The Luna's Reluctant Alpha

Chapter Four

ALEXIS

I woke up with a start, my heart pounding against my ribcage like a desperate prisoner trying to escape. I squinted at the ceiling, trying to shake off the remnants of the dream that had me twisted in my sheets—a dream about Kai Larson of all people. Ugh, brain, really? Couldn't you have picked someone less... unattainable?

I groaned and rolled out of bed, the image of his piercing blue eyes and killer smile lingering in my mind's eye. It was ridiculous. Why did I have to crush on the Alpha werewolf dating Cedar Creek High's Queen of Mean?

The memory of the bonfire was still fresh—too fresh. Kai had looked at me, really looked at me, and for a fleeting moment, I'd felt seen. But it was just a moment. He belonged to Caitlin Moore, head cheerleader and my personal tormentor.

Dragging myself through the morning routine felt like wading through molasses. The closer I got to school, the heavier my feet became. By the time I reached my locker, I had convinced myself that last night's dream was just a side effect of eating spicy ramen too late.

"Hey, Lexi!" Jamie's voice snapped me out of my thoughts.

"Hey," I mumbled back.

"You've been spacey all morning," Annie chimed in, eyeing me with a mix of concern and curiosity. "Is this about the bonfire?"

"What? No," I lied poorly. They exchanged a look.

"Yeah, right," Jamie scoffed. "You've been swooning over Kai Larson since—"

"I do not swoon," I cut her off with a glare that would freeze lava.

They both burst into laughter as we walked to class together. They knew me too well; it was annoying.

The day dragged on like a bad movie on repeat until lunch rolled around and Caitlin decided to grace me with her presence—or rather, her venom.

"Hey, Alexis," she cooed mockingly as she sashayed up to me with her entourage trailing behind her like lost puppies. "Dreaming about Kai?"

My face must have betrayed something because her smirk grew wider.

"Don't kid yourself," she sneered. "Kai would never be interested in someone like you."

I straightened up, meeting her gaze dead-on. "Caitlin, you're like shiny nail polish—pretty but useless."

Her eyes flashed with anger as her friends gasped around us.

"You little—"

"Save it," I cut her off coolly before she could finish. "I've got better things to do than listen to your mean girl monologue."

As she stormed off in a huff, Jamie and Annie flanked me with grins.

"You are a snark-machine, girl," Annie said.

"Thanks," I replied, feeling slightly better for standing up to Caitlin's bullying.

We settled into our usual spot in the cafeteria, and they started recounting their favorite moments from last night's bonfire—obviously omitting any mention of Kai when they talked about mine.

Later that day during Advanced Physics—the class that made half the school groan just hearing its name—I raised my hand for what felt like the hundredth time. Mr. Stockton smiled at me as if I were his star pupil—which let's face it, I kinda was—and called on me again.

"The coefficient of friction is negligible because..." I started explaining with enthusiasm before noticing several classmates rolling their eyes or whispering "nerd" under their breaths.

Ignoring them as best as I could, I continued detailing how mass didn't affect acceleration due to gravity unless we considered air resistance factors...

"...and that's why all objects fall at the same rate," I finished triumphantly.

Mr. Stockton nodded appreciatively while some guy in the back muttered "show-off."

Really? It wasn't my fault they didn't pay attention in class or that their social lives apparently depended on maintaining an air of willful ignorance when it came to anything academic.

The final bell couldn't come soon enough. As Jamie and Annie walked me out of school grounds, they kept poking fun at how distracted I'd been all day—even during Physics where usually not even a tornado could break my focus.

"So..." Jamie drawled teasingly as we approached our cars. "How long are you going to pretend that you didn't have a 'moment' with Cedar Creek's most eligible werewolf?"

"There was no moment!" I protested too quickly yet again.

Annie laughed lightly but didn't push further; she knew when to back off—at least one of them did.

I slumped into my car seat with relief as they waved goodbye and drove off in their own vehicles. Alone at last with only my thoughts for company, which unfortunately circled right back to Kai Larson like some kind of boomerang from hell.

This was going to be a long week leading up to my eighteenth birthday—if only because every time I closed my eyes now, all I could see was him: Kai Larson, impossibly out of reach and haunting both my dreams and waking moments alike.

***

The scent of kimchi jjigae, spicy and rich, wafted through the air, infusing the kitchen with the familiar warmth of home. I arranged the chopsticks and spoons with practiced ease, the clink of the utensils against the ceramic plates grounding me. Mom's culinary magic was a balm for the soul, a much-needed solace after enduring Caitlin's relentless barbs and the persistent, uninvited musings of Kai Larson that had a vexing habit of creeping into my consciousness more frequently than I wished to acknowledge.

"So, how was school?" Dad asked as he took his seat, his face lined with the kind of concern only a parent can muster.

I shrugged, spooning rice into my bowl. "Same old. I dished out five detention slips today to would-be juvenile delinquents. Mr. Thompson loved my post-modern feminist take on Jane Eyre. Caitlin continues her mean girl quest to make my high school life miserable."

Mom chuckled as she ladled soup into our bowls. "That girl should know better than to mess with you."

I was about to agree when a sudden wave of nausea washed over me. I dropped my spoon with a clatter, gripping the edge of the table as a sharp pain twisted in my stomach. Heat flushed my skin, sweat beading on my forehead.

"Seo-Yun, what's wrong?" Mom's voice cut through the fog of discomfort enveloping me.

"It feels like... like I'm burning up inside," I gasped out, trying to fan myself with shaky hands. My skin crawled as if a thousand ants marched beneath it, each step sending jolts of distress through my body.

Dad stood up so quickly his chair toppled backward. "Susan, call Grandma Chen!"

I tried to protest—this had to be some weird bug or maybe food poisoning—but words escaped me as another cramp seized my abdomen, cruel and unyielding like iron bands tightening around me.

Mom was already on the phone, her voice laced with urgency. "Grandma Chen, it's Lexi—she's sick, something's not right."

Within minutes that felt like eons, Grandma Chen arrived, her presence commanding yet soothing. She laid her hands on my forehead and then on my stomach, murmuring words that seemed to echo from an ancient time.

"Your body is awakening," she said with a certainty that left no room for doubt. "You're going into heat."

Heat? The word struck me like a thunderbolt. Omegas went into heat around puberty—a rite of passage I never experienced because I believed I lacked the wolf inside me that others took for granted.

Grandma Chen produced a pouch of herbs from her bag and began to chant over them before handing them to Mom with strict instructions.

"These will help her cope. It is difficult for an omega to go through heat when she is unmated," she explained. "Boil them in water and let her drink it—it will ease the symptoms."

After Grandma Chen left, Mom approached me cautiously. The burning sensation had dulled to a simmering discomfort thanks to Grandma Chen's ministrations, but it left me feeling raw and exposed.

"Lexi," she began hesitantly, "we need to talk about what it means for an unmated Omega to go through heat."

I could feel my cheeks flush hotter than any fever could induce. "Mom, I've read about shifter biology online—I know what it means."

She nodded but pressed on gently. "It's just... I'm a Beta; we don't experience heats like you do. Maybe you should talk to Annie—she might be able to—"

"No!" The word came out sharper than I intended. The last thing I wanted was to discuss this intimate ordeal with anyone else—least of all Annie who'd likely tell Jamie and then everyone would know.

Another horrible thought clawed its way into my mind—had that fleeting encounter with Kai somehow triggered this response in me? Was it possible that just being near him had set off some dormant part of my omega nature?

My parents exchanged worried glances as I struggled to regulate my breathing—the tightness in my chest making each inhale feel like dragging weights up from the depths of the ocean.

Dad came over and placed a comforting hand on my shoulder. "Seo-Yun," he said softly, "you're strong and you're not alone in this. We'll get through it together."

I wanted to believe him—to find solace in his words—but there was a gnawing fear in the pit of my stomach that this was only the beginning of something far more complicated than any high school drama or unrequited crush.

The night passed in fitful waves of discomfort and introspection. Sleep was elusive; every time I closed my eyes, visions of piercing blue eyes and whispered promises haunted the edges of my consciousness—a stark reminder that life as an Omega was fraught with challenges I had yet to understand fully.

As dawn broke once again over Cedar Creek, bringing with it the promise of another day filled with uncertainties and uncharted territories within myself, one thing became painfully clear: nothing would ever be quite the same again after tonight.

***

Staying home from school feels like skipping a beat in the rhythm of my life. It's off-putting, uncomfortable, and to be honest, a little bit thrilling—like I'm some secret agent on an undercover mission. Only, instead of espionage and cool gadgets, it's just me, my achy body, and the unfortunate reality of my first heat a few days shy of eighteen. Who even knew late bloomer Omegas were a thing?

My phone buzzes relentlessly from the nightstand, the screen lighting up with texts from Jamie and Annie. Their concern seeps through the digital words, but there's no way I'm telling them the truth. How do you even begin to explain that your body decided to throw you a hormonal curveball at nearly eighteen? So, I let the messages pile up while I tap away on my laptop, attending classes through a haze of discomfort and distraction.

The day drags on like molasses. My focus flits between my teachers' lectures streaming online and tab after tab of Omega-related Reddit threads and message boards. It's like diving headfirst into a rabbit hole filled with advice ranging from helpful to downright bizarre. Some posts suggest everything from meditation to eating certain foods that supposedly ease heat symptoms.

After school hours officially end—marked by the blessed silence of notifications ceasing—I push my laptop away with a sigh. It feels weird not to hear Jamie's jokes or Annie's latest drama update in person. Instead, it's just me and this persistent soreness that makes me feel like I've gone ten rounds in the ring at taekwondo practice.

I shuffle downstairs in search of something—anything—to distract me from this strange new reality when the doorbell rings. Through the peephole, I see Jamie and Annie's worried faces, backpacks slung over their shoulders as if ready for a rescue mission.

Opening the door, I muster what I hope is a reassuring smile. "Hey guys."

"Lexi! You look like you've been hit by a truck," Jamie blurts out as they barge in past me.

"Thanks," I deadpan. "Just what every girl wants to hear."

Annie's nose wrinkles as she steps into the living room. "Do you smell that?" Her gaze flickers over to me with wide eyes.

I shrug nonchalantly. "My mom made kimchi jjigae last night? It tends to linger."

Annie sniffs around before shaking her head. "No, it's not kimchi. It smells like an orange orchard in here. Your mom must have overdone it with the Febreze." She pauses for a second before her expression morphs into one of dawning realization. "Oh my god... Lexi, it's you!"

"What about me?" I ask defensively.

"You're radiating pheromones!" Annie exclaims with a mix of shock and awe in her voice.

"I don't smell anything." Jamie exaggeratedly sniffs around me. "But I'm a beta and we can't smell that stuff, thank Goddess."

"Pheromones?" The word feels foreign on my tongue even though I've been reading about them all day.

"Yeah," Annie confirms with an emphatic nod. "You need pheromone blockers like yesterday."

I cross my arms over my chest, feeling exposed under their scrutinizing gazes. "Okay... And where am I supposed to get those?"

Annie pulls out her phone faster than a gunslinger in an old western movie. "There's this site that sells them," she says while her thumbs fly over the screen. "My mom set up a subscription for me so I get mine monthly in the mail."

"Wait," I interrupt her online shopping spree. "You're telling me that right now I'm some sort of Alpha magnet?"

Jamie snorts. "More like an Alpha stink bomb waiting to go off."

I flop onto the couch, burying my face in my hands. "This is just perfect." My voice is muffled by my palms but laced with enough sarcasm to cut steel.

"Don't worry," Annie says soothingly as she continues browsing on her phone. "We'll get you sorted out."

"And until then?" My question hangs in the air like bad cologne in an elevator—inescapable and slightly nauseating.

Jamie plops down next to me and gives me a side-hug. "Until then? You have us as your personal alpha repellent. Or you can douse yourself in Axe body cologne so you can smell like every other douchebag alpha at school."

"Great," I mutter dryly. "Just what every girl dreams of."

Annie looks up from her phone with a triumphant grin. "Got it! They'll be here tomorrow morning. And I can also give you some of mine because I'm sure I have extras at home."

"Thanks," I say genuinely grateful despite myself.

With blockers on their way and my two best friends at my side, maybe this whole heat ordeal won't be so bad after all—or at least manageable until whatever normalcy means for an Omega can resume.

"Okay," Annie says after putting away her phone. "Plan B: we're having a sleepover right here tonight."

Jamie nods vigorously in agreement. "No way we're leaving you alone while you're emitting Eau de Come Hither."

"Are we expecting an army of alphas to barge through my front door sometime today?" I chuckle despite everything; leave it to these two to make light of even the most awkward situations.

"Just let them try," Annie says with a snort. "Your parents guard you like Fort Knox."

Jamie throws her arms around me and squeals. "Oh, my little puppy is all grown up, having her first heat. I'm so proud."

I jokingly push her away. "Go to hell."

As night falls over Cedar Creek, bringing with it whispers of what lurks within its shadows, I'm oddly comforted by Jamie and Annie's presence—two constants in an ever-changing tapestry of teenage werewolf angst.

For now, surrounded by laughter and occasional complaints about homework, maybe being an Omega isn't such a curse after all—at least not when you have friends who'll stick by you through thick and thin... or heats and k-drama marathons.