"I don't publicize it.” She glances around the grounds. “People will have opinions. Some will judge you. Let them. Some alphas will see your pack as a challenge or mistake. Ignore them. Some omegas will be envious or critical. That's their issue to manage, not yours."
She leans against the stone wall, relaxed but serious.
"But here's what matters. You can't hide what you are anymore, so don’t even try. It only makes people more curious."
"Own it or let it own you?"
"Exactly." Her gaze is direct. "You all need to be on the same page though. How open do you want to be? How do you handle challenges? What's your united front? If you haven’t already discussed it, now is the time."
I nod. “I knew it wouldn’t be easy.”
"There's always someone who thinks they can intervene," Seraphina adds. "Someone who wants to 'save' you from yourown choices. But you decide now how to handle it. Talk to your alphas before someone forces the conversation. And if you need anything, advice, backup, just someone who gets it… reach out."
"Thank you."
"We take care of each other." She straightens. "That's what omegas do."
Lunch in the dining hall feels different.
More eyes than usual. The table of traditional alphas in the corner watches our group with unhidden intensity. One in particular, broad shoulders, dark hair, is clearly talking about because each time he speaks, the rest of the group looks our way.
“Might be a bit late getting to the greenhouse,” Tyler says, swallowing a mouthful of Cornish pasty. “Do you still want me to?—”
He doesn’t finish because the alpha from the corner table approaches and stops directly in front of me. He ignores the three alphas sitting right there.
"Mind if I ask you something?" His tone implies he'll ask regardless of my answer.
"Go ahead." I face him squarely even though my heart is racing.
"You're actually doing this? Three alphas?" His top lip curls into a sneer.
Around us, conversations drop. Other studentstuning in.
Beneath the table, I dig my fingernails into my palm. "Do you have a problem with it?"
"Seems... complicated. Unnecessary."
"Complicated would be denying my feelings and doing what everyone else expects of me." I don’t know where it comes from, but I sense my pack’s pride, and heat floods my cheeks.
He leans closer, unfazed. "Traditional pack structure exists for a reason. One alpha, one omega. Natural order. Anything else is?—"
Calder stands, chair legs scraping the floor behind him. "She answered your question. Time to go."
The alpha, Nat, looks at him and smirks, straightening to his full height. Alpha squaring up to alpha. "Just concerned for her wellbeing." His expression suggests otherwise, but I let it slide.
“She has us to look out for her.” Calder’s eyes narrow.
“If you say so.” Nat shrugs and walks away. Returns to his table where his friends are grinning.
The dining hall returns to normal noise levels, but sideways glances continue.
Julian's pale eyes are calculating. Tyler's usual warmth has vanished. Calder's jaw is tight.
"Greenhouse," I say quietly. "Now."
Greenhouse door closed, Juniper observes us from her cornerperch, tail flicking gently.
"We need to talk about this," I break the silence.I haven’t had time to process Seraphina’s situation, but all I know is, she is on our side.
