Chapter 4 – Zale
Chapter Four
Zale
“ W hat’s the matter?” Millie asks, pressing up against my arm as she crowds into my space, her body heat soaking into mine. When I’d turned down her invitation to a dinner downtown tonight, I hadn’t expected her to show up with Sadie and the other omega’s they liked to hang around with.
She’s wearing a low-cut red sequin top that laces up her back with chains and a pair of black jeans. Her curls are glossy and tame as they cascade down her back like some sort of fairytale princess. Aside from the smell of vodka coming from the red cup she’s holding as she sways to the music, there’s a lingering scent of something sweet, buttery and almost toffee-like as her hand links with mine.
It was normal to release pheromones and scent one another when you were dating, but for some reason, it always made me a little uncomfortable. Public displays of affection weren’t something I’d grown up with. My Alpha mother disapproved of behavior that could bring the reputation of Blackwood Tech into question, and apparently, being affectionate in front of others was something that toed the line.
Wasn’t it strange that in a world where we’re ruled by our secondary genders, placed into a societal hierarchy where our values are based on our genetic worth, we’re also not allowed to act according to those natures?
Millie was always really considerate with her pheromones, and that was something I liked about her – she wasn’t trying to influence me using our natures, unlike Sadie. Sadie would use everything in her arsenal to get what she wanted.
“You seem distracted.” Big green eyes look up at me, filled with concern and
a flicker of guilt uncurls in my gut, like a sleepy plant unfurling after hibernation.
My attention had been caught, once again, by Shiloh Vos. I hadn’t even wanted to come to this party tonight, but Evans had been determined to find someone other than Sadie to suck his cock, so here we were. I knew the second he’d approached Shiloh’s omega housemate that it could only spell disaster, and oh look, I was right.
“It’s your brother…it looks like he’s fallen in the pool.” Fallen isn’t the right word, but if I say that I think Sadie pushed him…well, I don’t know if that would upset Millie. She seemed to flit between being overprotective of her brother, and strangely cold. I was an only child, so I had no idea if this was normal between siblings, so I just avoided mentioning him. She doesn’t even look. In fact, her eyes seem to dim a little with the mention of him.
Frowning, I wrap my arm around her shoulder, wanting to comfort her for some reason. It seems to do the trick as she perks up and places a soft kiss on my lips. Another wave of buttery sweetness spikes and I let it wash over me. This was the scent I’d been apparently drawn to that night, the first night we slept together.
As she pulls away to look up at me again, she rolls her eyes. “He always manages to get himself in these situations, but don’t worry he’s a very good swimmer. If he had his way, he’d live at our summer house in Crete all year round.”
It was hard to imagine Shiloh enjoying the beach with his pale skin and grumpy nature. I couldn’t picture him enjoying anything other than the books he always seemed to have his nose buried in, the library, coffee and his friend, Bell. The man rarely smiled, so what did enjoyment even look like for him?
“Do you want to go and check on him?” I ask as he climbs out of the pool to the sounds of drunk people cheering and clapping.
“He’s not a child.” She steals another kiss. “Besides, have you met my brother? He’s more likely to be angry at me for drawing more attention to him.”
That sounded about right.
“Has he always been so…prickly?”
Her brows knit together for a moment, before she takes a sip from her red cup. “He’s always been different. Always thought differently, wanted different things. When we were children, he used to follow me around as if I’d hung the moon. Now he prefers that we pretend we don’t know each other.”
“Does that bother you?”
“No, not really. I’m happy with my life. We’re adults now and Shiloh has his life and I have mine, here with you.” She squeezes me with one arm, making sure she doesn’t spill her drink. The smile she gives me almost makes me wince. I couldn’t ask for a more understanding, patient, adoring girlfriend but there was something about the way she treated and talked about her brother that made me uncomfortable. It could also have been the way she spoke about our life as if it was already predetermined that it was ‘our’ life.
Although I try to ignore him, my gaze drifts back to Shiloh. His white shirt is plastered to his skin, clinging to him like it’s trying to merge with his body.
Normally hidden behind baggy sweaters and oversize jumpers, and tonight a floaty shirt, I didn’t realize Shiloh‘s frame was so…lithe. He was almost delicate. He has a long torso, with narrow hips and while his shoulders are somewhat broad, he’s still much smaller than me. if I didn’t know any better, I might almost assume that he was an omega.
Not that I’d ever dare to mention it to him because that might earn me a punch to the face. I tried to steer away from gossip and rumors, I didn’t care about who was fucking who unless it had an impact on my life, but even I had heard about the time someone had called Shiloh an omega and he’d broken their nose.
Of course, the Vos family had the power and the money to cover it up, just like how so many other scandals were buried at Oakley. Shaking my head, I chastised myself because it was also wrong to say that omega’s all looked a certain way. People came in all different shapes and sizes.
Blake catches my eye as we both watch the drama unfolding. Sadie was ruthless when she wanted to be. Evans had been trying to ignore her from the moment she arrived, but there was no ignoring her now, not when Campbell had shoved him aside to run to his friend’s aid. Evans curses and grabs another beer. As he pops off the cap, he glares at Blake.
“Don’t fucking say it.”
“ Cockblocked, ” he coughs.
“Fuck you, man.”
Ignoring them, I watch as Shiloh leans in and says something to Sadie. I don’t need to hear the words because the expression on her face is enough. It’s like he’s slapped her. Her hands ball into fists by her side as her skin flushes red, it wouldn’t surprise me if she stomped her foot like a toddler right now.
How can a beta, powerless and as ordinary as they come bring an omega from one of the most influential families to the brink like that?
The answer is simple, it’s because it’s Shiloh Vos.
And he doesn’t care what anyone else thinks.
Finally, he pushes past her and the others before vanishing into the house with Campbell on his heels. I’m not entirely sure what the deal is with those two, are they only housemates or are they also lovers?
Betas were a safe choice for an alpha or an omega to mess around with as a beta can only impregnate another beta. Maybe the pretty, cherub looking omega, shared a bed with Shiloh?
No. Everyone on campus knew that the angelic appearance was where the comparison ended. Campbell liked to share the love, freely and widely. Evans has had his eye on Campbell for a while, but he’s always stayed away. He may be in denial about Sadie cock blocking him, but I think deep down he knew.
Colton follows the pair, and I wonder what the deal is there too. Blake nudges me with his shoulder, offering me another beer and we head over to where Sadie is, with Millie keen to check on her friend. After comforting the distressed omega, who is releasing pheromones tinged with anger, they try to cheer her up. Evans is nowhere to be seen, but if I know my team mate, which I do, I know he’s left the party. Evans is all mouth and noise, until he needs to think, and then he prefers silence and a few laps of the football field.
When the group of omega’s start doing shots and taking pictures, I spot something on the floor. Pocketing the cracked glasses in my hoodie, I look back at the house.
Neither Shiloh, Campbell or Colton have returned twenty minutes later, and I tell myself that I’m just going into the house to grab another beer. Even though there’s plenty in a bucket full of ice by the door.
And when I find myself going up the stairs, I tell myself it’s because the queues for the bathroom downstairs are too long.
And when I find myself opening doors looking for Colton’s room it’s just because I’m worried about my girlfriend’s brother.
Turns out I needn’t have worried as a few minutes later Shiloh and Campbell pass me on the landing. His mossy green eyes narrow, but he says nothing as he walks past wearing Colton’s clothes, smelling like the alpha and hints of fresh soap.
Colton emerges from what must be his bedroom a minute later, and when he spots me standing there, frozen like some useless statue, his eyebrow lifts.
“You good?”
I nod. My phone vibrates, and I see Millie’s name flash up. What was I even doing up here? My girlfriend was downstairs waiting for me.
P ractice this morning was brutal, especially after the headache I’d been nursing since yesterday. I hadn’t planned to drink on Saturday at Colton’s party, but once everyone moved on from Shiloh’s little swim and he left, things seemed to go up a notch. The music was louder, the drinks flowing and shots everywhere I turned. I passed on the weed, but Blake, Millie and the others enjoyed themselves. I was a lightweight and I don’t really know how we got back to the house; all I know is that we stayed until the noise in my head was a little quieter.
I was paying the piper now though, as my body ached from the abuse, and then the workout I’d put it through. If waking up on Sunday with Millie naked in my bed hadn’t been enough to make me feel better, then drills with a bunch of sweaty guys wasn’t going to do the trick either.
My business management lecture was the last class of the day, and when this was done, I was free to go back to the house, take a hot shower and spend the evening either sleeping or playing a couple of rounds on the PlayStation with the guys. It wasn’t my turn to cook either, which was bliss given how my head was pounding.
When I enter the lecture theatre, there are only a handful of people here already. Someone snickers, and another makes a tutting noise, making me turn and look at the whiteboard.
‘Shiloh is a sloppy slut’ is scrawled across the board in huge letters, and all around it someone has drawn dicks and things that look like weird flowers but I assume they’re supposed to be assholes…one of them is dripping, so yeah. Safe to say they’re assholes. Whoever drew it is clearly no artist. My money is probably on Sadie, even though I can’t see her yet or one of her friends. Really, it could be anyone in our class. Sadie’s little campaign against Shiloh has given everyone else the green light to jump on the bandwagon. It doesn’t matter if they don’t even know him—to them, he’s just a beta with an attitude problem.
I don’t know when society decided that a hierarchy based on secondary genders was a smart way to go but all it’s done is breed this odd animosity towards any beta who dares go against an Alpha or an Omega. Is it because the Omega population was slowly declining each year? And while Sadie had humiliated Shiloh on Saturday, he’d also stood his ground. He’d gotten under her skin. Now, she’d make sure he was reminded of his place in the food chain.
As more people enter and clock the graffiti, snickering behind their hands, whispering Shiloh’s name over and over, I bite down on the inside of my cheek. Fuck. He’s not even here yet and there’s no escaping him.
Ignoring the coppery tang of blood in my mouth, I grab the foam eraser and start to wipe out the dry marker. I’ve barely removed one floppy cock doodle, when the hairs on the back of my neck rise. Without looking over my shoulder, I already know that Shiloh has just entered the room. I seem to have this weird awareness when it comes to him, I always know when he’s in the vicinity.
Slowly, I turn to look at him.
“Why rub it out? Didn’t you want me to see it?”
“I didn’t…I didn’t draw it.”
“I don’t care.” He says that, but I think he does. I didn’t miss the way he’d tensed up when he’d read what had been written. Or how he rubs at his neck as if he's uncomfortable. The way his jaw muscle twitches, and his eyes darken. I see it all, even if I don’t want to.
And I think Shiloh Vos cares.
“Have you ever even seen an asshole?” Our gazes clash together and as if realizing the implication of his question, he quickly follows it with, “God, don’t answer that.”
A hint of pink seems to bloom on his cheeks, and I realize that he isn’t wearing his glasses today and it makes him look…different. I want to slap myself, of course he isn’t wearing his glasses. They’re in my bag, waiting for me to return them.
“Are you offering to show your sister’s boyfriend your asshole? Wow.” Sadie’s sharp voice cuts through the odd staring match we seem to be having. She sashays up the steps and slides into a row of seats. “That’s low, even for you.”
Quickly, I scrub out the offending drawings. The whispering and laughter get louder as the rest of the class filters in, but Shiloh refuses to look away, instead, he pushes his shoulders back and takes a seat.
“What’s going on here?” A voice booms echoing around the lecture theatres the professor enters. I freeze, eraser still in my hand as he glances from me, to the rest of the room. Everyone’s taken their seats now, giving Shiloh a wide berth, all except for Sadie who moves to sit on the row behind him.
“Mr. Blackwood, I suggest you move away from my whiteboard before I write you up.” I open my mouth to protest, to explain that it wasn’t me, but he lifts a hand and cuts me off. “I don’t care if you’re on the football team or if your parents donate, generously, to the college's sponsorship programs. Step away and take a seat.”
Blake, who has no clue what’s just happened or what’s going on, guides me to our seats at the back of the room. For the rest of the class, I sit in silence, lost in my own thoughts. That’s why when Professor Bozniack starts talking about our next class project, I don’t register that I’ve been placed in a group with Shiloh until I get home and login to check the details again.
But there is.
Group Three.
Teddy Roblin, Zo Tracey, Albie Harrison, Eve Dayton, Shiloh Vos and Zale Blackwood.
Shiloh Vos and Zale Blackwood.
Shiloh and Zale.