Chapter 21 Kady
TWENTY-ONE
Kady
Delilah links her arm through mine as we stroll through Omega Village. The air is brisk, stinging the tips of my ears as the sun peeks over the tops of the houses we pass. Her thick rainbow fleece coat makes me feel like I’m cozied up to a very big sheep.
“Are you sure you don’t want a pair? I’m getting better, right?” She holds up her gloves. They’re oversized in a pink and purple chunky knit with a thumb three times the size it should be. “I could make you some in the same colors? Or how about bright pink?”
“Sure, Del,” I reply distractedly, my gaze fixed ahead.
I didn’t sleep well after spending last night with the Valen Pack. My dreams were haunted by sexy alphas that I definitely shouldn’t be thinking of in that way. I can’t even get away from them when I’m not fully conscious.
“Okay.” Delilah stops in her tracks, putting her oven mitt-like gloves on her hips. “There is no way you’d ever wear anything bright pink. What’s on your mind?”
I smile weakly. “It’s nothing.”
“I know you, Kady. Whatever this is, it isn’t nothing.” She blows away one of the loose brown tendrils escaping from underneath her cat-themed earmuffs. “You’ve been jittery for days. I swear, I saw you slip some milk into your coffee this morning, and you just agreed to wear pink.”
“Seriously.” I feign a grin. “I’m fine. It’s just been a busy few weeks, and I’ve been taking some time to decompress. I just need to get back to normal.”
Her lips purse in a way that tells me she doesn’t believe what I’m saying, but she doesn’t press further, linking arms with me again, her mass of curls snuggling into my shoulder. Regardless of my irritable mood, Delilah always has a way of making everyone feel better.
“Did the book club enjoy their last read?” I attempt to change the subject.
“Oh yes.” She nods animatedly, “Nia joined too.”
“Nia?” I splutter. “As in Fem Soc President Nia? I thought she only read Naomi Wolf.”
“She’s not all work and no play.” Delilah rolls her eyes. “And smut is all about female empowerment, so of course, she wanted to join. You should consider it too.”
I wave my hand. “I have too much work for that.”
Delilah smirks. “Or you’re getting so much action from your mysterious Forestville alphas that you don’t need to live out your wildest fantasies through fictional male characters.”
I ignore her, too preoccupied by the nervous apprehension bubbling in my stomach, knowing that I’m likely to see Calder at The Valley Voice office today.
I can’t stop replaying what Hale said last night about how it would be to be their omega.
He made it sound so easy. Sadly, real life is never that straightforward.
I’ve seen my father’s bonded colleagues at dinner parties, watching how omegas become subservient to their alphas.
It’s easy to promise you the world before a bite, but after that, all bets are off.
We stop by Toasted for Delilah to grab one of their new breakfast sandwiches. As she rummages around looking for her wallet, Pack Fire’s latest song comes over the radio. She freezes.
The impatient cashier clicks their teeth, arching a pierced brow sassily. “I have a line.”
“I’ve got it.” I step in, shooting them a death glare before paying and grabbing Delilah’s sandwich before she has a chance to argue. “Come on, we’re leaving.”
“You didn’t have to,” Delilah murmurs, looking at her shoes.
“Their sandwiches may be amazing, but the service leaves a lot to be desired.” I bump her playfully. “With the amount you feed me and the Stellas, I owe you hundreds of dollars’ worth of breakfasts by now.”
The tension in her shoulders loosens as soon as we’re out of the store and not being forced to listen to that godforsaken band anymore.
“I’m sorry.” She shakes her head. “You’d think that after a year, he wouldn’t get to me still, but here I am.” She sniffs. “Making a fool out of myself in Toasted over some guy who probably can’t even remember my name.”
That “some guy” is Jagger Knight. The asshole rockstar who made Delilah feel like his world only to crush her.
I was wary of him from the start. Obviously.
Everyone’s read about his playboy reputation, but Delilah insisted that he was different before he skipped town without saying goodbye, leaving her heartbroken.
“Of course, he’d remember your name.” Okay, I’m not entirely sure whether someone like Jagger has the capability to remember anything more than to check his reflection in the mirror, but I don’t want to make her feel any worse. “It’s the name he’ll think of when he realizes how badly he fucked up.”
She giggles. “You think?”
“Of course.” Sabs is our resident Stella hype girl, but I can do a pretty good job on my own. “He’s a fool, and his latest album has totally flopped.”
“Did it?” She nibbles on her sandwich, her eyes filled with concern for someone who doesn’t deserve it. “I still have Pack Fire blocked on my computer so they don’t appear on my feeds.”
“Good.” That was my suggestion to help her through the tough time right after Jagger skipped town. “And keep it that way. You’re doing great now, Del.” I squeeze her arm. “An alpha who treats you like that isn’t worthy of you. You’re one in a billion.”
She grins, eating her food and groaning. “Oh wow. This breakfast sandwich is unreal.” She holds out the slabs of bread bulging with fresh tomatoes, herbed sausages, and spinach. “Wanna try? The combination of oregano, pepper with that zingy tomato, and dressing is something else.”
“I’m good with coffee.”
She chews away happily, seeming more content again as she chats about her musical performance class. She’s still too shy to sing any of her own pieces in front of us, but she really enjoys reading us the lyrics she writes.
Our talking is drowned out by a group of alphas up ahead, their loud heckling penetrating my skull. Can’t they reduce the decibels at this time of the morning?
“What’s going on there?” Delilah’s eyebrows pull together.
The main street is still pretty quiet. Most students aren’t exactly early morning birds, unless they’re heading to the gym for practice or the library.
“Probably alphas proving they’re all bark and no bite,” I quip, ready to turn in the opposite direction, leaving them to whatever they’re doing. Getting in the middle of an alpha fight is a definite no-go, even if I am l trained in martial arts.
“Is that…?” Delilah squints. “A telescope?”
My head jerks around to see an alpha football player holding a telescope above his head.
The assholes are taking turns, throwing it between each other, like it’s a ball.
It’s hard to properly see what’s happening because of all the broad shoulders and the sea of red football shirts, but I instantly recognize Kyro’s blockhead, my stomach nose diving.
Who else would carry a telescope to campus?
Through the sea of people, I catch a glimpse of a familiar face. Riven. His shoulder-length blonde hair glistens in the early morning sun, looking very out of place amongst the muscular jocks.
Seeing Riven’s lost expression has my legs moving before I realize what I’m doing.
“Kady?” Delilah hurries after me. “Where are you going?”
“Just stay here,” I instruct her.
“I’m not leaving you.” She scampers after me. “You know better than to get involved in alpha disagreements.”
I don’t reply to her, seeing red as I watch Riven lunge for his telescope, only for it to be thrown over his head.
While I don’t know Riven well, I know that his telescope is very important to him.
I’m not going to stand back and watch while Kyro and his friends smash up one of his prized possessions.
“Go on,” Kyro sneers, pretending to drop the telescope before catching it at the last second. “Do you think you’re so brave now, huh? You stole our omega! Tyler said you were practically drooling over her in the library.”
Shea is there too, his clenched fists in front of his face in a boxing stance. “If you want your…” He pauses for a second, obviously not knowing what a telescope even is. “Lens-thingy back, you’ll have to fight for it.”
“Move!” I shove past one of the alphas.
Delilah hangs back at the edge of the circle, chewing on her lip in concern.
“Hey,” The jock glares down at me then sneers at Kyro. “Look, Ky, this bitch is back for seconds.”
I grab his wrist then twist his arm at the perfect angle, making him yelp in surprise. “Call me a bitch again, and you won’t be playing football all season.”
His smug smirk drops, lower lip trembling as he battles to maintain his composure around the other guys. But based on the small whimper he makes, this twist is causing him immense pain.
“You should remember that engaging in alpha fights is against campus rules,” I say, before quoting the SVU handbook before releasing him.
“If I speak to your coach, you’ll be put on the bench.
See my friend over there?” I point at Delilah, who is conveniently holding up her phone.
“She’s recording the whole thing, so she has your face on camera.
I recommend that you give Riven his telescope back, then move along. ”
“It was only a joke,” Kyro jeers. “I thought you had a little more humor, Kady-kins?”
My eyes narrow into slits. “Don’t call me that.”
“Here.” Kyro thrusts the telescope out for Riven to take. Just as Riven reaches out, Kyro lets it drop. “Oops.”
The telescope lands with a crash on the ground. The glass of the lens cracks, and there’s a popping noise, like a screw coming loose. My breath hitches, hoping it’s not completely broken.
Shea swaggers past, muttering, “You want that filthy omega whore, then you’re welcome to her.”
I let his comment wash over me, however, Riven’s face contorts. His lip curls, and his smoldering blue eyes blaze with fury.
“What did you say?” Riven’s voice has a gravely tone I’ve never heard before. “That’s no way to talk to an omega. Apologize for calling her that.”