Beta Bully (F/F) - 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. She was learning to do all kinds of things she had never had to do before. The caveat being that she had to learn under extreme pressure and tight time constraints. Her Youtube watch history had become a combination of upbeat pop playlists to keep her spirits up, and how-to videos for laundering different pieces of clothing.

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

In her own defence, she 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. She could type over eighty words per minute, a feat she had achieved because she had been lead to believe she would need it. Like her short-hand note-taking. Every alpha ran their office differently, but she had done her best to prepare herself 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 she was then ordered to dish out the contents to various people all over the pack.

Darcy 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. She was an alpha assistant, Darcy thought indignantly, not a personal assistant.

She was grumbling to herself as she dressed a tray for afternoon coffee when a gentle knock sounded behind her.

Darcy glanced over her shoulder and jolted.

“Beta Oli, can I help you?” she 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.”

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

Darcy stood awkwardly in the opposite corner of counters, fiddling with her 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 her a grim look. She didn’t have the words to describe what it was like to work with Alpha Nico. And she definitely didn’t have the energy to try and translate those words into a less offensive version for Beta Oli’s ears.

“She 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.” Her expression was kind, and appeared genuine. “She’s like that with everyone. She just likes things to be done the right way, first time.”

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

“It’s not you, Darc-” She caught herself 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,” she said. “She doesn’t know me. It’s my being an omega.”

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

“Why does she hate omegas?” Darcy snapped. It was not the way she had been taught to talk to titled wolves, ever, but her 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 her mouth individually. “No, it’s more like they can’t decide if they love or hate them.” Darcy did not appreciate her attempt at discretion. She added more readily, “but it’s not really my place to be going into it.” She stood from the stool and sidled across the room back to the door. “I’ll do my best to rein her in a bit, but just don’t ask her anything personal. I won’t be able to help you with that explosion.”

Darcy nodded. “Got it. Thanks, Beta.”

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

When Alpha Nico finally ran out of mundane tasks for her, Darcy shuffled home. Home being only one flight of stairs away made the journey feel insignificant. She would never be able to separate work from her personal life. A trouble faced by almost all titled wolves, she 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 she walked through the living room, she ghosted the tips of her fingers over the glass of Luna’s last-opened birthday present. The one she had gotten for her. It hadn’t been enough to beat out Luna’s favourite gift of the day: Darcy herself, apparently. But she 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 her hands on one of the old bat’s certified crystal balls. It was her mother’s idea to get a message engraved on the base. Darcy hadn’t allowed her to see the words she’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, Luna got back to their suite late. She pulled off her clothes, dropped them around her feet and climbed into bed in her underwear. Darcy, having watched her come in from the sofa and snatched her clothes from the floor, followed her into the bedroom.

Luna was laying face down on the bed. Darcy cleared her throat and she peeked at her over her shoulder. She waved her sweaty top and wrinkled trousers.

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

Darcy sighed and dumped them in the hamper. She was so tired of laundry, she would gladly wear dirty clothes for the rest of her life.

“What’s wrong?” she asked, climbing onto the bed next to her. Luna shuffled across a little to make room for her.

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

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

Luna hummed for a few moments. And then a tidal of a tirade burst out of her. 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 herself stuck in a hole in the fence that encapsulated the Pearl Claw’s lands.

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

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

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