Beta Bully (M/M) - Chapter 41 (Early Access) (Patreon)

A Little Advice

There was a tiny sliver of a silver lining to the endless tasks that Alpha Nico thrust upon Darcy. He was learning to do all kinds of things he had never had to do before. The caveat being that he had to learn under extreme pressure and tight time constraints. His Youtube watch history had become a combination of upbeat pop playlists to keep his spirits up, and how-to videos for laundering different pieces of clothing.

Darcy wasn’t an idiot, he knew how to use a washing machine. He had never pressed a shirt, though. And he had thought starch was an edible ingredient.

In his own defence, he would argue that the expectations of an alpha assistant were usually far more administrative. Filing, minute-taking, scheduling. All tasks that Darcy could take on easily. He could type over eighty words per minute, a feat he had achieved because he had been lead to believe he would need it. Like his short-hand note-taking. Every alpha ran their office differently, but he had done his best to prepare himself for any kind of requirements.

Alpha Nico’s requirements were primarily crisp laundry, running supplies to the furthest ends of the pack grounds, and cheese sandwiches. And more laundry. And more sandwiches. Then some coffee. Maybe picking up a delivery from the very bottom of the drive, if Darcy was having a particularly unlucky day. Even worse if he was then ordered to dish out the contents to various people all over the pack.

He had not been permitted to assist with anything related to Nico’s role as an alpha. Nothing that even touched the edge of pack business. He was an alpha assistant, Darcy thought indignantly, not a personal assistant.

He was grumbling to himself as he dressed a tray for afternoon coffee when a gentle knock sounded behind him.

Darcy glanced over his shoulder and jolted.

“Beta Oli, can I help you?” he asked, turning properly to face the beta respectfully. “Would you like coffee?”

“No need to fuss over me, Omega Darcy,” Beta Oli said with an easy smile. “I just thought I’d swing by and check in with you. May I join you?”

“S-sure.”

The beta took up a wooden stool that had been pushed up against one of the counters, keeping a decent distance between them. Under his gigantic body it seemed to turn into a footstool. He leant his elbows on the counter behind and hooked one leg over the other.

Darcy stood awkwardly in the opposite corner of counters, fiddling with his hands. The kettle’s bubbling noises supplied the only sound in the room for a few moments.

“How are you getting on with your new job?” Beta Oli asked.

Darcy gave him a grim look. He didn’t have the words to describe what it was like to work with Alpha Nico. And he definitely didn’t have the energy to try and translate those words into a less offensive version for Beta Oli’s ears.

“He can be bit a little rough around the edges,” Beta Oli offered.

Darcy nodded glumly.

“But I give everyone the same advice: don’t take it personally.” His expression was kind, and appeared genuine. “He’s like that with everyone. He just likes things to be done the right way, first time.”

Darcy knew he shouldn’t say it, but the mumble slipped out without time to catch it. “It feels personal.”

“It’s not you, Darc-” Beta Oli caught himself and had the grace to look embarrassed. “Omega Darcy. Sorry.”

Darcy was less interested in the title slip, and much more so in getting to the bottom of Alpha Nico’s attitude problem. “I know it’s not me,” he said. “He doesn’t know me. It’s my being an omega.”

Oli bit his lip and sighed quietly. “Please don’t think badly of h-”

“Why does he hate omegas?” Darcy snapped. It was not the way he had been taught to talk to titled wolves, ever, but his patience was taut and inching closer to fracture every day.

“Nico’s family have… a complicated relationship with omegas.”

“What does that mean? They all hate them?”

Beta Oli answered carefully. Picking each word and placing it into his mouth individually. “No, it’s more like they can’t decide if they love or hate them.” Darcy did not appreciate his attempt at discretion. He added more readily, “but it’s not really my place to be going into it.” He stood from the stool and sidled across the room back to the door. “I’ll do my best to rein him in a bit, but just don’t ask him anything personal. I won’t be able to help you with that explosion.”

Darcy nodded. “Got it. Thanks, Beta.”

Beta Oli bobbed his head and left. Leaving Darcy with just as many questions as he had had when he arrived.

When Alpha Nico finally ran out of mundane tasks for him, Darcy shuffled home. Home being only one flight of stairs away made the journey feel insignificant. He would never be able to separate work from his personal life. A trouble faced by almost all titled wolves, he was sure.

Alder Suite was finally free of cardboard boxes. Darcy was fairly certain they would do some rearranging once the dust had time to settle, but for now, their home was filled.

As he walked through the living room, he ghosted the tips of his fingers over the glass of Luca’s last-opened birthday present. The one he had gotten for him. It hadn’t been enough to beat out Luca’s favourite gift of the day: Darcy himself, apparently. But he had it on display in the centre of their coffee table nonetheless.

Any visitor who saw it might believe they were simply mega-fans of mystics or mediums. MYSTIKA official merchandise wasn’t sold in many places, Darcy had worked hard to get his hands on one of the old bat’s certified crystal balls. It was his mother’s idea to get a message engraved on the base. Darcy hadn’t allowed her to see the words he’d dictated to the key-cutter.

If you are well enough to play tonsil tennis, you are well enough to return to class.

A reminder of their first kiss. And the last time Darcy could look the school nurse in the eye.

That evening, Luca got back to their suite late. He pulled off his clothes, dropped them around his feet and climbed into bed in his underwear. Darcy, having watched him come in from the sofa and snatched his clothes from the floor, followed him into the bedroom.

Luca was laying face down on the bed. Darcy cleared his throat and he peeked at him over his shoulder. Darcy waved his sweaty top and wrinkled trousers.

“Sorry,” he grunted. “I was gonna come back for them.”

Darcy sighed and dumped them in the hamper. He was so tired of laundry, he would gladly wear dirty clothes for the rest of his life.

“What’s wrong?” he asked, climbing onto the bed next to him. Luca shuffled across a little to make room for him.

“Long day.” He smushed his face into his pillow and groaned. Once he had released his feelings into the innocent pillow, he lifted his head and smiled tiredly at Darcy. “A very long day.”

“Tell me,” Darcy demanded, wriggling in closer and getting comfortable.

Luca hummed for a few moments. And then a tidal of a tirade burst out of him. Squabbles between grown men. Debates around price gouging by local farmers. Border patrol evaluations. Short-staffing in worrying sectors of the pack’s work force. And a pup getting himself stuck in a hole in the fence that encapsulated the Pearl Claw’s lands.

“And then,” Luca added with a flourish. “There was no one free to patch up the fence so they had me do that, too!” He flopped onto his back with another long groan. And then a tired laugh. He looked over Darcy wearily. “What about you?” he asked. “Anything interesting to report?”

Darcy considered his answer for a few seconds. He had so much to tell him, but he clearly wasn’t in a place to be bombarded with his problems. Not tonight. Instead, he took the opportunity to ask about a strange figure who had been meandering around his mind since his first and only appearance.

“Actually, I wanted to ask you about this guy I met.”