Page 74 of Red River

"How are they doing downstairs?"

"Igor’s actually training with Archer. Kinda hard to believe, since he can’t stand him, but hopefully working together will bring them closer. Maybe he’ll finally see that Archer isn’t a monster and that he can trust him."

"Are you going to trust him too?" Oliver murmured, eyeing me.

I blinked, caught off guard, and shot him a mildly accusatory look. But he didn’t back down—just gave me a knowing wink.

I was about to say something snarky but bit my tongue. I remembered how I’d felt standing in that parking lot today—how I’d been ready to snap at Archer and, like an idiot, willing to blame him for the whole situation.

"Not everything can be prevented, and some things just can’t be solved purely through peaceful methods…" I whispered, not even realizing I was saying it out loud. "I can’t pretend my way of seeing things is the only valid one."

Oliver shrugged slightly.

"Oh, doesn’t everybody think that? It’s natural we see things differently. Alphas have their ways, omegas have theirs. Andme? As a beta, I naturally believe everything can be solved through compromise. There’s room for all of these approaches."

I glanced at him from the corner of my eye. He had strongly emphasizedas a beta.That was his natural mindset—he didn’t try to change it. Oliver thought like a beta, I thought like an omega. No matter how much we tried, we couldn’t escape it.

In the end, we all align with what resonates with who we truly are.

"The only problem is when we try to forcibly change others," Oliver added, giving me another meaningful look.

"Igor is an alpha." The words slipped out before I even had time to process them.

I straightened slightly and met Oliver’s gaze.

"He’s never going to be a beta or an omega, and he won’t have the luxury of handling situations the way we would. He’ll face different challenges. I can’t erase that part of him, but…" I hesitated. "I can help push him in the right direction. And the best way to do that… is by letting Archer step in."

Was this truly the moment I accepted Archer’s role for the first time?

Not just on the surface, not just for the sake of being a good, submissive omega, but because there was actually a good reason to do it?

It didn’t mean my approach was wrong—only that different approaches had different functions and their own place.

I glanced at Lake, who was still practicing on his keyboard, his cute little eyebrows drawn together in deep concentration as he tried to hit the right keys. Archer wasn’t pushing his alpha ways on him—that was for sure! He sensed that Lake was different, a little independent artistic soul.

What about me? Inwardly, I had still been trying to apply my omega ways of thinking to Igor.

But I could finally relax—because now, I understood Archer’s intentions more deeply. I actuallyknewhe had chosen the right, appropriate path in dealing with Igor.

Two things could be true at the same time. Simple as that.

Oliver studied me for a long moment, as if debating whether to say something.

"Sometimes, I’m glad I was born a beta. I’m somewhat outside of these dilemmas—raging hormones, mating games, power dynamics. I’m even unable to detect your strange sounds; they’re outside of my hearing abilities. We’re oblivious to so many of your dramas. You AOs… you’re complicated, like life itself."

I raised an amused eyebrow.

"That was… very poetic. You must’ve really thought that one through."

Oliver chuckled.

"Oh, you have no idea. You know, there are idiots in the government trying to activate betas hormonally? They launched some program aimed at forcing a change in us. I’m completely against it. Some things shouldn’t be messed with. Someone has to keep society running while AOs are off dealing with all your…"—he made a dramatic sweeping gesture—"hormonal mating business."

The mention of mating business sent a wave of unexpected thoughts through me.

A slow smirk crept onto my lips.

Maybe tonight was the night to take my relationship with Archer one step further?

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