Page 79 of Vicious Kings
I stare at him, trying to process the sheer audacity. "You really expect me to believeyou'reinterested in omega biology?"
"I'm interested inyouromega biology." His smile widens. "There's a difference."
The collar around my neck heats up, probably responding to my blood pressure spiking into the stratosphere. "You changed all my classes."
"Most of them," he corrects. "I left this one alone. Seemed only fair to join you instead, since I had a free period."
"Fair?FAIR?" My voice rises enough that several omegas turn to stare. I lower it to a hiss. "You manipulated my entire schedule, isolated me in classes filled with alphas, and now you're crashing the one class that's supposed to be omega-only?"
"When you put it like that, it does sound rather excessive." He doesn't look remotely apologetic. "But I prefer to think of it as thorough. Besides, it's the one class on your original roster I think you'll find beneficial. You have a lot of catching up to do."
"You're insane."
"Probably." He leans closer, voice dropping as he studies me like the cat who got the cream. "But you're the one who broke my nose yesterday. So which of us is really the dangerous one?"
Before I can respond, Professor Wyngrave enters, her golden eyes immediately locking onto Corvinus. She pauses mid-stride, clearly not expecting to find a prince in her omega biology class.
"Your Highness." She recovers quickly, inclining her head. "This is... unexpected."
"Professor Wyngrave." He rises with princely courtesy. "I hope you don't mind my presence. I find myself with a new interest in the subject matter."
The way he says it, like he's discussing the weather instead of crashing a class specifically designed to teach omegas about their reproductive systems, makes my eye twitch.
Professor Wyngrave's expression suggests she minds very much, but she's not about to tell a prince to leave. "Of course not, Your Highness. Please, make yourself comfortable."
He sits back down, that infuriating smile still in place. I want to kick him. Want to grab one of the decorative crystals on the professor's desk and see how far I can shove it up his?—
"Today," Professor Wyngrave begins, her voice slightly strained, "we'll be discussing the biological markers that indicate omega compatibility with potential mates."
Oh, this is going to be torture.
Sure enough, Corvinus leans forward with what appears to be genuine interest as the professor launches into a lecture about pheromone compatibility and scent matching. The other omegastake notes frantically, stealing glances at him every few seconds like they're trying to memorize his presence for later worship.
Isabella's pen digs into her notebook so hard I'm surprised it doesn't puncture through the desk.
"The process of scent matching," Professor Wyngrave continues, clearly trying to pretend there isn't a prince in her classroom disrupting decades of omega-only tradition, "is one of the most reliable indicators of compatibility. When an omega encounters a compatible alpha, her body responds in specific, measurable ways."
Corvinus raises his hand.
No. Absolutely not. He is not about to?—
"Yes, Your Highness?" Professor Wyngrave's tone is wary.
"Could you elaborate on these physical responses?" He asks it with such genuine curiosity that if I didn't know better, I'd think he actually gave a shit about the academic material. "For example, how does an omega's body differentiate between general attraction and true compatibility?"
Every other omega in the room leans forward, hanging on the professor's every word. I want to sink through the floor and disappear into the earth's molten core.
"An excellent question." Professor Wyngrave moves to the board, symbols appearing in glowing script. "General attraction may cause elevated heart rate, flushed skin, increased pheromone production. But true compatibility triggers deeper responses. Heightened sensitivity to the alpha's scent. There's also a specificity to it. Alphas in general have a scent that ranges in degree of pleasantness, varying between observers, but when a scent match is at play, that scent becomes highly distinct. Said alpha would smell like an alpha to the average omega, but to hisscent match, he would smell like a unique fragrance, or sometimes a combination of multiple scents."
"Like apple pie?" an omega from the back offers, earning a chorus of snickers.
The professor's lips twitch slightly. "That is one… unique possibility, yes."
"What if we're already chosen by an alpha and then ten years later, we meet some guy who smells like tiramisu?" another omega asks.
Clearly, we need to reschedule this class until after lunch. Even I'm starting to get hungry, although the idea of alpha pheromones are about as appealing as eating an old leather boot.
Or at least, they should be. With a few annoying recent exceptions.
