Delta [Epsilon #2]

Chapter Sixteen

Kyra

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I only went to breakfast that morning with one goal in mind, and Luc, it seemed, had been right. As soon as I walked into the hall I noticed him immediately. It weren't so much his looks that gave him away, the grey streaks in his hair glaring like beacons in a room full of colour. Rather, the air of the head table had shifted entirely. It was softer, warmer, and I knew that shift had every bit to do with the russet-haired man settled to the Alpha's right.

I caught Luna Darla's eyes before I sat, and I was relieved to see them twinkling. She shot me a discreet thumbs-up, and I almost cried with relief. It must be good news from Gauss' scout. Though part of me was eager to know what that news entailed, part of me dreaded it. What if they'd seen only one but not the other? 

I pushed the thought out of my head, trying to ignore the speeding pound of my heart. But even as I tried to distract myself with Azure and Raina, I couldn't help my gaze from snapping to Gauss. In the din, I found myself quietly observing him. A warmth burned in those brown eyes, an enthusiasm that seemed to be working its way into the Alpha himself. I watched as Gauss leaned over to whisper something to Alpha Osyn, which had him chuckling in response.

My heart twisted. I'd known someone like that once... 

I didn't have the opportunity to consider the thought further when a hush fell over the hall. I knew who it was without turning, but that didn't stop the shock that came with the sight. Standing at the doorway was the lone figure of the Delta, his dual-coloured eyes roving coldly over the space, as though he were looking for something, or someone. But who?

When his eyes settled on mine, he sneered, turning to walk to the head table. No one said a word as he scraped back a chair, the sound harsh in the eerie silence of the hall. It made me wonder if the Delta relished in creating chaos amid the stillness, and judging by the slight smirk on his face, I concluded he did. I looked to the Alpha, wondering if this was a normal occurrence, and judging by the silent shock in his eyes, I could only guess it wasn't. 

The Delta's dark skin gleamed in the gold as he reached for a slab of meat, piling it on his plate rather grossly. It occurred to me that this man had very terrible table manners, and if that was intentional or not, I didn't know. 

I suppose you forget table manners when you haven't eaten with others.

Once he'd piled everything on his plate, he looked out into the crowd, his face fixed in a sneer. 'What?' His eyes seemed to say, and within frantic seconds, the hall was chiming up with chatter again, the air tighter than before.

"Huh. What a prick," Azure muttered, and Raina covered her mouth in a poor attempt to stifle a laugh. I looked towards the short blonde, taking in her pinkish skin. It seemed Raina's body was working overtime, because this morning she had been as prim and perky as usual. At first we'd rejected her request to come to breakfast, saying she should rest, but it hadn't taken much convincing from her end to make us cave. It was hard to say no to someone like Raina.

I glimpsed Azure's ghost of a smile. I took it as a good sign, given they'd been at each other's throats the past week. 

I returned my gaze to the head table, and a flash of purple and orange has me starting. The Delta was in the process of turning away, but I knew the action was too quick to be considered casual. Had he been staring at me?