Chapter 3 - Lola
“I told you,” Lola said, gripping her glass of red wine so tightly she was half-worried it would shatter in her grip, “I told you I’m no good with people!”
Ethel hummed, sipping her own wine. “Yes, well, I hadn’t expected you’d be quite so…so…”
“Useless?” Lola offered, resisting the urge to bang her head against the bar.
Unless she was very much mistaken, Ethel’s eyes widened with something that might be called sympathy. “I wouldn’t say that,” she said gently. “You were just…riled up. Alpha males will do that if given the chance; it’s practically in their DNA. Didn’t you learn that growing up with your pack?”
Lola groaned, squeezing her eyes shut. “I tried to avoid the alpha males of my pack as much as possible.”
“An eminently sensible decision,” Ethel said. “I can’t fault you for that.”
“They're just so… so…” Lola waved her hand around, trying to find the right word.
“Irritating?” Ethel supplied.
“Arrogant,’ Lola said. “Arrogant, and…and…rude and…”
“They’re really not all like that,” Ethel said.
“Take Felix. He’s a very reasonable male.
Nicolas isn’t too bad either, when he’s not trying to suggest ridiculous plans to modernize the library.
I mean, really, the cheek of it. Modernize,” Ethel scoffed, shaking her head, before pausing to consider Lola.
“And if I may, my dear, perhaps alpha males aren’t the only ones who might come off as arrogant. ”
Lola cringed, wishing the floor would just open up and swallow her whole. “I really am sorry about what I said. I didn’t mean it at all. It was just—”
“Dane,” Ethel replied. “Trust me, he would test the patience of a saint. He can be a right nuisance when he wants to be. You can’t let him get to you.”
Lola risked glancing over at the males, finding them locked in conversation. Dane seemed slightly distracted, though, his jaw set, his dark eyes ablaze. As if sensing her gaze, he looked over, and she ducked her head down with a squeak.
“That’s easier said than done,” she half-whispered to Ethel, “they’re so…
so…ugh.” She groaned, her head falling back.
What was it about stupid alpha males that made her lose her wits?
She normally prided herself on her extensive vocabulary, but as soon as an alpha male came along and teased her, she was rendered a blithering imbecile. It was positively humiliating.
Ethel chuckled lightly. “Maybe this will be a good thing for you, my dear. Spending some more time with shifters. You may come to find that alpha males aren’t as scary as you believe.”
“I’m not scared,” Lola retorted, perhaps too quickly, her cheeks warming. “That’s ridiculous. What could I possibly be scared of? The very notion is…is…insulting.”
Ethel’s eyes sparked with merriment. “Then I offer my most sincere apologies,” she said, “I’ll be sure to refrain from insulting you in the future.”
Lola’s lips thinned as she stared down into her glass. “I mean,” she said, somewhat abruptly, “sure, they can be…intimidating. But I’m a grown woman. I can handle myself.”
“I’m sure you can.”
“And if this Dane insists on being a…a neanderthal…then I’ll deal with it. Like an adult.”
“I’m sure you will.”
Lola chewed her lip. “Do you think I insulted Felix?”
“No,” Ethel said, waving her hand airily. “Trust me, he has to deal with shifters with far more attitude than you. He knows what Dane can be like. He certainly has a…unique ability to wind people up. I’m sure the alpha won’t hold it against you.”
“That’s good,” Lola said, though she was still practically shaking with tension.
She missed her quiet little office in Yale, with its small window and cozy bookshelves and peace.
There were so many people here, so many new scents, so much potential for her to stick her foot right back in her mouth and make a right mess of everything.
“Though there is one way I can think of you getting into his good books,” Ethel said, waving her arm in a come-hither motion to somewhere behind Lola. “After all, no alpha male can ignore the opinion of his mate.”
“Hi, Ethel,” a tall woman bounced over, her hazel brown hair thrown into a messy braid, a wide smile on her face. “Lovely to see you here! Unless…oh God, please don’t tell me the boys have broken into the library again.”
Ethel laughed at the sheer panic in the woman’s voice. “Don’t worry, my dear, I have alarms set up specifically to counteract the little terrors. No, I actually called you over to introduce you to Lola, she’ll be working with me for the next few weeks in the library.”
“That’s a relief,” the woman said, grinning at Lola before sticking out her hand. “Hi, Lola, I’m Cassie. Lovely to meet you!”
“You too,” Lola said, cautiously shaking Cassie’s hand. She was a human, she realized with a start, albeit one covered in Felix’s scent.
“Lola, was it?” Another woman came up beside Cassie, tucking some fluffy blonde curls behind her ear with one free hand, a tiny baby swaddled in her other. “So nice to meet you! I’m Daisy, and this is Max.”
Lola smiled at the adorable bundle of a newborn, his little face still scrunched up. “He’s beautiful!”
“Yes, I think so,” said Daisy with a laugh. “Then again, I’m biased!”
Lola laughed politely, trying to think of something witty and charming to retort. What would Professor Conrad say? She was so good at this sort of thing. Lola, on the other hand, was completely and utterly inept.
“Well, I think he’s one of the most beautiful babies I’ve ever seen,” she said. “And I’m a completely neutral, objective onlooker with no personal stakes in the matter. My data is completely impartial.”
Impartial data. Fantastic. Yet again, she wished the ground would just swallow her up.
But to her immense surprise, Cassie’s eyes widened and she leaned in closer. “Ooh, do you know much about data analysis? I’m starting an astronomy course next fall, and I’ve got so much prep work to get through before then, including a whole bunch of statistical work!”
“Oh, um, I guess so,” Lola said, her eyebrows rising. “I mean, my research is mostly historical, but there is a good deal of data work I have to do, so I know the basics…”
“Would you mind if I took you out for coffee and picked your brain at some point? It would be amazing to talk through some of the bits I’m stuck on.”
“Yes, that would be fine. I mean…of course, yes, I’d like that!” Lola stuttered. Beside her, Ethel grinned.
Cassie clapped her hands together, turning to Daisy. “Do you think Nicolas will mind? I know he agreed to help me out, but his teaching methods are a little…”
“Draconian?” Daisy asked, the corners of her lips quirking. “Don’t I know it. I asked him to explain the sound system at home to me, and I’m pretty sure I gave him a heart attack when I asked him how to connect my phone to it with Bluetooth.”
“I know what you mean,” Lola said with a hesitant smile. “Most days I can barely figure out how to turn my laptop on.”
“I’m so glad somebody gets it,” said Daisy. “You mentioned your research is historical. What period of history are you interested in?”
“Oh,” said Lola, her cheeks warming as a smile crept over her face.
“I’m actually looking into shifter history.
Specifically, how pack dynamics and leadership structures in early settlement contribute to modern-day influence and expansion.
I’m hoping to prove that certain dynamics are more successful than others for long-term pack cohesion and integration. ”
“Basically,” Ethel said, “she wants to help displaced packs and shifters put down roots and set themselves up for success.”
Daisy’s mouth opened in understanding, and she looked at Lola with newfound respect. “That’s a lovely goal to have,” she said, “we’re so fortunate in the Iron Walkers to have such a happy and respectful dynamic with each other. I know not all packs are as lucky.”
“Do you think there’s overlap with human integration and knowledge?” Cassie asked, her eyes bright. “I mean like, the potential for greater understanding between the species?”
Lola nodded, a warmth spreading in her chest at their interest. “Of course, I mean, a lot of my colleagues back at Yale are human. We often collaborate on things, and if I publish, my work will be available to all.”
“You should come along to our next ladies’ night,” said Daisy, her eyes bright, “or the book club. Or both! I’m sure lots of us would be really interested to hear more about your work!”
Lola flushed, looking down at her feet. “Oh, I’m not sure it’s that interesting—”
Ethel gave a pointed cough, and Lola flinched, pasting a smile on her face. “I mean, of course. That would be lovely. I’d really like to…get involved with the pack.”
“That’s wonderful to hear,” said Daisy, giving her a warm smile as she squeezed her hand. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I think I can hear my oldest daughter yelling some rather creative insults at her friends.”
“Not again,” Cassie groaned. “I’ll come with you. It was lovely to meet you, Lola. I’ll drop by the library tomorrow!”
“Nice to meet you!” Lola called as the two women hurried off towards the sounds of children fighting before heaving a sigh of relief that she had managed to get through a conversation without accidentally insulting anyone.
“See,” said Ethel, finishing her wine, “not useless at all. I did say.”
Lola gave a breathless chuckle. “I mean, they did most of the work. I just…sort of stood there.”
Ethel tutted, “It amazes me, my dear, that a beautiful, intelligent young woman such as yourself could have such a lack of confidence.”
“I’m confident,” said Lola, though it sounded pathetic even to her own ears.
Ethel raised an eyebrow. “Yes, I rather think life in Silvermist will do you the world of good. If you don’t mind me saying, my dear, it sounds to me like you’ve spent most of your life around the wrong sorts of people.”