17. Harrison

17

Harrison

" I 'm sorry you have to do this your first night with the pack," I say as we pull into the school parking lot.

When the high school first reached out months ago, asking us to talk about the Olympics at their yearly auction, I didn't hesitate to say yes. I love supporting the local community and inspiring the next generation of athletes, but I wish it hadn't landed on Meggie's first night with the pack. I'm sure she'd rather be unpacking and settling in.

Her eyes meet mine in the rearview mirror, and she offers a sweet smile. It surprised me how willing she was to come with us. I can't help admiring the way she jumped right into pack life.

I reach for my glasses case out of habit, then remember I put contacts in tonight. My astigmatism is really only a problem at night… and dawn and dusk. So I keep my prescription glasses in the car for night driving. The guys like to joke and call me an old man, but I catch myself wondering how Meggie would like my simple black frames if I had them on.

As soon as I shift the SUV into park, Ellis hops out of the front seat, opens Meggie's door, and offers his hand to help her. The rest of the guys pile out after them and head towards the front of the school. I walk a few steps behind, noticing how quickly Meggie pulls away from Ellis, but also how she keeps glancing at my pack mates, quietly laughs at a joke McQuinn makes, teases Oz when he can't button his suit jacket around his muscular chest, and chats with Nils about the fundraiser.

She's wearing a tasteful black dress with ballet flats and looks almost excited. "You didn't tell me the event was at Oakview High."

"Have you been here before?" I ask as we all make our way across the parking lot.

"I volunteered as an assistant coach to the swim team here when I was in college."

We pass by the cafeteria that inexplicably smells like onion rings and too much teenage male body spray even though it's six o'clock in the evening on a Saturday. I don't miss the overwhelming scents of high school.

The event is being held in a multipurpose auditorium of sorts that has the lingering fragrance of a fog machine and teen anxiety, but those are nearly washed away by stronger aromas of free-flowing ginger ale punch and sunflower centerpieces at each table.

"There's something floating in the punch bowl," Nils remarks.

Dante eyes it with concern. "Is it frothing?"

"It's sherbert, or ice cream." Meggie explains with a giggle. "You pour the soda over it and it's punch. It's best with the pink or green sherbert, though."

Ellis can barely contain his laugh. "Oh, it's better with the pink frozen stuff floating in the soda? Tell us, did you grow up in one of those households where they put raisins and mayonnaise together and call it a salad?"

Meggie grinned. "No, but my aunt mixes marshmallow, celery, and grapes with salad dressing and brings it every Thanksgiving."

Nils blanches and nearly gags.

"I changed my mind," Ellis shudders. "She can't be on the team. Veto."

It's clear he's joking. The man can barely keep his eyes, or his hands, off our new teammate.

Our presumed hostess walks up just as Meggie is about to body check Ellis into the offending punch bowl.

The woman organizing everything glides over in a cloud of rose water perfume. In combination with her own vanilla caramel scent, it nearly curdles my stomach. Her wedding ring hugs her puffy finger tightly and there's a bit of lipstick out of place, but her smile is full and genuine. She's an aging beta that surely played sports in her youth but succumbed to the less-active lifestyle of a school administrator.

A thought strikes me I've never had before. A desire to grow old and out of shape and happy with someone.

"We've set everything up so that three of the seniors from our water polo team are going to interview you all between the dinner and dessert," she explains before ushering us to a table right at the front and leaving us to fend for ourselves.

The multipurpose room is set-up with pop-up round tables and white table clothes with fold marks still visible down the linen. My pack would have been happy with fried chicken and paper plates. The effort is slightly wasted on these hooligans I call my family.

Before I can sit down, Ava texts that she's out front and doesn't know where to go, so I leave the group to find her. She originally told me she didn't want to come to the auction, but when she found out this afternoon that Meggie was coming, she changed her mind.

When I step outside, she's leaning against her car, staring at her phone. She's wearing a bright red sleeveless cocktail dress. One tug and the thing would come off. Most guys might find that appealing, but right now, when we're about to walk into a function filled with high schoolers and their parents, it just seems inappropriate. Like she's trying to prove something. These are minors!

She looks up as I approach. "There you are! I've been waiting out here forever."

I go in for a kiss on the cheek, but she turns her head fast enough to pull me into a full kiss. Her hand slides down my chest to my dick, and I hate that the appendage responds when I catch a whiff of her graham cracker scent. I pull her away. "We should get inside."

When we get back to the auditorium, my pack takes one look at Ava at my side, and disperses. I try not to roll my eyes.

It's no secret the guys don't like Ava. I was drawn to her because her scent was one of the few that I found appealing. Finding sexual partners isn't easy for me because of my smell preferences, and more often than not, I'm content to live celibate. I'd never felt sexually attracted to anyone until I was in my senior year of college and met Valerie, my first girlfriend. So far, she and Ava are the only two people who've ever gotten any kind of sexual reaction out of me.

Ava isn't a scent match, but her smell is nice, palatable, occasionally arousing. With her swimmer's build and blonde curls, we had fun at first. But I'm starting to think the guys might be right about her.

Regardless, it would be rude to come to this event and only chat with my pack, so splitting up is perfectly fine. In singles or a pair of two in the case of Ellis and Dante, my pack mates take seats among the student athletes, their family members, and the various sponsors around the room.

Ava is an Olympic athlete in her own right and could use this event to mingle and inspire the next generation of athletes, but she stays glued to my side in a way that borders on inappropriate. It's only when she notices Meggie taking a seat five tables away that she releases her claws and her smile slips into something less forced and more sincere.

Ah, fuck.

She's jealous of Meggie. Threatened by her. That's why she said we were engaged. That's why she showed up here tonight only after she learned Meggie was coming… Ava is worried she's losing me.

She is, but it's not because of Meggie. I would have already broken up with Ava if I wasn't concerned it would mean never finding another sexual partner. I'm not an overly sexual person, but I don't relish the idea of going without sex for the rest of my life. And considering how rare it is for me to be sexually attracted to someone, it's a valid concern.

"And now, please give a warm welcome to our special guests, the USA Olympic Water Polo team, Pack Hart!"

Applause draws us to our feet and the seven of us make our way to the stage. Once seated, the three students introduce themselves. One is an alpha, one a beta, and the last one, to my surprise, is an omega. It's rare for people to designate so young, but it happens occasionally. She's got her chair scooted so close to the alpha she's almost in his lap, and it makes me wonder what their relationship is. Sometimes omegas will perfume early if they've met a scent match.

The young beta straightens the index cards on the edge of her knee. "Um, hi. Hello."

She's clearly nervous about being on stage, and I hope my smile is reassuring.

"Ok." She glances at the question on her index card. "What is your gas station impulse buy snack?"

The room breaks into sprinkles of laughter, and my pack joins in.

"Starting with the hard-hitting questions." Ellis speaks first. "Sour gummy rings."

"Beef jerky. Teriyaki beef jerky," says Dante.

"Peanut butter filled pretzels," Nils answers.

"Salt and vinegar potato chips." McQuinn grins.

"Blue raspberry slushie," Meggie says.

"Barbeque potato chips," I answer.

"Chicken taquitos from the hot rollers." Oz holds his palms out in front of him. "But if anyone here is offering an endorsement deal, I'll happily say nacho cheese chips or chocolate bars."

The room again breaks out in sprinkles of laughter. Oz has always been great at dealing with the press and working events.

"Next question," the young alpha clears his throat. "With such a big pack, and so many alphas, how do you decide who gets to control the television remote?"

"Thankfully, we have more than one TV," Dante chuckles.

"Or else we'd be forced to fight it out between Ultimate Ninja Champion and Country Cooking with Suzanne," Ellis adds.

"Hey!" Oz turns toward Ellis. "You liked that casserole! Don't hate on Suzanne."

More laughter breaks out across the room, and the giggles seem trigger-happy as the questions follow in the same vein for a while. When you have an open Q&A event for high schoolers, it comes with the territory. Eventually, we move into questions about our training, workout routines, and nutrition.

The omega takes the mic from the alpha. She's been quiet through most of the interview until now. Her hand shakes a little. "I know this has been pretty light and fun so far, but I'm wondering if you'd address the new rule about having females and betas on all Olympic team sports. What do you think about it?" Her voice wavers. "Do you think there will ever be a day when the IOC allows omegas to compete at that level?"

"Yes," Meggie immediately says, loud enough to be heard even without the mic. The certainty in her voice surprises me. Most people agree that it's not safe to let omegas into the Olympics.

My mom is a big advocate for omega rights, and usually I'm right there with her, but this is something we've never agreed upon. Omegas are too special. And too unpredictable. If an omega went into heat at the Olympics, it would wreak havoc on the competition. An omega in heat will make every alpha around her completely crazed with lust. It wouldn't be safe for them at an event with a disproportionate number of alphas. Besides, they rarely have the athletic strength that alphas, and even betas, have.

Meggie takes the mic from Ellis and stands up. It's clear this is something she feels strongly about. "All athletes should be seen as, and treated as, equals. In all respects. An athlete's designation should not be the thing that defines them and separates them from competition. We don't discriminate based on gender, or race, or socio-economic background, or religion, so why should we prohibit an athlete from competing because she happens to be an omega?"

A little ' amen!' comes from someone in the back of the room, a female someone. The rest of the crowd stays quiet as Meggie speaks.

"These rules claim to be protecting omegas, but they hurt the hearts of these women. The IOC could provide security for omegas. Separate housing in the Olympic village. There are blockers and suppressants that could be legalized and safely prescribed by medical professionals, but the IOC does nothing and instead bans them from competing. It's not fair. The violence and discrimination against omegas disgusts me, and it should disgust all of us. Omegas aren't property belonging to their alphas. They're people. With hopes and dreams and goals. Omegas deserve the chance to go after their dreams, pursue their happiness, and bring back a gold medal for their country."

When she finishes, I almost take the mic to argue the other side, but then I see the face of the young omega who asked the question. The hope in her watery eyes. She's probably played water polo for years and only just learned she's an omega. I can't imagine what that would feel like.

The event organizer takes the mic from Meggie and regains the attention of the auditorium. "Well, on that inspiring note. Let's get to bidding on those auction items and help our students reach the highest level of potential available to them."

Tactful.

The rest of my team walks off the stage, but Meggie goes straight for the girl who asked the last question and wraps her in a tight hug. Our newest pack member might be a little idealistic in her stance on omegas, but she's got a good heart. And for that girl's sake, I really do hope there's a way for omegas to compete someday.