Page 24 of Daughter of Garnet

Zoe

My spine stiffens at the words Ray whispers in my ear.

“Viv may not realize it, but I do. You can't hide from me."

I don’t look away from the fire, acutely aware of how close the Alpha is to me. I can almost feel the warmth of his body and smell his spicy cologne.

“I don’t have any secrets.” I can hear how weak my protest sounds, so I clear my throat and try again. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

The only secret I’m carrying is that there is a slight, tiny possibility that I was Blessed by Ilota when I touched the garnet. But there is such a minuscule chance that's true, so what does he think he knows?

Did Dominic tell him that he suspects I’m an Omega? They’re both Alphas; I’m sure they’ve crossed paths. I don't know if I can handle another person who is convinced I'm hiding my designation.

“You’re a knot chaser. I can smell the pheromone perfume you’re wearing, hoping an Alpha will take you to bed. Desperate and sad. Can't get laid on your own so you're resorting to cheap tricks? Does Viv know that you’re using her to get to me?”

My head whips to the side, and I stare him down. This is the closest he’s ever been to me, and I’m momentarily struck stupid by him. The man is beautiful, well-dressed, and fit, and his dark eyes sparkle in the firelight. I struggle to pull my gaze away from them.

I have to swallow a few times before I can speak through my dry throat.

“I’m not wearing a perfume. I didn’t even know that was a thing. Besides, she didn't tell me she had an Alpha brother before we started talking.”

He scoffs, scooting away from me like I'm diseased. “You’re not fooling me, Zoe. I can smell it." He taps the side of his nose. "You’re a Beta, yet somehow you smell like pomegranates and honey?” An uncomfortable sound rumbles in his chest as he stands. “You must think me a fool to fall for that. You’re trying to tempt me, and it’s not going to work. I have no interest in someone who only cares about tricking an Alpha into taking them to bed. And to use my sister? Unforgivable.” He spits the word at me.

I follow him to my feet, emboldened by the punch and warmth of the fire. “You think I would need to trick someone to get them into my bed? I could ask any one of these guys, and they'd jump at the opportunity." Maybe. Who knows? I'm feeling a little overconfident with the fire at my back like a protector. "You're so full of yourself that you think out of everyone, I’d pick you? My friend’s brother?” My feet move without conscious thought, bringing me nearly chest to chest with the Alpha.

“I’ll say it one more time, nice and slow so that even you can understand. I am not, and never will be, a knot chaser. I have no interest in Alphas. I am not wearing a pheromone perfume. I do not want you on my bed or between my legs. I don’t know why you have a problem with me, and at this point, I don’t care. Viv is my friend. I’d never do that to her.”

The friend in question steps up to us. “What’s going on? You two are making a scene.”

Ray stumbles, calling attention to the fact that he's been here drinking a lot longer than us. “Your friend is using you. She’s wearing pheromone perfume to make Alphas think she’s an Omega. It's pathetic. I bet she thinks that being friends with you will get her closer to me."

Viv shoves her brother’s chest, forcing him to take a step back from me. “You’re drunk, Ray. She isn’t wearing a pheromone perfume, are you, Zoe?”

“Absolutely not. I could not care less if an Alpha is attracted to me.”

Ray looks around at the people who have stopped what they were doing to watch our confrontation. He points at a man with short, honey-brown hair and sleepy eyes. “Pietre, come here. Tell my sister that her friend is lying.”

Pietre stumbles over to me, a lecherous smile on his face. He’s the drunkest of all of us by far, and I do not want to let this man close to me. I don’t have a chance to move before he grabs my arm and buries his face in my neck.

Nausea and anger fight for real estate inside me.

He growls and pushes me away. I stumble a few steps before managing to right myself.

“Man, you got me all excited for nothing. I could’ve pretended for a night that she was an Omega." He drags his eyes down my body. "Not that I have a problem fucking a Beta."

Ray’s jaw tightens, and I can tell that he’s not going to let this go. He looks around the fire and points at someone on the other side. “You’re too drunk, Peitre. You don't know any better. Killian, come here and⁠—”

“Give it a rest, Ray!” Viv’s voice is full of vitriol toward her brother. “You’re embarrassing me. Leave my friend alone. I was wondering what the problem you have with her is, but now I know it’s just you being an asshole. Go. You’re ruining our evening.”

As Ray walks away, Viv pushes one of the cups into my hand. I take it without looking and drain it in one gulp.

“I’m so sorry about my brother, Zoe.” She places her hand on my lower back and guides me back to sitting by the fire. The whole interaction left me unmoored. “I didn’t understand why he was so standoffish with you, but I guess now we know. I have no idea why he thinks you’re wearing a pheromone perfume.”

I run my fingers through my hair, tearing my gaze away from the fire to look at my friend. “Me neither. And I’ve barely spent any time around him. I don’t get it.”

Pietre, the Alpha that Ray called over to smell me, is hovering around the edge of my vision. I keep catching a flash of his pale eyes as they glance my way. The whole thing has my stomach tightening. I have to get out of here. The night is ruined. Tainted, almost.

“I need to head home. I’ve gotta get more studying done tomorrow.”