Page 32 of Leave Me
“Didn’t you say it’s more common after a shifter presents their secondary gender? Especially for you as an alpha. Like your alpha wants an omega?”
“Yeah, but he doesn’t shift, and he’s not an omega!” I cried out and then lowered my voice. Gramps and Uncle Clark had machinery going, but they’d hear a yell. “He’s almost twenty-eight; he would have presented years ago, in his teens.”
“Matty didn’t,” Hudson pointed out, and his logic struck me. Matty was twenty-one, almost twenty-two, when he had his first heat and learned he had shifter blood. “And you said yourself that Riley isn’t a full shifter.”
“Fuck. I need to think about that.”
“You do that and get back to me. I want you to be happy.” Hudson breathed out a sigh and added, “Miss you, butthead.”
“Miss you too, man.”
Walking into the Lake High School gym again, thinking about what Hudson and I had talked about, I was anxious to see Riley. Was he my mate? And what did that mean for him and his secondary gender?
Feeling anxious wasn’t a normal emotion for me. I’d always been self-assured, and transitioning in San Francisco meant I had grown into my confidence in a place where I was accepted. High school wasn’t hard, academically or socially. I was in sports, my packmates were built-in friends, and with a few exceptions, I hadn’t had to deal with much bullying. I spent my time taking care of Riley and cleaning up after Ricky and Rel’s antics.
Memories of the boys getting pissed when I beat them in PE made me smirk as I looked around for the one person I wanted to see most. We only had one hundred or so graduates in the class, but it looked like over half were in attendance, and most of them had a plus-one. The gym looked like it had been painted and a new floor added, but otherwise it was the same.
Rubbing at the nametag on my chest as I waited by the entrance, I was glad to see it was my chosen name, printed out for everyone to see. I hadn’t been planning to come, but Cara had made the name tag for me after seeing me at the picnic, and I was taken aback at how much easier it had been to be in Blue Lake than I expected.
Pulling my phone out to see if Riley had replied to my message about being on my way, I saw he’d messaged back that he was leaving soon. I’d offered to give him a ride, but he said he was running late and would drive his mom’s car.
Riley had hardly left my mind since I’d seen him last, and I’d endured the subtle ribbing from Gramps after stopping to drop off a rotisserie chicken so his mom could make soup. My wolf had insisted we needed to feed Riley, and I was happy to do something that might help.
Texting that I’d made it and was inside, I hit send right as Ricky and Rel showed up to offer me a drink.
“Did you spike the punch?” I asked, sniffing the cup but not smelling any liquor.
“Naw, we’re all driving home,” Ricky shrugged, and I thought of his dad. Both of us were likely more cautious with alcoholics for fathers.
“Is Riley coming?” Rel asked with a barely repressed smirk. They had almost certainly smelled my arousal at the bar, and Riley hadn’t been subtle about his attraction, either. Still, my wolf grumbled.
Mine.
Instead of hassling my friends who hadn’t shown any interest in Riley, I only smiled back, knowing they were about to tease me. “He’ll be here soon.
Chapter twenty-two
Riley
Ididn’t know whether it was the fear or bad memories triggered by my encounter with the MacTaryn twins, but I was sweating through my dress shirt by the time I pulled into the parking lot at the high school. I hoped I wasn’t feeling sick again. Tossing my jacket in the back seat, I got out and texted Fowler I’d arrived.
It felt silly, but I wanted him close to me as soon as possible after my encounter with the assholes on my way there. I locked the car and was about to head towards the gym, where I could see a balloon arch welcoming the class of twenty-fourteen, when I remembered the lube bottle in my pocket. I didn’t want that obvious bulge without my jacket to cover it up.
“What are you doing here?”
The surprised question had me stopping before I unlocked the car. Turning, I saw Kono standing by a row of motorcycles. I recognized Fowler’s, and two I thought were Ricky and Rel’s.
Kono didn’t stop, walking to me and grabbing my arm. “You shouldn’t be here.”
“What are you talking about? I graduated with you.” Shaking his arm off, Kono took a step back.
“But you’re…presenting.” Kono’s usually straightforward manner was off. He glanced around as if someone might be listening in.
“Presenting what?” My confusion only deepened as a sense of foreboding settled over me. Still, I had no clue what he was talking about. “I’m not giving a speech?”
“No, as an omega.”
“No, I’m not,” I laughed. Kono wasn’t the type to join in on jokes like Fowler and his packmates. Lowering my voice, I pointed out the obvious. “I’m twenty-seven.”
