Page 20 of Daughter of Garnet

I cannot imagine asking someone about their dick in the middle of the classroom, but Jennette has no qualms.

“Nope. And a female Alpha won't be able to lock, either. It’s a way to prevent us from reproducing with a partner that we aren't compatible on a biological level. If there is no scent sympathy, the Omega may as well be a Beta to us.” He smirks, and it’s pompous and sarcastic. “Not that there is anything wrong with that.”

"How do you know if you're sympathetic?" I glance at Warren out of the corner of my eye, surprised he's participating.

Dominic's smile grows wide. "Great question. Their scent is stronger to you than others, and our beasts know. It's intuitive and impossible to ignore. Catching the scent of a sympathetic Omega is almost mind-numbing. We're lucky to experience it once or twice in our lifetimes. Most Alphas who have bonded with an Omega choose the first sympathetic one they meet."

“Isn’t there another scent thing, though?” Alec asks. “Our brother is an Omega, and, before he bonded with his pack, mentioned something about it.”

“Scent matching. It’s the highest level of bond an Alpha and an Omega can have. It can be ignored, but it’s incredibly difficult. Both Alpha and Omega will experience adverse effects if they spend too much time apart before bonding. A scent-matched Omega can calm an Alpha’s beast with a single touch. It’s why we present the Omegas the way we do, so they have a chance to meet each Alpha. Omegas have tremendous power over their Alphas, and Alphas with scent-matched Omegas get the best job assignments because of it."

He slaps the back of the chair, a mischievous glint in his eyes. “But that’s not why we’re here. We’re going to work together to ensure that you have what it takes to calm an Alpha with a difficult beast. Me. And I'm not going to make it easy on you. If I feel like you’re not getting it, I will have to insist we have one-on-one lessons.”

Those words are for me, if the way he is staring me down is any indication. I school my face, trying not to give him a reaction, but it is a struggle. I don’t want him to know that he affects me, but it would be a lie to say he doesn't. My heart is pounding in my chest, and I’m fisting my hands to keep from fiddling with things around me.

Dominic stands gracefully and dips his head at us. “We’ll meet on Tuesdays and Thursdays in the library at seven in the evening, starting tonight. If you cannot make it… Well, make sure you can.”

He struts out of the room, and I watch him go, unable to take my eyes off the way his sleek body moves. Right before he crosses the threshold, he looks over his shoulder, catching me staring, and a feline grin stretches on his face before he mouths, “See you soon, Omega.”

CHAPTER 11

Zoe

My stomach is so twisted in knots about seeing Dominic tonight that I can’t eat. I’m watching Warren chew on some rice dish, chatting with Viv and Cliff, when I stand up, my plate untouched.

“I’m going to head over to the library early. I have other studying to do.”

I don’t wait for a response, clearing my plate and heading upstairs. I’ve got time to read more about the Gods before my first study group with Dominic. Maybe that will keep my mind off the fact that I'll have to see him again soon.

I find the corner I was in last week, sliding to the floor once I have Fate of the Fire in my hands again. I know I should be researching the Gods that are still Blessing people, especially Kashmyre, since he’s Dominic’s patron, but I am drawn to Ilota’s book.

And it has nothing to do with the fact that I think I felt something when I touched the garnet.

I’ve barely finished scanning the table of contents when the book is ripped from my hands, startling me so badly I squeak.

“How did I know I’d find you hiding in here like a scared little bunny?” The pet name should make Dominic’s words sound seductive, but instead, it’s got a cruel lilt to it. “What are you doing in a Beta class?”

“I’m a Beta,” I say through gritted teeth. “I’ve told you that.”

I attempt to grab my book out of his hands, and he holds it away from me. “And I’ve told you that isn’t true. I don't like being lied to. I don't know how you've fooled them, but I'm going to find out. And unless you come clean, you won't like what happens when I do."

“I haven’t fooled anyone. I’m not an Omega. How could I get away with hiding something like that?" Why is this so important to him? Why won't he let this go? "Do you think I’m the first Omega ever that didn’t shift when touching the stone? How would I conceal the fact that I was Blessed with the rarest designation?”

“I don’t know.” He squats in front of me, bringing our eyes to the same level. His hair is slicked back today, the pomade giving him a woody, masculine scent, and up close, I can see that his canine teeth are slightly larger than normal and pointed at the tips.

It’s like his beast is right beneath the surface, ready to break through.

“But I'm not going to let you get away with it. Do you think you’re better than the Blessed, Zoe Ansell? That you’re too good to be an Omega?"

It’s impossible for me not to roll my eyes. “I don’t think I’m better than the Blessed, but there is not a plane of existence where I want to be a coddled Omega.”

“Bullshit. Everyone wants to be Blessed until they are. Now you’re realizing that it’s not everything they said it would be, and you’re trying to hide it? It won’t work, Zoe. Sooner or later, everyone is going to know what you are. How do you think you'll be punished when the truth comes out? There is a reason they don't allow Omegas to fraternize with the regular population." He leans forward, lips so close to my ear that I shudder. "It sure would be a shame if your pheromones caused me to lose control of my beast."

He’s got me cornered against the wall. I don't want to touch him, but I can’t get up without pushing him away, and he’s significantly larger than me. Plus, he has his beast on his side.

I'm stuck here at his whim, and I have never felt so vulnerable in my life.

This is why the Menagerie Management class exists. If I knew how to calm an Alpha, I could maybe get him relaxed enough to let me slip past. Instead, I’m stuck in his heavy gaze.