Page 34 of The Omega Archives: Part Three

“You okay?”

My attention startled up to the person standing directly in front of me. Lucas cocked his head to the side.

I quickly nodded. “Yeah. Fine.”

He didn’t seem to believe me. “They’re pairing off again. We can just sit here if you’d like.”

“Oh. Right.”

Lucas sat down in front of me, carefully laying out his notebook with the worksheet we hadn’t managed to fill out last time. The tension between us was palpable.

I tried to focus on the task at hand, finding our placement within the room, but Lucas’s presence was becoming a bit of a distraction. He smelled like honey and syrup all at once, thick on my taste buds as if I could taste his scent.

I forced myself to look up and meet his gaze.

Lucas’s eyes held a mix of emotions, mirroring the turmoil I felt inside. His hand hovered uncertainly between us before he finally placed it on my arm, a gesture that sent a shiver down my spine.

Gently, I slid my arm back away.

“Sorry,” he yanked his hand back.

“It’s ok.”

He rubbed the back of his neck. “I don’t know why I did that.”

I shook my head again.It’s ok, was back on my lips in an instant, but this time, I didn’t say it.

“I designated late.”

I blinked at him. “What?”

“I designated as an alpha kinda late compared to everyone else,” Lucas explained in somewhat greater detail. I wasn’t sure why exactly he was telling me this. “I get what it is like to come off the academy a little older than everyone else. It was hard at first trying to fit in and find a groove so to speak.”

Oh.I stared at him for a moment, taking in his vulnerability as he told me all of this, eyes kind and understanding as he sat in front of me while everyone else around us was talking and laughing as if they didn’t have a care in the world. I bet he wished he was with one of the other omegas right now.

“I didn’t just designate,” I admitted.

“You didn’t… oh. I feel a little stupid then,” he said. “If you transferred in or something.”

I sighed. “I didn’t transfer in.”

His brows lowered over his eyes. “Oh.”

Was I getting into this? With a deeper sigh, I reached for the worksheet between us.

“What is your favorite class from the academy?” I wrinkled my nose at the generic question.

“This is when I’m supposed to say something like advanced mathematics or business,” Lucas interrupted my scowl.

“Really?” He nodded. “Then I’m supposed to say something like housekeeping?”

“You’re a natural. Who said you needed to come to this place?” Lucas chuckled. “You don’t seem like the other omegas here.”

Lucas's words caught me off guard, and I couldn't help but raise an eyebrow at his observation. What did he mean by that? Was it a compliment or a critique?

I struggled to respond, unsure of how to interpret his comment.

“Not in a bad way,” he said, seeing my confusion. “I just mean you seem more…”

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