Page 31 of Switch Heater

River: Perfect! Pick you up tomorrow. Sweet dreams, Rip.

Me: Sweet dreams.

***

I’ve been walking on cloud nine for weeks now. Practically dizzy with happiness since the Lunar Festival. River and I have texted nonstop, and my phone has stayed virtually glued to my hand. He’s even called a few times, and we talked so long that we fell asleep on the phone together. I’ve learned so much about him and vice versa that it already feels like I’ve known him forever. And I fall for him a little more each time we talk. We’ve flirted, talked about nonsensical things, and slightly touched on more serious subjects. I’ve loved getting to know him. Our connection feels strong, and the newness of everything leaves me feeling off balance with all the feelings that are bombarding me.

I’ve barely thought about his alphas and beta, except for a few insanely feverish dreams that randomly popped up throughout the weeks that always ended with all of us tangled together in a nest. Other than that, I’ve been happy and content with just talking to River. He’s a major flirt, for sure. But, even more surprising to me is he’s just as into me as I am him. We both know it isn’t logical or ‘normal’, but who needs to be normal, anyway, right? Right. Being normal, or society’s standards of normal, anyway, is overrated.

Today, however, has me walking around with a grin I can’t seem to get rid of, not that I’m really trying, and with a belly full of butterflies. Nerves and excitement both war inside of me. River asked me to come over and hang out with him today. So, of course, I agreed. No way am I going to pass up the opportunity to spend an entire day with him in person.

Now to just tell mom and the dads. Mom will be ecstatic, I’m sure. She is one hundred percent team River and his pack. Even though I’ve told her repeatedly that although I’d be pretty on board with something happening with everyone else, River and I haven’t even discussed something like that. I don’t want him to think I’m trying to go through him to get to his bonds. That would be the furthest thing from the truth.

I want him. Everyone else in his pack would just be a bonus.

“Knock knock.”

My door pushes open, and Mom sashays in. I roll my eyes at her.

“Why even announce you’re there if you’re just going to walk in anyway?” I snort.

She huffs at me, perching on the end of my bed to avoid touching the mini nest I’ve created at the top of my bed. “Because it’s rude to just barge in unannounced, Ripley. Gods.”

I laugh and pull the little skelly sloth stuffed animal sitting beside me into my lap. I ended up contacting Elise like a week after the festival, wanting more of her cute little skelly stuffed animals to go with the one I bought. They’re just so soft and nice to cuddle with.

The big window at my back is warm at the bench seat I’m sitting on. It’s one of my favorite spots in the entire room. A little corner just for me to sit and read at or enjoy the sunshine while looking out over the area.

Mom looks closely at me. I’m not overly done up or anything. Just a nice pair of jeans and a forest green shirt that says “Yeah, I lift... cookies to my mouth” which I find pretty funny. Hope River does too.

“Are you going somewhere today?”

“Um... yeah actually, River invited me over.”

Ducking my head, I play with the soft yellow minky fabric that the sloth is made of. I can feel her eyes burning into the side of my face, which makes me squirm in my seat.

“You-” a squeal escapes her, and I look up with wide eyes.

“Did- did you just... squeal?”

We both giggle. There’s happiness shining in her green eyes. Excitement about the possibilities this may bring for me.

“Oh, sweetie. I’m just so excited for you. I know this isn’t conventional. And I know your dads made it seem like a terrible idea to even think about getting tangled up with a pack that already has their omega.” She bites her lip and looks out the window.

She’s not wrong. Pops, Papa, and Dad didn’t react the way I’d hoped when I was telling them about River. I know it comes from a place of love and they just worry about me. I worry about myself. Because they’re right. This is so unconventional.

This could end badly. I could be left in pieces with no one to help me pick them back up and piece them together again. But there’s also the chance that this could be the best thing to ever happen to me. I could get my happily ever after and be loved and cherished.

I’m choosing to believe that life isn’t really all that worth it without a bit of risk. If I sit here being practical and don’t take the chance, I could be miss out on something amazing. At least, I hope it will be.

Mom clears her throat. “You know. Before I met your dads, I’d met another pack. It was on one of my breaks. I was home for the holidays, and I’d gone out with your grandma Mimi to the Christmas festival where we lived. They were... wonderful. And they also already had an omega.”

My mouth drops. She’s never told any of us about this. Obviously, something happened since she’s not with them, but I am beyond intrigued.

“Seriously? What happened?”

“Well... Their omega was just as wonderful as the alphas themselves. And he liked me. Probably not as much as River likes you or you like him, but he seemed pretty smitten. I even found I enjoyed his company and felt attracted to him. For two weeks, I spent nearly every day with that pack and their omega. We all seemed to fit rather nicely together. And the sexual chemistry...” She whistles and fans herself.

I giggle and throw a pillow at her. “Ew. No, Mom. I don’t need to know about any of that!”

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