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SIX

Playing: Losin Control by Russ

Even in my slightly drunken state, I recognize my heart is beating to a different drum. And that drum is a pretty omega with doe-like eyes and beautiful brown hair.

After stumbling around the party for a while, trying desperately not to drink myself into a coma so I can forget that the most stunning girl I’ve ever seen left me in the dust, I end up in the corner with two of my pack mates.

Uriah is on his phone, not in the mood to celebrate since their team lost tonight. Atlas is just content with being nearby, nursing the same rum and coke that I saw him drinking an hour ago. He observes me as I sit between them and burrows his eyebrows together.

“What’s up, Ci?” he asks casually, but I know he can sense the turn my mood has taken. It’s both a blessing and a curse how observant he is.

“This party is busted.” A tiny hiccup escapes me. “The prettiest girl here already left. Can we go?”

My statement catches Uriah’s attention enough that he’s lifting his head to stare at me. He looks at Atlas, who is equally intrigued.

“I’ll text Kenny,” Atlas concludes, picking up his phone. I’m thankful they’re not pushing it, because I’m not ready to talk about it yet.

I could smell her. She was covered in vanilla, with something else that was beautifully floral. I shouldn’t be able to know that. What does it mean?

I’m able to finally relax amongst my pack mates. I can feel the sadness ebbing away slowly. I’m a bit dramatic when I’ve been drinking.

Okay, maybe I’m just a little dramatic in general.

But my relaxed state is short lived as Derek fucking Kirkpatrick appears with an annoying fucking smile.

“Hiya boys.” He smiles in this manic way that makes the hair on the back of my neck stand up. Not to mention, he smells rancidly of booze and sex. By the way Uriah’s nose scrunches, I can tell he’s picking up on Derek’s usual water-like scent.

Slimy , the drunk in me whispers.

“Derek,” Atlas greets him, always one to keep the peace. I can tell he’d prefer to not deal with his shit. It’s more trouble than it’s worth. He’s our frat brother and their teammate. It’s much smoother to just let Derek be the asshole he is.

It was very subtle at first. The first few years in the fraternity together, Derek’s passive aggressive comments were tame.

Then, over the past few months, he has become an absolute prick.

I personally think this is who he’s always been and he’s finally let himself loose.

The things he says toward anyone who isn’t a hockey-playing alpha is absolutely insane.

I steer clear of him as much as I can.

“Atlas, Uriah,” he greets them back, and then his eyes find mine in a glare. The laugh that escapes me is a total accident.

“No greeting for me, Kirkpatrick?” I taunt him, the alcohol in my system keeping my tone playful. My light mood only seems to piss him off more.

“I don’t think you really deserve one , beta ,” he hisses aggressively. Uriah growls at my side but I put a hand on my pack mate’s knee to assure him that I’m okay.

I don’t care about Derek’s prejudice. He can have whatever warped opinions that he wants. It has nothing to do with me.

“Humor me.” I look him in the eyes and interlace my fingers. “What did I do, Derek?”

His jaw tenses and I’m worried he’s going to break his teeth. Just when I think he’s going to turn and walk away, he opens his mouth.

“You were hitting on my omega, you piece of shit .”

In unison, the three of us stand up.

I can feel Uriah preparing for a fight. His fists are clenched tight by his sides as he angles himself between us.

A curious look appears on Atlas’ face. He’s always assessing any situation we get ourselves into. He tries to discreetly assert some of his dominance into the air, making himself look nonchalant on the outside while anticipating this interaction to turn at any moment.

And my body is on alert because if he’s talking about who I think he’s talking about, we’re going to have a fucking problem.

“I thought you and your girl split up,” Atlas says before I can rip Derek a new one.

Derek scoffs. “Only when she’s being difficult.” He says it so nonchalantly that I’m taken aback. “Like tonight. She decides to ignore my text messages just for me to look outside and see her with you .” He sneers in my direction again, looking at me like I’m the stuff on the bottom of his shoe.

Why would she ever want to converse with someone like me ? What a ridiculous concept. I roll my eyes.

One of our frat brothers drunkenly passes by, completely oblivious to the situation. He looks back with a wrinkled nose, staring at Derek. “You fucking reek, dude,” he tells him before continuing on his way.

That’s when I notice it. My nostrils flare. Derek may smell like alcohol and sex, but that’s it. There’s none of the lovely floral notes or decadent vanilla that I got hints of outside. I may not be an alpha, but I’d have to be nose-blind to not smell her.

“You certainly don’t smell like your girlfriend right now,” I sneer back.

I can feel my pack mates’ eyes on me, but I don’t focus on it.

I’m too busy thinking that there may actually be a fight after all.

Before I can step any further, Atlas joins Uriah in separating us.

We’ve gathered a bit of a crowd in our frat house’s small living room.

“So what?” he asks. “Like I said, she’s being difficult.”

I feel Atlas pull the back of my shirt before I even realize I’m trying to advance on Derek.

I am seething. All I can picture is Stacia off somewhere, tripping and not knowing her boyfriend is being an absolute fucking creep. And I have no way of contacting her because I gave her my number and forgot to get hers.

“Let me get this straight.” I take a few deep breaths. “Your girlfriend was high and on the verge of tripping, and you’re over here cheating on her all because you saw her talking to me?”

Before he can answer, a certain familiar baritone carries over to us. “That’s so fucked up.”

Kendall appears from the crowd. Our pack mate must have heard everything because in the next second, he is planting a right hook to Derek’s face.

The grin that takes over my face is maniacal. He always knows exactly when to show up. “Hell yeah Kenny!”

Derek is bent over, clutching his nose. There’s a moment of shock on his features before he gets back on his feet and charges Kendall. Then it’s suddenly an all-out fight in the corner of this crowded living room.

I hear people start to scream and run away from the commotion.

Uriah takes off to separate Derek and Kendall, while Atlas tries to keep others from joining in.

A lot of the party goers are drunk and hyping the fight along.

Everything becomes chaotic, and I’m worried the cops are going to get called. Or, at least, campus security.

The fire alarm starts to blare, and it startles everyone. More people start to escape, while Derek falls to the ground holding his nose. Blood appears and I realize that the last shot from Kendall must have broken something.

The living room starts to empty out, leaving only fraternity members behind. Uriah is holding Kendall back from Derek. Atlas has his head in his hands. The fire alarm stops just before Sam comes around the corner.

There’s a solemn but also static feeling in the room.

Everyone here has wanted to punch Derek numerous times the past few months, but our standing with the frat has kept it from happening.

Sam isn’t running a typical run-of-the-mill fraternity.

He wants us to make a difference, help out. He wants a good future for all of us.

And yet, we’re all standing here either covered in blood or reeking of booze, our anger still palpable in the air.

“Someone get Kirkpatrick to McConnell,” Sam orders after he eyes the situation.

The direct dismissal of the situation makes Derek scoff. “Are you going to let them get away with this? He punched me for no reason!”

Our friend Dax speaks up from the corner of the room. “Seriously, Derek? You went over there looking for a fight. You can’t throw it on them just because they gave you one.”

Derek’s face reddens. “Shut it, Monaghan.”

Sam stands there with his hands in his pockets, calm as ever. “I don’t care who started it. You need to get your nose looked at. Again, someone take him to McConnell.”

There’s a second of silence. I’m not really sure if Derek has any real friends here, but still, a few guys go to help him up. Once they’re out of the room, Sam turns to us.

“Sorry, Sam. Derek was being a bigger asshole than usual,” I tell him.

“I know. You don’t have to convince me of that.” Derek has used Sam as the punchline for his ignorant jokes way too many times. He’s about as sick of him as the rest of us. He looks at Kendall. “Still, you’ll have to be prepared in case he comes after you for the broken nose.”

Kenny just nods, looking all too serious for his usual carefree self.

“Let’s clean this place up,” he says before walking out of the room. We’re all a bit confused for a second before we jump into action. If he wants those to be his final words, who are we to argue?

I just want to get out of here. From the looks my pack mates are giving me, it seems we have a lot to discuss.

Or, rather, one really important thing.