AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Better fabric softener. Maybe we should look into getting some . . .”
Papa Corey trailed off, and I knew we lost him to working out the logistics of getting the academy better soap for the laundry. I smiled at everyone else, thanked them, sent my love to mom, and disconnected the call. I tossed my phone carelessly onto the bed, spinning to face Riley.
“You seem close,” she observed in her quiet way.
“Oh, we are. They are the best dads ever.”
“They treat your momma okay?”
I chuckled. “Oh yeah. It’s almost sickening how much they love and dote on her. She’s the center of their world.”
“Is she an omega too?”
“She sure is. But she’s like me. Never let her designation decide what her temperament is going to be. My momma is a firecracker.”
Riley grinned. “I could see that. Are all your fathers alphas?”
“No, only Papa Tony and Papa Greg are. Papa Corey is a beta. PC and PT bonded before they met PG and my mom. To hear them tell it, it was like a fairy tale. They had a whirlwind relationship and registered as a pack within a month. Then came the babies. I have six brothers, all alphas. I was an unplanned surprise, but they never loved me any less.” Snickering, I whispered with a smirk, “If I’m being honest? I’m totally the favorite.”
Riley snorted out a laugh and then flushed bright red, as if shocked by her reaction. A warm feeling stole through me at seeing her sense of humor pull through. I needed to get that cute laugh out of her more.
“What about your family?” I asked her. “What are they like?”
“Oh, um, well, there’s my older brother, Drew, my younger brother, Dell, and me.”
“And your parents? How many dads do you have?”
I moved over to the bed and collapsed back onto the soft mattress. I waved my hand, calling her over, and patted the comforter, silently asking her to join me. She tentatively made her way over and sat gingerly, as if afraid I would change my mind.
“I only have one father and mother. They are both betas.”
“Betas? Both of them?”
“Yeah, they never expected to have me, or Dell for that matter. Drew is a beta like they are. When I came along, it shocked the whole town when my perfume changed to reveal my designation as an omega, even more so with Dell. He’s an alpha.”
“Wow, that’s wild! So, wait, who did you have to talk to about being an omega, if not your mom?”
She cleared her throat. “Honestly, no one. In my hometown, I am one of the few omegas. I attended an omega school three towns over because there just wasn’t enough of us where I lived to constitute a school of our own. Dell was luckier, I think. There were plenty of alphas in town that he could turn to.”
“So, you don’t know anything about who and what you are?”
“Well, I have the basics down. Our school was small, but they tried their best.”
There was a heat behind her words that wasn’t there before. I realized I had inadvertently offended her. She thought I was saying her education was lacking. I scrambled to correct that assumption.
“Oh! I’m sure they were. That’s not what I meant. I simply meant did anyone teach you about nesting? Or about why your head will be screaming for things to be a certain way? Or hell, what about slick? Did anyone talk to you about any of that?!”
Riley’s face was beet red, and she stared down at her hands. The answer was so quiet, I had to strain to hear her. “Not really. Classes were more about what to look for in a pack . . . and when our heat would start. The teachers didn’t want to talk about anything that might be too, er,sexual.”
I was sure shock was written all over my face. I desperately tried to erase it and look calm, even though inside I was screaming at the injustices of our world. “Riley, I am so glad you applied for that scholarship. And even more happy that you got in. Classes here might differ from back home, however I’m here. I will answer all your questions.”
Riley’s face lifted to meet mine, but before either of us could say another word, a light rapping came at our door. A staff member called out, “Lights out in five. Time to go to bed!”
I rolled my eyes. I had forgotten they gave us a curfew here. Twenty-two years old and still told when to go to bed. Ridiculous.
“Well, sounds like we better get to sleep. Would hate for them to be madder at us than they already are,” I said with a wink. Riley snorted. “What side of the bed would you like? I typically sleep on the left, but I can switch if you need?”
“The right side is fine with me!” Riley rushed to assure me.
