Ch 5: Alienation in familiarity

Emily reached out to grab Rika's collar and pull it down.

Rika was certain the alpha girl had noticed her unease. The most telling sign was Damian's sudden transformation from his usual bored expression to one of fierce protectiveness.

"Hey, I am fine! I told you I got into a little fight with my brother yesterday. He hit my neck a little harder than usual, and now it is all stiff. I would appreciate it if you don't touch it."

Rika cursed her voice for coming out half-hoarse. 

Technically, she was not lying about what happened last night. What she did not tell Emily was just how hard she had been hit.

"Your brother hurt you? Let me see how bad it is. Emily, move to the side."

Damian's concerned expression made Rika flustered.

It was rare for Damian to show an expression other than laziness or annoyance, and it was even rarer for him to show concern for anyone.

Rika could count the number of times she had seen Damian concerned about someone, even counting the number of times he had been worried about his lover, Emily.

Despite all this concern and her heart leaping into her throat at the looks of concern, Rike maintained her rationality.

She couldn't stop both Emily and Damian's hands from pulling her collar down, but Rika was fast enough to snatch it back up before either of them saw her neck.

"Come on! I told you that you are overreacting here. I am fine! Let's head back to class now. This is our last day, so we should not miss it."

Rika was smaller and thinner than the two people in front of her, so it was easy for her to sneak past them and head to the class.

Neither alpha stopped her, but they exchanged glances over her head.

'This couple! Seriously! Do they always have to show how close they are to each other? I feel like such a third wheel when I am with them.'

Rika sighed but knew better than to voice her complaints out loud at this point. 

She had helped both sides resolve their issues more than she could count and wanted her investment to be well-spent.

Rika entered the class first and quietly sat down at her table. No one noticed her entering the room.

Her lack of presence was something that Rika had suffered ever since she was a kid. 

Despite being part of a flashy family and having the most striking friends, she was somehow the forgotten one no one cared about.

"Emily, Damian, are you both back? Did you both leave to have a little 'fun' while still in high school? How sneaky of you."

Rika blinked and looked up at the bold question that had just been asked.

She was unsurprised that no one noticed her when Emily dragged her out, but she was surprised that someone dared ask Emily such a personal question.

Damian entered seconds after Emily entered the room. He draped his arms around Emily's middle and pulled her closer.

It was a warning for everyone else to butt out of their business.

If there was one thing everyone wanted to avoid, it was angering Damian. Everyone in their class was either an alpha or an omega, so they were affected by a sudden shift in Damian's pheromones.

Emily had once told Rika that Damian was highly dominant, even for an alpha, and his pheromones smelled scary.

That was before her friends had started dating for real, so Emily had no idea how much of it had changed for Emily.

"Hey, man! Sorry! We understand. We will not tease your girlfriend anymore. Just get your pheromones under check, alright? We cannot take it anymore."

Rika watched her classmates turn their heads away from Damian's direction, and he looked pleased.

Emily did not look pleased, so she shrugged Damian's arms around her body.

"Alright, this is enough, Damian. I am sure everyone understood your point. Now, calm down, and let's hurry back to our seats."

Emily dragged Damian over to Rika's table and sat down.

Damian's mood looked better, but it was likely not any better than before. Everyone else took a subtle step back when the alpha pair approached Rika.

"So, did you have 'fun'?"

Rika teased Emily as soon as her friend sat down.

Her teasing caused Emily to make an annoyed and offended face.

In hindsight, it was not the best move Rika could have made, and she realised it as soon as everyone gave her an offended and angry glare.

'Ah, shit! Did I miss a social cue? Was I not supposed to tease my friends?'

Rika felt worried for a second because of all the looks she was getting. Most of them were subtle, but they all looked at her the same way, which told her she was foolish.

Thankfully, Emily did not make 

"Don't you dare start as well, Rika! Don't give Damian ideas, either. God knows we don't need him to be any more active than he already is. No, don't glare at me. We both are animals in bed, but you are in a league of your own."

Rika was thankful when Emily did not get angry with her. But now, even she was beginning to feel uncomfortable.

This conversation had taken a turn in a direction where Rika had no right to butt in.

Emily gave too many details about her personal life, making Rika squirm.

Rika looked at Damian; the male alpha was not even paying attention to his lover. It rewarded him with a lovely bruise on his arm by his said lover, and he retaliated.

After that, a small fight broke out and only settled once the teacher entered the class.

Once again, Rika felt forgotten when her friends entered their world. But this time, Rika was thankful for this distraction.

She did not have to answer Emily's question about her future. Now, Rika only needed to keep this up for a month and would be free.

As much as Rika loved her friends, she knew she did not belong in their world.

It hurt, but it was a truth she accepted.