The Gamma He Thought Could Survive Anything Chapter 01
Rain poured down as my Alpha boyfriend, Theron Graystone, placed my canvas suitcase beneath
Ophelia’s.
Within seconds, my suitcase was soaked through with dirty water.
Theron reached over and ruffled my hair.
“Ophelia’s stuff is expensive. If it gets scratched, she’ll make a scene.”
“Your old case is worthless anyway. I’ll get you a new one.”
“It would’ve gotten wet either way. Don’t be so petty.”
Ophelia leaned out of the car with a pout, swinging her soft leather sandals.
“You jerk. Talking behind my back again? Get over here and make it up to me.”
“Pain in the ass.” Theron muttered.
Even so, he walked around the car, lifted Ophelia onto his back.
“Lyra, her shoes can’t get wet
I looked down at my cheap canvas sneakers and quietly cut him off.
“I know. Minimum loss, right?”
Three years, and I was always the smallest loss in his math.
Because my things were never worth much.
Not my suitcase.
Not my time.
Not even the wolfbone pain patches I carefully packed for my mother.
Maybe it was time…
To CUT MY LOSS.
I waded through the muddy water and walked into a
nearby inn before opening my suitcase.
More than a dozen boxes of wolfbone pain patches had
burst, mixing with my clothes into a soggy mess.
My mother was a Gamma. She’d injured her leg during
a rogue war, and every rainy day left her in pain.
Theron had gone out of his way to buy these patches
from Harborlyn Pack because they worked well.
For this graduation trip, he’d even asked a friend to buy more so I could bring them home.
Back then, I’d been so touched he remembered my family.
Now I see nothing beats Ophelia’s stuff.
I went to reception to borrow a washbasin, and that’s where I ran into Theron.
He glanced at me and frowned slightly.
“Disappearing like that is rude.‘
“Upset or not, don’t pull a stunt with your safety.”
“It’s pouring. We were worried about you.”
Water still dripped from my hair. He didn’t seem to notice at all.
I almost laughed.
The only umbrella was over her. That’s concern?
Not wanting to argue, I turned toward my room.
His hand clamped around my wrist.
“And if you didn’t want to carry it, just say so. Why leave Ophelia’s case on the road?”
“You owe her an apology.”
A heavy ache settled in my chest. I took a slow breath.
“You were so worried about her getting wet, you practically ran. How could I say anything?”
Theron froze for a second.
A game victory sound chimed from Ophelia’s phone.
She walked over with a bright smile.
“Don’t fight over me. I hate looking like the manipulative innocent.”
“Forget about the suitcase. I’m not that petty.”
She patted Theron’s chest with a grin.
“But you, dummy, still need to make it up to Lyra. Money’s a lifeline for the poor, you know.”
She pulled Theron’s phone from his pocket, unlocked
it with practiced ease, and headed into the room.
“I’ll do the math. Even couples should settle accounts. Healthier that way.”
She looked around, picking through the soaked suitcase with her fingertips.
“Old clothes, old case. Let’s call it two hundred.”
“Be grateful. You couldn’t sell this junk for that much.
I already transferred it.”
Theron raised an eyebrow, flicked her forehead gently,
and smiled with obvious affection.
“Unbelievable. Making calls for me now? Give me my phone back.”
Ophelia laughed and dodged away.
“Nope. Still playing.”
A two–thousand–dollar in–game purchase screen flashed across the display.
After a long silence, I finally spoke.
“So Theron and I settle up, but you don’t?”
Ophelia never looked up. Her fingers kept flying across the screen.
“Me? We’re childhood friends. Trained together, watched each other’s first shift. We’re different.”
“If my dad hadn’t frozen my cards, would I be spending his money?”
“Lyra, relax. If I wanted him, I wouldn’t have introduced you, let alone played matchmaker.”
“Speaking of which, you still owe me a fee.”
“Right, Theron? I want the newest Chanel bag.”
Theron lifted both hands in surrender.
“Of course. Have I ever said no to you?”
Ophelia shot me a smug smile.
“See, Lyra? Thanks to you, I scored a bag. Not so stupid, huh.”
I picked up my soaked clothes and lowered them into the basin.
“Right. Who’s smarter than you?”
Ophelia blinked in surprise.
Theron’s expression turned cold.
“Lyra. Tone.”
“Ophelia’s emotionally blunt. Doesn’t mean it doesn’t sting.”
My hands stopped moving. I fought back the tears with everything I had.
Weren’t her words cruel enough? Or was I the only one not allowed to hurt?
The questions clogged my throat. I didn’t dare ask
them. I already knew how humiliating the answers would be.
When he saw me fall silent, Theron’s voice softened.
“Calm down. Emotions just get everyone hurt and raise the risk of loss.”
He called to Ophelia. “Let’s go make dinner.”
Before leaving, his eyes landed on the wolfbone pain
patches inside my suitcase. He hesitated for a moment.
“I’ll have a friend send more patches.”
“Go shower. Don’t get sick.”
I shook my head. “Don’t bother.”
He didn’t hear me. With a helpless smile, he wrapped
an arm around Ophelia, who was doubled over
laughing at videos on PackTok, and walked away.
I watched their backs disappear.
Then I picked up my phone and opened the invitation
Moonframe Studio in Seawolf City had sent me a week earlier.
[I’m in.]