The next day, the assholes upstairs announced that work would be let out early to give way to the company event. My minions, together with the other employees, used one of several shuttle services provided by the company to get to The Monster Mall of Asia in Pasay. I, on the other hand, went there in Aahmes' car.
We all met in a different location in the mall and looked around for a bit to pass some time before we went to the restaurant reserved by the company.
"Prof. Antonio!" the idiots called out to me as soon as we entered the restaurant. "It's so nice of you to join us!"
Nice. Right.
Yet the stiff grin on their faces said otherwise. I bet they didn't expect me to show up at all.
"Oh, too bad, professor," they mocked me, "You came in so late, that all the good seats have already been taken! We all thought you couldn't make it today!"
I looked at a long table in front of the main ballroom where Dr. Gonzaga was seated with Dr. Gregorio to his right and Dr. Francisco to his left. The rest of the seats were filled with the alpha heads from the West Tower. Hitlerwas even seated right beside the Grinch.
"Good," I answered back.
I scanned the room and saw an empty table at one of the halls reserved for the rest of the employees. It was far from the main hall where division heads were dining. I made my way there with Aahmes, my two researchers and a handful of minions trailing close behind us like little ducklings.
"See, what did I tell you?" said Aahmes as he sat beside me.
"You're right, it's nice and quiet here."
"Let's check out the food!" said Pedro who led the ducklings to the buffet table.
Well, at least the food is good. And since we were too far from the main group, we were able to enjoy our meal in peace, without listening to annoying alphas bragging about themselves and looking down on our department.
That is, until the bastards ate their fill.
"Prof. Antonio!"
Damn. Here they come...
"Congratulations on the new omega suppressant you formulated! I guess you're raking in the millions again, huh?" the morons greeted me sarcastically.
"Oh, but I heard you got a big deficit for announcing that the suppressants are on sale?" they snickered.
"What are you doing here at the adjacent hall with the rest of the employees?" they asked when they didn't get a reaction out of me. "You should join Dr. Gonzaga in their table!"
"Yeah, you're the star of the night, after all!" they blabbered on.
"Dr. Gonzaga has been asking for you since the event started! He's been praising you for hours!"
"I'd rather eat here where it's nice and quiet," I replied. "You can go away now."
"Oh, is this the omega in the newspaper this morning?" they changed the subject yet again.
I glared at the alpha who dared to open his maw.
"Is he the one you dedicated your work to?"
As if they didn't know who Aahmes is.
"Your partnership is quite... unique," they said with a condescending smile. "I hope you two can stay long together."
I was about to snap back at them when someone called out my name.
"Prof. Antonio!"
Ugh... the Grinch found me.
"Come and join us at the main table, what are you doing here at the adjacent hall?"
"I'd much rather stay here."
"Nonsense! You do know that this dinner is in celebration of the new Omega-J suppressant that would be released to the public next week, right?"
"That's right, Sir Eric!" my minions told me as they stuffed their faces.
"You should go with Dr. Gregorio!"
"That's right, Sir, we're good back here!" Pilar said with a burp.
The traitors!
"Come, this way," said Grinch who took my arm and pulled me up from my seat!
I quickly took hold of Aahmes as he dragged me away!
"Make way for the star of the evening!" mocked the bastards as we headed for the main hall.
They set up a chair for me and Aahmes beside Gadxilla and handed both of us a pitcher of draft beer as soon as we sat down.
"I don't feel like drinking," I grumbled.
"Just one mug, professor, here's one for the toast!" they insisted.
"For the new Omega-J suppressant!"
"Kampai!" (cheers)
They cheered and clapped their hands as we downed out drinks, and my mug was full once more before I could complain about it.
"Try this dish, professor," someone handed me some pulutan1.
Before I knew it, the three heads have left, and I was already on my fourth mug of beer.
"Oh, Prof. Antonio, is it okay for you to stay out this late?" I looked up and saw Hitler staring at me with an irritating smirk on his ugly mug. "You should head home by now, wouldn't your big brother be worried about you?"
"You guys should let the kid go home before he misses his kuya!" someone else said with a laugh.
Looks like someone's looking to start a fight as soon as the higher ups left the venue.
"I'm still good," I replied coldly. "you're the one who needs to sober up, seems like your gestapo are rounding up omegas against their will."
I pointed at his fellow alphas who were trying to pick up a group of omegas in another table.
The omegas didn't look comfortable.
"They're just being friendly, professor, but I know you wouldn't understand what that means." He gave out a fake, irritating laugh.
"Dr. Heathlow, please don't say that," a woman I don't know from the marketing division suddenly butted in. "We should be glad that Sir Eric decided to join us at the company dinner!"
"We hope you can stay a bit longer, Sir Eric," said another one from the accounting division, "you're the star of the night, after all."
I look at Hitler and grinned mischievously. I could almost see smoke rising up from his flared nostrils.
"Hmph, I'll leave the three of you here then," he said, standing up. "Dr. Abdel, why don't you join me at another table."
I shifted my gaze to my habibi who was quietly eating beside me.
"I prefer to stay at the professor's side," he replied.
I gave a sigh of relief.
"But it seems like the professor already has two women of his kind to entertain him," Hitler tattled on, "so, how about hanging out with a dominant alpha for a change?"
The two women flirting beside me looked insulted, but they kept their gaze low. They can't talk back to a superior, after all.
But I can.
"Why, my good doctor, what exactly do you mean by 'women of my kind'?" I asked him. "Can you kindly explain what 'my kind' is supposed to be?"
"Well, obviously, since you're just a beta, it would be fitting for you to be with ordinary women like yourself," he bragged on, "while omegas, on the other hand, are meant to be with superior alphas," he smirked at Aahmes, "such as myself."
"So, are you saying that since we're just 'ordinary' women and betas, we should stay away from omegas and alphas like you?"
The idiot was taken aback.
"I didn't say –"
"Isn't that what he meant, though?" I looked at Ms. Accounting. "What do you think?"
"W-well... it did kinda sound that way..." she said hesitantly.
"How about you?" I asked Ms. Marketing.
"H-he didn't say it directly, but... it did have the same meaning..." she replied.
"How about you, Habibi?"
Everyone looked surprised as I called Aahmes Habibi.
"How would you translate what the good doctor said just now?"
"He seems to be saying that betas should only be with women, since omegas should be with alphas."
"Very good, Habibi, and do you agree to this?"
"No." Aahmes abruptly replied. "I do not."
"Well, what do you know, doc? It seems like omegas don't like alphas as much as you believe they do?" I smirked at him. "Or perhaps, it's just you that they despise?"
"Don't try to twist my words, Eric! That wasn't what I meant to say!" he snapped at me.
"Well, what ever it is, you still shouldn't stay here with women, a beta, and an omega who obviously does not want you around." I snapped back at him. "So go ahead now, turn around and walk away. Look for someone else to pester, and good riddance. Shoo! Bye-bye!"
"Now, look here, you beta, do you even know who you're talking to!?" he shouted at me, pushing his chair back as he stood up.
"Hey, Dr. Heathlow, settle down, you shouldn't let him get to you!" his friends pulled him back.
"This bastard is going too far!" he went on. "You're nothing but an insignificant beta!" What can you do against a dominant alpha like me?! You wanna go at it? Huh? Why don't we take this outside so you can show me what you've got? You lowly beta?!"
The whole table went quiet.
"If that's what you want..." I tried to stand up as well, but the world tilted to its side and I was back on my seat again. I guess I had one too many mugs to drink.
"Ha! See? You're all bark and no bite!" he guffawed. "The loser can't even stand on his own~"
Hitler suddenly lurched forward and fell face first in a dish of half eaten soup.
The table went silent once again.
I thought he had a heart attack, when the bowl started to bubble over as he snored.
Too bad.
"Ha! Who's the loser now, fuckface?!" I pointed at him.
"Who are you to talk? You cannot even stand straight," Aahmes said by my side.
"At least I'm not the idiot who's out cold in a bowl of soup!" I said happily.
"Sir Eric, would you like more pulutan?" asked Ms. Accounting who handed me another mug of beer.
"Why don't we talk some more while he have another round of drinks?" urged Ms. Marketing who sat in front of me.
"Maybe next time, the professor has had enough alcohol for today," said Aahmes who touched my shoulder. "Let's go, Prof. Antonio."
I looked up as he stood beside me.
"In a minute, take a sit and let's have some more to eat," I told him. After all, I was in a good mood after defeating the fuehrer.
Aahmes sighed and sat back down, while I slowly raised myself up.
"Where are you going?" he asked me.
"I just need to go to the toilet."
"Do you need assistance?" he started to raise himself again. I noticed the people in the table look at us with interest.
"No need. I can use the toilet on my own."
I went on my way to the comfort rooms.
I used the first urinal and was pulling my pants up when I turned around and saw Ms Marketing staring at me with a sultry smile on her lips.
I looked at my surroundings.
Did I enter the wrong comfort room? Sure doesn't seem like it, since there are six urinals lining the wall...
"Wow, Sir Eric, I knew you were big!" she said as she got closer.
"Wha...? Big what? And what are you doing here?"
"Just because..." she giggled. "I'm just a bit tipsy... I bet we both are..."
I was surprised when she suddenly dropped on my chest.
"W-what are you doing?!" I quickly pushed her back, but she placed her arms around my waist and rubbed her face on my body!
"Sir, did you know that I've got the biggest crush on you for soo long now?"
"The hell! I don't even know your name!" I tried pushing her back, but her arms were locked behind me. "Let go of me! I'm not drunk, and I have no plan of doing anything with you!" I was finally able to pry her claws off me and push her away.
The woman glared at me as she stepped back.
"Hypocrite! Stop playing hard to get. Or is it true that you prefer omegas over women?" she said with a pout. "Don't you know that women are so much better in bed? We are made to pleasure men, we even have the right organs to drive you crazy! Unlike those disgusting omegas who take it up the ass! I mean, do you realize that you're basically fucking the shit out of them?!"
"Frankly, I don't care what your gender is," I told her coldly. "I just don't want anything to do with loose people like you."
I got slapped.
"Is that so?!" she hissed at me.
She pushed me `till I was up against the wall and had no where else to go! She then opened her blouse and pushed her boobs against me.
"How can you refuse when something this good is right in front of you!?" she grabbed me by the shirt and pulled it open, ripping two buttons off!
"What's good about this?" I tried to push her away again. "You're nothing but trouble! Why don't you just go away?!"
"I'm not going anywhere!" she sneered. "Do you know what would happen if I started screaming here?"
I stare at her as she pulled at her blouse, exposing her underwear! I closed my eyes and looked away!
"Why don't you try it then?"
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1Pulutan - food or snacks that compliment alcoholic drinks, pulot literally means to 'pick' up