Page 38 of For All My Effort
Koda’s eyes bulged, but she did as I asked, not letting the alphas push their way into the bathroom.
“Hannah, are you sure about this?” Han’s voice sounded worried.
“It’s her hair,” Zeke said.
“I know that, but I don’t want her to regret it. You can feel her emotions. Taking a day to think about it—”
“No way,” I yelled at the door. “Trust me, Han. I need the shears.”
It was silent for just a moment before Han said, “It’s not your hair we love, Hannah. Don’t feel like you have to cut it all off because it didn’t turn out right.”
“And if I want to shave it off?”
“Then I recommend letting Zeke do it. He’s got experience doing his own hair. No offense, Koda, but it might also be the safest route.”
“Okay. Just Zeke can come in.”
It took a minute for Zeke to go get his clippers, as he called them, and then squeeze his way through the tiny slot Koda allowed with the open door. As soon as he saw me, his eyes warmed with sympathy.
“I love the color.”
“Help me.”
Zeke chuckled, pulling me into a hug that immediately had the tension leaving my body. “Don’t worry. I’ll fix you right up. I even have a good idea for a design, if you’re interested.”
I reached a hand up to touch the lines shaved into the side of his head. It was intricate and beautiful, definitely requiring a skill that couldn’t be learned just by watching a few videos.
“I didn’t do this one myself, but I used to do pretty basic ones,” he admitted.
“Like a heart?” Koda asked.
“Sure. What do you think, Hannah?”
My excitement was back up to the level before my hair disaster. I had been going for cutesy, but maybe that just wasn’t meant to be. Sweet had never really been my thing. Kind, sure. Blunt, definitely.
I sat back down in the chair and agreed. The feeling of my head being almost shaved, along with the loud buzzing sound was unsettling at first. It was louder than I anticipated since he was shaving right next to my ear, but it didn’t hurt.
By the end, my hair was so short you couldn’t grip it anymore. It made my face look sharper, harsher in a sexy way. It made my head look like I had a halo of color, and it further hid my scar since it wasn’t obvious that I was missing a chunk of hair.
“Oh, this is so dangerous,” Koda said. She was standing in front of me, tilting my chin to the side so she could take in my new haircut. “Now I’m wondering if I could pull off this look.”
“Jump in the shower, rinse off those baby hairs, and I’ll get you some new pajamas to change into. Then you can come out and present your new look to your mates.” Zeke’s declaration left no room for argument as he turned my face and pressed his lips against mine. “I also call first dibs in the nest tonight.”
Just like that, he left, leaving Koda to stare at me, wide-eyed having heard that last bit. “I am totally considering this haircut now.”
I laughed, smiling wide as I ran a hand over my head, feeling my new short hair.
Koda left so I could rinse off, and I took the time to enjoy it. The small amount of hair products I needed was actually blowing my mind. Even the little dollop seemed like too much. My cheeks were aching with how hard I was smiling.
Just as I turned the water off, Zeke peeked in and dropped off a little set of pajamas. I raised a single eyebrow at the very thin fabric he set on the chair.
“Koda and her alphas had to leave. Something about work and school tomorrow. She said she’d check in later.”
Then he was leaving again, and I was drying off. I ran the towel over my head and then pronounced my hair as dry.
I was right in my initial view of the pajamas that they were lacy and thin. The straps were skinnier than the width of my pinky and the little tie on the shorts was purely decorative. All black, it fit tight around my breasts and ass, only slightly flaring in the midriff.
My cheeks were tinged a little red from the heat of the shower, and I wondered if I looked sexy or ridiculous. Obviously, I thought the previous.