Page 32 of Daughter of Garnet

Betas don’t have sharp teeth.

I bare my teeth at my reflection, willing them to stretch into those points again, but they stay blunt. I run my tongue over the flat tops of them, and nothing happens.

But I saw it. It happened. I may not be able to force it to happen again, but I know that it did.

It did, and it means my fear has come true, and I can no longer ignore what I have been trying to bury since my ceremony.

I am not a Beta.

When I touched the garnet, the warmth I felt and the voice in the back of my mind were real, and I was Blessed by Ilota, the Fire Goddess.

Remember whose daughter you are.

The Daughter of Garnet.

CHAPTER 17

Zoe

A knock rattles my door. I don’t get up from my position on the bed, where I collapsed, still in the fancy dress, as soon as the revelation of who, what, I am hit me. I don't know how long I have been lying here.

Time is an illusion, just like my being a Beta.

“Zoe? You coming to dinner?” Warren’s voice is harsh and sounds wrong. I’ve known him my entire life. His voice is as familiar as my own, and yet right now, it’s foreign and grating.

“Not hungry,” I call without moving from the bed. “Go on without me.”

My doorknob wiggles, and I’m glad I thought to lock it when I got home. I can't face him right now. He'll know.

“Why is your door locked? Are you okay? You sound weird.”

I want to tell him that he does, too. That he sounds like a stranger to me. Not that anything changed with him. This is all me. I know it’s part of me processing the undeniable fact that I am a Fire Omega.

Something that has never been recorded before.

Something that many in our society do not believe is real.

“I’m fine, Warren. Just… I need some time to myself. I’m not feeling well.”

A soft thud on the door, as if he’s pressed his back against it, promises me he’s not going anywhere. “Is this about me? Did Cliff say something?”

Nothing has changed, and yet everything feels different, like something fundamental between us has snapped. “What? No. I don’t care that you’re bringing people home.”

“So he did tell you. I can… look, I know we don’t really talk about this, but maybe it’s time we do. We’re not getting any younger. We can only hide from Fate for so long, you know?”

Ugh, Fate. I don't want to think about Fate right now.

I can’t have this conversation, especially not where anyone walking by could hear us, but he's not going to leave until we do. I know him too well. I climb out of bed and yank open my door. He stumbles a bit as he turns around to look at me.

“Zoe. Wow. That dress…” Oh. I forgot I’m in an evening gown. “Where did you get that?”

“It was a gift. Warren, I don’t want to go to dinner. I don’t want to talk about us. I want to be alone.”

I need to be alone. What if my teeth change again, or worse, I shift fully? I don't even know what I am, but I know he's not supposed to know.

He doesn’t listen. He pushes into my room and closes the door behind him. His blond hair is tied back behind his neck, and the expression on his angular face is unreadable. He may as well be a stranger to me.

“You look incredible. I…” He swallows and reaches out, grabbing me by the hips. “Fuck. Wow.”