Saving Isadore [MxM] (An Alpha's Fight Book 1)

Chapter 10

AARON ¤ POV

My phone was blowing up in my pocket and I ignored it, grabbing Pia's backpack and slinging it over my shoulder as I walked her home from school. My little sister's Primary school was only a ten minute walk from my Secondary and so I often walked her home when both mum and dad were busy.

"You have a good day?" I asked her, yanking out one of the earbuds dangling from her ear, connected to her phone. She looked up at me, her right eye twitching in annoyance but she answered anyway, shrugging one shoulder nonchalantly.

"Yeah, it was okay." She paused, and I waited for her to continue, placing a hand on her lower back as I led her through the school gates and out onto the busy road, heading for home. The sound of other young pups, car engines and doors slamming filled the air with the school pick-up rush, but I was still able to hear Pia's next words.

"Aaron, do you hate alphas?"

I blinked, taken aback by her words, not expecting them to fall from her lips, nor the vulnerability attached to them. Had something happened at school our parents weren't aware of? I neutralised my features, immediately taking on the big brother role, encouraging her to open up. "I hate some alphas, the same way I hate some omegas. With good reason of course, it's not hate based on classification - that would be wrong. Why?"

Pia sighed, fiddling with the edges of her pleated skirt. Her high collar looked stifling in the heat and I resisted the urge I had to reach out and loosen her blue and grey striped tie. "An omega girl I know in my class hates alphas. She says we're horrible, untrustworthy and bullies. I wanted to get close to her but she won't talk to me. Do you think she's right?"

I stared at her, at the miserable tilt of her lips, the slight glow in her round cheeks and immediately caught on to her feelings. She liked this omega a little bit more than in a friendly way. I didn't know how eight year olds dealt with attraction or if they even understood what it meant. Part of me wanted to tell her she was too young. Another part thought that I would be insulting my sister's intelligence if I disregarded her feelings based on her tender age.

"Have you ever bullied anyone?"

Pia flinched, quickly shaking her head and staring up at me with wide eyes as though my question was horrific. "No, never! I would never do something like that!" I nodded, squeezing her shoulder, letting her know that it wasn't an accusation, simply a question.

"Have you ever broken a promise?"

Pia shook her head again. "I never told mum and dad about Landon coming over when you were supposed to be watching me, or even that time I caught you sneaking out to go to that pool party." I chuckled, thinking that I was lucky to have such a loyal little sister. Pia had kept a good few of my secrets to herself even without having to be bribed. She was indeed trustworthy.

"Well then, are your friend's words true?" I asked, looking left and right down the road as we crossed over the street and entered a small park that cut through to our residential area. Other families walked the same path.

"No. No, they're not true. Then why does she hate me? Why does she hate alphas?" Pia seemed genuinely baffled and even hurt. I hated seeing that look on her face. I pulled her into my side, hugging her tightly as we walked. She held onto my waist, pressing her head against my torso, her curls tickling my skin through my shirt.

"Well, it could be for a number of reasons. I won't sugar coat it for you, but alpha's do tend to have bad reputations, since a minority of those with an alpha classification tend to... treat omega's badly. Not all alphas, but the actions of one reflect over the rest. She may be stereotyping," I explained and Pia nodded slowly, her mind whirring like a machine.