Healer For Alpha

Hang On

{ Lunanci }

I’m currently driving back to Tallahide after spending two days in Fallonmore. And not only that, I just had a nice breakfast with some of Rio's family.

I managed to meet two of his aunts and another omega uncle.

Rosie is the most adorable person I have ever met in my entire life, Andy is shy and calm, plus beautiful and perfect like all the omegas I have met. Mallory is Rosie's wife and Isabelle's daughter. And Oliver was also there of course, he’s just as cool as the last time I saw him.

They all know about everything that has happened with me and Rio. They told me they are this cool exclusive group and that supposedly they’re perfect at keeping secrets... however, Andy told his husband about me, Oliver also told his husband about me. Their gossipy husbands told the other alphas and that's how everyone now knows that Rio 'has a girlfriend' including Rio's parents.

Fortunately, no one talked about details about me, nothing about me not being a full wolf. Or even about our bond. But it's still nerve wracking to know that everyone knows about me. Rio is going to hate that.

These last two days I've been living with Isabelle and learning a LOT of things. I used to consider myself some kind of expert but I really didn’t know anything at all. I spent those two days trying to build up my mental strength and apparently I’m improving. Isabelle sent me back to Tallahide with seven books I have to read before I meet her again. Seven. Seven big ass books.

But it's not like I have much to do anyway and I loved every second of being with her, so now I'm driving back home happily.

And yes, Tallahide is my home now.

I get out of Rio's car and walk to Aaron's house carrying the books. I have to ring the doorbell with my nose, but as soon as Alex opens the door, he comes over to help me.

"How is everyone?" Alex asks me as we walk over to drop the books on the coffee table, "Everything okay?"

We sit on the couch and I give him a full recap, trying not to feel anything for my non-mate's twin. It's getting harder and harder.

Even though with each passing day Alex seems less and less like Rio to me, they are still 80% identical and I can't help but feel things. Like how much I miss Rio and how much I want to just hug him. But Alex doesn't like hugs. Like, at all.

Besides the small physical differences between the two of them, they are also very different personality wise.

While Rio is like a dumb bee buzzing through life, ruining things and then stupidly trying to fix them, not knowing how to do it, complaining, being a big presence everywhere he is, commanding attention without even trying and being a brute.... Alex is quieter. He's methodical, he's an observer, a confident go-getter instead of a disastrous over-thinker like Rio. Alex has very concise plans and has been following them without looking back. And it’s pretty impressive, to be honest.

He gave me permission to do a session with him and I understood him more deeply. There is so much envy inside him, so much jealousy and pain. And self-loathing. Self-destruction. He hates everything that makes him himself. He is a determined man and once he has an idea in his head, he will follow it to the end.

He's been at the academy for two months. He doesn't like it, but he will follow through. He hates being away from Rio and his family, but he will follow through.

There was so much deep sadness in him that it took me longer than usual to heal him, but I did. Even then, Alex refuses to change. So there is not much that can be done. I tried to talk to his wolf, but he was nowhere to be found.

We decided to live together after knowing each other for twenty minutes, I tried asking Aaron if he knew of any place and he said he was looking for a roommate, so that's how we ended up living here. In this cute one story house with Aaron.

I thought things would be awkward with Alex, but they haven't been at all. Ever since I showed up in his life, Alex decided he was going to take care of me. He even calls me his sister-in-law. We sleep in the same room because Alex only had one available and since then, there have been several very awkward moments because of me, especially in the middle of the night, but we've decided we're not going to talk about it.

I also met Alex's mate, Zion. Zion came to the house one day after we moved in, growling and demanding that 'Rio' come home, but Alex managed to shoo him away after a while and make him understand that this was his new home and to 'f**k off'.

I was there, watching everything from the kitchen and I could feel their bond and notice how much they belong together. Alex loves Zion. Zion loves Alex. But Alex keeps denying his omega nature and that makes it impossible for him to accept Zion.

Even with how damn hot he is.

"Hey, guys," Aaron says suddenly as he comes out of his room in his uniform just like the one Alex is wearing. He reaches over to bump Alex's fist and then comes over to kiss my cheek like he does every morning, "When did you get back?"

"I just got back, I have a lot of homework," I say, pointing to the books, "You're both going to the academy?”

"Yeah, we have to go right now," Alex replies, getting up from the couch, "Have fun reading, Luna. We'll see you later."

Aaron nods and hits Alex's back, making him let out a groan before they leave together. Aaron still thinks 'Rio' is an alpha so he treats him like one.

After being inside Alex's head, I know that no matter how hard he tries to convince himself otherwise, there is a big part of him that hates being treated like this. He hates being disrespected by alphas. He really needs to get out of his toxic mindset before he hurts himself even more, but I know that I can't push the issue. Alex is not someone who takes advice. Ever.

While Rio needs guidance to survive and would love if I tell him which foot to move with every step he takes, Alex clams up as soon as I even try to suggest he do something.

All these days I have been trying to convince him to talk to Rio, but Alex still refuses. He still feels less than his brother and doesn't want to see him or even talk to him. This is a disaster.

And I... I'm surviving, just like I said I would. But I still miss Rio every day. And every night. God, the nights are the worst. Sleeping next to his twin is hell.

I sigh and grab a book before lying down on the couch to do my homework.

➿➿➿➿

I wake up the next day with a male back in my face. For a second, I forget. Again.

"What happened to your back, huh?" I ask in a whisper, raising a hand to stroke the bruises on his back. I even reach over to kiss them better... he smells different.

"Lunanci, you're doing it again," Alex warns and I stop kissing his back immediately, sitting up to make sure I won't touch him again. Alex starts chuckling, "There were combat classes yesterday in the academy. It was a giant s**t show."

"Why? What happened?" I ask, looking down at him as he lies on his back. The way he's lying there is very graceful and sensual, but I wouldn't dare to ever say it because I don't want to offend him. But that totally isn't Rio's big alpha body lying there. It’s an omega. A very sensual one.

"Well, Laurie decided to gift me with his presence. Zee was there too because that class was taught by seniors," he grunts as if he's remembering, "The two of them joined forces to embarrass me. Zee tried to get me out of the class. Laurie tried to force the younger beta to be the one to fight me. Of course, I refused that."

"So you fought an alpha?"

"I did," he replies with a satisfied smile but then it turns into a grimace, "And he kicked my ass. I mean, he's two years older than me... and I managed to get him good once or twice. Still, Zee ended the fight earlier than necessary. He also followed me to the showers to make sure I was alone. I can't stand him, he's such a f*****g asshole. However... once the seniors left, my beloved classmates grabbed me to beat me up as a little joke. But of course Laurie had to f**k it all up. He subdued them all and made a f*****g scene that made everything worse."

"What?" I gasp, putting a hand on my chest even though he just rolls his eyes, "Why did they do that? Why are they beating you?!"

"It's just innocent hazing, they always pick on the littlest one," he mumbles like it's no big deal, "Laurent shouldn't have used his dominant power against everyone, he should have let it go because they're just innocent pranks and I've seen them do it to other people. But he always wants to make it clear that they can't touch me. He's trying to sabotage me."

"Hey, he's just looking out for you," I say. Never in my life did I think I'd be defending Laurie, but here I am, "Alex... how much longer are you going to keep..."

"I have to go," he says, getting out of bed to end the conversation. I roll my eyes. He’s beyond impossible. And I thought Rio was difficult, "I'll see you later, my horny sister-in-law."

"Shut up," I whine and throw a pillow at him as he gets into the bathroom. I lay back down and stay that way even once he comes out and starts getting dressed.

Being around Alex has helped me with missing Rio because when I'm like this, just... staring at the ceiling while this man is getting dressed near me, it feels like I'm with him, which is nice. Except then I end up inappropriately touching Alex during the night or climbing on his lap all of a sudden and that's not good at all.

Once Alex leaves, I get out of bed and walk out of the room. Surprisingly, Aaron is sitting on the couch, wearing his PJs and eating cereal in front of the TV, "Hey, don't you have classes today?"

"Nop, we seniors have the day off," he explains and I just nod before walking to the kitchen to make something to eat. Usually Aaron is gone every morning so I've never been alone with him like this, with no Alex around, "Come sit with me."

"Okay," I mumble and once I finish making my oatmeal, I do just that. Aaron is a nice guy, living with him has been pretty comfortable and when we're all together the energy feels fun and easy, but sometimes he throws some flirty vibes my way and I don't know how to deal with them.

"So... Zion keeps asking me about you and what your relationship with Rio is," he says, turning to look at me, "And I don't even know what to tell him."

"You really shouldn't talk about Rio with Zion, they had a fight," I reply, evading the topic.

"During the same time you showed up asking about him, huh?" he asks, "What are you hiding, Lunanci? You've always been so mysterious and interesting to me."

Here he goes again.

"I'm actually not that interesting," I laugh awkwardly and eat faster so I can get back to my room. Aaron is looking at me like he always does, like he's trying to decipher a puzzle, "How's everything?"

"It's fine, same old same old," he replies, "Since we have the day off, the guys in my class want to go out and treat the freshmen to lunch as an apology for yesterday's class... do you want to go with me? With us?"

I shouldn't because maybe that would send mixed messages, but I'll always be excited about meeting more werewolves, so I accept.

"Great. We're leaving at one," he says and gets up from the couch with a friendly smile. Aaron is very cute and so far the most respectful and calm alpha I've met. If I wasn't in love with Rio maybe I'd be interested, "I'm going to leave you alone to continue studying, Healer."

"Thank you, Alpha," I reply and I immediately regret it, mentally punching myself in the face when his eyes get heavy. Alex told me, 'don't go around calling him Alpha like that! It's intimate, he'll think you're hitting on him' And I just did it again, "I have so much studying to do! Gosh!"

I nervously stand up and walk over to the table where my books are sitting. Aaron stays in the same spot for a couple more seconds but then he goes back to his room.

God, I'm so dumb. I need to remember that. Don't call anyone Alpha or Omega unless their wolf is the one who's out, in which case it's respectful. But when they're just in human form it's like foreplay dirty talk and I need to stop!

I feel incredibly guilty even if I did it without that intention. I'm sure MY Alpha would be pissed if he knew I did that... several times.

I grab one of the books and go lock myself in my room so I don't have to see Aaron again, until it's one in the afternoon and Aaron knocks on my door. I open the door, dressed and ready.

"Hey, you look beautiful," he says, looking at me with a smile. It's a dirty smile. Not dirty in a predatory way, but dirty like: you called me Alpha so now I think you want me to f**k you, "Let's get going?"

"Yep. Thanks," I reply softly and grab his arm because he stretches it out to me, but I hate myself with every step I take. This is clearly a guy flirting with me. And I shouldn't even let him think he can do that, but I'm afraid things are going to get weird. I've been living with him for over a week now and he's never said anything too explicit so I guess I just need to keep things light and friendly and stop calling him Alpha.

Light and friendly, I said, but then I end up sitting at a table with Aaron next to me even though there's like fifteen seats available.

"Where are your friends?" I ask, trying to move my chair away from his subtly.

"They're going to be here any minute, I guess. But really, they'll all be arriving around one-thirty," he admits, looking at me with a sheepish smile. He’s seriously cute. Again, if I didn't have an Alpha, I'd be all over him, "I wanted to spend a little alone time with you. We haven't spent much time just the two of us since that day in the woods."

Sadly, I'm pretty much spoken for.

"Yeah, uh...” I have to. I'm about to make this weird. But Aaron comes a little closer, putting his arm on the back of my chair and touching my hair, "So, Aaron, you know I think you’re a great guy and I'm grateful that you let me and Rio live with you..."

"Oh, no. That tone isn't very promising," he grimaces and that makes me laugh a little, "You're about to friend-zone me, aren’t you?”

"Yeah?" I say, grimacing just like him.

"After you've been alpha-zoning me for a full week?" He continues, though he doesn't sound annoyed, just maybe a little confused.

"God, I'm so sorry about that," I blurt out and look away for a moment because I'm so embarrassed, but when I glance at the window my eyes immediately connect with someone who looks... wild, "Oh fuck."

Rio stops his angry walk as soon as he sees me, but then his eyes move to the side, towards Aaron and I know I'm in trouble.