Chapter 6
SIX
Lucas
I was trying very hard to focus on building a virtual gingerbread house and not on the fact that my omega was sitting twenty feet away pretending to work.
She wasn't actually working. I could tell because she kept glancing at her laptop screen, then at me, then back to her screen without typing anything. Her scent, peppermint and pine with an edge of something sweet, kept drifting toward me even through the camera setup.
She was watching me stream. Trying to be subtle about it. Failing adorably.
"Okay, Cozy Crew," I said, placing another virtual wall section with precision. "The trick to structural integrity is making sure your foundation is solid before you add decorative elements. You can't rush the basics."
The chat was active tonight, a good Thursday evening crowd, lots of regulars, solid engagement numbers.
CozyFan22: this is so relaxing to watch
HolidayVibes: ur literally building a gingerbread mansion
StreamSniper: the DETAILS though
LukesOmega: can we talk about the cookie stream earlier? because THAT HAND TOUCH
I tried not to react to that last comment, but I felt my cheeks warm slightly.
The "cookie stream incident," as Ro had dubbed it, had been playing on repeat in my head for hours. Michelle's hand under mine, both of us reaching for the same cookie cutter, that moment of connection while thousands of viewers watched and speculated.
Her scent had spiked, sweet and warm, and I'd wanted to lean in, to close the distance, to kiss her right there in her mother's kitchen regardless of cameras or professional boundaries or anything else.
I hadn't, because I was trying to be respectful. But god, it had been hard.
"Chat's asking about earlier," I said, keeping my tone light. "Yes, we made amazing gingerbread cookies with Bill's help. Yes, they were delicious. And yes, my manager Michelle helped with the decorating. She's incredibly talented."
CozyFan22: "incredibly talented" HE'S BLUSHING
HolidayVibes: we see you lucas
StreamSniper: just admit you like her already
"I respect her very much," I said, which was true but completely inadequate. "And I'm lucky to have her as my manager. Now, let's add these candy cane fence posts—"
From the dining table, Michelle made a soft sound, which might have been a laugh, might have been exasperation. I glanced over and found her watching me with an expression I couldn't quite read.
Our eyes met, and for a moment the stream didn't exist. Just us, in this cozy living room, in her family home, building something together even if she wasn't quite ready to admit it yet.
Then she looked back at her laptop, cheeks flushed.
My alpha purred with satisfaction.
"Focusing on the build," I announced, forcing my attention back to the screen. "Roof section next, then we'll add the decorative elements—"
The chat suddenly shifted.
CozyFan22: uh oh
HolidayVibes: incoming
StreamSniper: MODS
I frowned at the chat feed on my second monitor. The message flow had changed—faster, more aggressive, unfamiliar usernames flooding in.
FakeCozy47: this wholesome act is so fake
NotBuyingIt23: you're such a fraud
TrollAccount91: imagine being this boring
Oh. Oh no.
A raid. A coordinated troll attack.
I'd dealt with these before, every successful streamer did eventually, but they never got easier. The sudden shift from supportive community to hostile strangers always felt like a gut punch.
"Hey, looks like we've got some new viewers," I said, keeping my voice steady. "Welcome to the Cozy Crew. We're building gingerbread houses and spreading holiday cheer—"
FakeCozy47: nobody wants your fake positivity
NotBuyingIt23: you're so desperate for attention
TrollAccount91: your content is trash
The donations started next, one dollar amounts with cruel messages that the text-to-speech would read aloud unless I disabled it.
"You know what makes good gingerbread architecture?" I said, talking over the notification sounds. "Strong foundations. Just like good communities. We build each other up here, we don't tear each other down—"
FakeCozy47: cringe
NotBuyingIt23: you're pathetic
TrollAccount91: no wonder you're lonely
That one hit harder than it should have.
My hands paused. The gingerbread house sat with only half a roof, and suddenly I felt exhausted. Tired of the constant performance, the pressure to stay positive, the loneliness that fame hadn't fixed like I'd hoped it would.
I'd mentioned feeling lonely on stream before, being vulnerable with my viewers was part of my brand, but the trolls had weaponized it.
"I am lonely sometimes," I admitted quietly. "Success doesn't fix that. But you know what helps? Community. Real connection. People who show up and support each other—"
FakeCozy47: nobody cares about your feelings
NotBuyingIt23: you're a fake wholesome fraud
TrollAccount91: your girlfriend probably doesn't even like you
From across the room, I heard Michelle's chair scrape back.
I looked up just as she stood, laptop forgotten, her expression fierce and protective in a way I'd never seen before.
She was staring at her screen, at the stream chat, which she'd clearly been monitoring, and her scent had gone sharp with anger.
"Michelle—" I started.
But she was already moving.
She crossed the living room in quick strides, appearing in frame beside me before I could process what was happening. She set one of her hands on my shoulder, warm and grounding and absolutely intentional, while the other deposited her laptop almost into a pile of flour.
"Hi, chat," she said, her voice pleasant but with an edge of steel underneath. "I'm Michelle, Lucas's manager. And we have a zero-tolerance policy for harassment."
Her fingers flew across her laptop keyboard with practiced efficiency.
"User FakeCozy47—banned. NotBuyingIt23—banned.
TrollAccount91—banned." She kept going, her voice calm and professional while she systematically removed every troll account from chat.
"And anyone else who thinks it's acceptable to come into this community and spread negativity, you can leave now, or I'll remove you myself. "
The chat exploded, but this time with support.
CozyFan22: MANAGER BOSS MODE ACTIVATED
HolidayVibes: SHE'S PROTECTING HIM OMG
StreamSniper: THE HAND ON HIS SHOULDER
RegularViewer: thank you Michelle!!! we love our cozy crew
I stared at her, and my alpha was singing. She'd stormed into frame, onto camera, in front of thousands of viewers, the exact thing she'd been trying to avoid, because I'd been hurting.
Because her omega couldn't stand to watch her alpha in distress.
"Michelle," I said softly. "You don't have to—"
"Yes, I do." She was still standing beside me, hand still on my shoulder, still monitoring chat. "Lucas is an incredible creator who works hard to build a positive, supportive community. Anyone who can't respect that isn't welcome here."
CozyFan22: we stan a protective manager
HolidayVibes: the way she jumped in to defend him
StreamSniper: PACK DYNAMICS PACK DYNAMICS
RegularViewer: this is what good management looks like
"Also," Michelle continued, and I could hear the slight tremor in her voice that meant she was fighting instinct, "Lucas mentioned feeling lonely.
You know what that means? He's human. He's real.
He's not some fake persona, he's a person who creates content because he genuinely wants to make people happy.
And that's rare and valuable, and if you can't appreciate it, then don’t follow, don’t engage. "
My throat was tight with emotion. She was defending me. Protecting me. Showing chat, showing everyone, that I mattered to her.
"Thank you," I managed. "For jumping in."
She looked up at me, and something in her expression softened. "Someone had to. And you looked..." She trailed off.
"Hurt?" I supplied quietly.
"Yeah. Hurt." Her hand squeezed my shoulder gently. "You okay?"
"I am now."
The moment stretched between us, charged and intimate despite the thousands of viewers watching, and I saw Michelle realize what she'd done. She'd broken her own professional boundaries. She'd shown her hand on camera. She'd revealed that I was more to her than just a client.
But she didn't pull away.
"Chat's asking questions," she said instead, settling onto the arm of my chair like it was the most natural thing in the world. "Should we answer some? Reassure them that the community is safe?"
It was a business decision, but the way she said it, the way she positioned herself between me and any potential threats, was pure omega protection.
My alpha wanted to purr, to scent-mark her right there on stream, to tell everyone watching that this was my omega, my pack, mine.
Instead I said, "Let's do it."
The next thirty minutes were some of the best content I'd ever created, and I barely had to do anything.
Michelle stayed beside me, close but not touching after that initial shoulder squeeze, answering chat questions with professional competence and occasional dry humor that made my viewers love her instantly.
CozyFan22: Michelle how long have you been managing Lucas?
"About three months officially," Michelle answered. "Though I've been consulting with his team for about six months. Ro and I have been working together on content strategy for a while."
HolidayVibes: are you the mystery woman from the cookie stream?
"I'm the woman who lives in this house, yes. My family is hosting Lucas and his team while they film holiday content in Cedar Falls."
StreamSniper: do you always defend your clients like that?
Michelle paused, and I watched her choose her words carefully. "I defend all my clients when they're being treated unfairly. Lucas works incredibly hard to create a positive space. He deserves a community that respects that."
CozyFan22: we respect it! we love him!
RegularViewer: best manager ever
HolidayVibes: but like... you two have CHEMISTRY