Page 67 of For All My Effort

“If I was willing to switch schools, I would have done that back when it made my mates’ lives easier. I just hate all the attention. And I know agreeing would have made Aidan’s relationship with his mom better.”

“Uh.” I wasn’t sure about that last part, but Koda was going strong, so I was switching from an advisory friend role to a completely supportive one. “Okay. I like that plan.”

“You don’t think it’s dumb? Like I should just do the classes at home and make it easier on everyone?”

“I don’t think that’s easier for anyone. Maybe for your mates since they’ll know you’re safe all the time. Would you be happy being at home all day, every day? How strong are your nesting instincts?”

“Even if I went remote, I wouldn’t stay home. I’d go to a shop or a library or something.”

“It’s probably better that you stay at Braker, then. At least you’ll have the safety of being on campus. Something.”

Despite her verbal commitment, I heard her groan, obviously still conflicted on what to do.

“Do you have to make a decision now?” I asked.

“No. It was an open-ended offer. I just wanted to make it now. I didn’t want this option hanging over my head like mistletoe at a stranger’s party.”

I chuckled at that comment. “If only major life decisions could be simple.”

“I know, right?”

For the next few minutes Koda and I talked about lighter topics. Some of which I didn’t understand at all since she was complaining about an assignment on exoplanets and how she wanted her focus to be on blackholes. I knew about the latter, but the former was like gibberish to me. We jumped around from topic to topic, catching up, commenting on each other’s stories.

The whole time, Zeke stayed on the couch with me, his head leaning against the back cushion with his eyes closed. Under the blanket, his hands continued to run over my feet and ankles, so I knew he wasn’t asleep.

At some point, all of my other mates had kissed my head, forehead, and cheek before disappearing. It was over an hour later that Koda and I finally hung up. My mouth was weirdly dry from all the talking and when I got up to drink some water, I drank the whole glass without stopping before refilling it and finally feeling better.

Koda’s predicament at BA was more proof that the omega and beta struggles were intertwined. My mates were right in saying we needed the designations to come together. At the minimum, we could all agree that no new pack laws should be created. None barring betas from packs or limiting omega whereabouts.

What the next step would be, I didn’t know. I wanted to help betas maintain their rights, but was it better to lift up the betas to equal status of alphas and then work on omegas, or start with omegas since we were so far behind and bring us up to the level of betas?

I was going around in circles. This but that. That then this. This and that.

Representative Adam was a bad alpha, a designation elitist, and an overall manipulative asshole. But he saw his opportunity and took it. He created a plan and we somehow fell right into it. We just needed to figure out how to climb the hell out.

Chapter Eighteen

One week later

My laptop was suddenly closed, my head jerking up to see Han standing above me, a secret smile on his face. I had already finished my homework for the day and Han had left to get us a snack as I switched to my secret laptop.

For better or worse, my mod was getting a lot of attention. I was trying to explain to all the commenters that I didn’t want betas to stop fighting for their rights, just that I wanted the omegas and betas to join together.

We had a month left until the permanent movement vote and I was still struggling to get the betas on this forum to ban together. I was going into chats where betas were planning protests demanding a separate area for themselves and reminding them that they were leaving the omegas behind. Omegas that would side with their proper inclusion in packs and society. I was posting on my own page, asking omegas to reach out to me, to give me a chance to provide them with a voice. Despite all the traction, I didn’t have any messages from omegas.

It wasn’t all a loss. I had a small following of betas, even a few alphas, that were wanting to help. The group was small, though. We could form an event with good numbers, but the goal wasn’t just to promote omega rights. Getting everyone to work together was feeling impossible.

“It’s time for a date night,” Han said.

My immediate reaction was to argue. I’d hurried through my classes so I could focus on this specifically, but my mate’s smile had me keeping the words to myself. He looked so excited, and I wasn’t going to be the reason he lost that happy vibe.

Setting my secret laptop on top of my school one, Han handed me a drink and I realized he had gone out and gotten us smoothies for a snack. My tastebuds immediately watered in anticipation, and I didn’t hesitate to take a sip.

Like last time, I could see the flecks of the authentic vanilla bean flavor, only when I took a sip, I almost choked on the drink. It didn’t taste nearly as good as the last one and I had no idea why. I struggled to even swallow the sip I’d taken.

“Thank you,” I told him, holding my drink although not taking another sip.

Han laughed, then offered me his drink which he hadn’t even tried yet. I felt bad taking it, especially since I figured he’d picked out a flavor for himself that he liked, but he started sipping mine, so I tried his. Immediately the mix of peanut butter and coffee hit my tongue. It was so good. I was pretty sure this one would be my favorite of all time.

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