Have them for yourself, I am not interested

The scent of metal and herbs lingered in the lab, mixing with the faint hum of simmering heat from the beakers and enchanted cloth samples Eliza and I were working on.

She was focused, her hands steady as she adjusted the measurement of shifter-thread and muttered calculations under her breath.

I was halfway through sketching a component design for the weapon prototype when a voice cut through the air.

“Aria. Priscilla wants to see you.”

I looked up slowly. A tall boy—probably a Delta—stood at the entrance of the lab.

Eliza rolled her eyes, not even bothering to hide the frustration on her face. “What did you do this time?”

I gave her a dry smile and closed my sketchbook. “That’s the thing—I won’t know until I get there.”

She muttered something under her breath that sounded a lot like ‘try not to die’ as I followed the boy out.

We moved through the long, winding corridors of the academy, each step echoing louder the closer we got to the part of the building I rarely ventured into.

He stopped in front of a large black double door, raised his hand lazily to gesture at it, and left without a word.

I stared at the door for a moment, then pushed it open.

The sharp scent of leather hit me immediately as I stepped in, eyes scanning the room.

It was a gym.

Everywhere I looked were Betas and Alphas, stretching, sparring, or lounging in small clusters. Some paused mid-movement when they saw me. One guy tripped on his own foot. Another girl dropped her weights.

They were staring at me like I’d grown a second head.

And there she was.

Priscilla. Her long blonde ponytail was now a high, sleek braid, swaying behind her like a whip. Her workout clothes fit her like armor.

Of course she wore makeup to the gym. Who does that?

I took a steadying breath and walked toward her, ignoring the looks, the murmurs, the disbelief in their eyes that someone like me would willingly step into their territory.

I stopped a few feet from her.

“You sent for me?” I asked, voice even. “Why?”

Priscilla turned slowly, her gaze raking over me from head to toe like I was some inconvenient stain.

“You’re bolder than I thought,” she said, folding her arms across her chest.

I didn’t blink. “You asked me to come here. I came. What do you want, Priscilla?”

She tilted her head with mock amusement, eyes narrowing. “My girls told me something interesting. Something about how Thane pulled you out of your little misery the other day.” Her voice dripped with disdain. “You really think someone like him would bother with trash like you out of anything but pity?”

A low murmur rippled across the gym. The weight of every stare settled on me, like they expected me to shrink, apologize, beg for forgiveness I didn’t owe.

Priscilla took a step closer, her eyes burning into mine. “Let me make one thing crystal clear, Omega. The Apex brothers are off-limits. You don’t look at them. You don’t talk to them. You sure as hell don’t breathe the same air they do.” She leaned in, voice cold and sharp like a blade. “You couldn’t even touch their shoes to lick.”

I blinked, then tilted my head, squinting like I’d misheard. “Why the fuck would I want to lick anyone’s shoes?”

A beat of stunned silence followed.

Then a voice—cool and amused—cut through the tension.

“That’s true. That would be disgusting.”

I turned toward the voice, expecting another one of Priscilla’s minions.

But what I saw made my eyebrows lift slightly.

Another blonde. Of course.

Because apparently, blonde girls here came in packs like feral poodles.

She was stunning, in a cold, untouchable way. Her hair was like liquid gold, perfectly styled into soft waves that framed her flawless face.

Priscilla’s whole posture shifted—shoulders straightening, eyes dropping slightly. Around her, the other Alphas and Betas followed suit, lowering their gazes, stepping back.

Only I didn’t move.

The girl’s lips curved into something that wasn’t quite a smile.

Priscilla spoke again, this time in a tone that was too sweet to be real. “Selena… I was just warning her. On your behalf, of course.”

Selena.

“You are the only one worthy of being around the Apex brothers.” She added.

Selena raised an eyebrow at Priscilla’s sugary tone, then gave a soft, airy laugh. “Don’t give me too much credit, Priscilla,” she said lightly, her voice rich and melodic. “I’m not some goddess you know.”

Priscilla immediately stepped back with an obedient smile, but her eyes still flicked to me with veiled contempt. I stayed rooted in place, arms crossed, completely unaffected.

Then Selena turned her attention to me.

“I hope Priscilla didn’t say anything that hurt your feelings,” she said, her head tilting ever so slightly as she looked at me with something resembling… politeness?

Was this supposed to be kindness?

Pity?

I didn’t care.

I stared back at her evenly. “Nothing she says moves me. So no, she didn’t hurt my feelings.”

Her expression didn’t falter, but I caught the twitch in her brows—the smallest reaction.

I wasn’t doing what she expected.

I gave her a half-shrug. “And you can have the Apex brothers. All of them. I’m not interested in them at all.”

Selena tilted her head slightly, a slow, intrigued smile curling on her lips. “Why?”

Finally someone asked me.

“Because I know their type.”

Selena’s brow arched delicately.

I folded my arms. “Let’s start with the one called Ryker. That guy doesn’t know how to control what’s in his pants. Walks around like his smirk is a damn gift to the world and thinks flashing that perfect jawline is enough to make anyone fall at his feet.”

I paused.

“They’re not.”

A low laugh came from someone behind Selena, quickly silenced when she turned her head.

“And Caspian?” I went on. “Reckless. Immature. Thinks everything is a joke. The type who’ll flirt with danger just for fun and probably take half the room down with him.”

Selena’s smile remained, but her eyes narrowed slightly.

“And Kaid,” I said with a bitterness I didn’t even try to hide. “He’s the most annoying jerk I’ve ever met. Broody, arrogant, and thinks having money means the world owes him something. I wouldn’t suck up to him if he paid me.”

“But Thane…” I hesitated. “I don’t really have anything bad to say about him. He’s… the most reasonable one out of the four. Actually decent.”

Selena’s head tilted the other way.

“But still,” I added, voice firm. “That doesn’t mean I want anything to do with him. Or any of them.”

I felt it before I saw it. That shift in the air. That tightening in everyone’s body language.

No one was looking at me anymore.

Their eyes had drifted toward the entrance of the gym, wide with fear. Respect. Maybe both.

I turned slowly, already knowing what I would see.

The Apex brothers.

Kaid stood slightly ahead of the rest, arms crossed, his expression unreadable. Ryker leaned lazily against the wall, eyes burning with mischief and something darker. Caspian looked half-amused, like this was the most fun he'd had all day. Thane… his gaze met mine and held it. Steady. Calm.

Crap. Well, I said what I said.

I walked straight up to them.

When I reached Kaid, I stopped just a foot away from him. His eyes followed my every step.

“I hope,” I said, my voice clear and unwavering, “you heard everything I said. Loud and clear.”