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24
Esperanza
“Text me!” Mackenzie calls as she drives off with a wave.
I wave back then grab my small bag and make my way into the dorm building where Mackenzie dropped me off before going to her own. It’s Sunday and I’m just getting back from a week staying with her family over the Thanksgiving holiday. After my last session with my therapist, I felt too raw emotionally to be around my brother. Dr. Morgan told me to explore my emotions, not to have some kind of messy confrontation with Em—Leo!—in front of Tanner’s entire extended family.
Mackenzie didn’t even blink when I asked if I could come home with her, and she didn’t ask for an explanation beyond the cagey one I gave her about needing some space. Leo, on the other hand, wasn’t as easy. He seemed hurt when I told him my change in plans and kept pressing me on why I didn’t want go with him. He even offered to just stay with me in the dorms. It was Tanner, luckily, who finally stepped in and convinced Leo I just needed some space, and that it would be good for me to spend time with Mackenzie and her sister, another omega.
It was ... strange being around a family pack for the first time. I’ve gotten used to my brother’s pack, and Micah, Mason, and Cabe, but it’s nothing like being around a mature pack with a grown family. Apparently, Mackenzie’s family is relatively small. She has four parents and three siblings, and they somehow all fit in a mini-mansion out in the suburbs. “Mansion” isn’t exactly fair. It isn’t that her home was overly fancy, but it was larger than I’m used to, coming from my beta-only town. Her two alpha fathers and alpha brother were really nice and understanding about giving me space, and overall I spent a lot of time relaxing, eating, and playing marathon rounds of trainwreck dominoes—a Sharp family tradition, so I was told.
I stayed in nearly constant contact with Micah, Mason, and Cabe over the holiday, much to Mackenzie’s delight. She seems to have accepted my explanation that I’m not into them romantically, or maybe she’s just allowing me to keep the lie for now. I considered opening up and telling her about my worries that my omega instincts are broken, and about how haywire I’ve been feeling around Lincoln, but in the end I chickened out. In fact, I’ve tried very hard this past week not to think about the big, grumpy alpha at all. For all I know, he and Leo have worked out their spat, and now that we’re back they’ll all start courting Mackenzie. How awkward would it be if I admitted I had feelings for the guy that may soon be hers?
What a mess.
Neither Leo nor Tanner is in the dorm when I drop off my bag, and a quick text lets me know I just missed them on their way to the cafeteria. I take a few minutes to change into warmer clothes before heading out to join them for lunch.
Micah, Mason, and Cabe all got back last night, and I can’t deny I’m excited to see them after a week apart. Mason has swim practice, which I assume Leo will be heading to as well, but Micah invited me to tag along with him to go and watch Cabe’s soccer scrimmage this afternoon. The men’s soccer season won’t start until the spring, but apparently the team trains year-round to stay in shape. A bunch of them are getting together to play a practice match, and I’m excited to go watch.
Like every child in America, I played soccer for a few years growing up. I made it a few seasons beyond “bunch ball” before my mother lovingly informed me I was too uncoordinated to make it in the sport. I was happy to give it up, and my coach looked relieved.
“Hey, Espy. I missed youhermana.” Leo gets up and hugs me tightly as soon as he sees me walk into the cafeteria. We managed to get me my own dining hall pass weeks ago, so now I no longer have to be with one of his pack to get in.
I smile and hug him back, not trusting myself to respond right away. If he missed me after a week apart, why did it take him two years to finally check up on me?
“How’s your family?” I ask Tanner instead, sliding into their booth after grabbing some food.
The conversation between us is mostly easy, if not a bit stilted between me and Leo. I don’t linger, heading off to meet Micah after promising my brother I’ll be back at the dorm later this evening.
I told Micah I’d meet him at the campus’s main quad, and since his back is to me as I approach, I get a few seconds to creep on him without getting caught. His blond hair is starting to look a little long, curling down past his ears, and it makes me want to comb my hands through it. He somehow manages to look hot even all bundled up, and I’m hit with the sudden insane urge to go up and chomp on his neck.Mine.
I shake off the impulse, instead deciding to sneak up and scare him.
“Hi!”
“Jesus!”
I laugh as he jumps, stumbling back and knocking into some poor guy walking by. Said bystander doesn’t seem as amused as I am.
“I come bearing gifts,” I declare, holding out one of the hot chocolates I made in the cafeteria before heading out. Like me, Micah has a sweet tooth.
“I think you just took five years off my life.” He pouts at me dramatically as I roll my eyes.
“The calories in there’ll take off five more,” I quip, nodding at the cup I hand over.
“Ooooh, perfect.” He grins, grabbing the cup from my hand and taking a big sip.
We chat as we walk, and I ask more details about his trip home. Over the past week I’ve learned a lot more about his and Mason’s family, especially the antics of his younger sisters. Turns out they’ve both started dating and Mason in particular is freaking out about it. Apparently neither he nor Micah ever dated in high school, so his parents are also a bit flustered. It sounds like such a normal, wholesome family squabble, like something out of a freaking sitcom. I make a note to tease Mason about it next time I see him.
It doesn’t take long to get to the field, and I follow Micah up into the metal bleachers set up along the sides. We aren’t the only ones who came to watch. Looking around, I see about two dozen others seated up here too. The field and bleachers have been cleared of snow, but mounds of it are piled all around. Luckily, it’s sunny out today, but my seat feels like ice when I sit down. I can’t decide who’s crazier: the players for opting to hold a gameoutsideon the first day of December, or me and the rest of the spectators for voluntarily coming to watch.
“Won’t they get cold out there?” I ask Micah, gesturing with a mittened hand to where the players are running around passing a ball, presumably getting ready to play.
“Their body heat from moving around will keep them warm. I’d be more worried about us!”
“Hmmmm.” That’s hard to believe seeing how little the players are wearing. Most have on pants and long sleeves, but I see several guys in shorts.
I spot Cabe warming up, doing some weird leg-stretch things as he chats with another guy. He must sense me somehow, because within a few seconds he looks up and catches my eye, smiling widely. I smile back, surprised when he leaves his friend and jogs over to me and Micah.
