Page 65 of Zodiac Monsters

Chapter 29

I was the first person to arrive at Astrology club. I even beat Adrian, which was why I had to stand outside the door, awkwardly shifting on my feet. There was no sitting cross legged on the floor and doing homework today. Instead, I leaned against the wall, my hands folded nicely over my skirt, and I fidgeted uncomfortably.

What a fucking day.

I hope Ceto doesn’t think I’m some kind of pervert.

“Oh, darn, I was trying to get here first today.” A soft, feminine voice drew my attention from my troubling thoughts. I met Linda’s gaze as she stood by the door. “How’s it going, Lila?”

“Been a long day.” I answered, managing to avoid showing any outward embarrassment.

“Tell me about it.” She groaned. “Full moons are the bane of my existence.”

I blinked a few times, trying to comprehend what she meant. Maybe she wasn’t human either? I glanced at her eyes, hopefully appearing to make eye contact in a confident way and not in an ‘I’m studying you like you’re a science project’ way. They were a pale grey-blue that was completely possible in the human realm, but I almost thought there were specks of diamonds in there.

Undecided.

“Why?” I spoke as casually as I knew how.

Linda scrunched up her nose. “Why is anything the bane of a woman’s existence? Men.” She finished with a laugh.

Preach.

“Boyfriend troubles?” The more I talked to her, the easier it felt. She was charismatic and sweet, in that way that made even small talk feel like an intimate conversation with a friend.

“They wish.” She snorted at that. “College guys are so immature, and yet all they ever want to talk about is how great our babies would look. Like I’m bringing a baby into the world with a guy who still calls his mom to ask where the laundry detergent goes.”

“Straight to babies?” It must be a burden to be hot and likeable. I would have rolled my eyes, but well… I wasn’t hot or likeable, and even I felt burdened by the moon. “That seems forward for someone you’re not even dating.”

Linda tilted her head to the side with confusion. “When you’re an Omega, it’s all men talk about.” She touched a finger to her eye, slightly shifting a color contact out of place. A hint of pink appeared behind it, before she returned the blue lens to its rightful position. “I figured you were an Alpha since you always smell so earthy. Did I read that wrong?”

I chewed on my lip and contemplated how to answer that. I guess it was obvious to everyone but me who was magic and who wasn’t. The comedy was, even if I’d also been born with some innate way to sense it just from a magic aura or something, I was so in the dark, that I wouldn’t know what feeling or scent I was looking for.

“No, just a Beta.” I rubbed the back of my neck. It felt weird to admit it out loud to someone. It was one thing when talking to Marcus or Ceto or Adrian, but she was a total outsider to my life. Casually commiserating with someone who wanted nothing from you was normal and healthy though, right? I’d never had that before. So much had changed since I got here.

“I wish I was a Beta. Then people would leave me alone.” She sighed. “Being born an Omega Armadillo didn’t exactly give me a lot of agency. But well, can’t change your bloodline.”

We waited together for another ten minutes or so, and she spoke candidly about her hometown in the deep south, including her favorite fields of flowers where she used to spend all of her moons. Unlike all of the shifters I knew, she was completely in control of her transformations, and she chose when she wanted to take on animal characteristics. She wasn’t a hybrid.

I wondered if I could partially shift in between moons? I wouldn’t even know how to attempt it though, and it’s not like my transformation had been any different from my normal body. Unlike Adrian who could manifest things like wings or claws, my slightly pointed ears were only going to be helpful if I was planning to cosplay.

Either way, it was nice chatting with her. Once again, I had to accept that Linda wasn’t a mean girl, no matter how much she flirted with Adrian. My only resentment towards her came from my own jealousy. That was a bit of a theme this month anyway.

It would have been easier to hate her, but here we were. Bonding. At some point before Adrian showed up for class, I even gave her my number. I was going to be a functional college student, just wait.

“You’re both early.” Adrian said as he approached. Linda lit up the moment she saw him, and I reminded myself that I had just decided not to hate her.

He unlocked the door, barely acknowledging me, and I took my usual seat. I adjusted very, very carefully, so I wouldn’t draw any attention to myself.

When Marcus joined me, he shot me a silent smile. My whole face tingled with heat, and I broke eye contact as quickly as I’d made it.

Face forward, get through class, I told myself.

Marcus nudged his desk slightly closer to mine. “You’ve been good, I hope.” He spoke directly into my mind.

I adjusted in my seat. “You’re a dick.” I shot back. It was playful, but only kind of.

“If your first thought since sitting down is about my dick, I think I’ve played my cards well.”So smug.