I’m selfish and take a few deep breaths instead of greeting herimmediately.
Not that Hestia ever complains about my rudeness. She doesn’t complain about anything, really. ButIknow I’m being rude by not immediately telling her good morning. I can’t help myself. I suppose I’m just a basic instinct-driven alpha after all.
No matter. I’ll make up for my selfishness by doing everything I can to make Hestia happy, and hopefully she’ll let me keep smelling her.
“Good morning, Hestia,” I say, just a beat after my packmates.
“Good morning,” she says, her eyes only half open.
I barely restrain the violent urge to squash her in a hug and bury my face in her hair.
“Your food is almost ready, go ahead and take a seat,” I say.
Hestia nods and Orion walks her over to the breakfast nook. She’s mostly stopped protesting that she can help prepare the food or set the table. I like to think that’s because she enjoys us taking care of her.
After she sits, Orion covers her with the heated blanket I turned on earlier. The station stays warm enough, but there’s always that stray cold draft.
Charm pours her a glass of water, and I set her plate in front of her. She eyes the empty spot next to her water glass, but I ignore her silent request. I like to give her a few minutes to drink water before I bring her morning coffee.
I would never deny her the food she loves, but I want her to stay hydrated. I always ensure she has an ice water nearby in addition to her other beverages.
I return to the stove and pour the hot chocolate, filling a mug halfway. I brew two shots of espresso into it and add sugar cookie creamer and marshmallows. I lightly toast themini marshmallows with a torch before adding red and green sprinkles.
Hestia sets down her water as I bring the coffee over and reaches for it gratefully.
The rest of us fix our plates and join her.
“What do you want to do today?” Orion asks.
Even he acts differently around Hestia. With us, Orion takes charge and makes plans, though at this point he knows us well enough to know what we like anyway. Still, it’s always been who he is, taking it upon himself to look after us even outside of work. We’re happy to let him. It’s nice to have someone else make decisions sometimes.
With Hestia, though, he’s always asking what she wants and jumping to do it.
“I’m not sure. I don’t really know what to do with myself now that I don’t have homework,” she says.
She has a cute little pout on her face, tiny wrinkles creasing her forehead as she thinks. “There are some weather reports in the station’s files that I haven’t had a chance to read yet.”
“That’s homework,” Charm says teasingly.
“Shut up, no it’s not,” Hestia says, blushing.
“Just because it’s self-imposed doesn’t mean it’s not homework. Self-assigned reading,” he argues.
“It’s continuing education so I can keep up with the demands of the job,” she whines.
“It’s literally homework. You’re at home, trying to work during your time off,” Charm says, laughing.
Hestia huffs and flicks one of her mini marshmallows at him. He pauses his laughter long enough to catch it in his mouth and swallow before resuming.
“That’s very smart of you, Hestia,” Orion says, “but I’veseen you read dozens of those reports already. What years have you read through?”
Hestia mumbles something.
“What was that? I didn’t catch it,” he says.
“I’ve read the reports for the last fifty years,” she says, louder.
Magnus coughs in an attempt to hold back his laugh, and the rest of us don’t fare any better. Even Orion chuckles, and Cato is laughing outright.
