"Let's get ready for the day. We have lessons soon."
Right. Lessons. She still had to go to those while she awaited her fate. She still had to do needlework as if it would be of any use to her after this week.
When Zeke got off the bed, she squealed when he picked her up and started walking to the bathroom. She already knew his intentions. His kisses were gentler this time, and he took her slowly as if they had all the time in the world. By the time they walked back out of the bathroom, the sun had already risen.
She felt restored despite what they still had to face.
Maybe this was all they had now. Each other. Perhaps they had to forget about fighting and just enjoy each other while they could.
Derek and Myles were already downstairs when they went down, as were Julie and Samantha. She was glad they hadn't been there to get caught in the middle of all that shit.
"Morning, Ava," Samantha said, with her eyes down.
Like Emily had done. She still didn't understand why they were doing this when her wolf was still hiding. She was still technically human.
She waited for the Omega to greet Zeke as she usually did, but Samantha just carried on with her breakfast preparations. Julie walked in from the dining room and also lowered her gaze.
"Morning, Ava," she said shyly.
And then she also just carried on.
"I think you've stolen my Omegas," Zeke whispered with a grin.
"Don't be silly," she said as she went to the coffee pot.
"Breakfast is on the table," Samantha said. "I know you don't like it when we do it, but we thought you'd appreciate a good meal after we were gone all weekend."
"I am actually starving," she said gratefully. "But you still have to join us."
"Yes, Alph... Ava."
Samantha quickly walked out of the kitchen after that slip of the tongue.
"See," Zeke chuckled as they all followed.
When Samantha and Julie hesitated to sit down, she only had to ask them once, and they sat at the end of the table like before.
If she weren't dying that week, this would have warmed her heart to see. No bullshit separations like they were forced to endure outside these walls.
But as it was, the mood was sombre. Despite Zeke's earlier amusement, his sadness had returned. Maybe he had realised, as she had, that there was nothing they could do.
"The dean has called an emergency assembly," Derek said when they were halfway through their breakfast.
"Probably to tell us lies about all the guards around the school," Myles added.
Zeke didn't comment. He just ate until his plate was empty and then pushed it away. But she could still feel that sadness increasing inside him.
Once they were all finished, they cleared the table and loaded the dishwasher despite the Omegas' protests, and then they went to the car.
What would lessons be like after everything she had found out about herself? After knocking out two Alphas? Without her dad there, she was sure the dean would punish her.
"Can I call my dad later?" she asked Zeke as they headed out.
"Of course. You don't need to ask."
Zeke was parking the car before she was ready. He wasn't ready either. She could feel something else from him now, something more than sadness and confusion, but she couldn't put her finger on it.
"We'll wait for you outside the assembly hall," Derek said as he could also sense his Alpha's mood.