Miss Blue’s eyes widen. “Oh! Yeah, that’s important. I didn’t know you bonded recently. That’s incredible! Congratulations.”
My lips flatten, immediately embarrassed. I suddenly think about all the omegas who had HHOS and had been told the same thing. I wonder if they stuttered through the explanation or if they just went along with the assumption, thanked the party for their enthusiasm, and went on their way. I wonder how many of us have been told how happy we should be, just to immediately drive to the hospital and be put into isolation until the heat passes. I wonder how many of us have become numb to ignoring the truth of it.
“No, actually,” I tell her, steeling my spine. “I’m not bonded. I do have a pack, but that’s complicated right now.”
She tilts her head. “Oh. I thought omegas had to be bonded to have a heat.”
“Most of the time, yes. But I have a rare condition that causes premature heat cycles. So, I’ll be figuring that out when it comes.”
She doesn’t look at me like I’m crazy. She’s watching me, like she’s trying to wrap her brain around the new information. “That must be awful,” she sympathizes, but I only shrug.
“It’s fine. I’ve had one before and it wasn’t horrible.”
The lie feels putrid, like tar clogging my throat, but my burdens aren’t hers to bear. She doesn’t need to know how humiliating it was, or how I plan to never ever experience it again.
“I had no idea you were dealing with that,” she says again, paying attention to our conversation attentively. “If there’s anything you need, or if Principal Faulkner gives you any issue…”
“He already knows and he was really lovely about it,” I inform her, and the tiny bit of worry dissipates from her expression. “You’ve been amazing to me this semester. Thank you so much for allowing a college student to be in your classroom. It’s really shown me that this is what I want to do. This is my dream.”
Miss Blue’s smile is happy and kind. “You’ve been a delight. I was worried at first about letting go of some control and letting another person in the classroom, but I have to tell you, I’m so freaking glad that student turned out to be you.”
“Gosh,do you remember when it was just us going to these things and suffering through the cold?” Rory says to Stacia. “Now we have a whole support system!”
I laugh and scoot further into my seat to get warm. Kit puts his arms around me when he notices and offers as much body heat as he can since we’re separated by the annoying cupholder. He growls at it in annoyance and Sam cracks an amused smile.
Ciro scoffs. “Hey! I was always here, watching these games by myself. At least you had each other.”
Stacia coos at him playfully. “Aw, poor Ciro, all alone with his flask and a plate of nachos.”
He thinks about it. “I know you’re teasing me but an order of nachos sounds amazing right now.”
“It does!” Rory says, then turns to Jett with a pouty face. “Could you go get me some, please?”
Jett smiles. “Of course, Twilight.”
When he scoots to the end of the aisle, Sam stands up with him. “I’ll get some for all of us,” he says before looking back at us. “Any other requests?”
“I want jalapeños!” Kit says.
“Me too!” Ciro adds at the end of the row.
They set off on their task and my scent match lets out a chuckle. “I love having alphas to do things for me.”
Stacia, Rory, and I all laugh in agreement, but then Ciro adds in, “I know, it’s the best.”
We all turn to him, trying not to laugh. When he sees, he throws his hands up. “What? I’m a beta, I can cash in on those perks, too. Don’t be a gatekeeper.”
Stacia pats his shoulder. “Uriah would punch you if you ordered him to do something for you.”
Ciro’s lips smirk. “Which is why I haveyouask him for me. See, it’s a perk.”
We all crack up as something happens down on the ice below. Both teams are working hard, and I see my big, burly alpha down on the bench, drinking from his water bottle and waiting for his turn to defend the ice.
The guys qualified for the finals, and even though we know Thatcher is exhausted and ready for the season to be over, we also know that he is ecstatic about this accomplishment. His new partnership with his defense partner was rocky, but they have been turning things around lately, and Thatcher couldn’t be happier to finally beout of a rut.
Ahockeyrut. I’ve yet to see him in an actual rut, but something tells me that my omega and I would present for him in a heartbeat if his alpha asked.
“So, we have to go to Alpha Xi after the game,” Kit says as he leans toward me. “The guys who don’t play hockey are already partying and Sam wants to make sure it doesn’t get too rowdy. Is that okay? Because if you’d rather go home, I can go with you.”
