Ch 8: Drink Party

'I knew it was a bad idea to follow Emily and Damian when they said they wanted to drink. This always happens, and I don't know why I bother coming with them.'

Emily blinked a few times as she looked at the bouncer's face.

The man was looking her dead in the eyes as he demanded an ID from her.

"Show me your identity and your classification. Otherwise, I cannot let you inside."

Rika sighs and hands her ID, and the bouncer looks at her sternly.

Thankfully, Rika was 17, and the legal age to enter the pub was sixteen. That was because most people finished their gender differentiation by age 16.

"A beta? At such a club? Well, I guess everyone has their preferences. Sure, go ahead."

The bouncer remarked as he returned Rika's identity card. Rika accepted it with relief and mild embarrassment and stepped into the club.

She did feel betrayed and annoyed when the omega behind her was let inside without asking for any identification.

'Of course, the bouncer will let an omega inside, not a beta. But surely, I do not look 'that much' younger to be stopped at the entrance.'

Rika complained in her mind as she came to join her friends at their table.

She had left Emily and Damian alone for a few minutes, but they were already surrounded by four omegas who wanted to 'get to know them' well.

'Ah, the same old story. I wonder how long it will take before these omegas feel fed up and dedicate themselves to saving themselves the embarrassment of rejection.'

Rika sat at the very end of the sofa, away from the alpha couple being seduced by these omegas.

More accurately, the omegas tried to seduce the pair, but neither alpha looked interested in them.

"Come on! Play with us. I promise you that we can make it worthwhile."

"That's right! We can have so much fun together. Don't you want to try playing with us? I know your body is carving for us."

Rika flinched at the omega's corny tone and how she reached out to touch Damian.

She chose the wrong target out of the two, and Damian showed no restraint when he grabbed her arm and yanked her away from his body.

"Get away from here. I have no interest in any of you."

Damian's voice was low and dangerous. It was not even the 'sexy' kind of hazardous that omegas generally liked.

Even Rika felt a shiver down her spine when she heard his voice.

All the omega turned to look toward Emily for support. Indeed, would the other alpha protect them from her partner's anger?

But these two were beating in front of a deaf horse because Emily did not even glance at them. Instead, she turned to look at Rika with a doting expression.

"Rika, you are finally here! Did you get stopped by the bouncer again? You should have entered with us. We would have taken responsibility for you."

Emily teased Rika while nursing a glass of alcohol in her hand.

Rike felt slightly jabbed when Emily teased her, but the years she had spent together with the taller alpha made irritation easier to handle.

"I am not a kid, Emily. I told you before that I can take care of myself. You will make everyone uncomfortable if you stand up like that suddenly."

Rika could feel all the other omegas looking at her and accessing her.

In a single move, Emily had made Rika public enemy no.1 for these omegas. And Damian was not helping by turning his attention toward Rika and ignoring the other omegas.

"Sit! I want to drink."

Damian patted the seat between him and Emily, causing Rika to let out a grief-filled sigh.

She knew that Damian meant well, and he was likely not considering the situation he was putting Rika in. However, that did not mean that others recognised this fact as well.

"What the hell-! Why would you invite a beta to this party? Have you lost your mind? Ugh, this is embarrassing."

Rika complained, but she knew better than to defy Damian and Emily.

'I better watch my back when I go out after this. These jealous omegas might gut me. It's not like it would be my first time, either.'

Her side throbbed at the thought of being attacked by someone. It had happened more than once, and Rika was sure these attacks would not stop as long as she continued to be close to the alpha pair.

"Come on! What is so wrong with friends drinking like this? Let me pour a drink for you."

Emily had snatched the bottle of expensive alcohol before anyone could open it. 

Rika watched her glass get fuller with a dreadful expression on her face.

'Oh god! That is a lot of alcohol. There is no way my system can handle all this.'

"Here, have a drink. Loosen up a little."

That tall glass of alcohol was in Rika's hands before drowning her glass in a single gulp. 

Just looking at Emily made Rika feel drunk, never mind touching her alcohol and gulping it down.

The party continued, but Rika had lost interest a long time ago. She was looking at the time and waiting for it to pass.

'Alright! It's been an hour. Time for me to head back home.'

The omegas had left their table somewhere around half an hour mark. 

Getting no attention from either of the alphas, they were interested in leaving the omegas' egos bruised and could not hold on for long.

Rika quietly put her glass down gently, not wanting to draw attention to the fact that she had yet to take a single sip.

Of course, Damian noticed her trick, and his eyes narrowed.

"Drink."

Domain's voice carried authority, and Rika knew that the alcohol had gotten to him. There would be no way out for Rika without drinking.

Not without Emily's help, at least.

That is why Rika turns her attention to Emily and looks at her with begging eyes.

Emily's gaze softened as soon as she noticed Rika's eyes, and Rika knew this was a success.

"Let him go, Damian. If you want someone to drink more, then I will oblige you. Rika does not like the taste of this stuff."

Damian growled softly, indicating he was unhappy with what was happening. But he did not stop Emily from drinking more, either.

Rika took this time to slip out between the pair and head out quietly.

"Wow! Look at the time. I should head home now. Have a happy drinking session, and I will see you both at our next family get-together."

Rika waved at the pair before quietly slipping out of their grip.

As soon as Rika left the alpha pair alone, another awaiting group of omegas and even alpha headed toward them.

Now that the mediating beta was gone from the scene, others decided that they could take advantage of the intoxicated couple.

Had anyone other than these two been in this position, Rika would have felt sorry for them and gone back to help.

But Emily and Damian were the kind of people who could eat you up without you even knowing it. 

The ones who were in danger were the people heading toward the pair.

"Excuse me, I want to pay for myself and that table. How much will the tab be, including the nightly rent?"

At that rate, her friends would stay a night and the next day in the club, but at least they would be safe.

"Which table? Ah, there is no need to pay for the young master and miss. We will take good care of them. But I don't remember seeing you with them before."

The manager of the place asked in a nervous voice. 

'Ah, so this is one of the family establishments. I did not realise that we entered the red district. I should have been paying attention.'

Rika sighed as she nodded at the manager. The poor man was being overworked by her friends.

"I see. Then please take care of these two and cover up any accidents. I believe in you, manager."

The poor manager looked ready to faint at Rika's words. That assured Rika that her friends were frequent visitors to this place.

"I will get going now."

When Rika exited the building, her steps almost skipped. The poor manager looked shocked and uncomfortable as he watched Rika leave. 

But no matter how much he wanted to follow her, he had a duty to do.

The sun had not set yet, so Rika still had time to play around and enjoy her day. But as she walked, her feet dragged her back home.

Rika was standing in front of her home before she knew it.

'Let's head inside. I need to hear Mark's nagging sooner or later. The quicker I get rid of it, the better it will be for me.'

Rika braced herself, but the door opened before she reached out for it.

Mark stood on the other side of the room, waiting, his arms crossed across his chest and a bottle of scent repellent in his hand.