Cassian
"You're the one, aren't you?"
My head snapped up from where I was scribbling madly in my notebook—stay away from the Dravenmoor twins—to see Peter standing over me. I hadn't even heard him come in. I'd been so consumed with my own thoughts that the outside world didn't exist.
"What?" I managed, my voice hoarse from speaking so little in days.
"You fit the perfect description." His brows knit together, concern plain on his face. "You should stay as far away from those twins as possible."
I swallowed thickly. For Peter—quiet, reserved, a Delta from a completely different building—to know about what had happened today, the news must have spread like wildfire through the whole school.
"I'm serious," he said, leaning closer. His voice dropped slightly, cautious. "Those twins… they're dangerous. Not just cruel, but bad news. You don't want to draw their attention."
"Who are they?" I asked.
I hadn't had the chance to check the library yet, to see if there was anything about the Dravenmoors, their pack, their history. The last time I'd gone to the computer room, every station had been taken.
Mobile phones weren't allowed. Even if they were, I couldn't afford one, and I had no outside connections who could research for me.
I only knew that their surname sounded familiar, but for the life of me, I couldn't remember anything else. I even checked the old books and papers I'd stolen from my father, there was nothing there either.
"They are born from two powerful, mated alphas. One of their fathers is the alpha of the Dravenmoor pack. The twins are the heirs."
I watched as he walked over to his side of the room to drag his chair closer to me. He collapsed into it and continued.
"Those twins were raised to be cruel, and most importantly, to hate omegas." Peter's eyes flickered over my face, studying me. I held my head high, fighting the urge to duck like my fathers had taught me.
"You must look down when being spoken to!" I could still hear their voices echoing in the back of my mind. I could see their cruel eyes, daring me to argue so they could strike me again with the cane that was always, always in their hands.
"You have no scent, but a bet is already going around. People are placing wagers on what rank you fall under, and many think you'll be an omega because of how tiny you are."
"What?" I squeaked, my voice barely recognizable. "Why would they think I'm an omega?"
Peter's eyes slowly traveled from my head down my tiny frame, then back to my face. He tilted his head and gave me a knowing look.
I threw my hands up in frustration. "Fine. I get it."
"Did you take the test?"
"What test?" I played dumb.
He gave me a flat look. "The rank-assigning test."
"Yes," I admitted.
He leaned forward on his chair, sitting on the edge, eyes shining with curiosity.
"What's your rank?"
I shook my head, forcing my expression into one of despair. Thanks to my fathers for teaching me to act. It was coming in handy now.
"I don't know. Nothing came out." My voice sounded as frustrated as I was aiming for.
Peter's shoulders slumped, and the curiosity in his eyes faded. "That's odd. You're a rarity."
I studied my roommate. We'd hardly spoken more than two words to each other since he arrived. I was grateful he was concerned, but I couldn't trust him with my secrets. Who knew if his concern was genuine or if he just wanted to find out my rank, place his bet, and take the money?
He was a scholarship student like me, after all. We were both poor. He must need the money.
"The twins. Why do they hate omegas?" I asked, not only because I wanted the attention away from my rank but also because I wanted to know.
I've read that some packs—a few of them— hated omegas. It was not the same in my packs. Omegas were worshipped and desired. Omegas were treasures. Omegas were rare and valuable. They were protected, sheltered, fought over and seen as future mates.
"It's an old story," Peter began. "There was an omega. Petite, beautiful, and coveted by everyone. Their alpha heard about him and wanted him for himself, so he took the omega and mated with him. The alpha loved him so much, he would do anything for him—including revealing pack secrets and showing him where their treasures were."
I didn't like where the story was already heading.
"The omega ended up betraying the alpha to their enemies because he was a spy. Their pack was overtaken, their treasures stolen. They became slaves for two decades until their allies finally rescued them. Since then, omegas have been hated. They're seen as succubi, bringing nothing but chaos with their beauty and sweet words. It became mandatory for all alphas to mate only with betas and deltas or even fellow alphas if they found someone compatible."
I wanted to tell Peter that the Dravenmoor alpha who had trusted the omega was stupid. As an alpha, why would you tell just anyone the pack's secrets? That information was meant to pass only from alpha to alpha—not even betas or adjuncts were allowed. He had destroyed the pack with his own hands, but it was easier to blame the omega.
"That's…" I shook my head. "I don't know. That's not the reason I was expecting."
Peter shrugged. "That's their reason, and they take it seriously. The twins are a powerhouse in this school—their pack is one of the most powerful. They're untouchable. Their word is law, even the teachers and the principal answer to them. Omegas stay as far away from them as possible, so…"
He gave me a pointed look. This time, I ducked away from his piercing eyes.
I was a walking stereotype of what an omega was. Gray eyes too wide and expressive, a cute button nose, and pale, full, pink lips that seemed to draw attention whether I wanted it or not. My frame was small, delicate, almost fragile. I was a twink in every sense, a target for anyone who wanted to assert power over me.
Any room I entered, people seemed to fight over me, as if I were theirs to claim. I hated it with every fiber of my being. I was no one's property. I did not want to be kept.
"I'll try my hardest to stay away from them," I told him. "I'm staying away from everybody. I just made the mistake of sitting where I wasn't supposed to."
"Number one rule for every student here," Peter said. "Don't cross the Dravenmoor twins, and don't sit in their chairs. There are always two empty seats in the middle of the classes."
I nodded in understanding. I hadn't spoken more than a word to any student since resumption except Peter, so I hadn't heard about any of this.
"Are there no other students with higher ranks than the twins?"
"No. But there are others you shouldn't cross either. In fact, try to mingle only with scholarship students. Let the rich and wealthy ones stay together."
I understood what Peter was saying, but it wouldn't help my case in any way. I needed an alpha willing to keep me by the time I graduated, and I couldn't do that if I only mingled with scholarship students. In fact, I wanted nothing to do with students in my situation. They were of no use to me and would only drag me down.
"The twins," I said, "what are their names?"
I'd only heard people call them the Dravenmoor twins. Surely they had personal names. Or did they share one? I wouldn't have been surprised if they did. The two times I'd seen them, I couldn't tell the difference. They were identical, moved the same way, even finished each other's sentences for goodness' sake.
"Aurelian and Aelian."
So they do have personal names. Shocking.
"Okay. Thank you."
I turned back to my study book, vividly aware of Peter still sitting beside me, watching.
Stay away from Aurelian and Aelian.
Easy. I just needed to arrive early to every class and stay as far away as possible from the two seats in the middle.
Easy peasy.