Page 89 of Daughter of Garnet

"I don't need to know anything, Zoe. You don't have to explain yourself to me. But there are some people who will ask you to, okay? People who probably won't have your best interest at heart." She opens one eye and peeks at me. "So keep your circle small. I won't pretend to know all of the details of your situation, but I know you have to have a good reason for what you're doing. If something happens and you need help, you come to me, okay?"

I gulp down my nerves, but my voice still shakes. "Okay. Thank you." I gather my bag and make my way to the door, leaving Trisha still stretched out with her eyes closed. When I go to open the door, her voice stops me.

"Whatever you do, don't let Hayes find out."

CHAPTER 43

Zoe

I wake with a start, the pain in my abdomen so great that I have to bite my tongue to keep from crying out. I don't know what is wrong with me, but it certainly isn't a sickness.

My knees buckle as I stagger out of bed. Sweat has my pajamas stuck to my skin, and I feel like I can't breathe from the heat. I want to strip off all my clothes and curl up somewhere cozy, but I can't. I can't be alone.

I need Cliff. I need him here with me.

I have no idea how long I've been sleeping. I skipped dinner after speaking to Professor Trisha and came back here to pass out. It must be around one in the morning now, because, while things are mostly quiet, I can still hear people returning from parties.

My need for my Beta has me all but dragging myself down the hall, using the wall to keep standing. When I reach his door, I kick it with my knee, fearful that if I remove my hand from the wall, I will fall and be unable to get up.

"Cliff," I whine. "I need you."

The door opens, but it's not Cliff's broad body I'm staring at, but the slim, pale naked torso of my childhood best friend.

"Zoe? What's going on?"

Being this near to Warren makes me feel like I'm going to hurl, but I can't tell him that. All I know is that he's not supposed to be here. This is wrong, all wrong.

"Where's Cliff?"

"He's not in."

"Where is he?" I can't hide the tears in my voice. Finding out he isn't there feels like the end of the world.

Warren's face falls, and he reaches out slowly so as not to spook me and rests a hand on my shoulder. "Oh, Zoe. I hate to be the one to tell you."

A spasm of pain has me clutching my stomach. "Tell me what?"

"He's on a date."

My mind screeches to a halt, and suddenly the most painful thing isn't my fevered skin or the clenching in my abdomen.

My Beta is on a date?

He's on a date?

I cannot stop the tears from spilling over. A desperate, needy wail escapes me. "A date? Why? He's mine! Why would he do that to me? I need him."

There is no way, not after seeing my teeth shift, that he doesn't realize what is happening to me, what I am now. I reach for my neck to clutch my pendant and swear. I took it off before bed. I always do. I am probably stinking this whole hallway up with Omega pheromones.

Shit, I can't do this.

Though my heart is breaking, my body feels like it's being ripped in two, and I know that I cannot do this on my own, but I don't want Warren.

I say the first name that pops into my head.

"I need Dominic."

Warren's eyes go stormy, and his face twists with disgust. "What do you need that asshole for?"