Page 9 of Knot Mine

“Fuck you, man.”

Ignoring them, I watch as Shiloh leans in and says something to Sadie. I don’t need to hear the words because the expression on her face is enough. It’s like he’s slapped her. Her hands ball into fists by her side as her skin flushes red, it wouldn’t surprise me if she stomped her foot like a toddler right now.

How can a beta, powerless and as ordinary as they come bring an omega from one of the most influential families to the brink like that?

The answer is simple, it’s because it’s Shiloh Vos.

And he doesn’t care what anyone else thinks.

Finally, he pushes past her and the others before vanishing into the house with Campbell on his heels. I’m not entirely sure what the deal is with those two, are they only housemates or are they also lovers?

Betas were a safe choice for an alpha or an omega to mess around with as a beta can only impregnate another beta. Maybe the pretty, cherub looking omega, shared a bed with Shiloh?

No. Everyone on campus knew that the angelic appearance was where the comparison ended. Campbell liked to share the love, freely and widely. Evans has had his eye on Campbell for a while, but he’s always stayed away. He may be in denial about Sadie cock blocking him, but I think deep down he knew.

Colton follows the pair, and I wonder what the deal is there too. Blake nudges me with his shoulder, offering me another beer and we head over to where Sadie is, with Millie keen to check on her friend. After comforting the distressed omega, who is releasing pheromones tinged with anger, they try to cheer her up. Evans is nowhere to be seen, but if I know my team mate, which I do, I know he’s left the party. Evans is all mouth and noise, until he needs to think, and then he prefers silence and a few laps of the football field.

When the group of omega’s start doing shots and taking pictures, I spot something on the floor. Pocketing the cracked glasses in my hoodie, I look back at the house.

Neither Shiloh, Campbell or Colton have returned twenty minutes later, and I tell myself that I’m just going into the house to grab another beer. Even though there’s plenty in a bucket full of ice by the door.

And when I find myself going up the stairs, I tell myself it’s because the queues for the bathroom downstairs are too long.

And when I find myself opening doors looking for Colton’s room it’s just because I’m worried about my girlfriend’s brother.

Turns out I needn’t have worried as a few minutes later Shiloh and Campbell pass me on the landing. His mossy green eyes narrow, but he says nothing as he walks past wearing Colton’s clothes, smelling like the alpha and hints of fresh soap.

Colton emerges from what must be his bedroom a minute later, and when he spots me standing there, frozen like some useless statue, his eyebrow lifts.

“You good?”

I nod. My phone vibrates, and I see Millie’s name flash up. What was I even doing up here? My girlfriend was downstairs waiting for me.

Practice this morning was brutal, especially after the headache I’d been nursing since yesterday. I hadn’t planned to drink on Saturday at Colton’s party, but once everyone moved on from Shiloh’s little swim and he left, things seemed to go up a notch. The music was louder, the drinks flowing and shots everywhere I turned. I passed on the weed, but Blake, Millie and the others enjoyed themselves. I was a lightweight and I don’t really know how we got back to the house; all I know is that we stayed until the noise in my head was a little quieter.

I was paying the piper now though, as my body ached from the abuse, and then the workout I’d put it through. If waking up on Sunday with Millie naked in my bed hadn’t been enough to make me feel better, then drills with a bunch of sweaty guys wasn’t going to do the trick either.

My business management lecture was the last class of the day, and when this was done, I was free to go back to thehouse, take a hot shower and spend the evening either sleeping or playing a couple of rounds on the PlayStation with the guys. It wasn’t my turn to cook either, which was bliss given how my head was pounding.

When I enter the lecture theatre, there are only a handful of people here already. Someone snickers, and another makes a tutting noise, making me turn and look at the whiteboard.

‘Shiloh is a sloppy slut’ is scrawled across the board in huge letters, and all around it someone has drawn dicks and things that look like weird flowers but I assume they’re supposed to be assholes…one of them is dripping, so yeah. Safe to say they’re assholes. Whoever drew it is clearly no artist. My money is probably on Sadie, even though I can’t see her yet or one of her friends. Really, it could be anyone in our class. Sadie’s little campaign against Shiloh has given everyone else the green light to jump on the bandwagon. It doesn’t matter if they don’t even know him—to them, he’s just a beta with an attitude problem.

I don’t know when society decided that a hierarchy based on secondary genders was a smart way to go but all it’s done is breed this odd animosity towards any beta who dares go against an Alpha or an Omega. Is it because the Omega population was slowly declining each year? And while Sadie had humiliated Shiloh on Saturday, he’d also stood his ground. He’d gotten under her skin. Now, she’d make sure he was reminded of his place in the food chain.

As more people enter and clock the graffiti, snickering behind their hands, whispering Shiloh’s name over and over, I bite down on the inside of my cheek.Fuck.He’s not even here yet and there’s no escaping him.

Ignoring the coppery tang of blood in my mouth, I grab the foam eraser and start to wipe out the dry marker. I’ve barely removed one floppy cock doodle, when the hairs on the back of my neck rise. Without looking over my shoulder, I already knowthat Shiloh has just entered the room. I seem to have this weird awareness when it comes to him, I always know when he’s in the vicinity.

Slowly, I turn to look at him.

“Why rub it out? Didn’t you want me to see it?”

“I didn’t…I didn’t draw it.”

“I don’t care.” He says that, but I think he does. I didn’t miss the way he’d tensed up when he’d read what had been written. Or how he rubs at his neck as if he's uncomfortable. The way his jaw muscle twitches, and his eyes darken. I see it all, even if I don’t want to.

And I think Shiloh Vos cares.

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