The Light in Us

4. Fallon

4

Fallon

I go with them to the mixer. They surround me at all times, giving me their full attention. I don’t meet anyone else, but that’s okay.

I’m tired. It’s been a long day.

And when they’re standing at my door to take me for breakfast the next day, I don’t argue.

Nor when they walk me to my first class, Rory snagging my timetable as they match it up with theirs.

This is what having friends feels like , I remind myself.

And there aren’t nearly as many omegas here as I’d hoped. Only one or two, and all of them already mated.

Rory, Shaun and Ellis are… nice. They take care of me. Make sure I’m not overwhelmed, make sure I’m fed as the first few weeks of college slip by in a haze of timetables and reading. Sometimes they even join me for my nightly call to my mom and dad, chatting with my mom about what we’ve been doing and how they’re looking after me.

My mom is happy.

They’re happy.

My dad… not so much.

“Fallon.” His voice is cautious as I step away from Rory one night. I can feel his eyes on my back as I move across my room. They’ve made themselves comfortable here, often wandering in and out. Giving him a sheepish smile, I slip into my nest for some privacy. “You’re spending a lot of time with that pack. What was their pack name again?”

“Smith.” I settle down onto a nest of blankets. “It’s fine, dad. They’re… nice.”

“Nothing else?”

Frowning, I answer his question. “No. It’s not like that. We’re just friends.”

There’s nothing else between the four of us. Sometimes, I think I catch Rory looking at me, but my stomach flips and churns, and I turn away. I don’t have those sorts of feelings for them. And – I’d never tell them – but sometimes their scents feel… overwhelming. Almost sickly.

My father stays silent.

“Dad.” I start to laugh. “I promise, I’m not going to be mated by the time you pick me up for Christmas.”

He laughs too, but it’s subdued. “Actually, we were thinking of driving up this weekend. There’s an exhibition your mom would like to see in the city. Maybe we could take you out for dinner, just the three of us?”

My heart leaps inside my chest. “ Yes. Yes please.”

I miss my parents. More than I’ll ever admit to them, after all of the support they gave to get me here.

“And you’re enjoying the course still?”

This time, my smile is real, spreading across my face. “I love the course, dad.”

I’m doing what I want to do. One day, I’m going to be a book editor. And if college isn’t everything I expected it to be, it doesn’t matter. “You didn’t tell me that some of my tutors taught you .”

My dad’s laugh is more real this time. “You wanted to do it on your own, sweetheart. And you are. I’m so proud of you, you know. See you on Friday – we’ll aim to be with you for around seven.”

“Okay.” My smile stretches across my face. “I can’t wait to see you.”

“Love you, kiddo.”

“Love you too.”

I end the call, jumping at the sound of Rory’s voice. “Your dad is coming here?”

I glance up, startled. Rory has pushed the door open to my nest. He’s looking in, his feet on the edge of the doorway, and I drag my blanket over to wrap around myself in a sudden burst of self-consciousness, tucking my hair behind my ear. “Uh. Yeah. Friday.”

“Great.” My throat tightens as he takes a step inside. Another. “Where are we eating?”

Flustered, I don’t say anything as he toes off his shoes and walks straight over the mattress on the floor. His scent fills my nose, sharp and familiar as he settles beside me.

I’ve never had anyone else inside my nest before.

I’m not sure I like it.

“Oh. Actually… I think my dad wanted it to be just us. I won’t be late, though.”

I glance up at him sheepishly, my fingers gripping the blanket. “You don’t mind, right?”

His face tightens for the barest instant. But then it relaxes into his familiar smile, and I feel like an idiot for being so… on edge. “Of course not. That’ll be nice.”

“Yeah,” I admit. “I think they want to check in on me.”

Rory flicks my nose. “That’s because you need to be checked on. Good job you have us.”

He flops onto his back, and I startle when he pulls me down beside him. But his hold is loose, his fingers soft as they run through my hair. “This is cozy. I like your nest, Fallon.”

When I don’t respond, his hold tightens. “You don’t mind, right? I’m not invading?”

I wet my lips. “No. You’re fine.”

He was already upset that they weren’t invited to dinner. I can give him this.

I’m glad that I have them.

Even navigating this single relationship takes up so much energy, I barely have time for anything else. Classwork and the Smith pack is about all I have the battery to maintain.

I never knew that it would be this exhausting.

But they do look after me.

I turn my head to look at Rory as his grip loosens, his fingers still tangled in my hair.

He’s asleep, his arm still wrapped around me. We’ve all been working long hours this week, our professors putting on the pressure now that we’ve settled in. Ellis and Shaun are still buried in the library, even though it’s getting late.

I lay beside him, trying to keep my breathing quiet as I stare at the ceiling.

This is fine.

It’s not even my proper nest, not like at home. Just a resting space, really. And he would leave if I asked him to. But… I don’t want to put that tension between us. I already asked them to leave, once, when it was getting late and Shaun and Ellis were sprawled across my bed, studying. And it hurt their feelings.

I haven’t asked since. I don’t mind sharing my space with them.

But the tension in my body doesn’t ease, not for the hour that he sleeps beside me.

And not in the days that follow.