Alpha's Protective Pup

15

Upon entering, Margaret’s intense gaze fixated on me with her striking gold eyes. “Hello, girl. It’s good to see you again.”

“Really? Is it still a girl?” I asked in disbelief. “My name is Isla.”

Margaret chuckled. “I am aware of your name, Isla. Just making sure you have lost no spunk because you’re going to need it working alongside me. You might be new here, but I don’t go easy for anyone and have a set of standards I expect everyone to meet.”

I had to admit; she had a point. This was her domain inside the den, so when I was in this room, I was going to have to answer her.

“While we work, do you think you can answer a few questions for me? You are the medical expert, after all.”

She lifted a brow. “I’m assuming you have questions about alphas, betas, and omegas, correct?”

“Yes,” I agreed. “Lukas and Oscar explained some of it, but not enough for me to get more than a basic understanding.”

This caused Margaret to roll her eyes. “Of course, those boys leave the heavy lifting for me… all right, sit down. We’ll go over this only once, so you need to pay attention. As the main healer for a wolf pack, I have many injured wolves to attend to every week.”

I looked around and frowned. “There is no one else in here right now, old woman!”

“And? Today the hunting party is going out to seek some prey. While they are more than capable of handling themselves out there, you never know what can happen,” she said. “For example, when you were out there trying to run away from the truth, you encountered a bear, correct?”

With a quick blink, I refocused my gaze. “Yes, but it went running when it was clear I was a threat.”

“Because it was a black bear, girl. When they are startled, the chances are high that they will flee the situation. Now if you came across a grizzly bear, the chances of it attacking you are exceedingly high,” Margaret told me. “If you had encountered a grizzly, chances are you wouldn’t be here right now. So, trust me when I say that out in the wild, anything can happen. It’s why there is strength in numbers.”

Here I was asking about omegas and instead, I was being lectured. I took it in stride, waiting until she finished speaking.

“Can you answer my questions now?”

She chuckled. “First, let’s start with the basics. There are alphas, betas, and omegas. Betas are the most common, followed by alphas. Omegas, as of late, have become quite rare so when wolves present as one, they are highly sought after. Alphas are top ranks in packs, while betas fill other roles, regardless of rank.”

“Are omegas typically assigned to lower ranks?”

“Not necessarily, but you will often see them in jobs that keep them close to the den for safety purposes,” Margaret explained. “The scent betas give is often a dull, woodsy smell while having a musky aroma. Omegas scent ranges on the sweet side.”

Well, this put a lot of things into perspective for me. It explained why I constantly noticed Lukas and Oscar leaning closer, acting as if they were sniffing me. I could smell them to an extent, but it wasn’t as strong as they would be in, say, a few months.

“What about heat?” I asked, biting my lower lip.

“As I told you, you’ll experience heat about two to three times a year. Fever, arousal, and extreme sensitivity to touch and smell are just a few signs that indicate your heat is kicking in. It lasts about three days, but the body prepares itself for this with extra slick to ease i*********e and eventually accept the knot.” Margaret winked, causing me to feel even greater confusion.

With hesitation, I inquired about the meaning of a knot. The slick was self-explanatory, but I did not know what a knot was. Margaret told me that alphas knotted during a rut, which was triggered by an omega’s heat. During the shared heat, the alpha would sometimes mark the omega as theirs for the duration of the heat.

In order to become mates, both individuals had to mark each other, which added complexity to the situation. It was difficult to take all of this in and by the time Margaret was done; I felt like my head was spinning. All of this information was intense and the idea of going into a heat scared the crap out of me.

When you went into the heat, you seemed to lose all your senses. I was afraid of losing myself that much. It didn’t seem like there was any way to stop it, either.

“Do you know how long it will be until my first heat?” I mustered the courage to ask Margaret, realizing that for the sake of my well-being, I needed to know the answer.

Margaret shook her head. “With half-breeds, you can’t go by what usually occurs in full-blooded wolves. Anything goes, but my guess is you’ll get it within the coming months. The second you experience the symptoms I warned you about, tell me. There are steps we can take to ensure no one takes advantage of your heat… unless, of course, you find someone to share it with.”

I felt my cheeks flush in embarrassment. “I doubt that will be the case this time around.”

“Really? Is that the response you want to go with, Isla?”

I scowled, my jaw tensing as I struggled to maintain my composure after she uttered my name. “Don’t beat around the bush, Margaret. If you have something to say, then just say it to me. I grow tired of these games.”

“Fine, you want blunt? I can give you blunt,” Margaret said with a dark chuckle. “Those two boys are imprinting on you. Both of them would be eager to share your heat if you asked. I doubt there would be even a moment’s hesitation.”

It hit me that my question had been very foolish. Lukas and Oscar were becoming interested in me. It was impossible to ignore what was right in front of me, yet I struggled to make sense of it all.

Everything happened all at once. I was grateful they were helping me, but I didn’t know the depth of those feelings.

“I have no idea what I want to do,” I said in a small voice. It was difficult for me to admit this out loud, let alone to Margaret, of all people.

She looked at me with a softened expression. It was the first time I had seen her radiate such a sense of kindness.