6. Zoe
Zoe
I’m still reeling from the interaction with the Alpha in the woods last night. I don’t know who he is, why he thinks I’m an Omega, and why it's so important to him, but I have a feeling he won't let this go.
What does it matter to him if I am an Omega? Not that I am, of course. But why does he care?
“Why are you being so weird?” Warren shoves the rest of his muffin in his mouth and speaks around it. “You’re acting like you’re heading to your funeral. It’s just Menagerie Management.”
I shake my head and gather up my half-eaten breakfast. Warren didn’t insist on dressing me this morning, so I’m wearing comfortable denim and a red blouse.
My mother has always said I look good in red, but I’ve never understood how to match colors to my appearance.
I grab what I like and what feels good on my body.
“I’m not acting weird.” He raises an eyebrow, not believing my denial. “What? I’m not. I’m not thrilled to be here, but that’s nothing new. I didn’t really like university either.”
He loops his arm through mine and slows his steps to walk in pace with me.
“But isn’t this more fun? It’s more hands-on now that we have our designations. I have to admit, I'm excited to learn how to handle Alphas when they’re in their beast forms.”
This does not sound like my idea of fun, especially after my encounter with an Alpha last night.
I think it’s kind of bullshit that we have to know how to calm an enraged Alpha and manage their beast forms. If they’re the ones that are so important that they are trusted to run our government, shouldn’t they have more control over themselves?
The classroom is small, big enough for thirty students at the most. Warren and I are some of the last in, if the number of empty seats is anything to go by. A woman stands at the front of the room with a friendly smile and gestures toward two empty seats near the front of the room.
She’s lovely, with long, sleek red hair that is a shade too vibrant to be natural, and creamy ivory skin. Her brown eyes track our movements, and then flick to the clock on the wall behind us.
“Good morning, students. I think we’re good to get started.” Her voice is soothing, and I could imagine myself falling asleep in her class very easily. “I’m Professor Trisha Kayhill. You can call me Professor, Professor Trisha, Trisha, I’m not picky.”
She sits on the top of her desk, crossing her ankles over one another.
“This is Menagerie Management, which is a fancy way of saying that your goal in this class is to learn how to manage the beasts that Alphas can shift into. We’ll start by learning which beasts the Gods most commonly Bless the Alphas with, how those forms can affect the Alphas’ temperaments, and how to coax a beast into the background so the Alpha can regain control of their body.
“As much as they hate to admit it, sometimes the beast can override their better senses, and when that happens, the Alpha may need a little help. The best thing is for them to be exposed to their Omegas, but we have so few that it’s rare to risk them around a raging Alpha they aren't bonded to.”
“So they’re willing to risk us?” a low voice behind me asks. “Are we cannon fodder?”
Professor Trisha sucks on her teeth and shrugs.
“You could look at it that way. Or you could see yourself as the protector of our most vulnerable population by stepping in.” She sweeps her gaze across the classroom.
“You may think there is no glory in being a Beta, but when an Alpha is on a rampage or stuck in a rut, we are who they call. It’s up to us to get the beast to cede control to the man. ”
“What’s a rut?” The question comes from the back of the classroom.
“Great question. We’ll have a whole section on it later, but you should know the basics now.
A rut is a period of increased sexual desire that an Alpha can be trapped in.
Typically, this is in their human forms, but I’ve heard of some beasts being affected as well.
They become overwhelmed with the instinctual urge to find an Omega and impregnate them.
They can get extremely aggressive if not given access to an Omega. ”
“So what, we’re supposed to let them fuck us instead?” a voice to my left asks.
The professor’s laugh is tinkling and pretty, as she flips her hair over her shoulder. “If the Alpha has selected you to be a part of their pack? Sure. But for most of us, we find other ways.”
She stands up and claps, breaking the tension of the moment.
“But we’ll get to that later! Today, we’ll review the syllabus and get you split into study groups.
Eventually, your study groups will be assigned an Alpha to help you put your skills to practical use.
But that won’t be for another few classes. ”
Warren elbows me to get my attention. “We’ll need a good group. And I hope our Alpha is hot.” I've known since we were teenagers and talking about our futures that Warren wanted to be with an Alpha. I've never thought about it, always assuming that I'd find a Beta.
What if the man in the woods was right, and I am an Omega? Working in close quarters with an Alpha could prove problematic if they catch my scent and demand I be removed from the class.
I haven’t even seen an Omega since I got here. They have their own dining hall, their own classes. They’re completely cut off from the rest of us under the guise of protecting them. The last thing I want is to be shoved in a room and left to rot without Warren and Viv.
How are they meant to find their Alphas if they’re never exposed to them? I don’t know much about being an Omega, but I do know they go into heat every few months rather than a monthly menstrual cycle, and that they need Alphas during that time to help ease the pain and desperation.
Do they get to choose the Alphas who assist them during their heats, or do they take what they’re given?
I'm not an Omega. Being one sounds miserable. I won't live a life like that, so that voice in my head had to be a hallucination. I won't accept anything else.
Warren is chattering away in my ear about how excited he is for the class and our Alpha Aide. I wasn’t even paying attention to the groups we were put into, but at least I know Warren is in mine.
The rest of the day passes without incident, with classes that don’t differ much from the ones I took at university.
Calculus with Warren is my last class of the day, and by the time we’re done, I’ve almost forgotten yesterday's interaction in the woods with the sabertooth Alpha.
I’ve never heard of a God Blessing someone with an extinct beast before Viv mentioned her brother, but I suppose it must happen every so often. They are still the God's creatures, after all, even if they no longer walk among us.
What was everyone's reaction when he shifted? There were only a few exciting shifts in my ceremony: a woman who became a white tiger and a man Blessed by Aenella who became a walrus. Otherwise, it was all very standard.
“Wanna grab dinner?” Warren touches my elbow, halting me before I can peel off toward our dorm.
I picked at my breakfast and lunch, so I should eat something hearty for dinner, even if my appetite is nonexistent. Maybe smelling food will help me get there. Even if it doesn't, spending time with Warren is always great.
“Sure. Lead the way.”