Her Alpha - Complete

Chapter 10

"Guardian Belikov? Can I interest you in some eggnog?"

Christian grimaced. Tasha could not make the words sound any more suggestive if she tried.

"Thank you, but no Lady Ozera. I don't drink on-duty."

"Well, perhaps you'd care to walk me to my accommodations once your replacement arrives? We could share some Christmas cheer?"

Eddie had a coughing fit as Dimitri once again turned Tasha down. Lissa smirked as Rose rolled her eyes. Tasha's inordinate interest in the Russian Alpha hadn't waned. In fact—if possible, she'd stepped things up a notch.

Meredith, on the other hand, seemed to have overcome her interest in Alphas, her attention now focused on a certain Beta male. While they still weren't yet 'official,' Rose was willing to bet Meredith and Eddie were well on their way to second base if they'd not got there already.

Training when it resumed on Monday was a relief. Tasha arriving in workout gear to their afternoon Monday session was less welcome. Explaining she taught Martial Arts to humans, Tasha was certain she'd be able to hold her own against the Novices. One round with Rose in the sparring ring immediately put paid to that delusion. While Tasha and her repeated amorous attempts on her mate hadn't threatened Rose, she took pleasure knocking her on her ass in seconds! At the end of the session, Dimitri politely explained the gym was out of bounds during their training periods.

Rose and Dimitri settled into a pattern; train with Eddie at 5:00 pm, breakfast, sleeping (separately) in their respective dorm rooms, a late lunch, training again at 5:00 am, dinner, hang out in the common room with Lissa, Christian, Tasha, Eddie, Meredith, Mason or a combination thereof, then back to Lissa's dorm room where Dimitri would guard until 1:00 pm sitting on the sofa with Rose. The split sleep shifts were a bitch, and they hadn't gone any further than making out, but the arrangement gave them at least a little privacy.

Now here they were. Christmas Eve. Tomorrow there'd be no training. The gang agreed to meet for breakfast, then spend until lunch ice-skating on the frozen pond. A Dragomir tradition for as long as Rose could remember, Christmas without ice-skating just wasn't Christmas as far as she and Lissa were concerned.

"Tasha? Why don't you come to my suite early? Say 7:00 pm? We can swap pressies before breakfast," Lissa suggested. It was a kind thing to do. Dhampir present swapping, where it occurred, would be a more moderate affair. It would be indecorous for the Moroi to flaunt their excess, so they'd exchange gifts privately.

"I'd love to," Tasha replied. "Although I'm a little worried traveling around the campus alone at that hour... Perhaps Guardian Belikov would be kind enough to collect me?" Dimitri was put on the spot, before he quickly formulated an excuse.

"I'm sorry, Lady Ozera. I'll be Skyping my family at that time. If you call Guardian Petrov, she will arrange one of the on-duty Guardians to escort you tomorrow if required."

Tasha unhappily agreed, while Dimitri shot Rose a smoldering look. With Tasha gone, Chaung guarding overnight, then Matthews come morning, Dimitri would be free to visit Rose in her dorm before breakfast.

Chaung arrived to switch shifts with Dimitri, Lissa occupying Tasha's attention so she would not ask Dimitri to walk her back to her room. Not long after everyone said their farewells, all headed to their own beds except for Christian who was using Dimitri's absence as an opportunity to stay overnight with Lissa.

Rose, Mason, and Tasha set off to the dhampir dorms together, leaving Eddie and Meredith to follow. Mason said goodbye at the foot of the staircase to the boy's dorms. Rose and Tasha walked across to the stairs to the girl's dorms climbing the stairs to the third floor together.