Dear Mr. Alvarez,

Following our conversation, I spoke with my director, who confirmed that you may indeed start on Monday as we discussed. Please report to the Center at 9:00 am, and be sure to bring your identification and any court-required documentation with you. If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to reach out.

We look forward to working with you.

Sincerely,

Dante Sullivan, LPC

St. Margaret’s Center for Omega Health and Supportive Services

----

On Monday morning, Raf once again found himself standing on the pavement outside St. Margaret’s, staring up at the building. It was, he decided, still the ugliest looking building he’d ever seen. Prior to his conversation with Dante, however, it hadn’t occurred to him that the blandness might be by design. The building did not stand out in any way, and did not have any exterior signs that hinted at its purpose. It would be difficult to locate for anyone who didn’t know exactly what they were looking for. In addition, the lack of ground-level windows ensured total privacy from curious passers-by, and there were no visible entrances apart from the heavily fortified front door. Taking a closer look at the upper floors, Raf counted nearly a dozen cameras, which had been carefully spaced to leave no blind spots. Dante hadn’t been kidding about the Center having good security, he decided. This place was a fucking fortress.

Does a shelter for Omegas really need this many defenses? he wondered. I know that guy said there had been some incidents, but this kind of feels like overkill.

He shrugged off the thought. Well, if they wanted to spend their money on extra cameras instead of, oh, a potted plant or three, it made no difference to him. He walked up the stairs and rang the buzzer. Mercifully, he didn’t have to wait very long before hearing the click of the intercom.

“Ah, Mr. Alvarez, good morning. Come on in.” The front door buzzed open, and Raf let himself into the building, where Dante was waiting for him. 

“Right this way, Mr. Alvarez. I have an appointment with a client at 10:00, so we don’t have a whole lot of time, but I wanted to give you a quick tour of the Center and show you what your responsibilities will be.” He turned and began to walk away.

“It’s Raf.”

“Hm?” Dante stopped and turned, giving Raf a quizzical look. 

Raf folded his arms across his chest. “I said, it’s Raf,” he bit out. “I don’t like being called ‘Mr. Alvarez’. I’d rather you just call me Raf. Everyone does.” 

Dante drew in a breath through his nose, clearly ready to argue. He and Raf glared at each other for a moment. Raf lifted his chin and stubbornly refused to back down. He knew he was being childish, and that this was probably not the best way to kick off his relationship with the person who would be signing off on his hours. Still, there was something about Dante’s tone that irked him. The dismissiveness and borderline mockery with which the Omega said his name made him feel as though he’d already been written off as some spoiled, useless Alpha  brat. He knew he wasn’t in a position to demand much, but at the very least, he wasn’t going to allow himself to be treated like a fool.

The silent battle of wills lasted a moment longer, and then Dante let his breath out slowly, forcibly maintaining his calm and swallowing whatever retort was on the tip of his tongue. “Raf, then,” he grumbled, and turned once again. “Follow me.”

Raf nodded and uncrossed his arms, allowing Dante to lead the way without further comment.

The next half hour was spent on a whirlwind tour of the Center’s labyrinthine interior. They ran into few Omegas along the way, and those Raf did manage to spot seemed to disappear from view almost as quickly as they appeared. He honestly had no idea how anyone could navigate this place without getting utterly lost. Dante, however, seemed completely at ease as he steered them from one location to the next.

“...And here’s the kitchen, where you will be helping out with meal prep and distribution. Miguel’s out on a grocery run at the moment, but he can show you the ropes when he gets back. He’s the only cook on staff at the Center, and I know he’s been looking for another set of hands. He’ll be happy to have an assistant...

“...Over here is the common area, which is mainly for use by the residents, though you’re welcome to avail yourself of the vending machines. That door over there leads to the staff break room, which you are free to use during your downtime...

“...This wing contains the dorms for the Omegas who reside at the shelter. You won’t really be working in this area, and you’re expected to steer clear of it unless you have a specific purpose for being there…

“...This is the infirmary. We have supplies and equipment to treat minor injuries or illnesses, but anything more serious will require a trip to the hospital. We don't have a full-time nurse on staff, though we do have someone who comes in a few days a week to help out. Several of the residents also have first-aid training, so they can assist in a pinch...

“...Here’s my office. I use it mainly for counseling sessions, and when the Do Not Disturb sign is up, you are not to interrupt unless there is an emergency. When I’m not with clients, I move around a lot. I’ll make sure to give you the number for my cell; that’s probably going to be the easiest way for you to get in touch with me...

“...And this,” Dante said, leading them to a final door, “is my personal favorite room in the Center.” He pushed open the door, and Raf was startled when an abundance of natural light suddenly flooded his vision. He blinked and looked around. They were in a wide open room lit by a large overhead skylight. The room was full of potted plants, and the scent of rich earth and fragrant greenery was everywhere. At the center of the room was a small paved area, dotted with stone benches that circled a tiny fountain. The whole effect was one of a large outdoor garden, which felt welcoming and restorative after so much time spent in those claustrophobic corridors. Raf breathed deeply, taking in the faint scent of lilacs and feeling the tension in his shoulders automatically start to loosen.

“What is this place?”

“We call it the courtyard,” Dante said with a smile as he sat down on one of the benches. Raf could tell the garden had similarly affected him; he seemed more relaxed than Raf had ever seen him. “You’ve probably noticed that the Center as a whole doesn’t get much natural light. It’s an unfortunate but unavoidable side effect of the lack of windows, which are a necessary security feature.”

“Yes, you mentioned.”

“Right. Well, we noticed that it was having a noticeable effect on morale. A lot of the folks here are under considerable stress due to their personal circumstances, and a lack of natural light really wasn’t helping their mental health. We got the funds to build this place and install the skylight after we managed to secure a grant for improving the Center’s ‘therapeutic services’. Dante grinned. “Personally, I think it’s worked wonders, both for the residents and the staff. I come here whenever I have a few moments to myself. It’s a great place for clearing your head.”

Raf couldn’t resist a small smile that tugged at the corner of his mouth. “I’ll keep that in mind.”

Dante’s phone buzzed. He reached into his pocket and glanced at the notification on the screen. When he stood, Raf noticed that the easy sense of camaraderie that was briefly brought on by the presence of greenery had vanished. Dante’s professional mask had slipped back into place. “Ah, my next appointment is starting shortly. We’ll have to end the tour here, Mr. Alva...Raf. I can escort you as far as the kitchens. Hopefully, Miguel is back by now and can handle the next part of your training. You’ll be assisting him with preparing and serving today’s lunch.”

“Ah, sure.”

“After lunch, come find me again. I want to go over our security protocols with you, since that will be part of your job here. I’m also working on a list of repairs that we can have you get started on. That will probably be it for today. Your classes start at 3:00, right?”

“Yeah,” Raf replied, then added, “I also have classes all day tomorrow, so I don’t think I can make it back here until Wednesday.”

Dante gave a quick nod. “Yes, I saw your schedule. We’ll make it work.”

By now, they had reached the dining hall. Dante stepped inside and called toward the kitchens. “Miguel? Are you back yet?”

A tall man with cropped black hair poked his head out of the kitchen. “Dante? Yeah, I’m back. Is this the new recruit?”

“Yeah. Can you take him? I have to run to my next appointment.”

“Sure thing, boss.” He gave Raf a quick once over. “You, come on in here. I think I have an extra apron that should fit you.” 

Raf nodded, then turned back to say a quick goodbye to Dante, but he was already gone.