"Shut up!" She smacks his arm with impressive force. "Don't tease her for being hungry! If I wasn’t hungry, I'd already be kicking your ass."
"Ow! Okay, okay!" He rubs his arm, still fighting a grin. "Sorry, MaeMae. That was rude. My apologies to you and your very vocal stomach."
"I hate you," Sage informs him.
"You love me."
"I tolerate you at best, and right now we're dipping into 'active dislike' territory."
He turns to me with an apologetic smile that actually looks sincere.
"Seriously, though, we haven't eaten either. Our classes don't start until tomorrow, so we've got nothing but free time and empty stomachs. We could hit up the cafe together once you're done with paperwork. The regular one, since I'm an Alpha." He shrugs. "Can't exactly waltz into your fancy Omega-exclusive spots."
I consider the offer.
Part of me, the part that's been burned too many times to count, wants to decline. Wants to retreat to my tiny room in the pack integration house and hide under the covers until this whole day feels less like a fever dream.
Friends always leave. People always disappoint. Why set yourself up for more hurt?
But another part of me, the part that's been lonely for so goddamn long, perks up at the prospect.
Sage was my person once. My ride-or-die.
The one who never judged me for my frizzy hair or my braces or my obsession with figure skating routines.
She disappeared, yes. But the pain in her eyes when I mentioned it tells me there's more to that story.
A lot more.
Maybe she didn't leave by choice.
I think about what Miss Phillip said earlier. About hoping the next six weeks would be life-changing.
Maybe life-changing doesn't just mean facing down my childhood bullies and rediscovering my passion for the ice.
It can also mean opening myself up to the possibility of connection again. Of friendship. Of having people in my corner who actually want to be there.
Scary thought.
Terrifying, actually.
But you came here to be brave, didn't you?
To be the bold Omega who doesn't let her past define her future?
I take a breath.
"Why not?" The words come out steadier than I expected. "I should probably try to make some friends while I'm here. Or reconnect with old ones, I guess."
Sage's face splits into a grin so wide it rivals the sun.
"Yes! Okay. Amazing. This is going to be great, I promise. We have so much catching up to do. Like, thirteen years' worth of catching up."
"That's a lot of catching up," I admit.
"Good thing we've got time." Her eyes are sparkling now, the guilt replaced by genuine excitement. "I want to hear everything. Your job, your life, why you're here, whether you've kept up with skating, if you've got any cute Alphas chasing after you..."
Cute Alphas.
