by Lacey Daize
I had it bad.
Murmuring from the kitchen, then he walked back in. “So,” he started. “Feel free to refuse, but we’ve been invited to have drinks tonight.”
“We?” I asked.
Carlos rubbed the back of his neck. “Yeah. Remember the omega from in front of the shop, Liam?”
I nodded.
“That was his alpha on the phone. Liam was pretty shook up, but Alex—his alpha—says he’s ok now and wanted to meet the omega with me today.”
“Me?” I asked.
Carlos smiled at me. “Nobody else here matches that description.”
I thought about it for a moment. I’d had a few omega friends in New York, but they tended to be as busy as everybody else there. The thought of making real friends in a small town sounded wonderful. “Ok.”
Carlos’s smile widened. “Great. I’ll text them and let them know.”
∞∞∞
If I didn’t know better I would have sworn we’d walked into the set of some modern western flick. The tables in the bar were rough, and I was pretty sure a few had started their lives as cable spools. Almost everybody wore jeans and cowboy boots, and there were even some cowboy hats in the mix and hanging along one wall.
Carlos looked around and waved. He then took my hand—which made a thrill run through me—and tugged me to a booth in one corner.
I spied the omega, Liam, first. But there were a few other people there and I couldn’t tell which was his alpha.
Carlos stopped at the table and rested his hand at the small of my back. The warmth of it grounded me at the same time it ignited an inferno within.
“Everyone,” Carlos said. “This is Andrew. He just rolled into town today.” He then used his free hand to motion around. “First up is Alex, and you’ve met his mate Liam.”
I waved lightly.
“Next to Liam are the twins, Ethan and Evan. We’ve known them our whole lives, but the jerks like to play the look-alike game and screw with your head, so don’t feel bad if you can’t tell them apart. Hell, sometimes I think they can’t tell each other apart.”
“Hey!” one of the twins retorted. “I know exactly who I am. I’m him!” he said, pointing his thumb at his brother.
“Oh good,” the other one said. “I’m tired of being me. Let’s trade for a bit.”
“Ok!”
The banter got everybody at the table laughing.
Carlos moved aside and I slid into the circular booth, then he took the end. Somehow the seating had me feeling safe and protected rather than trapped.
Liam leaned over. “So you just came today?”
I nodded. “Yep. New Year’s resolution to myself. My life wasn’t what I wanted. So I packed my things and left the glittering lights of New York behind.”
“How’d you end up here?” one of the twins asked.
“Random choice on my map app,” I replied with a grin.
“It’s a big change from the city,” the other twin said.
I shrugged. “I grew up in a small town back east. I was ready to get somewhere with a bit less traffic again.”
That got everybody at the table laughing.
“You’ll have a couple toes left when you’re done counting the traffic lights,” Alex said. “That’s for sure.”
I smiled. “Good.”
A waitress appeared and set a round of drinks out at the table. All the alphas reached for beers, but I noticed Liam grab something pink and fizzy.
“What did you get?” He didn’t look like a fruity drink sort of man.
He smiled. “Shirley Temple.”
“Oh, that’s right!” I said, remembering him saying something about pregnancy hormones earlier.
“Alex sure didn’t waste any time,” one of the twins cheered, raising his beer. “Only mated a year and already got kid number two a cookin’.”
Liam blushed, one hand dropping to his stomach, which was still flat. “I mean, I wanted it too guys.”
The twin closest to him, patted him on the back. “Oh we know. You’ve wanted it since you learned what it was.”
Liam turned bright red, but I could tell that the ribbing was good-natured. They’d obviously been close long enough to be completely comfortable with each other and the teasing.
“So what happened with the fire?” Carlos asked once the table stopped laughing.
Liam’s face fell, and Alex wrapped his arm over his omega’s shoulder.
Alex looked over and sighed. He kissed Liam’s temple before turning back to Carlos. “Devon, you remember him right?”
Carlos nodded.
“Anyway, he’s the investigator for the fire department now. He found the charred remains of a matchstick in the middle of the bears, so it was pretty obviously deliberate. Then that was backed up from what the internal security cameras caught. No face, but somebody stood next to the display until it started smoking, then ran off.”
“Why would they do something like that?” I asked.
Liam shook his head. “I don’t know.”
“Are you ok?”
He looked at me and smiled. “Yeah. I’ll be ok. It was just a lot at the time.”
I nodded. “I can imagine.”
I felt Carlos’s gaze on me. I turned and blushed when I saw a smile on his face.
The rest of the table broke into laughter and light teasing, and for the first time in years I felt like I’d found a place where I belonged.
Chapter 6 - Carlos
As a warm blooded male I was no stranger to morning wood, but the erection after just one night of Andrew in my house was achingly hard enough to dwarf any I might have had during my teenage years. The subtle traces of his scent on the air reminded my alpha side that I wanted to breed and claim him.
It might have been a mistake to invite him to stay in my house, but it would have been more of one to just let him sleep in his car.
My erection was just an unavoidable side-effect of keeping the omega—whom my alpha side insisted was mine—safe.
I wavered between taking a cold shower or taking care of my aching cock until I remembered that it was the weekend and I had the time to do both. I came embarrassingly fast, but when I walked into the living room a few minutes later to see Andrew sitting on the couch I was glad I’d taken the edge off.
Just seeing the gorgeous omega bathed in the morning light had my cock twitching again.
I noticed he was intently staring at his phone.
“What’re you up to?”
Andrew turned to me, soft smile on his face. “Just updating my resume online. I’ve got enough money for a month or so, but I’m going to need to get a job.”
Somehow something so simple bolstered my feeling that he was a fantastic omega. I’d known others who would have pushed getting a job to the last minute, hoping to find an alpha to care for them instead. But there he was, taking the initiative to ensure that he had the freedom that had brought him here.
“What do you do?” I asked.
Andrew looked at me with a shrug. “Usually whatever I can get. I try to stick to the administrative side though, rather than retail or restaurant work. Too many creepers.”
“That bad?” I asked, taking my seat in the chair across from him.
He nodded. “Ass grabbing isn’t uncommon. I’ve even had a couple times where an alpha would get me pinned somewhere and try dry humping me until I could get free. Management can’t really do much, because even if they kick one out, there’s always another to take their place.”
I frowned, forcing myself to not imagine some creep trying to do something like that to Andrew.
“Anyway,” he continued, “the degree doesn’t do much since it’s just an Associate’s, but it’s usually enough to land me receptionist or assistant positions. While they have their own share of problems, it’s not nearly as bad.”
“I’m sorry,” I said.
He looked at me and smiled. “Not your fault. It’s just something that happens in those i
ndustries. Heck, even alpha women complain about being groped by oblivious drunks who don’t know that the ladies can kick ass.”
For a moment I thought of Liam’s mom, and started laughing.
“Huh?” Andrew asked.
I shook my head. “Liam… his mom’s an alpha. I can only imagine the levels of pain she’d inflict on anybody who dared to disrespect her space like that. We all learned pretty quick as kids that she can be just as scary if not scarier than any male alpha out there.”
Andrew started laughing. “That’s my experience too. Male alphas duke it out, then make up over a few pints. Women alphas plan revenge that would make anybody question the sanity of going against them. I think the best course of action if you’ve pissed off a female alpha is to grovel.”
“And pray that’s enough,” I added.
Andrew grinned and nodded. “Yep.”
“So besides updating your resume, what are your plans for today?” I asked.
Andrew shrugged. “Hadn’t thought about it. At some point I’ll have to start looking for a place, but I don’t expect a lot of leasing offices to be open today and I’d like to scout neighborhoods first so I don’t end up somewhere too questionable.”
“We really don’t have a bad side of town.”
“Good to know, but I bet there are still better places than others.”
“Of course. I’d say the trailer park on the southeast edge of town is probably the only place I’d stay away from though.”
I hated giving Andrew advice on where to look to live. I wanted him to stay with me. But one thing I’d learned in the day since I’d met him was how much freedom meant to him, and I was nowhere near being able to ask him to give it up to be with me.
Maybe I’d never be worthy, but I’d be damned if I wasn’t going to try to be the alpha he finally chose for himself.
He nodded. “I’ll keep it in mind. Avoid the trailer park south of town.”
“Do you want to head up the mountain and watch the races?” I offered, trying to change the subject away from him leaving my house..
Andrew paused and looked at his clothes. “I don’t know if I have anything heavy enough for a ski area. I mean it’s fine for winter in New York City, but…”
I smiled. “I think I’ve got a few things you can borrow. Papa was clearing out some of my old stuff and asked me to go through it before sending it to donation. Some of what I wore as a teen should fit you.”
“Really?”
I nodded. “Let me get it.”
A few minutes later I returned with an old box. I set it in front of Andrew, my alpha side almost giddy with the thought of him wrapped in things that smelled like me. He opened it and started rummaging. Soon he had a pair of thick skiing coveralls and a heavy jacket draped over his arm.
“I’ll try these on,” Andrew said softly.
I nodded and watched him head to the guest bedroom. Finally he reemerged, the clothes fitting like they were bought for him instead of a younger me. I struggled to contain a growl of appreciation.
“Think they’re good enough for a day on the mountain?” I asked.
Andrew nodded.
“So what do you say?” I asked. “Wanna go watch the shovel races?”
Andrew laughed. “I watched a couple videos online before you woke up, and I definitely need to see this in person.”
I grinned. “Ok. I’ll get changed and we’ll head up.”
“Ok!”
∞∞∞
Frozen air nipped at my skin, and sunlight was almost blinding on the snow, but I didn’t want to be anywhere else.
Andrew was so excited next to me. He yelled and cheered with as much energy as the rest of the crowd. But I could barely restrain myself every time he latched onto my arm when one of the racers seemed to have trouble.
“How fast is that one?” he asked as another racer came barreling down the hill.
“Probably around sixty,” I replied, mentally comparing the man to earlier competitors. “I don’t think he’s going to break seventy miles per hour.”
Andrew’s arm tightened around mine in anticipation as the man on the shovel barrelled across the finish line to raucous applause.
I looked down at him and smiled. He was so enthusiastic, and was as caught up in the competition as the rest of us. Though I had to admit, shovel racing was an extreme sport if there ever was one. It was even too much for the X Games.
The next racer was announced, and we all turned to cheer as another man sitting on a shovel started barreling down the mountain.
Chapter 7 - Andrew
I’d yelled myself almost hoarse by the time we trekked back to Carlos’s truck, but I didn’t regret it in the slightest. I’d never heard of shovel racing before I’d reached Mountain Springs, and it was one of the wildest things I’d ever seen.
But the highlight was unexpected, and simple. Standing there, wrapped in Carlos’s scent from the old clothes, and him beside me had me fighting my arousal all day. I’d never expected being horny to feel so good, and I was already dreading peeling out of the delicious-smelling clothing.
“Did you have fun?” Carlos asked as he guided the truck down the winding mountain road.
I grinned. “That was fantastic! Crazy, but fantastic.”
Carlos laughed. “Yeah, it’s not one of those sports for casual fun.”
“Do you do it?” I asked.
“Hell no!” Carlos replied, laughing harder. “I don’t have a death wish. I’ll stick to skiing and snowboarding.”
“Oh, I’ve never been skiing… or snowboarding. Will you teach me?”
Carlos’s gaze flicked to me then back to the twisting road. “You wanna learn?”
“Yeah.”
I saw a smile spread across his face. “Then I’d love to teach you.”
“Really?”
He nodded. “It’s more fun to ski with others than alone.”
I grinned. “I’ll look forward to it then.”
“Me too.”
Soon the topic turned to more mundane subject, from favorite foods to television. I learned we had quite a bit in common, and with every mile I felt myself falling more and more for the alpha I’d only known a day.
∞∞∞
It was starting to get dark as I peeled out of the delicious-smelling clothes, lamenting that I wouldn’t be able to stay wrapped in Carlos’s scent longer.
As much as I’d talked about finding a place of my own that morning, I knew I didn’t want to leave his house. I’d never had such a feeling of home. Even growing up I’d felt out of place in my parents’ house.
Granted, I’d known my whole life that they’d wanted an alpha, and that my only value to them was to mate higher and thus raise their profiles. But even in the good times I’d felt like an outcast.
I felt like I belonged in Mountain Springs already, and specifically in Carlos’s house.
I was pulling back on jeans and a sweater when there was a knock at the door.
“Yes?”
Carlos opened the door and peeked in. “Liam just called.”
I turned to him. “Oh?”
“He says he’s going out with some of his omega friends tonight, and wanted to know if you wanted to join them.”
I just stared for a moment, unsure I’d heard correctly. “He’s inviting just me?”
Carlos nodded. “Yeah. That’s not a problem, is it?”
I shook my head. I was used to alphas wanting to keep tabs on omegas in their life at all times, even when just friends. It was to the point that where I grew up, omegas rarely left the house without an alpha at their side unless it for for traditionally omega errands such as grocery shopping or childcare related functions.
Carlos studied me for a moment. “Do you need his number? Or do you want to use my phone? He says they’ll be heading out soon, and he’s offered to be DD since he can’t drink anyway.”
“I um… if you could text him and accept for me. I’d appreciate it.”
A few seconds later the phone chimed and he looked at the screen. “He says he’ll be here in twenty.”
I nodded. “Ok. Thanks.”
Carlos frowned slightly and walked over, settling his hand on my arm. “Are you ok? You don’t seem interested.”
I took a deep breath and let it out in a chuckle. I shook my head. “It’s not that.” I looked up and into his rich brown eyes. “Do you remember me telling you I grew up in a conservative area?”
Carlos nodded. “I do.”
“Some things just are hard to get used to after an upbringing like that. Even spending time in New York didn’t fully wipe me of certain expectations. Where I grew up, just me being here—as an unmated omega in the house of an unmated alpha—would be considered a scandal. It would also be a proclamation that you planned to claim me. At that point, unless I was shopping or handling children, it would be almost unheard of for me to go somewhere without you or an alpha relative. Omega-only get togethers are rarely that, as there is an expectation that there will be at least one alpha chaperone. For their protection of course.”
The possessive, and protective, growl was back, and it made my cock twitch.
“You mean just hanging out with omega friends wasn’t allowed?”
“Not past a certain age,” I said, shaking my head. “Most omegas were mated off as soon as possible once they were legally old enough. After that their duties were to bear children and take care of their alpha. Omegas were expected to get together and be friendly with the mates when their alphas were together.”
I couldn’t help but notice the angry set to Carlos’s jaw, and I was surprised I didn’t swoon like in a pulp romance novel. Every other alpha who’d heard of my upbringing expressed sympathy and empty platitudes. But here was one who was visibly upset on my behalf.
My eyes flicked down, and I saw him clenching his fist.
I don’t know what came over me, but I took his fist between my hands and gently uncurled his fingers before pressing a kiss to them.
Carlos’s breath, and growls, left him in a rush.
“Thank you.” I said softly.
