Chapter 14 #2
“Yeah, you did,” Hollis muses, gently tugging me toward him. I go willingly, the Alpha placing a kiss to my forehead, the first real public affection we’ve shared over the last week.
My cheeks color softly as I linger there before climbing out, Bishop right there with a towel.
I let him wrap it around me, Hollis playfully grumbling behind us about being left behind.
I ignore him, the adrenaline slowly wearing off as we pass Coach Marsh, the Alpha offering me a nod of appreciation.
“You really did it,” Bishop whispers in my ear. “I knew you would.”
I manage a smile. “I just needed the right push.” And truly, that’s all it was.
I needed someone or two someones I could trust enough to be there should my body betray me.
It hasn’t yet but I still haven’t found out what happened last year.
My blockers weren’t there but the ones I had had on should have lasted.
And they didn’t.
I just tuck myself further into Bishop’s side, not stopping until we’re in the locker room.
Only then do I let myself sag to the bench, Hollis catching me before I ever hit the seat.
He pulls me into his lap, wrapping his full self around me, his nose running along my cheek.
“You were amazing, Jude. And you looked so alive! Your eyes and your smile.” He trails off, pressing a soft kiss to my cheek.
“I like you like this. I really like you like this.”
I chuckle as I press my head to his chest, counting the soft heartbeats against my ear. No one would believe Hollis had just been in the lane next to me but I don’t care. Over the last week, I’ve found out that I really like when my Alpha holds me.
My Alpha. My Beta. It still feels weird to say and yet, I can’t go back.
I’m not sure how long we stay there, the door banging open as Reece and Tate step inside. Reece glares over at me and then just shakes his head. “Everyone loves a comeback,” he says, obviously waiting for my reaction.
A year ago, I would have flinched or curled into myself. I would have just bowed my head and taken whatever shit he threw at me but I’m not doing that shit anymore. “Enjoy it while it lasts,” he says.
“Say it louder,” I tell him, sitting up a little in Hollis’ lap. “Threaten me a little louder so everyone can see how pissed off you are that I’m trying to succeed. Or maybe tell everyone how I ended up on that fucking stage because you just needed me to pay for fucking up last year.”
Bishop growls. “Jude… that wasn’t…”
“No, last year wasn’t my fault,” I push out, climbing off Hollis’ lap. I immediately hate the loss of warmth. “But everyone made it out to be. I did everything I was supposed to and things still didn’t work.”
Reece bursts out laughing as Tate looks between us, mildly concerned. Tate’s brows furrow a little as he steps toward me. “Jude, everyone knows you didn’t take your blockers that day. I get that it was a biology issue but…”
I shake my head, revealing a part of the incident that no one ever believed me about.
“Because they were gone, Tate. Someone stole them from my bag. But even without those, I had applied blockers that morning during practice. That bottle, the very one missing from my bag during the meet was gone. Nothing should have fucking happened.”
Hollis sits forward, reaching for my hand and tugging my attention to him. “What are you saying?”
Reece snorts. “He’s saying that his body was already going in to heat or some shit so the blockers failed. Stop trying to push your failure onto everyone else. Swimming is stressful and stress isn’t good for Omegas. Just go back to managing the team. You were good for that.”
“I can’t have heats. Not real ones anyway.” I pause, confused as Reece’s face pales a little. “In fact, I can’t smell a damn thing when it comes to your designation. That blocker is so my scent doesn’t become a problem. It has nothing to do with a heat.”
Tate swallows nervously. “Yeah, right. Well, it still stands that you didn’t apply your blocker, Jude. Let’s not talk about this. Congrats on your time. Nice to see you back.” He pushes Reece toward the showers, my gaze narrowing as they disappear around the corner.
I turn to face Bishop and Hollis, Bishop’s attention still locked on where the other two disappeared. “See, I knew they were assholes but I never actually thought they would try anything. One look at your face, though, and I’m thinking you have your suspicions.”
I nod. “The blocker should last for almost three days but I’m paranoid.
I always have been. There’s no reason it should have failed that potently.
” I huff out a sigh, hating the implications of what I’m about to say.
“I think someone switched my tube. That’s the only explanation or they put something in it to lessen it.
It was a year ago and I don’t remember but… ”
Hollis yanks me back into his lap, roughly wrapping himself around me. A growl vibrates through his chest, fear pricking at the edges of my chest before Bishop grips Hollis’ chin. “Easy, babe. Deep breaths. We’ll make sure whoever hurt Jude gets what’s coming to them but you’re scaring our Omega.”
Hollis loosens his grip on me and then sighs before pressing his lips to the bridge of my nose. “Sorry. Sorry. Sorry.”
I pat his chest. “Let’s go to my nest and cuddle, yeah? I’m already going to get yelled at for leaving the meet early and I’d rather have that happen after hanging out in my nest.”
Hollis hesitates for a second before standing up with me still in his arms and racing toward the other entrance facing our dorms.