Sando shrugged. “He’s a grown man, and both of you are adults as well. Not sure why he’d need your permission.”
Lucan’s face relaxed, and one corner of his mouth pulled up in a half smile. “You don’t mince words, do you?”
Sando looked sheepish. “My social skills are underdeveloped. Sorry?”
Lucan’s smile widened. “Don’t be. It’s refreshing, actually. At least people know exactly where they stand with you.”
That sounded like a compliment, like it was a good thing. Sando would take it. “Thank you.”
Lucan waved his hand dismissively. “Enough about me and my issues. How are you doing here? You must be worried sick about your father… Which, by the way, you could’ve totally used to guilt trip me when I bitched about my father. That I at least had my dad here with me.”
Sando grinned. “I’ll remember that for next time.”
Lucan winked at him, then grew serious again. “But seriously, how are you holding up?”
Sando sighed. That question wasn’t easy to answer, since it had so many layers. “Physically, I’m fine. Everyone has been super nice, and I have everything I need in terms of food, clothing, and a place to stay. They’ve given me a spacious room so I can work as well, and they’ve been encouraging about my progress so far.”
Lucan’s eyes were kind. “And emotionally?”
Sando was quiet for a long time. “I miss him,” he finally said. “It’s hard to explain because my life has been so very different and sheltered compared to most of you. My father is… He’s my whole life. He only has me, and I’m kind of lost without him. Like I’m a boat without a rudder.”
“I can imagine,” Lucan said softly. “As much as I’m upset with him at the moment, if my father had disappeared like that, I would’ve been worried sick as well. I really hope your father will be found safe.”
“Me too…”
Lucan’s hand was light and gentle on Sando’s shoulder. “If you need someone to talk to, I’m here.”
“Why would you offer that? You don’t even know me. I mean, no offense, because I realize that sounded harsh, but… I guess I don’t understand?”
Lucan gave a little squeeze, and it sent warmth through Sando’s body. “Because you seem lonely and look like you could use a friend. I’m offering you friendship.”
Sando slowly shook his head. “That’s…unexpected. Or maybe it’s normal? I don’t know. It’s not like I have a frame of reference. So I guess the correct response is to say thank you? I did warn you about my lack of social skills, so keep that in mind. Papa has been a phenomenal teacher my whole life, but he focused on my cognitive development, not the social and emotional part. Probably because they’re not his forte either. So please don’t get upset if I accidentally offend you. Just tell me. I’m a fast learner, so if you tell me what the correct response is, I’ll apply that knowledge the next time.”
When he finally forced himself to stop rambling, Lucan’s eyes were dancing with laughter. “I’ll be sure to read your user manual, but so far, I find your so-called lack of social skills a welcome change and not a deterrent at all. So let’s be friends, Sando. I have a feeling you and I are gonna get along great.”
Lucan had waited four days after the announcement that Enar would run a clinic on pack land. Four whole days where he’d gone back and forth on whether he should wait longer, whether he should offer at all, or if he should stay where he was, helping Bray. He didn’t hate the work he was doing for his brother, organizing the security detail he was still setting up, but he didn’t love it either. Bray was as appreciative as Lucan could expect his older alpha brother to be, and Lucan did get satisfaction from knowing he was doing a good job, but it didn’t have his heart.
As hard as it was to accept, he knew that he’d never work as a pharmacy tech ever again. If by some miracle the threat on his life disappeared, he’d have one hell of a challenge explaining why he’d been fired from his previous job. The cops might have changed his statement, meaning that he didn’t have a record, but his boss had still fired him for cause. That was difficult to explain in a job interview.
No, he’d have to change careers. Helping his brother was fine for now, but he wouldn’t be doing that for the rest of his life. As soon as he’d heard about Enar’s clinic—or the Hayes Clinic, as it was officially called—he’d known what he wanted. He’d taken four days to mull it over, to prepare a pitch for when he’d approach Enar, to come up with arguments in case Bray or his father would protest. He was as ready as he would ever be, so right after breakfast, he cornered Enar as he stepped outside.
“Enar, can I have a word, please?”
“Wow, that sounds official. Am I about to be reprimanded, Principal Whitefield?”
Lucan laughed, his nerves instantly gone. Enar had that effect on people, making them feel like they could be themselves. “Sorry, I guess it did come out a bit more formal than I’d planned. I just wanted to ask you something.”
“Sure. Is it a medical thing? Do we need to find some privacy?” Enar gestured at the men walking past them.
“Nah, that’s fine. I heard about the clinic. That’s amazing.”
Enar’s whole face lit up. “I’m still blown away. This will be such a crucial step forward in guaranteeing free health care for omegas, especially those from underprivileged backgrounds. I can’t wait for it to open, though it won’t by anytime soon.”
“What does the proposed schedule look like?”
“They’re starting today, but it’ll be four, five months before we can open. The building process will take a while, even when using prefab structures for part of it. The medical equipment has a long delivery time, and we also need to make sure we adhere to all standards in terms of patient safety, hygiene, and more. Plus, I need staff. I can’t run the whole damn thing by myself. As much as I’d like to open next week, I need to make sure we’ve got everything covered.”
That was about as perfect an opening as he could’ve hoped for. “Speaking of staff… Any chance you’d be looking for an office manager? Someone to help you organize and manage the place?”
Enar’s eyes widened. “Yes. Hell, yes. You interested?”
Lucan nodded. “I don’t have a medical background in a clinic, but I learn fast, and I excel at organizing things. I’m about the most structured person you’ll ever meet in your life. I’ll color code the hell out of that clinic and ensure you’ll never run out of supplies or have to search for anything.”
Enar held up his hand. “You’re hired, as long as I don’t get into trouble with Bray. Though come to think of it, that’s not his call to make anyway. I’d love to have you.”
Lucan’s mouth dropped slightly open. Then he caught himself. “Just like that?”
Enar grinned. “What, you had a whole sales pitch prepared?”
“Well, yes, but that’s not even the point. Don’t you need to know more about my skills?”