Wolf Like Me

Fatin POV (Age 18) 

Fatin smiled as she brought a box up to Leah’s room. Her mate was standing there in her navy college hoodie with yellow script across it.

In the end, Fatin turned down Juilliard for another prestigious college that had a really good writing programme. Her mother hadn’t even protested it, agreeing that they needed to choose a school that would give both of them equal opportunity going forward. Juilliard also didn’t offer counselling specific to long-term mates, only newly acquired ones. Rana had begrudged it when she heard, saying that the pair needed to consider good healthcare access for their situation. 

Her mate hadn’t met her roommates yet, she said one who emailed seemed enthusiastic but the other was a mystery fill-in for someone who dropped out. 

“Have they turned up yet?” 

“No. What if they hate me?” 

“They will not hate you,” Fatin said, kissing her mate’s neck and nosing at her scent gland. It always made Leah shiver, and a sensation passed through them both that left Leah clinging onto her tighter. “You smell good.” 

“You always think I smell good.” 

“Yeah, well you smell extra good. Maybe use some of that neck cream.” Fatin mumbled as she felt her fangs drop slightly. 

“Keep it in your pants,” Leah teased. She reached out, running a thumb along Fatin’s fang, making her hips press against her as she pinned Leah down against her bed. “Hi.” 

“Hey,” Fatin replied, eyes glowing as her nose dipped into her neck again, lips finding the scent and kissing the skin there. 

Leah closed her eyes, hooking a leg around Fatin who made her way to Leah’s mouth, kissing her deeply. 

“I guess this room is taken. Not that this isn’t the weirdest welcome but if you two could separate for a moment while we figure out rooms.” 

Fatin turned quickly, seeing a girl standing there. 

“I’m Rachel Reid, your roommate.” 

Leah poked her head around Fatin, face lighting up. “Rachel?” 

“Leah?” 

Leah stood, walking up to her roommate who wrapped her arms around her. She watched on confused as the pair began talking rapidly, Fatin creasing her brow because she had never seen this girl in her life. 

“This must be your mate, you were kind of myth back at Writers' Camp. People couldn’t figure out if Leah was making you up or not.” 

“You were at Writers' Camp together?” 

“Sure were. I’m Rachel.” 

“Fatin, nice to meet you.” 

“I guess we should come up with a sock system or some shit?” 

Fatin could smell that Rachel wasn’t an omega. She was a beta, likely why she was roomed with Leah. The college would not room an alpha with an omega. Even as Leah’s mate Fatin was roomed in the same hall but not together. 

“It’s fine. I would never come into your room without knocking. I just didn’t realise anyone was moving in yet. There were no boxes in the main communal space.” 

“Speaking of which, I’m gonna go grab those,” Fatin said, kissing Leah’s cheek. 

“You know I love being single but sometimes I think I need to find a partner just so that they can do the heavy lifting,” Rachel said. 

“I thought you said romance is gross?” 

“It is, and I stand by that.” She grimaced. “But to have someone who I could live with and had all the other perks of like dates and shit? That I would be up for. Just none of that kissing stuff.” 

Leah laughed, offering to help Rachel out whilst Fatin grabbed the boxes. 

She walked them up the stairs one by one, slowly helping Leah unpack her stuff before helping Rachel with some of hers. Fatin wanted to make a good impression and wanted Leah to feel comfortable here. She had worried about who her roommate would be for months, so to see Leah already relaxing was some peace of mind. 

Rachel seemed chilled, down to earth in a way that had Leah relaxing around her. Their other roommate Jeanette who Leah had emailed seemed a little hyper but positive, even convincing Leah to go with her and Rachel to grab a coffee. 

“Are you good if I head across to sort my stuff out now?” Fatin asked, wrapping her arms around Leah’s waist. There was something calming about knowing that Leah now lived across from her. Back home Fatin had always hated being parted from her mate, wolves were meant to be close to their mates and a fairly long drive had always parted them. Leah seemed to appreciate it too, her emotions steady and centred as she pecked Fatin’s lips. 

“I’m good. Do you want help with your things?” 

“No, I’m on it.” Fatin flexed her muscles, tensing her biceps. “Gotta keep these babies going.” 

Laughing, Leah shook her head. “You’re such a dork.” 

“I’m your dork baby!” Fatin yelled as she strolled down the hall. 

Fatin on the other hand had been emailing both of her dorm mates; Dot and Martha. She almost felt like she was corrupting Martha when Fatin smuggled her beer in, and Martha stared at it with wide eyes. 

“I’ve never had alcohol before.” 

“You don’t have to. My mate hates alcohol with a passion but should you want to try, I will stick with you for the night.” 

“You would do that for me?” 

“Obvi. The last thing you want is to be drunk around the rapey frat bros here.” 

“Yeah dude,” another girl said, strolling in. “I’ll watch you too, I keep one of those high-power tasers in my pocket that my dad gave to me years ago. One guy pissed himself when I used it on him in an alley.” 

“I’m guessing by the cargo shorts that you are Dorothy.” 

“Dot,” she corrected. “And sure, that’s me. What gave it away?” 

“The major lesbian work-a-day vibes you have going on honey.” Fatin smiled. 

“Well, I’m straight. I just like storage, sue me.” 

“Hey, no judgement here, you do you.” 

Dot narrowed her eyes at her and grunted, dropping a box down. “Please tell me you aren’t one of those weird anti-feminist sorority girls.” 

“Why would you think that?” 

“I don’t know,” Dot said, looking her up and down. “Maybe the six-hundred-dollar jeans or the pink top with the writing that says ‘that’s so fetch.’ Or it could be the fact you have already unloaded all your shit into the biggest room. Maybe it was the fact your make-up selection has its own corner or the fact that you think I’m a lesbian just because I wear pockets which is slightly homophobic dude.” 

Fatin snorted. She was offended and hurt, but the last comment had tickled her so much she couldn’t bring herself to focus on that yet. 

“First of all, the jeans were two hundred; yes, I’m a rich bitch. Secondly this top is cute as shit, it’s a funny movie reference. Thirdly, Martha had already taken a room when I moved in and the other room didn’t have a mirror for my makeup which by the way, does not make me a shit human. I love good brow care, so what? And last of all, those cargo shorts are gay as shit; which as a gay myself I can point out. Babe, they are homosexual as fuck shorts.” 

“You’re gay?” 

“I’m pan. My mate, Leah, lives opposite us.” 

“You met your mate already?” Martha squealed, jumping as her features lit with joy.

“Yes, Leah and I met when we were seven. The bitch hated me for like a year though, I mean rightly so but I legit thought I’d end up alone.” 

“Seven,” Dot whistled. “Shit dude, are you gonna be like loudly fucking the whole time because I still need to save up for headphones.” 

She tensed, fingers tugging at the tape on the box that sat on the kitchen island. “We haven’t done that yet so no; you do not have to worry about it.” 

Dot stared at her. “You’re an alpha, isn’t that like everything we’re meant to love when we meet our mate and reach this age?” 

Martha, a beta, stared at them both with a smile. 

“Leah likes to take things slow; I’m not going to be some douche who pressures her.” 

Dot nodded, a smile tugging at her mouth. “You know you’re growing on me.” 

Fatin rolled her eyes. 

“Do you think there’s gonna be cute boys here?” 

“Oh, for sure.” 

“Good.” Martha grinned. 

Many betas drifted across the ace spectrum. Some had little to no sex drive and their scents were neutral which made them safe to room with Alphas or Omegas. 

Fatin was pretty sure that Martha was interested in some form of romance, or at least longed for someone to share her space with. 

“Right, so I’m going to go and unpack. I was thinking of ordering takeout, my treat.” 

“Seriously?” Dot said.

“Whatever you want bitches. My dad gave me a card and I got a job tutoring so I have extra cash I may as well spend.” 

“You’re so sweet.” Martha began unpacking an assortment of cutlery. 

“I guess I could go for takeout,” Dot said. “I’ll pay you back once I get a job though. Buy you guys some takeout too.” 

Fatin nodded, knowing that telling her she didn’t expect it back would be frowned upon. She knew how Leah was when Fatin didn’t let her buy her things. Leah had once saved up three months of the money from her paper round to buy Fatin a bracelet she still wore to this day. 

She unpacked her room, making sure it felt comfortable for Leah as well as herself. Fatin had bought some extra soft weighted blankets and a chair that she needed to pick up from a store in town that she would put in the corner of her room. It was a reading chair that would also do perfectly when she needed to practice the cello, but it mostly served as a nook for Leah when she got stressed. 

Leah had her room, but omegas had a tendency to cling to their mates for protection. So, when Fatin built their nest she made sure it was that. Theirs. 

“This is not what I was expecting,” Dot said as she came in, holding two cups of coffee. 

“What part?” 

“It’s very… neutral. Warm. Cosy. You have books. Ambient lighting.” 

Fatin laughed. “They’re for Leah. She gets really anxious on occasion and reading calms her. She’s not really one for bright colours and the lights in these rooms are way too lairy, so I switched out the lightbulbs for those warm glow LED ones. Then they also turn purple because I'm a whore for some good mood lighting.” 

“You really care for her, huh?” 

“I guess. We’ve been through a lot together. And Leah… she’s faced a lot. I do what I can, but it never really feels like it’s enough. As much as I try to understand what she’s going through I’m not in her shoes, I’ll never grasp it fully.” 

Dot nodded. “My dad died a year ago. I cared for him for three years, worked some… dubious… jobs and became his full-time carer. I get it, feeling like it’s never enough when your loved one is struggling. As much as it weighed on me too, I wasn’t the one living in his shoes dealing with the worst of it. You’re a good mate though. Doing this. Most wouldn’t fucking care, I’ve met some truly asshole-ish alphas.” 

“Same.” 

“The lights look nice. The college ones are bright as fuck, how did you even get into those things to change them?” 

“Oh, do you want some?” Fatin waved the bulbs. “I have spares and I’ve already done Leah’s place.” 

“God yes these are migraine-inducing. It’s like being in a hospital again.” 

“Right?”

“Hey guys, did you want to watch Gilmore Girls?” Martha called. 

“Hell yes,” Fatin sang, grabbing the coffee from Dot.