Chapter 28 Faye #2
Kady waves at a few omegas as we stroll through the village.
She chats away about the Valley Voice, telling me how her editor is moving soon, and that she’s considering applying for the position.
I nod along and listen, but I struggle to pay close attention as worry creeps up on me the closer we get to the main street.
A stunning beta girl with black dreads in a cute crop top finishes attaching a poster to a wall as we pass.
“Kady!” the girl greets us, making the colorful stack of bracelets around her arms jingle. “I haven’t seen you around in forever. I hope you’re not hiding from me?”
“This is Nia,” Kady introduces me. “She’s president of the Feminist Society here at SVU. Nia, this is Faye, our new Stella.”
“It’s great to meet you,” Nia says brightly. She exudes an effortlessly cool vibe and radiates positive energy. When she smiles, she makes you feel like it’s only for you. “Are you both going to the O.U. rally later?”
She thrusts a leaflet into my hand. I knew about the march taking place this Saturday, but seeing the Omega Unite logo out in the wild sends a surge of pride through me.
“I’m not sure yet,” Kady replies. “Although I could cover it for the Valley Voice.”
“I’ll be there,” I chip in.
This is exactly what I need. I’ve never been able to go with Gram to a rally, and this is the perfect opportunity.
“Awesome!” Nia claps her hands. “We’ll have banners, but if you want to make more, that’d be great.”
I smile—a real one this time. “I’ve had a lot of practice making banners.”
“Love that!” Nia’s grin widens. “If you want to join Fem Soc, we meet every Tuesday in the basement of Bouncing Bunna. There are plenty of other omega members, and we’re really prioritizing heat safety on campus this semester.”
“I’ll think about it,” I promise.
Nia bids us goodbye, scampering off to hang up more posters.
“She seems nice,” I comment as we continue our walk.
“Nia? She’s too nice, if you ask me,” Kady scoffs. “She wants to save the world, and that girl just doesn’t stop. I swear, she doesn’t sleep. She was exactly the same in school.”
“You went to school together?”
Kady has talked to me about her time at the boarding school her father made her attend. Let’s just say she didn’t speak favorably about the privileged peers she met.
“Nia was one of the few friends I had there because she cared about something other than marrying rich and designer handbags.” Kady rolls her eyes.
The greenhouse is just up ahead when I catch a familiar scent on the breeze, my legs suddenly feeling like lead weights.
It’s him.
“What is it? Are you okay?” Kady halts, her expression turning stony as she sees the source of my unease. “Nuh-uh, this isn’t happening right now.”
As soon as he glimpses me, Cole strides forward with purpose. A crowd of betas part to let him pass, practically drooling. I don’t blame them. He’s gorgeous, especially with the sun hitting him at the right angle to highlight his muscular arms.
“Just stay beside me, Faye.” Kady pops her hand on her hip.
“Faye!” Cole catches up to us. “Can we talk?”
I refuse to look at him, keeping my gaze firmly fixed on my feet. My skin tingles from just being in his presence, remembering what happened when we were last together.
“She doesn’t want to talk to you,” Kady snaps. “Hasn’t she made that clear enough by ignoring your calls?”
“Kady, I know you’re trying to help,” Cole tries to rationalize with her. “All I’m asking for is a chance to explain.”
“You lost your chance when you covered up a crime. My PI looked into it.” Kady remains calm, but her voice takes on a cold, almost menacing edge that says not to fuck with her.
She’s not an omega you want on your bad side.
“Now, if you don’t get out of our way, I’ll report you to the dean for omega harassment. ”
We’re attracting attention. The classmates who are milling around—including Amora, the omega I met in health botany who seemed nice—watch us with interest.
“Faye, please.” Cole sounds devastated. “Just give me five minutes. That’s all I need.”
I look up and catch his eye. The pure desperation and pain staring back at me makes me waver for a second until I remember how we got here.
“I’m going to be late for class,” I mumble.
“And don’t even think about skulking around here waiting for her,” Kady warns, piercing him with a glacial stare. She’ll be formidable in a courtroom one day. “You and the rest of your pack aren’t getting within an inch of her. If you want what’s best for Faye, you’ll take the hint and stay away.”
Kady links her arm through mine and tugs me away, leaving Cole staring open-mouthed after us.
“Are you okay?” Her tone softens instantly. “He shouldn’t have approached you like that.”
“I’ll be fine.” My voice shakes a little. “It’s a small campus, so I’m bound to run into them eventually.”
Although I hadn’t fully prepared for how bad the aching in my chest from being parted again would feel.
“Delilah will meet you here after class.” She gives me a rare hug.
Unlike Sabs, who hugs everyone she meets, and Delilah, who cuddles those she cares for, Kady is not particularly affectionate.
Yet now, I feel her fierce loyalty and protectiveness coming through as she strokes my back.
“Keep your chin up, okay? You’ll get through this.
Now go and kick ass in that greenhouse.”
I nod and swallow down the lump in my throat before shuffling into the greenhouse.
As I trudge to the classroom area, barely looking at the magnificent plants, I'm sad to realize that the magic I initially felt upon entering the impressive dome for the first time has dulled. My chest constricts when I feel the gazes of the students who were watching us outside and overhear them gossiping about what kind of alpha drama I’m embroiled in.
I slide onto a stool at a workstation at the back of class.
At least here they can’t gawp at me too.
“Can I join you?” Amora motions to the vacant seat next to me. “I was starting to think you might have dropped out.”
“Go ahead.” I smile wryly. “And nope, I’m still here.”
“It looks like we’ll have to work in teams today.” She points at the blackboard with the lesson plan already written out. “Would you like to pair up?” She drops her voice. “Between us, no one else here seems to know the difference between wolfsbane and larkspurs.”
Before I can reply, Professor Grub waddles in. His piggy eyes scan over the room, anxiety eating my stomach lining when they land on me. His lip curls in obvious disapproval. “It seems that someone has finally decided to grace us with her presence.”
My armpits become sweaty, like the temperature in the room has suddenly spiked. He knows the reason for my absences. SVU has a college-wide policy to accommodate an omega’s needs during heat, which I guess Professor Grub doesn’t approve of.
He clears his throat then, thankfully, continues addressing the class.
“Today, you will be making a custom elecampane tincture to help with coughs. Combine it with at least one other herb. You will each present your creation by the end of the session. Let’s hope some of us…
” His gaze rests pointedly on me. “Can keep up.” He smacks his hands together, making everyone jump. “Now pair up, and get started!”
Amora and I busy ourselves, talking only occasionally to check measurements or steps. It’s nice to be working with herbs again, and being in her company is effortless. I get the sense I’m not the only one with something on my mind, judging by how aggressively she’s cutting the roots.
“We could add fresh ginger?” Amora suggests, checking her book.
“There’s some ginger over there, but it’s not quite ready yet.
” She points at the spot where some of our classmates are haphazardly pulling up the plants.
“But I saw some with yellower, wilted leaves down at a little spot by the bridge, if you want to check it out?”
“That sounds great.” I stand up. “Anything’s better than staying here and watching them yank out the ginger like they’re playing tug of war.”
“Grub shouldn’t speak to you how he does,” she whispers as we progress down the path. We’re well away from everyone else, but she still seems afraid someone will hear. “It’s not fair.”
“He has a point,” I shrug. “This is only my second class since this semester started.”
“Omegas can’t help when they go into heat,” she reminds me but doesn’t stress the point, even though I can tell she wants to.
We track down the harvestable ginger then carefully dig it up. It’s nice to be back around nature and working in my element again. However, no matter how hard I try, my mind keeps wandering back to them.
“Faye?” She must have been speaking, but I’d completely spaced out. “Are you happy with that?”
“Sorry, my head’s all over the place today.” I inhale deeply, trying to collect myself. “What did you say?”
“Do you mind shredding the ginger?” she asks. “I’ll prepare the marshmallow root for the next step.”
I nod. “No problem.”
“Are you sure you’re okay, Faye?” Amora asks. Her dark brown eyes scan over my face. “I know it’s none of my business, but I couldn’t help noticing what happened before class.”
I sigh. “Yeah, you and everyone else.”
“Trust me, I get it.” Amora nods knowingly. “Having a pack can be hard work. I’ve had my fair share of alpha trouble.”
“He’s not my alpha,” I reply quickly. Too quickly. “He could have been, maybe.” Amora has a gentle way about her that makes me feel like I can tell her anything without judgment. “But not anymore.”
“Sorry, I’m usually pretty scent intuitive, and I thought...” She waves her hand. “Ignore me.”
She doesn’t press me for information, but she’s piqued my curiosity to know more about her.
“Do you have a pack?”
“Yes.” Her lips curl into a shy smile. “We bonded last year.”
I have so many questions. I’ve never met a bonded omega before. Well, aside from a few customers passing through Blooming Brew, but they wouldn’t want to be interrogated by me while shopping.
I’d like to know what it feels like. Some books say that once bonded, you can sense each other’s emotions. Is that true? Does it get annoying and cause arguments? How do you juggle pack life and keeping everyone happy?
“Actually, we’re having a yearly bonding party soon. Carmen, one of my alphas, loves to party. She’s always telling me I should have more omega friends.” Amora rolls her eyes. “You should come. You’re in Stella House, right?”
I nod.
“I was in Persephone House last year, when I first arrived.”
We chat easily for a few more minutes and end up swapping numbers, Amora promising to send me the party details later. I’m not exactly in a party mood, but it would probably be good for me to get out the house. And she said I could bring the Stellas too.
“We better get back.” She checks her watch. “We don’t have long left.”
Once back at our workstation, we prepare the ingredients, we add them to the bottle and give them a gentle shake.
In a few months, it’ll be ready. When we’re done, my mood has significantly improved, proud of how perfect the consistency is.
This will show Professor Grub I’m truly worthy of being here.
Although I’m confident in our elixir, my mouth goes dry at the thought of having a conversation with Professor Grub who moves from bench to bench, inspecting the finished products. Finally, he stops to look at ours.
Instantly, his nose scrunches like he’s smelled something foul.
“Wrong. Wrong. Wrong. This ginger was picked too soon.” He picks up our vial then tips the contents straight onto the soil.
I almost swallow my tongue as I watch our elixir absorb into the earth.
“Did you check the soil before uprooting the ginger? Useless!”
“I saw rhizomes through the soil,” I insist. I don’t mean to be difficult, but I really want to understand where we went wrong. I’ve harvested ginger hundreds of times before.
“Are you questioning me?” Professor Grub’s expression turns thunderous.
“Do you think you know more than I do? Someone who has decades worth of experience? Listen here, omega.” He says the word like it’s dirty.
Everyone turns to stare, some of the betas snickering behind their hands.
“You may be used to alphas doting on you, but that does not mean you’ll get any special treatment in my class.
As you are clearly responsible for this disaster, I expect you to write me an essay on ginger and its healing properties.
That is unless you’re too busy to complete it. ”
It feels like all the blood in my body rushes to my cheeks. That essay will take hours to write, and he knows it.
“Yes, Professor,” I concede, not daring to argue and make matters worse.
He sweeps away to examine the next groups’ work. There’s is twice as dark as it should be and has moss floating in it; however, he merely says it requires a little extra attention to detail.
“I thought we did everything right,” Amora whispers, equally confused. “I can help you with the essay. It’s my fault for suggesting that spot.”
“It’s okay. I need to brush up on ginger theory anyway, and Professor Grub’s probably right,” I say, now questioning my own judgment. I’ve had a rough day, so me making a mistake isn’t surprising. “They might have needed soaking for longer.”
“That’s all for today, class.” Professor Grub declares. “And I would suggest that some of you,” he glowers in my direction, “question whether you’re really capable of meeting the standards of my class to avoid wasting any more of my time.”
Perhaps Professor Grub has a point. Maybe I just don’t belong here. Maybe leaving Clover Hollow and coming to SVU was one big mistake.