“I don’t think so, but I’ll make extra sure she can’t escape in the room before I walk around with her in that one, thanks for the warning. If nothing else, I can use it for her milk bottle.”
“You’re ridiculous,” I shake my head. “The bunny can’t even feel your warmth through that vest. I’m sure she’s cozy in her pouch, but I thought the point of carrying her around was to help develop the bond.”
“Nah, I carry her around so none of these assholes,” he jerks a thumb over his shoulder, “think they can get the one-up on me by attacking my poor defenseless little bunny when I’m not there to protect her.” Beau’s eyes travel warily around the room, and my intuition pings.
“Did someone actually try to hurt your bunny? I thought you were untouchable.”
“Not as far as we know,” Gabe replies, “but there have been threats slipped under our door.”
“Wait, what? Someone is slipping death threats for your bunny into your room?” That seems both a little extreme, and a little cowardly, if you ask me.
“Not exactly. They’re threatening to take Killer so I fail.” Beau’s answer is a low growl, his fingers gripping the cafeteria table hard enough to turn his hands white. “Somecowardly assholethinks he’s going to get the drop on me, but he’s sadly mistaken. Killer is undermy protectionand if anyone tries to take her, they’re going to end up with two black eyes and no memory of how it happened.” He stares down anyone who dares to glance over at his raised voice, then heaves a sigh. “Okay I’ve got to get going. Killer likes a bit of fresh air before we start class.” With that, he stands, shoulders his new backpack, and walks off.
“Want to know a secret?” Gabe leans in conspiratorially.
“Hell yes I do.” I mimic his movement, now so close that we could kiss if we wanted to. My heart thuds at the thought, but I push it down. Gabe hasn’t touched me since I bit him. Despite the whispered confession that he’d liked it, he has yet to try anything else, and I’m far too gun shy to make another move.
“I’m the one leaving the threats to steal Killer,” his lips split into a shockingly bright smile I am still trying to get used to. “I’m not actually going to take the little fuzzball, but watching him get all pissed off about it is entertaining. Last night he ranted for half an hour about all of the positive traits Killer has and why she’s the perfect pet for him. It’s hilarious.”
“You know,” I comment, checking that my own little fuzzy was still sleeping peacefully, “I’m actually surprised by how attached everyone is to their practice omega. First everyone seemed to think it was a joke, and then they were terrified about failing out of Drakewood, and now in less than a week, they seem to honestly care about their new pets. I would not have predicted that.”
“Why, because you think alphas don’t care about anyone?” Gabe’s tone is lightly teasing, but his eyes remain serious.
“No, I have good fathers. They care about us, and of course they are obsessed with caring for my mother. I just didn’t expect this kind of reaction. It’s so intense, it almost seems like instinct.”
“Ah, and you don’t feel the same instinct for your own little friend?”
He has me there—I’ve been in love with the fluffball since day one.
“I didn’t say that either,” I hedge. “I just thought that all these guys—”
“That all these guys couldn’t possibly care as much as you do. I know, it’s hard to wrap your head around, but I assure you being an alpha isn’t all fury and pheromones. It takes a deep, shattering kind of love to share a mate with others. At least, according to my dads. They said it was a battle for them, first creating their pack and then sharing my mom. The only reason it works is because they care as deeply for each other as they care about her. It takes a lot of strength and a lot of courage to feel that deeply for so many people.”
Gabe has a point; I’ve never considered how much my life changed when I discovered I was an alpha and not an omega. As an omega I was intended to be the center of the universe for a pack, who would all dote on me and tend to my every need.
Now, as an alpha, I not only have to imagine finding an omega but sharing that omega with the other alphas in my imaginary pack. It’s one thing to have multiple lovers. A different thing entirely tobeone of multiple lovers.
Jokingly, I shove Gabe’s shoulder. “You better stop making so much sense, or I’m going to start thinking I actually like being an alpha.”
Gabe just grins in return. “What’s not to like? It’s who you are.”
That thought stays with me for the rest of the day.
After classes end, I head back to chill in my room, playing with my still-unnamed bunny while I wait for dinner time. He is curious, hopping around exploring. Next week we’ll be able to give them some food, and I’ve already ordered a pile of treats for him. He will be the best behaved bunny Drakewood Academy ever produced, but as of right now he’s still not litter trained and I’m constantly sweeping up tiny little balls of poop from under the spare bed. At least I know the best spot to set up his litter box.
No one has bothered me all week, and it’s been nice to have the peace but also kind of lonely. So when a quiet knock sounds at my door, I’m eager for company but also a little concerned about what my visitor might want. I’m just wearing athletic shorts and an oversized sweatshirt, which I consider completely decent dorm-wear, so I scoop up my bunny and press him to my chest as I open the door.
To my immense surprise, I find Beau in the hallway clutching his bunny to his face, nuzzling the little cotton-white fluff. He startles when I open the door and lowers his hand. “She tried to hop over my shoulder, I was just catching her,” he offers as an excuse.
“Sure.” I lift one eyebrow. “What do you want?”
“I need to borrow your milk bottle. Killer hasn’t eaten all day—she’s not a huge fan of the alfalfa— and I can’t find mine.”
“Sorry, I only have the one, and my bunny still likes her milk too. How did you lose your bottle, isn’t it in your room?”
Beau’s cheeks redden. “I had it in my tactical vest and it fell out somewhere. I’m not sure where, it could be anywhere in the school.”
“Well that’s not such a big deal, why don’t you just retrace your steps and see if you can find it? Ask a few people if they saw it the last time you saw them.”