Healer For Alpha

Gently Light

"So, how have things been between you two?" Rio asks casually, putting his arm around my shoulders to hug me again, as he has been doing all day. Kingsley gives us a curious look, "Do you guys still fight all the time like I remember?”

"I wish. We're so busy lately we don't even have time to fight anymore,” he says with a pout and drops his body to the left to fully lay on the couch. God, this guy. His every move is so graceful.

I don't know if I want to punch him or be him. Probably the latter.

We politely chat with King for a while until his phone rings with a call and Rio takes advantage of that to start moving our stuff into a room.

It's much smaller than our room at the hotel, but it's okay. The bed is big, there's furniture and it's perfectly decorated like the rest of the apartment, as if they hired a professional to do it.

I plop down on the bed while Rio starts taking out his things to put them in the closet or on the dresser. When he's done with his stuff he proceeds with mine as if it's normal... and I guess it is, we've been living together for a long time. In my ugly apartment and then in hotels, but this is the first time this feels homey. Like we're actually living together and not just cohabitating or traveling.

It's very weird because my stomach feels with butterflies while I watch Rio.

I really like how this feels.

Since we've been in Tallahide I haven't been able to compartmentalize my feelings for him. It used to be easy to think of Rio as two people, him and his wolf, but since we've been here Rio's energy has been more combined. His wolf is more present all the time and now I can't see Rio as just a friend. That has the potential of being very problematic and ruin our easy friendship.

"What did you think about King?" He asks suddenly, still working.

"He's nice. And obviously gorgeous," I roll my eyes. God, I've never been a jealous or envious person, not even when I was cheated on. But now I can't help but compare myself to Rio’s old crush and notice how different we look, "Are all omegas like that?"

"Kingsley is a dominant omega, so he's a little more intimidating than the others, but to be honest, all omegas are gorgeous," he admits, then mumbles: “Except my b***h brother... no, I didn't really mean that. Now I feel bad. He's gorgeous too, I just hate him."

I can't help but laugh and forget about my jealousy for a moment. I would love to meet Alex, to see Rio's counterpart and study how different is an omega from an alpha who look exactly the same.

Rio plops down on the bed next to me a few seconds later and our bodies melt together at the same time, my arms go around his waist and my head falls on his chest while he just holds me.

He asks me how I feel about this arrangement once again and I tell him I'm fine. I don't think it's necessary to express how I really feel about having to be around King all the time, it's not like he can do anything to fix my feelings anyway. And besides, I don't want him to accuse me of being jealous again. Even if he’s right.

"What would you like to do around the clan these days?" Rio asks me and I think for a while. I have no idea what to do. I'd really like to hang out with more wolves, get to know them, maybe create a connection or two, but I don't think Rio would agree to that, so we spend a while brainstorming about things we could do.

A while later, someone knocks on our door. Rio grunts and gets up to open it.

Laurie is out there, looking much less threatening than when he was sitting across from me.

"Heeey buddy, I brought food for everyone… can we have dinner together?" He asks, sounding extremely pleasant and even sweet. Rio sighs and looks at me with the question in his eyes. Laurie looks in as well and I can see his eyes narrow for a second with distrust before forcing himself to look normal again as they both wait for my answer.

Laurent is someone who wants and IS going to kill me at some point, any normal person would be terrified… but I've been prepared to die for weeks.

I also know he's nothing but a cocky rich kid just like Rio and because of that, I'm not that scared for him as person. As long as Rio wants to keep me alive, Laurie is going to respect that.

So, I nod and we all walk to the table to start eating what Laurie brought, like one big dysfunctional family.

This time Laurie's energy is not as heavy as it was a while ago so I don’t feel too scared to look at his young, extremely pretty face. His hair is damp as if he just showered and he’s sitting next to his beautiful little mate, softly holding his hand.

My fear is slowly deciding to disappear, just like when I first met Rio. These people don't really feel evil, just... slightly immoral, maybe. And with good reason, if I’m being honest. I would also kill to protect a secret this big.

So I just breathe and give myself permission to fill my plate with mashed potatoes, meat and vegetables, just like everyone else. The last thing I need is to be shitting myself in fear every second of living in this place, I'm just going to be respectful and nice and enjoy the rest of my days.

"Grandpa is coming to the clan tomorrow, by the way,” Laurie breaks the silence while we're eating, "You can go talk to him."

"Did you already tell him I want to talk?"

"No, I haven't talked to him. My father just told me he'd be here tomorrow for a routine checkup. I'll have an meeting with him to show him how things are going, so you can take the opportunity to tell him whatever it is you want to tell him, just... it has nothing to do with this right?"

'This' being me, because he gives me a quick look.

"No, it's about something else," Rio assures and relaxes a little, "Thanks for telling me. My mother is around here too?"

"I think she went back to Fallonmore yesterday," Laurie answers. Kingsley just watches them with weirdness in his eyes, maybe he can feel the tension just like I can. Even I know this tense interaction isn't normal because I've heard how they usually talk. This is awkward.

"Hm, so, how is everyone?" Rio asks, moving his food from side to side without eating much. I give myself the liberty to put my free hand on his leg. Rio feels conflicted about this situation, it's like he wants to forgive Laurie and go back to their usual easy, fun friendship, but he still feels too hurt.

"Things have been fine, the only drama is... Alex's disappearance and your emancipation. Other than that, everyone's focused on my clan," Laurie shrugs.

"And how do you feel about that?"

"Fine, dude. If it were up to me I'd leave all the burden to them," he replies with a tired breath, "But it's not even that bad, right, baby? People seem to love me and they're excited about how things are going now. Christian was a shitty alpha."

"Yeah, people have accepted us extremely well," Kingsley says with a slight smile as if relieved about that, "Luckily, we haven't had any blacklash for killing Christian, maybe because he doesn't have much of a family."

"What about his brother?"

"I don't have a good feeling about him at all, he's still living here but he seems to have accepted my arrival," Laurent shrugs, "He's in charge of the club, you know? Uh..."

"Oh, right," Rio blurts out, his voice sounding very curious all of a sudden, "You never took me to that place, by the way. You just got my hopes up..."

"Neither of you are ever stepping foot in that place again so don't even try to convince Laurent to take you because I'm going to be pissed," Kingsley threatens in a hard, authoritative voice that makes me stay still. Rio throws his hands up in surrender and I just wonder what they're talking about, "The only reason I'm not shutting the place down is because I don't want to piss that guy off even more."

"It’s a good idea," Rio blurts out, though he still sounds like he's thinking about that mysterious place.

"Hm," Laurie nods and we all keep eating in awkward silence once again.

"So, Lunanci, what do you think about us so far?" Kingsley asks me, setting his eyes on me again, resting his head on one hand in a graceful motion that almost seems practiced for how seductive it is. God, am I being seduced by this being?

"Uhm, about the two of you or the entire werewolf community?"

"Both."

"Well, you're nice," I answer without looking at Laurie because I don't mean him at all, "And the rest of the clan, well, I love it so far. I can, you know, feel energy. And the energy in this place is amazing, really good.”

"Oh, right, that's so interesting," he blurts out, not taking his eyes off me for a second, "You're like a healer or something, aren't you? That’s what Rio calls you.”

I look at Rio before answering because I don't want him to get all pissy again.

"She is," he answers for me.

"Is she?" Laurent asks, his eyes narrowing at me with distrust once again, "That has always been a little suspicious to me."

"Laurent," Rio says with a warning tone.

"I'm not being rude, I'm just interested in this," he defends himself, although he is very clearly being rude, "Prove it. Heal me."

'What am I going to heal? Your shitty personality?' That's what I would say if I wasn't afraid he could launch himself at me to break my neck.

"I'm retired at the moment, I'm so sorry," I say, trying to sound respectful but I think I actually sounded sarcastic because his green eyes narrow even more.

"Well, if you actually had a gift like Rio says, that's not something you can turn off. He says you can talk to his wolf in his head, but that's not something that just happens," he spits, sounding suspicious. If only he knew, "Try talking to mine."

"What?! Absolutely not," King refuses, frowning and looking at his mate with annoyance, "I don't want anyone else talking to my Alpha, what's wrong with you?"

"King, she's obviously not going to be able to do it," Laurie rolls his eyes, putting a hand on his back to calm him down. As I watch them, I sense something weird between them, something almost tangible and heavy, "I mean... maybe. Who knows, right? If Rio says she's super friendly with his wolf, I want her to try it with me too."

"She doesn't want to and I'm not liking your tone, so cool it and let this go," Rio defends me, putting a protective hand in front of me. Laurie watches him with narrowed eyes but again takes a deep breath and forces herself to look nice again.

That dinner was incredibly awkward, but we managed to flee back to our room after that.

I hear Rio complaining about Laurie for a while, but I can't even talk s**t about him too because I keep thinking about how I felt while King and Laurie were interacting.

I think that feels like the bond I felt in Rio's head between him and his brother, but way deeper. I think I was feeling their fated mates bond and now I can't stop thinking about it.

When me and Rio are together, the energy doesn’t feel like that.

"Lunanci? Are you awake?" Alpha asks a while later when we’re both inside the bed with the lights turned off. For the first time, I decide to ignore him, so I don't answer anything. I need to keep thinking.

I keep my back to him and control my breathing for a few seconds until he gives up and just hugs me.

Now that I have a real and undeniable pair of fated mates right next door, I can study them and finally figure out if Alpha is right or wrong.

I can find out if we're really fated like he says or if it's just something he thinks.

I also need to find another wolf I can talk to, because apparently King or Laurie won't be good candidates for that.

I need to meet someone else, another wolf. If I can talk to him too... and Rio and I don't have a palpable bond like the other fated mates... I think that will give me the answer that Alpha is completely wrong.

"I know you're still awake, but I'll leave you alone tonight if that's what you want," Alpha says in my ear, making me shiver, "I love you."

God.