Page 31 of Altius
“I know. So, prepare yourself, little brother.” I stroked the top of his head. “This will be your reality soon enough.”
“Ugh, don’t remind me.” He straightened his headband, then paused. “Actually, can Cal recommend a new designation counselor for me? I don’t like my university-assigned one.”
“Sure, I’ll ask,” I said, picking up my phone to add a reminder. “And you could always try mine. Chantal’s taken excellent care of me, even though I’m pretty much a nightmare patient. She’s also got an excellent reputation for pack matching. At the very least, she can help figure out if one of the counselors at Harborview might be a better fit for you.”
“I thought you were going to suggest Cal,” he said, stifling a yawn.
I set my phone down with a laugh. “Do you really want your prospective future brother-in-law to know everything about your sex life?”
The bright hue of his green eyes intensified. “Wow. You guys are that serious?”
“Getting there. At least, I think we are. Slowly. Very slowly.”
“But he’ll be at your next heat, right?” He sighed, cuddling deeper under the covers. “Fucking lucky. Pheromone stud boyfriend. Reunited with your gymnastics prince. A whole pack of handsome guys that will go above and beyond the call of duty to make your heat amazing.”
“Whoa—whoa. I do not have guys, nor are they coming to my heat. Just Cal.”
“But it’ssoobvious they’re into you, Morgan.”
“That’s their problem.”
Rory rolled onto his stomach, digging an elbow into the body pillow to prop himself up. “What if I was in a similar situation?”
“I don’t do hypotheticals.”
“Seriously, that’s bullshit. If a patient came to you saying there was a pack interested in them, but they weren’t sure about having them participate in their heat, what would your advice be? The same thing you always tell me.” He leaned closer, staring deep into my eyes. “Trust your omega.”
“Which you should—when picking your own partners. Not mine. You don’t need to worry about me.”
“I’m not worried,” he said emphatically. “I’m frustrated. Every time I see you with one of those guys, it feels right. It’s like looking at Audra and her mates. My instincts say that you’re a match.”
“That’s very touching, but—”
“Would you mind if I dated Landon Choi?”
I rolled my eyes.
Rory’s tactics were too obvious. He wouldn’t get me to admit I felt the same connection between Audra and her mates. Or that he and Landon had all the romantic chemistry of a pile of wet newspapers.
“That’s none of my business,” I said flatly. “I’m not policing your love life.”
Rory nodded, but the wheels were turning in his rascally brain, quickly coming up with fresh bait to dangle in front of me. “I think Wyatt’s gorgeous.”
“That’s the general consensus. And I’m turning off the light in ten seconds.”
“Okay.”
Rory obediently closed his eyes, but his mouth was puckered, the telltale sign he was still plotting something.
Hoping that if I turned out the light before he started advocating on Wyatt’s behalf, too, I reached over—only to be sideswiped by the last thing I ever expected my baby brother to say.
“I’m going to ask Alijah out.”
Every instinct wanted me to lunge at Rory, determined to scratch his eyes out. How dare he covet my beta.
“No.”
The strength of my possessive snarl took us both by surprise. I clamped my hand over my mouth and stared at him in shock.
