing eggs.”

“What about having children?” Rose had been working hard to prove herself in her chosen career and had worked her ass off to become top in her field. She’d never imagined it would be at the cost of a family. It was something she’d always wanted one day, just not yet. Hearing the words that she was experiencing early menopause felt like her dream of a family was being snatched from under her.

“You have a few options but you won’t have the luxury of time in making a decision. As you’re still producing eggs, you can try IVF using eggs we harvest from you. Or you can use donor eggs. Neither are guaranteed but at this stage, they’re your best options. Unless you’re lucky and catch naturally.”

“I don’t even have a boyfriend.” Rose could feel the desperation snaking up her throat, the panic that she was losing something intangible that she couldn’t hold on to.

“I’ve given you a lot to think about. Why don’t we schedule another appointment for next week and we can discuss your options further then? In the meantime, here’s the name of a therapist in case you need support, and a website for more details.”

He came around the desk and she stood woodenly, her body reacting without conscious thought. His hand on her arm made her look up. “Take some time to think things through and make an appointment with my secretary. Then we can decide how to move forward.”

Doctor Ferris left her in the reception with a kind smile. Rose walked out to her car on weak legs. Getting in her car, she sat there in silence for a moment with so many feelings running through her mind. Grief, anger that her body would betray her like this, and a sense of loss for her womanhood.

She hadn’t thought for one second when she went to the doctor with her irregular periods and hot flashes that the results would be this. She had no idea if her mother had suffered the same thing. She wasn’t close to her family. Her mother felt she’d let her down for following her dreams instead of finding a nice man to marry. Perhaps her mom had been right. The thought stuck in her throat like glass, painful and sharp.

Rose swiped her hands over her face to rid her mind of the feelings and started her car. She needed to get back to work, they were in the middle of a case and every hand was needed for this one.

As she drove, she thought of Aide. He was always Aide to her, never Omega like the others called him. They’d struck up a friendship once she’d got past his gruff exterior. He, like her, was wary of new people but once someone had proven they were friends, he was loyal and kind. Still brooding sometimes but she thought that was part of his charm, and it was definitely part of the reason the friendship they shared had changed for her of late.

When she looked at him, she didn’t see the curt words or the silent grunts. She saw the crinkle of his eyes when he smiled, the way he always remembered how everyone took their coffee and made sure he was first in so people came in to find their coffee ready.

He was the best damn analyst she’d ever worked with and the NSA had lost a damn fine staff member when he’d come to the task force. Left alone in the office while the field operatives worked the case, they’d become close until one night a few months back when they’d kissed.

It had been the best kiss of her life. Her body had lit up with a desperate need to drown in him. Until he’d pulled away and she’d seen the regret on his face. He’d apologized, said it shouldn’t have happened, and he’d backed away as if she had some terrible disease.

Rose had been hurt by his reaction to something she’d felt was beautiful and was full of embarrassment, but Aide had been his usual self the next time she’d seen him so she’d followed his lead. The last few weeks they’d shared lunch together a few times and the easy friendship had returned. She still felt the undercurrent of attraction simmer between them, the heat of desire just below the surface as they both fought it, for what she knew were different reasons.

Rose didn’t know what his were, but hers was self-preservation. She wanted him but only if he felt the same, she wouldn’t open herself up to humiliation again. She’d done that once before and it had almost cost her the career she loved.

Taking a deep breath, she walked into the office head high, shoulders back, a fake smile planted on her face.

“There she is, the best behavioral expert in the FBI.”

Rose glanced at Aide, wanting to go to him and just feel his arms around her while she tried to process the news that had changed the course of her life, but she knew she couldn’t do that. Instead she tore her eyes away and focused on Cruz with a smile, but not before seeing a frown cross Aide’s brow. She flashed a smile she hoped reached her eyes. “Why are you buttering me up, Cruz?”

“Not buttering you up, just saying it like it is.”

Rose locked her bag in her drawer and moved toward him. Maybe concentrating on work was the best option. Get out of her head for a bit and get into someone else’s; it had always worked in the past.

“I need some help with a profile.” Cruz quirked a grin at her and it was easy to see why Mickie fell for him. He was a handsome devil and charming too, but this office was full of handsome, charming men. Just her luck she fell for handsome and brooding instead.

“What have you got?”

Rose spent the rest of the day working with Cruz and Lyric on a profile for a killer they were chasing who’d targeted white-collar workers between the ages of thirty and thirty-five. She ignored the looks Aide sent her, knowing if she let her guard down she’d be a blubbering mess and she didn’t want her colleagues to see her that way.

As the clock hit six pm, she knew she’d had enough. She needed time alone to digest what she’d learned and decide on her course of action. Not for the first time that day, she wished she had someone to lean on, close friends, family, a partner, but all she’d had was a family who barely tolerated her. Even her younger sister, who she’d been close with as a child, had drifted into their parents’ way of thinking. She’d found herself a husband and worked part-time at a clinic on the reception desk. Rose didn’t even know which one she worked at. They hadn’t been close for a while but she felt the need to speak to someone.

As she pulled into the drive of her small two-bedroom home, she felt a sense of pride as she looked at her sanctuary. Her small piece of heaven that she’d bought and paid for on her own. Headlights lit up behind her as she exited the car and stood watching as Aide got out.

He frowned as he approached and she had the strongest urge to smooth the frown away with her lips. “You shouldn’t be outside alone at night.”

Rose rolled her eyes and turned to the door. “It’s not even dark, Aide.”

She could feel his presence behind her and wanted so badly to lean back into him and let him take the stress of the day from her. She knew he’d do it as friends but she didn’t want that from him and she was through pretending. Unlocking the door, she stepped inside and left it open for him to follow.