Page 44 of For What It's Worth
That wasn’t the news I’d wanted to hear, but I tried to hide how upsetting Hannah’s words were. “How did you deal with the … pack aggression after the first alpha’s bite?”
“Obviously there are things you can do to help, but it’s not your job to deal with the alpha possessiveness, Koda.” My disbelief must’ve showed, because Hannah reached out to touch my hand. “I don’t know what you’ve been taught at Braker Academy, or anywhere else really, but alphas are responsible for their own actions and tempers. And if anyone tells you different, you should take a look at that relationship. Seriously.”
“She’s right, little bear,” Jen said, joining our conversation. “Although I think she was not so subtly hinting at our pack, but you never have to worry about my relationship with Aidan and Enzo. We’ve been friends our whole lives and packmates since we graduated high school. This is a challenge, but we’ll get through it.”
“I get that. I do. But if I want to keep going to the Academy, I need to do my part. Plus, it isn’t just you that’s possessive. I’m going to have to figure out how to deal with those girls flirting with you after class.”
Surprise crossed over Jen’s face. And then his scent changed, adding the heat that told me he liked the idea of me being jealous. His hand tightened around my nape, and he brought his face to my neck, inhaling deeply, and letting me feel his smile against my skin.
“Okay, everyone, I think we have everything.” Renee appeared, not hesitating as she moved around the table, dropping off plates, sides, and toppings.
When she leaned down to place my blackberry cream crepes in front of me, I didn’t know where to look. Her face was inches from my own, and then I saw it. The movement was so quick I almost hadn’t noticed. Her nostrils flared, scenting my plain beta perfume.
I felt my panic growing. How would the beta feel about an alpha and beta together? I knew that I was going to have to deal with people disliking our relationship—that was a given at Braker. Despite the modern teachings, the proper ideals of the staff, and some students, was lacking. But I worried about Jenson’s reaction so soon after the claiming. What if Renee resented inter-designation relationships and reacted poorly? Then Jen might’ve tried to keep me from going back to school.
Jenson pulled at my hand, obviously sensing my distress and trying to get me to be closer to him.
Renee made a few trips to fill up everyone’s cup but my own, saying she’d come back with a whole new mug. I almost wanted the beta to freak out. Maybe shriek how happy she was about the designation mingling or refuse to serve us any longer. I just wanted to get a gauge of how someone would react when they found out. I was sorely let down when that didn’t happen.
“So,” Hannah said, “you’re going back to the academy?”
“Yep. Next class is on Monday.”
“You don’t worry about how people are going to react?” The hesitation in Hannah’s voice pulled my attention away from my delicious breakfast. I glanced up at the omega, who discreetly nodded in the direction the waitress went, obviously hinting at what I had just been thinking about.
“I know it’s odd for a beta to be claimed in a pack, but it isn’t unrealistic. When we met, those bouncers were assholes and didn’t like the idea of a beta in a pack, but even they believed it was possible.”
“The bouncers?” Jenson asked, clearly not caring about the social boundaries of conversations. “At Aidan’s club?”
I nodded.
“What did they do? Did you tell Aidan?”
I was about to say ‘yes’, but I found myself hesitating. “I think I did?”
“I talked to Aidan about it when he was at our table last night,” Jackson said.
Jen accepted this answer, but he gave me a look that said the conversation wasn’t over. It wasn’t that I’d wanted to protect those alphas, or that I didn’t feel comfortable talking to my alphas, but I’d literally forgotten. A lot had happened since.
Hannah easily brought me back to our conversation. “I’m just worried. Sure, betas in packs have started to appear in progressive TV shows. Maybe even a song or two is written about alpha-beta or beta-omega love. But you’re going into the heart of alpha culture. Weren’t betas just recently added to the school? And I think they only allowed the two designations to mix because they assumed alpha packs wouldn’t claim betas.”
“Or that any alpha pack would allow a bondmate—even a beta—to go to the academy,” Jackson added.
“And you have to consider even those that would give you the benefit of the doubt that you might have an omega in your pack,” she said, and I knew she was thinking about the waitress, “would know that’s not true with Jenson. The academy is about to be all up in your private business.”
I stared at the other couple, shocked by their statements and feeling slightly overwhelmed. This wasn’t new information, but I must have compartmentalized my fear, focusing on the nerves with the pack. My body suddenly felt as if I’d been trying to wade in the ocean. The waves kept getting bigger and bigger, and my legs were on the verge of giving up.
Jen threw me a lifejacket. “We’ll make it work, little bear. We’re just in uncharted territory.”
“Your alpha is right, Koda,” Hannah said, already jumping off the ship of doubts. I guess it was easy to point out worries when you didn’t have to be on the receiving effects of the actions. Or maybe that was what having an overactive friend was like. “Seb says he’s never heard of someone like you. Really, he’s quite fascinated with studying you. I had to tell him that most friends don’t want their friends’ alpha studying them. But I did tell him I would put that knowledge out there for you to pick up on if you wanted.”
I did my best to hide my wince. I knew Hannah didn’t mean it like it sounded, and I knew I didn’t fit in as either an omega or a beta. Was I half-beta-half-omega, or simply a broken version of one? Now that Jen and the others knew I had an omega side, were they happier? Were they settling for me as a beta, or did they not want an omega and were settling for that side?
“I don’t know what you’re thinking about,” Jen whispered, “but you need to knock it off.” It wasn’t the words, but the aggressive way Jen said it, like he was ready to go to battle against my negative thoughts, that snapped me out of my pity party. “We chose you, little bear. Don’t insult me by doubting that.”
I nipped playfully at Jen’s chin, unable to speak with my throat clogged with emotion but wanting to let him know I’d heard him. He didn’t accept the little nip, however, pulling me in for a long kiss, one that heated my whole body as his tongue searched out my own. I started to turn, wanting to feel my alpha pressed against my chest right at the ache he’d creating in my heart, but he pulled away, biting my lower lip almost to the point of breaking the skin, like he was punishing me for having to stop.
“If she’s determined to go back to the academy, she should wear your scent,” Jackson said, dragging Jen and I out of our private moment. He only looked at Jen as he spoke, and I was starting to think that was intentional. “When you’re home, that’s when she should wear your packmates’ scents with you holding her. That’ll help the jealousy. Get you used to her being safe and smelling like who you trust.”