"We're taking it to court," Morgan huffed. Instead of going home right away, he insisted that we stop by the hospital so that my injuries could be documented. "Ashur's what? 21, nearly 22? He's not getting away with this. I don't care how much money his family donates to MU."

"You're right," I nodded. "If I don't press charges, he could do something similar or worse to someone else. Wait, how do you know his family donates to MU?"

"Am I the only one that reads the student handbook?" Morgan responded with a sigh. "All the top donating families are listed there. Lex's family's on the list and so is Derrick's family."

"Lex's family too?"

"Yeah, man."

Filing a police report was much easier with Morgan helping me. He filled most of it out for me since I was still feeling a bit groggy. Though I knew that Morgan had always wanted to follow in his grandfather's footsteps, I hadn't realized just how serious he was about his future career. I was seeing everything with new eyes. He really did want to become a police officer. He wasn't just doing it to follow a kid's dream or to make his grandpa proud. Those were just bonuses.

"You're amazing, you know that?" I admitted.

Morgan seemed a bit startled, as if his entire focus had been on the report. When he sorted out what I said, he gave me a brilliant smile. "What are besties for?" He countered.

::::

We took a taxi to get back to the apartment and, a few minutes later, Lexus arrived. After Morgan opened the door for him, the chocolate lab peered at me over his shoulder. "I'm going to walk over to Sabine's," he announced. "Unless you want me to stay?"

"I'll be fine," I affirmed. "And Morgan?" I called just as he was about to step out the door. "Thank you for everything."

He sent me an encouraging smile before closing the door behind him.

I took a deep breath as I tried to settle the nervous butterflies in my stomach. Was Lexus angry with me? Was he disappointed? Did he regret choosing me?

How could I possibly regret choosing you? Do you regret accepting me?

I hadn't realized that he was able to read my sporadic thoughts. Of course not. I responded. I couldn't have asked for a better mate!

"I wouldn't go as far as that," he replied aloud with a rueful smile. "I did keep the fact that I knew that Ashur was following us around to myself, after all. And I apologize wholeheartedly for that."

"Why did you keep it from me?"

"After what happened in high school and how you reacted so strongly against anyone and anything that reminded you of them…" He explained. "I just didn't want him to cause you any more grief. I cornered him and told him to back off, but he kept on. I told the Dean about it, but he wouldn't take my word on it alone since Ashur's family was one of the bigger sponsors for MU." He frowned, clenching a fist. "And then something like this happened."

I reached out to take his fist into both my hands. "You couldn't have known," I responded. "In the past, it was always Nestor that was the physical attacker. Ashur had always been sadistic enough to enjoy seeing me hurt, but he had never physically attacked me before this. I had heard he was violent too, but I had never been the actual recipient."

"I'm glad Morgan helped you file out a report," He confessed with a sigh of relief. "He's a great friend. I'm sorry I took so long and couldn't meet up with you both at the hospital. I had to give a report myself to the Dean and to the police."

Lex lifted his hand and I let it go so that he could gently cup the side of my face. "How are you feeling? Where are you hurt?" He asked.

"He hit me pretty hard and I have a bit of a goose egg on the back of my head," I admitted with a shudder. I found it hard to turn or move my head too fast without it hurting. "And there's a bruise on my back from where he bit me…not to mention the cut along the emblem on my neck. But, thankfully it wasn't deep."

"Can I see it?"

I nodded and carefully tilted my head. I had changed into another shirt as soon as I got home. Morgan had quickly thrown the one that was torn in the trash for me. So, it would be trickier to show him the bruise on my back.

I felt Lex's warm fingers along my neck, but he didn't touch anywhere near the cut. He's alive. He's hurt, but alive. I need to calm down before I become more of a hindrance than help.

"I'm sorry," I found myself whispering.

"You have nothing to feel sorry for," Lexus insisted. "Why are you apologizing when it was all Ashur's doing?"

I bit my lower lip as I fought the tears once again. "No, about the mind-reading thing...I was going to tell you, but a part of me was scared and paranoid." Why couldn't I have just told you right away?

I know now, Avi. That's all that matters. He lifted my hand to press the knuckles against his forehead. But, Avi, was the mind-reading as scary for you as it is for me right now?

"Only at first," I confessed aloud as I moved in to hug him. He hesitated for a moment, as if he didn't know where to place his arms where it wouldn't hurt me. Ultimately, he carefully wrapped them around my shoulders as he hugged me back.

Are you afraid of sharing your thoughts with me? I asked him.

I just don't want my silly thoughts to scare you.

I let out a soft snort. You mean like when you called me your 'little dragon?' When I looked up, I had the rare pleasure of seeing Lexus blushing. To be fair, I did call you 'My Faceless Bus Stalker Alpha' for a while.

What do you call me now? He mentally wondered.

"My Lexus," I confessed aloud.

I felt him press a kiss to the top of my head. "Come on, you should get some rest," he suggested. "I'll tuck you in."

"Lex...can you stay?" I asked. "I mean, at least until Morgan gets back?"

"I'll stay for as long as you want," he replied. All night long, even.

I gave him a smile. I'd like that.

::::::::

In the weeks that followed, we were all busy. Lexus and Morgan were really serious about taking Ashur to court, and everything was handled surprisingly fast. Ashur had apparently not singled me out alone in his attacks. Three other Omegas also came forward after hearing about what happened to me. It was almost surreal to hear that Ashur would spend time in jail despite the influence of his family.

My mother, Jacqueline (Jackie) Arter, literally came to visit me once a week from the moment I told her about it. But, after the first initial couple of weeks, she mostly came to visit in order to get to know Lexus and to embarrass me by telling him tales of my youth. She was a yorkie too, and though she had some signs of Albinism, most of it was passed on to me. She was a pale blonde with hazel eyes. My grandfather apparently looked just like me at his age. She even brought the pictures to prove it.

The young man in the photo, however, had a more mature look in his eyes than I did. He passed away before I turned two years old. But, according to my mom, he was absolutely enamored with me.

"From the moment you opened your eyes and looked at him, he swore that you were looking right into his soul," she relayed. "Like a miniature clone."

"Jeez mom, a clone?" I whine. "Did he really say that?"

I heard Lexus chuckle beside me.

"Oh alright, so maybe it was just me that thought it," she conceded as she pulled her long, blonde hair back into a ponytail. If it weren't for the small wrinkles around her hazel eyes, she could have passed for a college student herself.

My parents were generally opposites in personalities, though my dad, Dominic Arter, was also a blonde. He had golden yellow hair and hazel eyes. Despite being a Golden Retriever, who were usually known to be friendly and sociable, my father was a studious introvert. He was in the air force and we rarely saw him. Mom and I looked forward to the day he would retire. We missed him whenever he was away, but we knew that flying was his passion.

"Hey mom, when is dad coming back?" I asked. "I really want him to meet Lex."

"He should be back sometime next month, sweetie," mom replied. "Don't worry, he'll definitely approve of your Lex." She then reached over to pat the top of Lexus's head, which was easy to do since we were all sitting down looking at photo albums. "He's a good Alpha."

"At least I try to be," Lexus admitted. "We all make mistakes…"

"And the very fact that you even admit to that makes you A-O.K. in my book," she concluded.

I felt a sudden warmth inside. Though he still had to meet my dad, the fact that my mom already approved of him made me happy. Lexus had definitely been nervous at the beginning, but she quickly put him at ease in her usual charismatic manner.