In the Alpha’s Arms

Ring Bunny Business

Lita headed for her last class, slipping through throngs of students in the quad. She felt fully alive for the first time in a long time, still thinking over her professor’s lessons in her last two classes and mentally making a note of what to do for her homework. In a week she’d have to start a research paper in Economic theory, write a creative essay in her romantics’ class, and who knew what advanced statistics would hold.

She peered down at the building name and room number of her class once more, double checking she was on the right side of campus. Things had actually felt okay again. Maybe a little better than okay, now that she met Stace. When was the last time she had a female friend? Junior high? Lita swallowed the lump of loneliness and kept walking.

Finding the room, she slipped into one of the back rows and saved the first seat at the end of the aisle for Stace. Drawing her hair up into a ponytail, she didn’t notice the feeling of two eyes on her skin as the class filled with people. The professor struggled to get the input on the projector correct and Lita arranged all her note-taking tools neatly on her workspace.

As if completely on cue, Stace slid into her saved seat, exactly five minutes late. “Alright, so what’s your name? I realized you never said it and I wasn’t smart enough to swipe it off your schedule. I’m always happy to meet a fellow enthusiast…”

Lita smiled, already electrified by Stace’s amiable nature, “Lita. Enthusiast of what, exactly? Math?” Stace laughed and then looked around sheepishly, knowing she was drawing too much attention. She visibly relaxed to see the professor still struggling with the projection equipment.

“C’mon you know,” she wiggled her brows playfully, “A ring-the-bell-bunny? A rope-hopper?”

Lita’s blank face made Stace giggle. “A bedspread? A bag bitch? A towel topper? A—”

“Ooooh okay okay, I get it,” Lita laughed and shook her head, “Are there a lot of bunnies at the gym?”

“No, we’re the last. I’ve only been in the lifestyle for a few months and Jaz has only been with the pack for a couple of years.” Lita noticed that strange wolf language again, but she brushed it off. People could be as weird as they wanted, as long as they were nice to her.

“You came at the perfect time,” Stace insisted, “Not too much competition. Easy-going men who aren’t sleazeballs. They’ll ease you into it. The bigger circuits are a lot dicier than here. But we haven’t been back to the main circuit for a while. And the last time I was there, I wasn’t a bunny.” Lita didn’t miss the way her eyes went sad. Alex had said her kind had dried up a few months ago. Everybody who came to the gym for James. That name sliced through her heart again, and she winced.

Stace cleared her throat. “We’ll be first-timers together this year.” Stace shrugged, forcing a smile that didn’t make it to her eyes. “Anyway, you, me and Jaz makes three. So, the pickings are solid as long as you’re not greedy. There’s really nothing like all that aggression in the ring. And then you get to go home and tap that too. Or if you’re like me, you’ll get riled up in the ring itself.” Her face told Lita she was having a flashback.

“You fight?”

technique for a while but this past year… let’s just say

completely what it was like to be on

me introduce you to the options,” Stace was back to smiling and the two dimples on her right cheek were so adorable, Lita couldn’t help but

too pretty not to stare. Plus, Alex’s boring brown buzz-cut could never. And that’s why

would start any minute. Lita looked back at

out her phone, checking back in with the professor to see he had the TA up there with him, trying to unplug and re-plug the devices. She thought about mentioning the TA to Lita, but she’d do it when she was finished. She swiped into Instagram and showed Lita the first

my gosh. Gimme your number real quick and I’ll text you the IG info. So

Stace could say

“Okay, see that spunk is exactly what I need in a new best friend! You’ll keep up with

like I was

couldn’t help but blush. She wasn’t a virgin, but damn if she didn’t know people could be so free with their sexuality. It was kind of empowering. Brian had never given more than he’d taken and there hadn’t been room to have a conversation about it, either. Lita hadn’t found it abnormal at the time because there was so much slut-shaming at her private school for anyone to feel

you when I first got into the life,” she nodded sadly, her eyes glazing a little. “But I was running from my problems, so it was easier to accept. And if things get a little serious… you can always call dibs, but only on one

a featherweight. He’s cute. Agile as fuck, if you know what I mean. More than what he seems, ya know? He’ll get on your nerves in public, but he’ll make up for it

Good for oral, but that’s about it because he’s against sex before marriage. I know, I know, oral is definitely sex, but who am I to deprive myself when the man himself doesn’t think so? Any if maybe the right person could catch his eye and open that box for the rest of us,” she playfully nudged Lita, “You definitely have good girl vibes, and he’d dig that for sure. I don’t know how good he’ll do this year. He just broke up with his high

heavyweight class and he’s supposed to be fighting locally this weekend, if you’re down to come. He’s great and everyone thinks he’ll win the title this year. But I’m his sister, so I’m biased. Anyway, and then there’s Alpha, well Cole is his name, but he’s not really with the program, you know? So, I wouldn’t even bother. I’ll send you his Instagram, anyway.” With a few clicks of her fingers, Stace had sent Lita a link to each of their

with the program?” Lita kept saying his name in her head.

best time to

of a jerk, but it

tried to stifle her smile and repeated her quick glance backwards down the row. What the hell was