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“Time for your next dose,” a voice said from the doorway. It was the next day, and I really wasn’t feeling all that much better.

Turning, I resisted the urge to glower at Gideon as he stood in the doorway, a glass of water and pills in hand.

I hated pills.

“I’m feeling much better. I don’t need them,” I said, trying to plaster on a smile that was undoubtedly fake-looking.

Gideon gave me a stern look, his eyes dark and his posture unmoving.

“Fine,” I huffed, holding out my hand. “This is mean.”

He sat down on the edge of the bed as I sat up. Close up, the scent of old books and blackcurrant was so strong, I instinctively leaned into it. His scent was the kind of smell that screamed comfort, warmth, and protection.

Safety.

Most alpha scents were comforting to some degree, but Pack Noble had something unique about them.

I had once gone on a date with an alpha who smelled like wet leaves, and not in a good way. Getting through a meal sitting across from that scent had been almost impossible.

Gideon, on the other hand…I wanted to curl up in his scent and bask in it. I was probably far from the kind of omega they wanted. I was immature, too young for them. They probably wanted someone mature and elegant.

I still had a few stuffed animals in my nest.

His eyes raked over me, taking in my undoubtedly disheveled state as he handed me the pills and waited until I put them in my mouth to hand me the water.

“You need sleep,” he murmured.

I snorted lightly, downing the glass of water. “I’m much too busy for sleep.”

He didn’t smile. “Why are you working so much? Joey mentioned that you come from a pack family. Why aren’t they supporting you through college?”

I grimaced. I could understand why he was asking. It was highly unusual for a pack to not financially support their children.

“My fathers didn’t want me to leave for college,” I said, choosing my words slowly. “They made it clear they would only support me going to a local community college and staying at home, but I wanted a full university course load, and I wanted to live independently for a bit.”

“Joey mentioned you don’t have a mother.”

I nodded. “Just two dads and three brothers.”

“And you wanted to leave them? I don’t know how I would feel about Joey wanting to go halfway across the country…”

I shook my head. “Joey won’t have my reasons for leaving. You guys are excellent fathers, and I get the feeling she isn’t going to veer far when the time comes.”

“So why did you choose to leave? You have to admit, it’s unusual for an omega to move so far from home.”

“It is,” I agreed. “My mother passed when I was a little older than Joey, and my fathers…well, they were a mess. Despite my age, I ended up taking over a lot of the household duties.”

Gideon’s eyebrow rose. “I’m assuming your brothers also took on extra duties?”

A small snort escaped me as I gave him a disbelieving look. “Unfortunately, I come from the kind of family that thinks housekeeping is woman’s work. They profess how much they love me and yet have me run myself ragged looking after them all. And although I love them—they’re my family—when it came time to pick my university, I wanted a bit more freedom.”

“That’s…just wrong.” Gideon’s words were laced with confusion.

“It is, but you can’t change family. I always just assumed that was the way things were. Then I moved out and realized how much different life could be. Being able to come home and nothave a pile of laundry or a pile of dishes to do that my brothers or fathers have left behind is a type of freedom I adore. So, if the price of that freedom is working a lot, then I’m going to do it.”

Gideon cocked his head to the side. “I know you love your family, but they should be ashamed of themselves.”

I shrugged. “It is what it is. What would you do if Joey wanted to move states away for college?”