KRISTOS
I only had to survive two more weeks. Two more, goddamn fucking weeks of college before I'd be able to ditch this wretched ass campus. Father had insisted on a STEM graduate degree if I wanted my trust fund, which meant failing out wasn't an option. Not that I had an aversion to the sciences; I just wasn't a fan of the strict rules that Father had set in place. Or just, you know, Father in general.
My parents believed that I was a screwup. My grades had never been perfect. My accomplishments didn't stand out and I always chose the easy way out of everything. Truthfully though? My parents just knew so little about me because all of their attention was focused on my older brother – a Beta -, the heir to the company, the estate, and the one who was supposed to continue the bloodline. Me? I was just insurance. And as an Alpha, I felt slighted.
It was also the one thing that attributed to my soft personality. Most Alphas were quick to react while I was quicker to bow my head and give in. Submission had been beaten into me from a young age, which, the more I thought about it, was fucking weird. Nothing I could do about it now.
I wasn't stupid though. I just had no desire to major in toxicology, a degree Father had specifically requested. Episteme University was great and all with all its bells and whistles. It provided jobs to handfuls of hopeful students that wouldn't have had a chance elsewhere. I just… didn't care. The STEM world was so abusive and one-sided to the biological dynamic. Alphas had it easy. Betas were easily forgotten. And Omegas had to fight tooth and nail just to be considered. Zetas… well, there just weren't that many of them.
Besides, I was only here for the inheritance. Not that I wanted it, or even needed it. I just wanted to have something that my brother, Minos, couldn't get his grimy hands on. Minos had infected everything else of Father's. I just wanted to have something that my brother wanted, but couldn't have. The mere thought of it warmed my cold heart.
So… for two more weeks, just shy of my 26th birthday, I had to survive. Then I could disappear into the woods somewhere with a payday that would set me up for life. No one to answer to. No rules. Just freedom.
Knowing my luck, it wouldn't be that easy.
"Yo, we've been looking for you everywhere!"
I jerked up to attention, wondering when I had drawn so far into my own thoughts. An Alpha's most desirable trait was his senses, unfortunately, my body always seemed to neglect those – allowing people to sneak up on him. A few of the frat brothers joined me in the communal space, littering themselves along the couches and strange chairs that had been adopted over the years, strange expressions clouding their faces. I hadn't even heard them come in; the thought was terrifying.
"Hear what?" I finally asked when I was unable to pull from their expressions any clear answer as to what they were referring to.
I checked my phone, but there weren't any new messages. Nothing was even on the school board. It was Tuesday, which meant that the Chemistry final wasn't until Friday. Shaking my head again, I peered over at one of the Betas to my left. He had draped himself over one of the royal red ottomans we had confiscated from Beta Kappa Chi during one of our last all-nighters. I had never figured out the Beta's name and at this point, I didn't think it would make any difference to learn it. To be honest, I only knew most of the brothers by their scents – this one smelled like berries and ginger. The scent thing worked and I found no reason to change his system.
I hated fraternities and all the fake camaraderie that they came with. It stunk like Alpha aggression all the damn time, but the constant chaos kept me occupied and made the time fly by faster. I only joined out of obligation as a legacy and I only stayed because I had somehow managed to get out of the initiation trials.
The Beta that had settled next to me, – forest and coconut – the scent confused me, jostled my shoulder playfully. "Hear what." The Beta mockingly mouthed at me. I didn't know what I was supposed to know. Even with all of my pull around the university – Father was quite well-known as the CEO of Nartiko Mou, one of the largest drug companies around – I tended to be out of the loop more than I cared to admit. After all, I didn't lean on Father's wealth and name to get anywhere. "As if you didn't already know," Forest and Coconut spat out.
I frowned, sucking a breath as I surveyed the Betas' expressions, realizing that they weren't giddy with great news. Their scents reeked of fear and uncertainty. Turning my attention to the Beta on my right – chocolate and fresh linen – the only Beta I could truly rely on and the only one who knew my family dynamic, I silently asked for an explanation. The Beta – Sanders – one of a few names I had memorized always smelled like a goddamn puppy. Fresh and sweet, not enticing enough to do anything about but easy enough to keep around.
Sanders shook his head and sighed, averting his attention to the other three Betas seated around the room, which meant that whatever news I was supposed to have known wasn't good but since none of them were ya know, giving me the information, I would have to force it out of them. And… this was the part I hated, pulling rank.
Taking a deep breath, I drew on my Alpha essence and turned to Forest and Coconut, baring my teeth like the goddamn animal I was, letting some of those Alpha pheromones reveal themselves. It was completely uncalled for pulling rank in a room full of Betas, but I needed a straight answer. The somber atmosphere was setting off my anxiety. "Treat me as if I didn't know," I hissed at Forest and Coconut, the Beta shrinking back a few inches and then smiling again as if nothing had happened.
"Fine, have it your way."
"We're having The Lockdown this year." Cream and Sugar, the third Beta, blurted out. I grimaced at his scent – mostly because he smelled like he hadn't taken a shower in a few weeks despite his naturally sugary scent, which was apparently typical and accepted by our fraternity.
Silence filled the room. I wasn't sure what to make of that information. Lockdown field trips only happened every five years. I hadn't even managed to calculate that my graduating year was the year of a Lockdown. These field trips were like a golden ticket to the outside world, hands-on experience at some of the most prestigious institutions in the country. Unfortunately, these trips were associated with some of the hardest tests that ever graced the campus.
Opting out was an option, but those few were ridiculed for passing up one of the biggest opportunities in their lifetime. The worst part wasn't even the tests. It was the fact that whatever happened on those field trips, stayed on those field trips. Rumors swirled through our campus about deaths and injuries, mental scares, and more, and yet every five years, these things continued.
The Lockdown was one of the most prized and highly valued exclusive, yet least desirable clubs in the science community. Those who 'survived' lauded their badge around for eternity but no one was excited to participate in them except those who hadn't heard the rumors.
I was more terrified of what I'd encounter than failing out at this point. Granted, I could opt out, what with my perfect seat waiting for me at Father's company. He'd have one for sure but if he knew I had skipped out on a Lockdown? I'm not sure where that would leave me, even with a diploma, he might strip me of my inheritance and that just wasn't an option.
Besides, my girlfriend dumped me weeks before attending her Lockdown and we hadn't spoken since. It was still a bit of a sore point, but her Alpha cousin and I had bonded so I guess I could call it a win.
Forest and Coconut choked out a bitter laugh at the warring emotions on my face, "Like you even have to worry about it. You're loaded."
I threw him a dark look, "Fa- my dad's loaded." Failout out meant no inheritance anyway. A grimace replaced my tortured expression, having almost revealed to everyone that my home life was not all glamour and sparkles. I didn't need anyone knowing that Father was the absolute authority at home and that I had to answer to my Beta older brother for everything else.
Forest and Coconut snickered at that, attempting to slap my shoulder in jest, "What's the difference? I-"
Sanders launched himself over me, slapping a hand over the Beta's mouth, "Shut it."
At times, I was grateful for Sanders. He had his moments and he could never read situations without blurting out an asinine comment, but there were a few times he stepped up. Like now. He made it easy to avoid fights, shielding me from assholes who couldn't keep their mouths shut. Unlike most growing Alphas on campus, I wasn't aggressive and didn't lean into my Alpha essence to wield control and power, but the constant badgering from people who either wanted a piece of me or a piece of my money made it difficult to keep my fists to myself.
Even now, I felt my Alpha rumbling in my chest, begging me to start something.
Not to mention the constant Omegas going into heat all the time. Sure, the nurse's office helped them through it with heat blockers, but this was college. Omegas that had never been knotted wanted in on the experience. And Alphas were more than happy to oblige. It didn't even matter that half of us were in graduate school, Alphas were still pouncing on innocent little Omegas fresh to the college scene without any restraint.
If I hadn't trained myself and bought a shit ton of scent blockers, I wasn't sure that I would have survived. Much to the chagrin of my frat brothers; the frat prided themselves on their 'conquests'. I had brought all of one Beta to the house years ago, before realizing that I despised the way the brothers categorized a one-night stand.
Brushing off their unbridled interest in my home life, I headed for the cafeteria, hands stuck in my pockets as I braved the afternoon chill, Betas following close behind. For some reason, I felt safer in this pack of Betas, rather than with the other Alpha brothers. It could have been a power dynamic thing, or just the fact that we weren't constantly trying to outdo each other. There was sort of a relaxing effect associated with these guys. Or maybe I was just more comfortable around them because I had always bowed down to my older brother.
I really hoped that wasn't the case.
With only thirty minutes to my next class, I hurried my steps so that I'd at least have enough time to scarf down whatever was left. I sincerely hoped it wasn't bottom-of-the-barrel scrapings, but beings on campus tended to eat a fuckton of food under the notion that we were all growing little boys and girls.
Shit.
Irritation flared up in my chest, no idea where it was coming from. I had noticed it earlier, my nerves pulled tighter than usual. It couldn't be the Lockdown news. Trying to hide the groan racing up my throat, I rubbed at my chest to soften my irritated Alpha. Sniffing at the air did more harm than good, my body stiffening with alertness, my pace slowing down until I stopped altogether.
Warmth settled in my stomach before rushing straight to my cock, the length growing until it was pressing almost painfully at the zipper of my jeans. A moan slipped through my lips before I could squash it as I tried to take short, calculated breaths and clear my head. The scent blockers from yesterday were wearing off.
Sunflowers and Cayenne and Honey.
An unmatched growing desire spread out through my limbs, as I took another swig of the air to confirm my suspicion.
A Zeta. Going into heat.
Which didn't make any sense, I knew that. But it was just another strange quirk that I had buried as soon as I found it. I could smell Zetas. Like everyone else could smell Alphas, Betas, and Omegas. And a Zeta's scent turned me on a whole heck of a lot faster than an Omega's did. Their scents were richer, spicier, more mysterious…
Shit.
I let out a guttural growl, reaching down to palm myself through my jeans less discreetly than I would have liked, the pressure demanding a release I couldn't give it. Sanders gripped my elbow and began guiding me towards the cafeteria with haste. He was the only one who knew this secret too. And the only one who knew that if someone else ever found out the truth, things could go horribly wrong. "Let's go. I'm starving!" He shouted over his shoulder to no one in particular. The other Betas were just as hungry as the rest of us and making a statement of it didn't increase their need to make it to the cafeteria any faster.
Still, Sanders picked up the pace, making sure that I didn't try to follow the scent while I tried to ignore the desire to find the owner of the scent. I had seen what had happened when an out-of-control Alpha had found an Omega's scent and gave into his biological whims. The blind desire, rage, aggression – it all just spilled out. Some situations turned out to just be a steamy night. Others had turned out to include expulsions, restraining orders, and worst-case scenarios – death. I promised myself that I was not going to be one of those Alphas. I couldn't afford to be.
Yet, I wasn't sure that I was going to be able to ignore the bulge in his jeans if this is what I had to look forward to. The Zeta's scent had ripped through my scent blockers. That hadn't happened before.
As er queued in line at the cafeteria, Sanders stood in front of me before leaning backward. "Really? You usually can keep a better handle on that."
I resituated myself in his jeans, resisting the urge to give myself one good stroke to ease the pressure, glad that the Zeta's scent had dissipated a little. I just shrugged, urging the Beta forward in line, "I know but the blocker is wearing off."
Sanders frowned, whipping himself around so that we were standing face to face, "Seriously? You put some on yesterday."
True. The blockers usually lasted a whole week. I knew that an Omega's heat could rip through a scent blocker if it was strong enough. But Zeta's weren't known to have heats. "It's just… she's in pain." I stopped, pulling my lips tight, not meaning to let out that little tidbit of information. To anyone else, I sounded like a horny Alpha that was about to let loose when I found the Zeta's scent. To Sanders, I had just unwittingly told him that I could not only smell the Zeta, but I could smell their emotions. Praying and hoping he didn't catch that.
Sanders groaned with disapproval, reaching out his plate for the dinosaur chicken nuggets. Even at 21, Sanders still ate like a child. He faced me, "You sound like those hot-blooded Alphas that just wanna fuck the heat out-"
Shaking my head with disgust, I cut the Beta off immediately. I hated being aroused by the Zeta's scent when the being obviously needed help. The Zeta didn't need me pumping her with my seed, filling her with-
I cleared my throat to rid my head of the images but the damage had already been done, palming my erection yet again as I tried to lessen the pressure. Thinking about it was making it worse. "No – I can't explain it. She's physically in pain. And-" Terrified. My gut wrenched and I could feel his Alpha starting to rage again. This mixture of emotions was giving me whiplash.
By the time we reached the end of the line, I hadn't chosen anything to eat, too lost in my head to have picked something edible. I wasn't really in the mood to eat anymore, sticking my plate out and gesturing to the grey soup that was most definitely not suitable for eating.
Sanders chuckled on the way to one of the tables, sliding his plate onto the counter, "Brave choice man."
Slipping onto the bench myself, my head was anywhere but in the room, trying to find the mysterious scent that was most definitely going to get me in trouble. I couldn't get it out of my head, wanting to drown in her scent, to be near her, to hold her.
My gaze fell on the gray liquid in front of me for a moment before I pushed it away, ignoring the chatter of the Betas surrounding me. I had a lot of questions right now, like why health class hadn't taught this part of the curriculum. Or why a Zeta was going into heat at all. But mostly, I just wanted to know who this Zeta was.