Page 17 of Want It All
‘The subfields of the anthropology discipline are cultural anthropology, linguistic anthropology, archaeology, and biological anthropology,’ Sebastian answered promptly. ‘Combining insights from all four fields allows a complex examination of questions or issues. This is known as the four-field approach.’
‘Rosemary,’ Heathcote continued, without acknowledging Sebastian; I tensed. ‘What is enculturation?’
‘The process through which we acquire culture,’ Rose said, frowning, her voice hesitant.
My brow was similarly lowered; this wasn’t what I had expected.And was it a coincidence …?
‘James,’ Heathcote said, turning to the only other possible beta in our year, who visibly shrank.Not a coincidence, then. I sat straighter, rolling my shoulders back as Heathcote went on. ‘What –’
‘Brandon?’ Tristan interrupted, raising his hand in a languid half-wave. ‘The class summary states there is no required reading in week one.’
Heathcote raised a black eyebrow. ‘And?’
‘Not all of us have a background in anthropology. These questions assume prior knowledge.’
Heathcote tilted his head to the side, watching Tristan impassively. ‘You are the best of the best. These are basic questions.’
‘Basic questions if you already possess an anthropology degree, certainly.’ Tristan paused. ‘And perhaps one of the alphas would appreciate the chance to answer.’
Heathcote’s eyes narrowed. ‘Do you think designations matter in academia?’
‘No, I don’t.’ Tristan stared calmly back. ‘I think itmatterswhen specific students who justhappento belong to specific designations are asked questions in public that they may not be able to answer.’
I exhaled silently.Fuck.
Tristan had seemed confident, in the way that rich people always were, entirely sure that no matter where they were and what they were doing, the waytheydid it was right. He’d seemed dismissive in a similar way, as if everyone here was beneath his notice.
But the air had gone sharp with something else, something more than the staring contest between an asshole professor and his arrogant student.
Something I knew well; something I’d used to my own advantage before.
Beside me, Rose shrank back in her chair as the edge of dominance raised the hairs on the back of my neck. Sebastian’s eyes were on his alpha; he hooked his foot beneath Tristan’s ankle.
I tensed.
Heathcote looked away first. ‘I expect all students to be able to answer all questions in my class,’ he returned, then flicked the presentation to the next slide and began to read from it, effectively cutting off any further response from Tristan. The alpha two seats away from me didn’t seem to care much, rollinghis head from one side to the other, an eyebrow cocked ever-so-slightly in an expression of bored contempt.
Tristan had a spine of steel. I didn’t knowanyonewho would willingly butt heads with a professor in the first five minutes of their new class.
Not evenTinawould have done that.
Alessia glanced over her shoulder and shot Tristan a grateful smile.
The message icon on the online classroom flashed. I clicked on it, seeing I’d been added to a group chat.
Rosemary Morris says: Thank you, Tristan.
Sebastian Worthy says: Way to go, alpha
Tristan Grace says: It was nothing.
I glanced across at Tristan again. His gaze was fixed to Heathcote’s presentation, his expression still bored, but the hand propping up his chin was curled into a tight fist.
I had a feeling that I’d just gotten a glimpse of the real Tristan Grace, and I wondered what else was lurking beneath the surface.
WhenI’dsaiditmeant nothing, I hadn’t been lying. I’d seen Alessia’s grateful look, and James shot me a warm smile as we were walking out of class, but I deserved neither. I’d done it for Sebastian, and Sebastian only. If Heathcote had left him alone, I would have sat silently and let our professor target the others, just like every other alpha in the room.
I didn’t deserve their gratitude.
