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“That…” He pauses, tilting his head. “Is an excellent question.” He takes a sip of his cocoa, then licks the remaining liquid from his lips. “What about you? If there were no designations, no alphas, no omegas, only betas, what would you choose?”
I hum, never having considered such a scenario. “Everything,” I burst out, laughter escaping my lips. “Everything,” I echo. “My parents were simple folk, living in a quiet village.”
“The Ashe Woods,” he nods. “Beyond the council’s reach.”
“I’m grateful for that,” I admit, my parents’ desire for us to find our own path resonating with Devlin’s imagined world. “First thing I’d want to experience is college.”
“College?” Devlin perks up, likely due to his own extensive education. “What would you study? And you can’t say everything.”
“History, maybe. I love uncovering things,” I say, searching for the right words.
“You and Max would enjoy working together on a dig site,” Devlin comments warmly.
“The ancient world captivates me. The rise and fall of countless civilizations before us, reaching their zenith and then crumbling into obscurity. Why did they crumble? What led to their demise? And how deep would I need to delve to unearth these mysteries?” My heart steadies as these thoughts swirl in my mind. This, I realize, is a path I’d love to explore.
“You wouldn’t consider running a bakery?” he probes, curiosity evident in his tone.
I offer a casual shrug. “The bakery is more a necessity than a passion. When I work there, the scent of my perfume makes customers think of freshly baked cookies. I often wonder if I genuinely enjoy it, or if it’s simply the only option the omega sanctuary has allowed me. It’s hard to tell if it’s a true fit for my personality or just a role I’ve adapted to.”
He nods, humming in understanding, and takes another sip of his cocoa. This simple action draws my gaze to his lips. After a moment, he shares, “I’d be a professor,” his voice carrying a hint of wistful longing.
That takes me aback, but only briefly. He possesses a gentle, more tempered demeanor. His interests seem to lean more toward intellectual pursuits than the typical aggressiveposturing of council alphas. “What subject would you teach?” I ask, intrigued.
“Literature,” he answers without hesitation, his eyes lighting up. “At the academy, all the professors are betas. This creates a tense atmosphere. Most struggle to maintain control over the class. I remember sneaking onto a beta campus once.”
“You didn’t!” My surprise is genuine and unfeigned.
He grins, a playful spark in his eyes. “I did. It was right after graduation from the academy and the camp. We had a two-week break, and my father preoccupied himself with ruining his life. Max and I decided on a road trip.”
“Max joined you on this escapade?” Somehow, that surprises me most of all.
“How else do you think an alpha ended up as a medical doctor? A scientist, at that,” he says, his smirk revealing a hint of pride.
I hadn’t considered that angle. Alphas, particularly in our world, rarely venture into scientific fields or the beta medical system, with mages being the more common choice. “The Northern Province is a marvel,” he continues, his voice taking on a dreamy quality. “It was a long journey, and we spent an entire day locating a mage to mask our scents, but we reached their main campus, and it was everything I’d dreamed of. The classes there operate on a term basis, and during summer, it’s more serene. There were fewer people to notice our presence.”
Intrigued, I lean forward, my cocoa forgotten. “What was it like there?” I ask, eager to hear more about his adventures outside our usual world.
Devlin closes his eyes, his lashes casting delicate shadows over his sharp cheekbones. “The first building we encountered was a castle-like structure, yet it was distinctly different from the omega sanctuary. Constructed with warm, inviting brick layered over stone, it exuded a sense of welcome. They adornedthe campus with a vast green space circled by trees. People lounged on blankets, enjoying picnics on the grass. We were so captivated, we registered for the summer term on the spot.”
As Devlin opens his eyes, a tinge of sadness flickers across his features.
Curious and eager to dispel his melancholy, I ask, “What classes did you enroll in?”
His face brightens a bit. “Creative writing, history, and literature—subjects the academy doesn’t offer.” He scrunches his nose, then adds, “Max opted for pre-med courses. We even had to take entrance exams to prove our mettle. We just scraped through.”
His words paint a stark contrast to the limitations of our designated colleges, and a twinge of envy stirs within me. I’ve never envied a beta as much as I do now.
“I called my dad and concocted a story about finding a pack and needing time to bond. He barely cared, too engrossed in tearing my mother’s pack apart,” he growls, bitterness lacing his tone. “That summer was the best of my life, and I didn’t even have to dip into my trust fund. The education was free.”
“That’s...” I shake my head, searching for the right words. “Amazing,” I finally say, though it feels too understated. It hardly captures the true wonder of his experience.
“As summer drew to a close, I had to leave,” he continues, his voice tinged with regret as he sets his empty cocoa cup on the floor and leans back against the window. “My biggest regret is not fighting to stay longer, but I stood up for Max.”
I lean in, my curiosity piqued. “What do you mean by that?”
“He was determined to save Grace and would go to any length to do so. Although I couldn’t stay with him, I prepared to do whatever I could to assist,” Devlin whispers, his voice low, as if fearing the mere mention might bring misfortune. “I hired a mage and secretly funneled money from my father to pay her.She modified Max’s aura to resemble a beta’s. The plan worked, and he graduated top of his class with honors.”
I open and close my mouth in astonishment. “And nobody figured it out?”
