Alpha, Beta, Omega

Chapter Two

By the time Kali reached the bookstore the rain had let off a bit, enough to suggest that perhaps it would stop before the afternoon. Going around the back of the old brick building she left her bicycle by the back stairs, chaining it to the metal handrail before she climbed the steps, fishing a set of keys from her shoulder bag. Once she was inside she turned off the alarm and headed for the break room, turning on the lights as she passed the switches.

Entering the break room she turned on the lights before pulling her shoulder bag off, hanging it on a peg by the window. She was just shrugging out of her jacket when she heard the back door open and then hurried footsteps.

"Kali?"

"Break room, Amy," she called over her shoulder as she hung her jacket up on the same peg as her bag, turning just as Amy came sliding into the break room, sneakers no doubt soaked.

"Shit!" Amy barely managed to catch her balance and Kali couldn't help but grin as the other girl held her arms out at her sides, using them like a pole to adjust her balance. Amy grinned as she looked at Kali. It was a look of triumph. "And that is how it's done!"

Kali laughed as she shook her head as Amy continued to grin while shoving her multicoloured hair out of her face. Kali crossed the room in a few quick strides and turned on the coffee maker. "You won't be saying that when your butt hits the floor."

"Naw." Amy waved her hand absently, pulling her jacket off and hanging it on the peg next to Kali's. "When it happens I'll just spring back to my feet and pretend it never happened."

"Just like when we were children."

"Exactly!"

Kali laughed again.

"Keep an eye on the coffee maker, will you?" Kali headed for the door. "I need to go unlock the front."

Amy saluted her and Kali laughed as she made her way through the store, checking a few stacks of new books as she passed them, unlocking the front door quickly and turning the sign to read open before turning and making her way over to the counter, stepping around it and booting up the computer. A few clicks of the mouse later and everything was up and running before she unlocked the till, checking that the usual amount of money was still in it before sliding the drawer shut once more.

She had just tucked the keys into her pocket when Amy set a cup of coffee on the counter in front of her. "You look like you need it," Amy said with a shrug, holding her own cup. "Because, and no offense, you look like crap."

Kali rolled her eyes, picking up her cup and taking a sip, thankful that Amy had only put in one spoon of sweetener. "Long night."

Amy took a big swig of her coffee, making an affirmative sound around her mouthful, swallowing loudly. "Figured that out for meself, thanks much," she quipped as she hopped up and sat on the counter. "Want to share the reason why it was so long?"

Kali turned her cup in her hands, looking down at the brown liquid. "I had that dream again."

Amy's eyebrows shot up, surprise written all over her face, even as she studied Kali curiously. "Again? That's, what, the third time this week?"

"Sixth."

Amy let out a low whistle. "Damn, that's..." She hesitated, clearly searching for the right word. "That's whacked."

Kali snorted as she took another sip of coffee. "That's one way of putting it."

"But...I mean...it's just a dream, right?"

Kali shrugged. "If you'd have asked me six months ago I'd have said yes but...but this is getting nuts. The same dream? Exactly the same dream? And now it's getting to be nearly every night?"

Amy shrugged and tipped her head to one side, causing her hair to slip over her shoulder, which made her look so much younger than she was. "Well," she said as the bell over the front door jingled, causing her to hop off the counter. "I'm sure it doesn't mean anything, Kal. Just a dream."

Kali smiled and nodded.

"Right," she replied as Mrs Vestaburg came walking towards the counter. "Just a dream." Amy gave a nod before moving off towards the back of the store. Kali turned her attention to Mrs Vestaburg. "Good morning, Mrs Vestaburg, can I help you?"

oOoOoOo

By the time lunch rolled around Kali was never so happy to turn the sign on the door to Out to Lunch, Back By One. The morning had been insane, people rushing in and out to collect books they'd special orders. A few just popping in to browse the shelves and even one girl who'd been torn between what type of Renaissance art books she wanted. Kali had tried to help each and every customer to the best of her abilities but when most everyone was giving her sideways glances when they thought she wasn't looking it became tedious rather quickly.

Shaking her head as she headed for the break room, hearing the radio that Amy had already turned on, she smiled as she stepped into the break room finding Amy lounging on the sofa with a tuna sandwich and bottle of lime soda. "You call that lunch," she teased as she went to where her shoulder bag was and fished out her apple.

"Better than that!" Amy pointed at the apple with the corner of her sandwich, nose wrinkling slightly. "Seriously, Kal, that is not a proper lunch."

Kali rolled her eyes and went to the little cupboard above the counter where the coffee maker and microwave sat. She reached up and fetched a bag of chips and chocolate cookies that she'd tucked away behind a large can of instant coffee, shaking both at Amy who grinned like a loon. "Woman after my own heart," Amy said as Kali walked over, sitting on the floor by the sofa, leaning back against the cushions and Amy's legs.

They ate in comfortable silence for a little while before Kali broke it.

"Did you hear about the new pack over in Lawton?"

Amy made a low, affirmative sound, chewing a bite of sandwich thoroughly before swallowing and speaking. "Heard my Mum and Aunt Carol talking about it." She wiped her mouth with the back of her hand. "Think it's odd, the Council letting a new pack set up so close to us. I mean, Lawton's only a twenty minute drive away. That's...That's insanely close."

Kali nodded.

"Heard my dad say that most of the pack is from the United Kingdom."

"Seriously?"

Kali nodded and Amy made a loud sound. "Wonder why they came across the pond."

"Dad says that Benjamin said the Lawton Alpha has connections in the Council."

Amy snorted. "Snobby bastard. Probably a great big bunch of prissy shits."

Kali chuckled and took a bite of her apple, chewing slowly. "Been meaning to ask, Ames," she said, taking another bite out of her apple, talking around it. "Haws bated lipe?"

Amy laughed, sipping her soda, before answering. "Mated life is just fantastic, thanks."

Kali chuckled, swallowing quickly, and looking up at her best friend. "So you and Roy are all rainbows and sunshine?"

Amy rolled her eyes as she reached down and smacked Kali's shoulder playfully. "Roy and I are fine," she said as she snatched the cookie bag and opened it, snagging a few before setting it on the floor next to Kali. "We have our moments, like every mated couple I suppose, but it's been good. I feel...whole. In a way I haven't felt before."

Kali smiled, looking at her half eaten apple.

"I'm really happy for you," she said as she looked at Amy, still smiling, letting her head rest against Amy's knee.

"Hey," Amy nudged her gently, affectionately, a pack mate comforting another. "You'll find your mate. Just you wait and see. You're going to go back to college in the fall and you'll be walking down the street some sunny afternoon and you'll see him, or her, and you'll just...you'll know, ya know?"

Kali smiled as she rubbed her cheek against Amy's knee.

"What's it like? Meeting your mate?"

Amy sighed almost wistfully. "It's like...It's like the excitement of Christmas and your birthday wrapped up with this...this feeling of utter contentment and peace and love and...and..." She broke off for a moment, clearly trying to find the right words but before she could the bell over the front door jingled and they both jumped, surprised, since no one in town usually came into the store when the sign said Out To Lunch.

"Hello?" A rich, masculine voice called out and Kali glanced towards the break room. "Anyone here?"

Kali and Amy exchanged identical looks before they spoke in unison.

"It's your turn!"