I grin down at her, kind of liking that she doesn’t give a shit. To say that me and the guys don’t have any problems getting girls on campus would be an understatement. As soon as I scented this Omega, though, they all fucking disappeared.
“Pretty good.”
“How good is pretty good?”
“Eli and I will definitely be drafted. Mikael should be, but he is up in the air.”
“Why?” I wonder how much I should divulge. It’s not like she seems to know much about the sport, but I stick with an easy answer.
“His job on the ice is to enforce more than anything. He keeps me protected, but sometimes his anger gets the best of him.” She hums, and we continue walking. The only sound is the jingling of the dog’s collar and our footsteps as we crunch against the ice. “What about you? Do you have one more year of school?” None of the three of us are planning on graduating. If we get drafted, we’re taking that opportunity.
She sighs. “Maybe. Mercy doesn’t let you stay on campus on a full ride if you go into heat.”
My anger spikes, and I look down at her. “That’s fucked up.” I want to ask her what her plans are for her heat and why she isn’t on suppressants. The thought of other Alphas touching her already brings me to a level of anger and jealousy that I’m not used to. I barely know her, and I feel this way. I can’t imagine what it’s going to feel like if we form a real connection. I rake my hands through my hair, and she continues speaking.
“I’m getting a degree in accounting, thinking I can work from home when I graduate. But I’m considering finishing this semester and doing my last year online.”
“Mercy is really that bad?”
“I’m sure for other people it isn’t. But it’s not for me. I’ve only stayed because I have a scholarship.”
I nod my head, angry that they forced her into that option.
“It’s not fair.” I didn’t mean to say the internal thought. She smiles up at me and nods.
“No, it’s not.” She shivers, getting even closer to me as Hank shoves his nose into the snow. “My house is actually right over there,” she points to a simple but cute single level home. My heart sinks, wondering if she wants to go home. If we were too forward. She looks at me wide-eyed for a moment. “For Hank, not for me. I need to feed him. He’s a big boy. He gets three meals a day.”
“I understand, Hank,” I joke. Charlotte and I smile at each other as she opens the front door. We both take our boots off, and it makes me smile. I’ve had to train the shit out of the guys to take all their shoes off in the house. Seems Charlotte has manners.
I give her space and look around the living room, seeing pictures of Charlotte as a child with what looks like her grandparents. I wonder if they took her in or if her parents were never in the picture. There’s a clanging of dishes and kibble hitting stainless steel as Hank trots into the kitchen.
“Charlie, hun, are you home?”
“Just dropping off Hank,” she says down the hall.
An older woman, probably in her seventies, comes down the hall, her light blonde hair short. She’s wearing pajamas, and she gasps when she sees me. “Dammit, Charlie. I look a mess, and you have company?”
“Mom, this is Anders,” Charlotte introduces us.
Her mom gives me a once over, and I feel like a real dick for thinking she was her grandma.
“Lovely to meet you,” I say, holding out my hand. She gives me wide eyes and looks over at her daughter. After the shock settles down, she smiles.
“You too. Where is that delightful accent from?” she asks.
“He’s from Finland. We have to meet the rest of our friends. They ordered food,” Charlotte says as she attempts to manhandle me out the door.
“Do you want to put new contacts in?” I ask her. Charlotte’s mother beams at me, like a full-blown ear-to-ear smile. Charlotte looks at me like I have two heads, but nods and walks away to go put in a fresh pair of contacts.
“Didn’t think I’d see the day she brought an Alpha home, to be honest,” her mom says quietly.
I want to tell this woman that I just met Charlotte, but she’s changed everything. But I think that might come across a little too strong. “We just met, but I think she’s lovely.”
Her mother nods and smiles. “She’s very special. Sometimes she doesn’t realize it. I feel like if she had more than me and Piper to tell her that, she would start to believe it.” I nod at the small older woman. “Where are you all staying?” she asks.
“We’re at the big cabin on the lake,” I say, not knowing the address. Eli drove us here.
“Ah, that big place that sits vacant most of the year?” I nod, and she rubs her hands over her arms. She seems happy, like overly excited her daughter brought a strange Alpha home, but there are clearly some maternal instincts clicking at the moment. “You mind giving me your number just in case something happens?”
