Omega House Books 6-10: Alpha Omega MPreg Romance Box Set

by Grace, Aria

  I can hear my mother breathe an audible sigh of relief as soon as I give in.

  “I’ll grab a cab and be headed your way soon.” Instead of looking back at my friends, I turn to look out the front window. There’s a long line of taxis parked along the curb. If I leave now, getting a ride won’t be difficult at all.

  “I’m sorry, honey.” At least my mother sounds remorseful. “I know this isn’t what you wanted to be doing this year.”

  “It’s not a big deal.” That’s a total and complete lie, but it’s the right thing to say. “There’s nothing more important to me than you two. I’ll make sure the farm is okay.” That’s not a lie. My family is my world, and I’d do anything for them. Even cancel a non-refundable, once-in-a-lifetime, month-long vacation to a tropical paradise. “I’ll see you soon.”

  Before I finish putting my phone away, Leo is already marching toward me. Fuck.

  “No, no, no.” Leo is shaking his head as he approaches me with a frown etched across his face. “Nick, buddy, you promised…” He’s been my best friend for most of my life, so it’s no surprise he can read my expression.

  “My dad hurt his back.” I shrug and give him a look of defeat. “There’s nothing I can do about it. They need me.”

  “They need to hire a manager who can handle the business without you. They can afford it. It’ll make life easier for all of you.” Leo puts his hands on my shoulders. “We’re not gonna get another shot at a trip like this.”

  I sigh and look away. I know he’s right. It took forever to save up for this vacation and even longer to make all the travel arrangements. Everyone’s schedules are busy and getting it all to line up properly was a nightmare.

  “Well, then, be sure to take plenty of pictures for me,” I force a smile and step back from his grip. “Also, can you guys take care of my board and my bag? It looks like my luggage will be making the trip without me.”

  Leo sighs, knowing the argument is over. “Yeah, don’t worry about it. I got your back.” Leo looks heartbroken as he slips his hands into his pockets. “I really never thought I’d be making this trip without you.”

  “Same.” I adjust my backpack strap on my shoulder and try to bite back my melancholy. “I gotta go grab a cab. I’ve still got an hour-long ride home. Text me when you guys land, okay?”

  “Will do.” Leo pulls me into a brotherly hug. He’s the closest thing I’ve got to a sibling, and I’m gonna miss him like hell.

  He squeezes me tightly before he turns and makes his way back toward our friends. It’s a chickenshit move, but I don’t go with him to say goodbye. The sooner I get out of here, the easier it’ll be. So, I wave goodbye to the rest of them and then swiftly turn to leave. I’m not the kind of guy who gets all emotional when he’s disappointed, but this is the closest I’ve felt to it since I was a kid.

  A few minutes later, I’m in a taxi headed back toward home. Sitting slouched down in my seat, I stare at the ceiling and avoid looking out the window. There’s too much emotion running through my head right now.

  If only my dad wasn’t so reckless…

  Now I’m just being an ass. It’s not really his fault, and I don’t actually blame him, but that doesn’t stop me from being pissy for the first half of the ride.

  Looking down at my phone, I pull up a note-taking app and start jotting down things that need to be done before Black Friday. I have all of two days, less than that now, to get my shit together. My dad’s usually pretty thorough but depending on how much he got finished before he hurt himself, it’s hard to guess what still needs to be prepped before the season officially kicks off.

  But I’m still too pissed to concentrate. After twenty minutes of brain storming, there’s only one thing on my list: Pick up my Santa suit.

  44

  Scotty

  I hate Black Friday.

  I know it’s generally cherished by millions of Americans as the day with the best sales, but that’s not good enough for me. More than I love sales, I hate crowds. Back when I wasn’t a homeless omega living off the charity of others, I preferred to do my Black Friday shopping online.

  At least I don’t have to drive in this traffic. Rubin skillfully maneuvers through the streets and takes us out toward the edge of town where the Christmas Tree farm is located. Their logo is plastered up and down the road and the parking lot is packed. Apparently, it’s a pretty successful joint. It’s ironic that I’m taking a job here because I’ve never really paid much attention to where Christmas Trees came from. Either my parents or whoever I was dating at the time usually took care of it.

  That thought makes my anxiety level ratchet up just another degree, so I try to direct my attention to other things. No sense in dwelling on the failed relationships that landed me in the dire situation I’m in now.

  At least that’s what I tell myself on a daily basis.

  The Christmas Tree farm is exactly what you would expect it be. Sprawling acreage is covered with fir trees of various sizes. I honestly can’t tell one type of tree from another, but I see several sections with tress that have branches spread farther apart than normal. Some even have a silvery sheen to their needles while others look sort of bluish.

  Who knew there were so many different options?

  The tree plots are laid out like a grid and appear to be separated by both size and type. The largest trees line the very back edge of the lot, and I can’t help but wonder who would possibly have a house big enough for one of those monsters.

  Between the plots are gravel roads wide enough to drive a truck down. I can already spot people dragging their freshly cut trees down those aisles, back toward the front of the farm.

  At the very front, before all the plots of trees, is the parking lot we’re pulling in to. Several cars already have trees strapped to their roofs while others have confused looking people staring at their trees and their cars, probably wondering how to make the two work together.

  Beyond the parking lot is a small, older model, camper trailer that looks like it’s being used as an office. Just outside of that is a fire pit, covered by a pop-up canopy to block out the elements. Colorfully painted wooden signs shaped like Santa Claus all point toward the Christmas Village that’s been set up beside the camper.

  It’s actually a pretty intricate display. Oversized candy canes, wooden reindeer, fake snow, and a giant snow globe all surround a massive throne that’s clearly supposed to be Santa’s chair.

  As we climb out of the car, I hug my jacket around myself self-consciously.

  “Will you stop that?” Rubin smacks at my hand as we walk toward the camp trailer. “You look amazing in that costume, so stop trying to hide.”

  “I’ve never worn something this…form fitting before.” I open my jacket and look down at my green elf costume. The entire outfit looks like it’s been ripped straight from that Will Farrell movie. I’m not sure I’ve ever been more humiliated in public. “I’ve never even dressed up to go trick-or-treating. Wearing something like this…around so many people…”

  “Just keep your eyes on the prize.” Rubin waggles his eyebrows and rubs his fingers together in reference to all the cash we’ll be earning. “Five hundo and a glowing reference on your resume. That’s worth a little discomfort.”

  I groan but keep walking, determined to see this through. I need both the money and the reference more than I need my dignity, apparently.

  “Besides, if I can make this thing look good, then you definitely can.” Rubin spreads his arms and shows off his costume. To use his own words, he’s a bit pudgy but damn if he isn’t rocking that elf costume.

  He looks a million times better than I feel right now.

  “It’s all about how you feel inside,” he says as if reading my thoughts. “You’ve just got to project confidence.”

  “Confidence, right.” I honestly don’t feel any more comfortable than I did a minute ago, but I do my best to act like I do. Rubin is right. I’ve just got to get through the next few weeks
without allowing myself to be swallowed by the shame.

  As we draw near the fire pit, the door to the trailer opens, and an alpha in a bright red Santa suit emerges from inside. He smiles broadly as several children squeal with delight at the sight of him. His athletic build and brown beard, coupled with the tailored Santa costume, make him look like a young Saint Nick.

  Even from this distance, I’m completely enraptured with the sight of him. My heart pounds in my chest, and I have to take a minute to catch my breath.

  “I guess I could’ve warned you ahead of time.” Rubin chuckles when he notices me pressing my hand to my heart as I stare, slack jawed, at the most beautiful alpha I’ve ever seen. “That’s Nick. He’s the son of the people who own this place. Usually his dad plays Santa, and he’s running around helping customers. Looks like the old man passed on the mantle this year, though.”

  “Yeah…” That’s the only word I can force out as Rubin gingerly tugs me forward. I’ve got this inexplicable tightness in my chest which reminds me of the biggest crush I’ve ever had multiplied by a thousand. All this is over an alpha I’ve only just laid eyes on.

  He’s gorgeous, sure, but I don’t even know anything about him…beyond his name, of course.

  “Right on time.” Nick smiles as Rubin and I approach him. “I…” His gaze meets mine, and I feel an electric tingle run down my spine, down to my balls, and all the way up to the tip of my cock. Not sure what else to do, I cough and peel my eyes away from him. I’ve never been one of those sensitive omegas who gets turned on easily. The fact that my body is reacting like this is extremely off-putting.

  “I…um…” Nick clears his throat. “We need to get started on the first photo session of the day.” He looks over at the throne and nods toward it. “One of you will be operating the camera, the other one will be helping the kids. I’ve got someone manning the computer, so you don’t have to worry about dealing with that.”

  “Right, well…” Rubin smiles politely. “Since I’ve done this whole thing before, I feel pretty comfortable operating the camera. That seemed to work out pretty well last year.”

  Nick nods in agreement. “Yeah, I think that’s good. So, I guess… Uh, what’s your name?”

  It takes me a second to realize he’s talking to me. I swallow hard and force myself to meet his gaze. The electric tingle stirs my cock again, and I nearly choke on my own spit. I start spluttering and turn away quickly to avoid spitting on anyone.

  “Um…actually…” Nick’s voice trails off, and I can sense him looking away from me. When I chance a glance back at him, I notice his cheeks seem flushed even though they were fine a minute ago. Is he embarrassed?

  I hastily look down at myself to visually confirm that I’m not, in fact, sporting an erection. My cock is definitely threatening to do handstands in my pants, but so far, I’ve managed to maintain control. Whatever’s causing Nick’s cheeks to flush has nothing to do with me. I hope.

  After an awkward moment, Nick manages to get his thoughts in order. “I think maybe it’ll be better if you handle the kids, Rubin. Your friend here can man the camera. It’s not that hard, and I think it’ll be easier for someone who’s never done this before.”

  “Hang on a minute,” I blurt out before I can stop myself. I can’t hide my disappointment at the decision he’s made. “How do you know I haven’t done this before? You don’t know me. For all you know, I could be really good at this sorta thing.”

  Nick eyes me uncertainly before shaking his head. “Even if that’s the case, you’ve never worked with me before. Rubin has. We don’t have time to discuss this anymore. People are already starting to line up.” He gestures toward the photo area where a queue has begun to form.

  I swallow hard at the sight of so many parents and kids. The line snakes through a series of barriers and out toward the parking lot. It seems like it would be difficult to get through all these kids in a week. A single day will be impossible.

  “Alright, then.” Rubin cracks his knuckles against his palms and rolls his shoulders to limber up. “Let’s get this party started. After you, Santa. I’ll show Scotty the ropes and be right there.”

  Nick nods and heads toward the chair designated for his highness while Rubin drags me toward the camera that’s already been set up on a tripod.

  “Where was your enthusiasm for being an elf when we were walking in?” Rubin chuckles as he turns the camera on. “You complained about this the whole way over here, and now you’re suddenly so gung-ho about it you started an argument with the boss.”

  I blush at his comment and try to look away. “I just… Well, it seemed like…”

  “Whatever. You don’t have to explain it to me. He’s hot, and apparently, he’s your type. I can understand wanting to work right beside him all day.” Rubin winks at me before launching into a crash course on how to operate the camera.

  He doesn’t even give me a chance to protest his comment. As soon as he’s certain I’m ready, Rubin abandons me and heads to the front of the line. With a cheery smile and his usual disarming charm, the pudgy elf leads the first child toward our handsome Santa.

  The sound of blood rushing in my ears is deafening as my eyes fix on Nick once more. There’s something deep in my core that wants me to get closer to him. It’s overwhelming, and I want nothing more than to give in and run to his side. Thankfully, I’m strong willed. Some might even say I’m stubborn. There’s no way I’m giving in to what can only be described as unbridled lust.

  Especially not in front of a bunch of families.

  I snap a couple photos for each child as Nick asks them what they want for Christmas. A few complain about the young, fit Santa, but in the end, he charms them all. I can’t hear what he’s saying from where I am, but it’s clear that he’s got a way with kids.

  Seeing him tame children of all ages touches something else inside me. Something deep and even more primal than the lust I’m already feeling. I’ve never been more aware of my reproductive system than I am right now. The ache in my belly, the ticking of my biological clock, catches me off guard. I’ve never really given kids much thought. It’s always been something I figured I would deal with later.

  And it still was something to deal with later because I have a job to do.

  It’s not easy, but I force myself to focus on the task at hand. Unfortunately, by the time noon rolls around, I’m in agony. Somehow, we’ve managed to clear out a good portion of the line, but there are more people showing up all the time. Thankfully, there are clearly posted breaks on the schedule, and we’re able to stop to catch our breath and grab some lunch before I lose my mind.

  “There are some sandwiches for staff and volunteers in the trailer,” Rubin explains as we withdraw from the photo area.

  The thought of food makes my stomach turn. “Thanks, but I’m not really hungry.”

  “Are you okay? You’ve been acting weird all morning. Don’t think I didn’t notice that grimace on your face while you were taking pictures. It’s a good thing you weren’t helping out with the kids because your face probably would’ve made them cry.” Rubin grins at me before making his way to the small refrigerator inside the trailer.

  The room is cramped but cozy. I settle down at one of the chairs by the small table as Rubin returns with two sandwiches.

  “You should try to eat something.” He sets one of the sandwiches in front of me then he takes his seat and digs into his food with reckless abandon.

  “Honestly… I just…I don’t know what’s going on with me. I can’t focus. I feel…weird.” I decide against telling Rubin about the mental struggle I’ve been engaged in with my libido. Keeping my erection in check has been exhausting, and I’m not looking forward to going through that again. “I kinda just wanna take a nap.”

  “Well, we’ve got to be back out there in fifteen minutes.” Rubin takes a big bite then glances around the room. “You can try to catch a power nap on the sofa there.” He gestures to the rundown-looking sofa that
looks like it’s straight out of the 70s.

  “I don’t think a power nap is gonna help.” I sigh and push my hand through my hair before looking up and meeting Rubin’s gaze. I can tell what he’s thinking. “Don’t worry. I’m not gonna bail on you. I made a commitment, and I’m sticking to it.”

  He knows me well. Something inside me is overjoyed at that suggestion. But then something bigger and stronger reminds me that’s a horrible idea. The very thought of leaving and not being able to see Nick again makes me a bit queasy. But once my mind is made up to stay, the feeling quickly abates, and my appetite returns.

  My stomach growls audibly, and Rubin nudges my sandwich toward me. He raises an eyebrow and watches me intently until I unwrap my sandwich and take a bite. As soon as food touches my tongue, I realize I’m ravenous. I didn’t eat much at breakfast this morning, and now I feel like I haven’t eaten in a week.

  We take our time finishing our lunch. Honestly, I’m reluctant to head back outside, especially once I glance out the window and see even more people in line than were there earlier. It looks like this tree farm is more popular than I could have guessed.

  “Alright, back to the grindstone.” Rubin chuckles as he stands up and collects our trash.

  I follow him back outside and almost instantly find myself face to face with Nick again.

  “Enjoy your lunch?” Nicks asks, talking directly to Rubin. It’s almost like he’s intentionally ignoring me.

  “Yeah, it was great.” Rubin rubs his belly with a smile. “You guys always provide the best. I’m ready to get back to work.”

  “That’s great. I’ll let Mom know you approve.” Nick smiles warmly at Rubin, and I feel like my heart is melting in my chest.

  I take a deep breath and get the urge to do something impulsive. It’s particularly surprising because I’m not an impulsive guy. But that doesn’t stop me from reaching out and grabbing the sleeve of Nick’s jacket. After a quick tug, I hold my breath and wait until he looks at me.