Chapter two
Sherlock had arrived before his students for class the next day, most students already occupying the same seats as the previous day. He was awaiting the arrival of his last student, Clarissa Radley while preparing the days presentation, there were still a few minutes before class officially started.
The scent hit him before the door even creaked open, it was strong and intoxicating like all omega scents but this one particularly overpowering. A floral scent, particularly jasmine and orange blossom with a lemon spiciness provided by frankincense, both were the particular tell of an omega, flowers and spice, both soft and hot with engaging factors. Her personal sent was sandal wood: a soft, warm, creamy, milky precious wood scent – her families natural scent with mahogany and orange blossom, swirls of vanilla cutting through the enticing omega scent.
Clary entered, head held high and stance strong like an alpha. She was dressed in a simple pair of black jeans with various rips in the fabrics and a light grey top with a low back that reached the jeans waistband, showing her lack of bra. The entirety of her tanned back on display and the bones beneath moving with each subtle step, her shoulder blades prominent beneath unblemished skin. A pair of scuffed boots protected her feet. Long black hair cascading down her back in a similar fashion to the previous day with the front strands pulled back and secured with a clip, green eyes shining mischievously beneath long lashes.
The students became restless instantly, noticing the omega as she placed herself in the same seat as yesterday, a small smile playing on her rosy lips. She repeated the same routine as yesterday, pulling out the notepad and pencil case. Clary ignored the rather loud whispering from behind her in favour of concentrating on the class about to start.
Someone appeared beside her, placing himself down in the seat next to hers. Obviously an alpha, Clary glanced up at the blonde now sat beside her. The girl was staring intently at Clary, eyes looking her up and down in a not very subtle matter. "Did you want something?" She asked politely, drawing the words out a little more than she expected.
"You looked a little lonely" the blonde practically purred.
"Maybe I prefer being alone" Clary responded, turning in her chair to face the female alpha. She was pretty and obviously very confident.
"Nobody prefers being alone" she replied. The student waited a bit, expecting Clary to say something instead of just staring at her, green eyes narrowed at the blonde alpha. "You're not bonded, that's cute, are you waiting for the right alpha to come along?"
Clary chuckled, speaking playfully. "Maybe I'm not waiting for an alpha, perhaps I'm waiting for the right Beta or Omega." The blonde looked as if she'd been slapped, her face dropping into a serious expression. Clary smiled, that was her intention after all, the play with the desperate little alpha. "I'm not interested sweetheart."
The blonde jumped up and stormed off, offended and feeling very embarrassed by being displayed in such a way by an omega. A male voice spoke from behind him, practically purring at her. "Don't worry about her. I know a heterosexual omega when I see one, I happen to be-"
Clary interrupted before he could continue, turning to face the brown haired boy. "I'm flattered by your interest but I'm really not interested in finding an alpha, I actually just came here to learn."
"Miss Radley" Holmes called from the front, grey eyes rested on her with faint amusement. "A seat at the front of the class would be more beneficial to you" he gestured to the empty row at the front of the lecture hall. Clary obeyed the alpha, picking her stuff up and moving towards the seat he had gestured to. "Hopefully this way we can avoid a riot."
Sherlock turned the projector on, the screen illuminating with the picture of a dead woman lain across a wooden floor on her front. The woman was blonde, hands to the side and covered by a rather bright pink coat. "Thoughts?" he addressed the classroom. Clarissa took notes of her observations while he looked over the class with a frown. No-one spoke up. "No-one, how disappointing."
"She's an omega" the blonde female alpha that propositioned Clary earlier spoke up.
"How can you tell?" Sherlock asked, glancing between the picture and the blonde student.
The blonde shrugged, eyes finding their way to the back of Clary's head and glaring at her. "Well look at her, it's clear that she's an omega, no sense of style but a bright colour, obviously looking to impress someone but she's out of date, nobodies bonded with her."
"Interesting" Sherlock commented.
"Wrong" Clarissa spoke up, taking a moment to spare a glance at the blonde female alpha before looking forwards again.
"How so?" He pressed.
"She's wearing a wedding ring which means that she's married; statistically it is unlikely that an omega would be married to a beta or other omega, not impossible but more likely that she would be married to an alpha. There is no bite mark, so she is a beta, probably married to another beta."
"That's impossible" the blonde exclaimed.
Sherlock scowled. "No, Miss Radley is quite right. The victim is a beta, she was posing as an omega when she was killed."
"Why would someone pretend to be an omega? That's disgusting." the girl asked. Clary was shocked by this outburst, she knew alphas thought they were superior but this was ridiculous. She was hurt by the statement.
"Get out of my class" Professor Holmes exclaimed, glaring at the student.
"Wh-what?" she stammered.
"Out. Of. My. Class" he repeated, each word pronounced slowly. "In the past five minutes you have shown vast amounts of stupidity and offended another student in regards to their gender, something that this university frowns upon, Miss Radley would be able to make a complaint with my backing if she so desired. You are lucky that she would rather learn, now please leave my class before you lower the I.Q of everybody in the room, including yourself."
Sherlock ignored the student as she collected her things and left, storming out of the room in a hurry. "Now, Miss Radley, would you be so kind to explain why a Beta would want to impersonate an Omega?"
Clary opened her mouth, unsure but decided it would be best to do as he wished and answered the question confidently. "Omega's are desirable to alphas, the scent it alluring and the pheromones intoxicating, that and the three to seven days they spend in heat every month, it makes them irresistible. She's married but pretending to be an omega, so she's meeting an alpha lover. There are synthetics that can recreate heats and the scent of omegas."
Sherlock looked slightly impressed but the expression disappeared nearly as quickly. "Class dismissed."
The student once again rushed out of the room, Clary remained positioned in her seat at the front of the class, on leg folded other the other. "Your natural scent is far more appealing than that of beta body wash" Sherlock announced, glancing at her.
"But not less distracting." She added.
"Sherlock" a male voice called from the door, they both turned to look at the owner, Professor John Watson, a medical professor. "Are you ready to go?" he asked, glancing between his friend and the black haired female student with a smile of mirth on his lips.
Clary smirked. "Catch you later professor" she flung the backpack over her shoulder and strutted confidently out of the room.
John watched her walk out of the room, waiting till the door slammed shut behind her to speak. "Who is that?"
"Clarissa Radley, by far my brightest student, she makes this class worth teaching" Sherlock admitted, pulling on the grey coat. "She turned down two alphas and was the only one to recognise the victim as a beta pretending to be an alpha."
John glanced up at the projection. "Our first case together" he exclaimed with amusement.
"Shut up John" Sherlock muttered, ignoring the sentimental smile plastered on his best friends face.