“You’re back!” Angie squealed, nearly tackling me when I showed up to our morning class. 

It was true that I did get quite a few stares, but it wasn’t as obnoxious as before. The whispers weren’t as loud or as frequent. It was just as Phil had said. They’d moved on. 

I guess my heat wasn’t all that exciting after all. 

I was also surprised when Nina approached me, her group of friends close by. She came up to me and hugged me, then asked, “How are you feeling?”

The move was intentional. We weren’t friends. We didn’t have this kind of relationship, but she had done it in front of everyone, to show that the rumors were unfounded. That she trusted me. 

We weren’t friends, but I appreciated the gesture. I told her I was fine and we went our separate ways. 

That bit of information had traveled quite quickly on the gossip train, which successfully made my day and the attention I received manageable.

Though rumors aside, there was still one other thing that made my stomach feel like lead. Someone I wanted to avoid, but the confrontation was inevitable. 

Pyka strolled into the classroom with Sherry and Bailey. 

Angie waved at the three of them. Sherry’s eyes widened when he saw me there. Immediately, he came to sit in front of me.

“How are you doing, Cal?” he asked. 

I smiled at him, even though I'm sure it didn’t reach my eyes. Sherry was kind, but we weren’t all that close. We shared the same mutual friends, hung out in the same crowds, talked on occasion, but he wasn’t someone I was used to confiding in. He, like Galen, was too observant and it made me uncomfortable. 

“I’m fine, just a bit tired.”

“What was it like?” Angie pushed, but I couldn’t answer her. I couldn’t pay attention to anything but the tiny Omega with brown curls who sat diagonally across from me, big eyes unreadable. 

“Yeah Cal, what was your first heat like?”

Pyka didn’t sound like himself and it made me all the more anxious. Was he angry? Did he believe the rumors? No, probably not. Pyka knew me better than that. But was he angry about my friendship with Phil? That I hadn’t told him? Or the fact that it was his brother?

“It was…painful. Not like how they describe. And hot, I felt like I had a fever. Most of the time I blacked out.”

“They say the first ones are always the worst,” Sherry added. “We’re all due for it soon enough.”

“I’m just happy to have my Alpha. He’ll take care of me,” Pyka said happily. 

My eye twitched. I couldn’t tell if it was meant to be a dig, but it hurt all the same. I was the only one in this group without a betrothed Alpha. 

But I didn’t want to assume that was his intention. Pyka wasn’t usually passive aggressive. He was just aggressive…period. Most of his snide remarks were blunt and unmistakable in their intent. Subtlety just wasn’t his style.

Maybe my own anxiety was projecting. 

“Sucks for you though, Cal. Having another Alpha stolen from you,” Pyka added coolly, his eyes dark and cruel.

Yeah, he was angry.

“What are you talking about?” I asked. 

“Didn’t you hear? About Brynn Accacia?” he taunted. 

My eyes widened as I fought to keep my beating heart from running out of my chest. When Pyka was like this, it was best not to show any weakness, he’d just exploit it. 

“What about her?” my own voice coming out even and monotone.

“She asked Drew Lyall to be her mate.”