Omega (Evan's Alphas Book 1)

by D. J. Heart

  “I’m sorry to disappoint,” Peter says, mirroring Cruz’s relaxed pose. He wonders if the alpha is even interested in IT security, or if that was just an excuse to hire Peter as a glorified hitman.

  Cruz nods, not answering. Their drinks arrive, after which Cruz gets down to business. Apparently he does want Tank Security to take over IT security for his business, and he has a whole list of questions about how Peter operates. It’s refreshing to speak to a client who knows his stuff and is prepared, and by the time they finish their second and third drinks respectively, Cruz is ready to hand over control of his computer systems to Peter.

  Peter thinks for a minute, trying to remember if he has anyone who might be a good fit to lead the team working on Cruz’s security. The last thing he wants is to send an omega rights sympathizer.

  “I’ll be putting a man named Scott McCorkle at the helm of this. He’s very good at what he does. I’ll have him come by your main offices with his team whenever it’s convenient for you to do a review. He’ll work out a plan for how to move forward before we sign a deal,” Peter says finally, downing the rest of his drink. Business concluded, he’s ready to leave.

  “We want this taken care of fast,” Cruz answers, getting up. “So if he could start on Monday?”

  Peter nods, shaking Cruz’s hand and telling him it’s a deal. Cruz looks happy and relieved. Peter wonders just how much trouble the omega rights activists have been causing.

  He wished them luck. Pretty soon they’ll have to find new ways to go after Cruz and his vile business. Peter has no intention of letting his reputation be sullied—even if it’s for a good cause.

  He walks with Cruz to the hotel exit, deciding to walk to the office so that he can call Scott and give him a heads up that he’ll be heading up a new account on Monday. He has work he needs to get done anyway, and a few hours away from the temptations at home should make a fair dent in it.

  ***

  Chad feels pretty good. Peter has let up completely on the porn thing, and Evan hasn’t mentioned it either. He doesn’t know why Peter decided to let it go, but he’s glad. He hates it when Peter is mad at him.

  Peter walks into the room just as Chad’s phone pings, Topher sending him a message. He swipes the screen, chuckling when he reads Topher's message:

  You want to give your knot a break and come out with us tonight?

  He texts back a simple no, scrolling through his photo album and finding a picture of Evan post fuck—covered by a sheet—and sends it too.

  I hate you… Topher replies, making Chad grin smugly. Give his knot a break… fat chance.

  “I’ve found someone to look after Evan when he’s at school,” Peter says, sitting down and opening his laptop.

  Chad looks up from his phone, pushing it into his pocket and giving Peter his full attention. Something’s up. Peter is acting weird, eyes glued to his screen as he starts typing, trying his best to look casual and failing.

  Though they’re both taking time off to be with Evan, neither one of them has the luxury of putting work aside entirely for two weeks. Peter has been going into the office every other day while Chad has been putting in a few hours a day from home at least.

  Chad studies Peter’s face, knowing that the other alpha can feel him staring. Usually, this would get him an annoyed exclamation of What? but right now Peter is ignoring him. It’s freaking Chad out.

  “OK… Who is it?” Chad had thought they’d be looking for someone together, but it isn’t a surprise that Peter has gone out and found someone. He tends to be proactive like that.

  “An old friend of mine,” Peter says, eyes resolutely on his laptop screen. He’s typing away, as though who they entrust their omega to isn’t a huge decision.

  Chad is getting worried, wondering why Peter won’t just look at him and tell him who it is. It’s like he’s expecting a fight except… Peter doesn’t shy away from those. When he feels strongly about something, he expects Chad to fall in line, no matter what Chad thinks. Changing Peter’s mind about something is a long and difficult process.

  “Is it someone I know?” Chad asks. He wants Peter’s full attention. If there’s something going on that he’s not going to like, he wants to know what it is.

  “Yes. Aiden Halsted. He’s quitting Topgrunder and needs something to do while he figures out his next step.”

  Chad takes a minute to count to ten inside his head. Peter knows how he feels about Aiden—knows how much he hates him—and he still hired him? Counting to ten isn’t going to cut it.

  “You—" Chad barely gets a word out before Peter has slams his laptop shut and bares his teeth, just waiting for the challenge. Chad swallows. He feels strongly about this, but not that strongly. He’s not going to challenge Peter. He breathes in deep, forcing his hands to unclench and rubs his thighs. It calms him.

  “I don’t understand why you would do that when you know how I feel about him,” Chad says, calm as you please. Peter leans back, jaw unclenching as he crosses his arms over his chest. Chad hasn’t challenged him, but he hasn’t let him off the hook either.

  Chad despises Aiden Halsted. The other alpha is Peter’s age, his mate’s oldest friend, and Peter’s ex-lover. Now Chad doesn’t have a problem with any of those things—he knows that Peter loves him more than anything—and he’s never been threatened by Peter’s ex-boyfriends. After all, Peter mated him. That wasn’t something you just undid.

  No, Chad hates Aiden Halsted because the alpha is a total dick. He’s arrogant and rude—going through life with the attitude of a cocky frat boy. Just talking to him sets Chad’s teeth on edge. That Aiden refers to him as the puppy also hasn’t helped their relationship.

  “He’s my friend, Chad. It’s not you he’ll be looking after, it’s Evan. You won’t have to have anything to do with him.”

  Chad snorts, earning himself a glare. Of course, he’ll have to deal with him. It’s stupid to pretend otherwise, and Chad doesn’t even have to say it. Peter knows.

  “I thought we were getting a beta,” Chad says, mirroring Peter and crossing his arms, “I mean… even most alphas find Aiden intimidating. Do you really think he’s the best fit for Evan?”

  Aiden is like Peter. It’s why their relationship never worked, despite neither of them having any interest in omegas whatsoever. They’re both just too dominant. Aiden is intense, and though he has Peter’s ability to make everyone around him submit, Chad has never been attracted to him. With Peter, it’s a combination of being dominated and cared for. Aiden would just grind him under his heel and laugh.

  “Evan will get used to him,” Peter says. Chad holds his tongue for a second and tries to imagine it. Tries to imagine Aiden following the omega around as he goes from class to class, and he just can’t picture it.

  “Have you explained to him what he’ll be doing?” he asks. He can’t imagine Aiden would say yes to this if he had all the details. It’s far more likely that he thinks he’ll be able to cart Evan around wherever he wants, Peter being fine with whatever he does as long as Evan is safe.

  “Of course, I explained it,” Peter says, looking put out. Chad powers on.

  “So he knows that he’ll be going to school with Evan? That Evan is the one who decides where they go and what they do? Because I can’t picture Aiden agreeing to be bossed around by an omega.”

  Peter doesn’t squirm, but Chad knows him well enough to know that he has explained no such thing to his friend.

  “He knows what a bodyguard is,” Peter says, attempting to be dismissive and failing. They both know that to most alphas guarding an omega is like babysitting. The omega gets no say. Aiden probably thinks he’ll be sitting around doing whatever he wants with Evan ‘safely’ hogtied on the bed.

  Chad doesn’t say anything. Peter stares at him, waiting for him to argue, but Chad knows that right now there’s nothing he can say that Peter isn’t thinking.

  “It’s going to be fine. Aiden is a good guy.”

  Chad can’t help
the snort from escaping, but this time it doesn’t get an angry reaction. Aiden is an okay guy at best. He works for Topgrunder, after all. It’s a mercenary outfit that has made its fortune taking the jobs none of the competition would touch.

  “I trust you,” Chad says, knowing that Peter will want to live up to that trust. “And I don’t think you would let Aiden be Evan’s bodyguard if it risked making Evan unhappy. So if you think this is a good idea and that Evan will be happy being looked after by Aiden, I won’t be difficult.”

  Peter stares at him; eyes narrowed suspiciously, but Chad doesn't say anything. Peter will do the right thing. Chad is sure of it.

  ***

  Evan pulls the pillows and blankets around him, making a nest in the middle of the bed. The pillows are huge and sinfully soft, the blankets silky to the touch. That and the scent of alpha saturating the sheets, musky and intense, has him feeling giddy with happy contentment.

  He’s clutching a thick envelope, and once he’s comfortable with every pillow and blanket arranged to his liking, he pulls the contents out and lays the papers in front of him in a neat little row.

  It’s his acceptance package from The Obrey Art Institute, and he just can’t stop going through it. First he re-reads the letter telling him he has a space in their program, fingers tracing the words with a feeling of awe; then he just stares at the thick piece of paper. It’s his name on the envelope, right there in black and white.

  He can hardly believe it.

  Next, he reads through the school catalog, studying course descriptions and the school’s mission statement like they’re the bible. Peter says it’s up to him which classes he takes, but there’s so many to choose from! He hasn’t got a clue how he’s going to decide.

  “You good in there?” Chad asks from the doorway, startling him. He looks up at his alpha, grinning wide and nodding. Chad leans on the door, dressed in his usual comfy sweats and revealing tank top. He looks good enough to eat.

  “Good,” Chad says with a wide smile, “I’ll just be in Peter’s office for a few hours. Peter called and said he'd be back at six. If you need anything, you know where to find me.”

  Evan nods again. He knows that Chad needs peace to work, so he won’t distract him no matter how badly he wants to. “I will. Thanks.”

  Chad grins, biting his lower lip and giving Evan a look that has his hole clench down in need, but he doesn’t move into the room. Chad turns around and heads towards the office, bare feet soundless on the hardwood floor. Evan watches him go, staring transfixed at his muscular ass until he turns the corner.

  Like a spell has been broken, Evan returns to his catalog with a feeling of giddy glee. He has the greatest alphas in the world, and he’s about to start art school.

  He can’t believe how lucky he is.

  ***

  Chad is furious. He’d been sure that Peter would come to his senses and see that Aiden shouldn't get the job of guarding Evan, but apparently he’d been wrong. That Peter has given him all of five minutes warning that the obnoxious alpha is coming over for dinner doesn’t improve his mood in the slightest.

  The last thing Chad wants is to spend a whole evening being belittled as Peter sits by and does nothing.

  The doorbell rings, Peter going to answer it with an excited grin. Chad gets that Peter and Aiden are good friends—that they go a long way back—but he wishes Peter would care more how Chad felt about him.

  “Is that the food?” Evan asks, coming into the room. Peter obviously hasn’t told Evan that they’re having company, either. Chad opens his mouth to respond, but before he can get a word out Peter and Aiden come into the room.

  “Hey puppy, what’s new?” Aiden asks, walking up to Chad and pulling him in for a noogie, knuckles messing up Chad’s hair as Aiden presses him into his muscular chest. Chad tries to pull away, failing until Aiden abruptly lets him go, laughing as he almost falls on his ass.

  Evan stares at Aiden with something like shock on his face, looking from Chad to Aiden with wide eyes. He moves towards Peter, stepping behind the smiling alpha and pushing his body against the alpha’s back. If Chad wasn’t so annoyed with Aiden, he would find it adorable.

  Peter, ignoring Evan’s attempt to be shy, pulls the omega out from where he’s using his body as a shield and pulls him into his chest. He folds his arms around Evan’s shoulders, leaning down and giving his head a playful kiss.

  Chad sighs. Peter is always more animated and prone to roughhousing when Aiden is around. Chad would enjoy the way Peter let loose, if it wasn’t for Aiden for being the reason. With Chad Peter is always firmly in control; serious and dignified.

  Evan looks relaxed, obviously feeling safe in Peter’s arms. Chad lets out a breath, forcing himself to stay calm and to keep himself from snapping. He hates this. It’s humiliating.

  “Hey Aiden, nice to see you again,” he says, forcing a smile and moving to stand next to Peter. That Peter thinks it’s funny how Aiden treats him makes him fume, but he’s gotten over it a long time ago. Peter has a huge blind spot where Aiden is concerned, and Chad is sick of trying to convince him Aiden is anything but a stand-up guy.

  Both Peter and Aiden stare at him with surprised looks, like they’re trying to figure out what his game is. Chad lets them, determined that he’s not going to fuck things up for Evan by being a baby with Aiden. He can be a grownup about this.

  Someone has to be.

  “So this is your new boy, eh?” Aiden asks Peter, ignoring Chad and his strange behavior. He studies Evan intently, making the omega squirm visibly.

  “Yeah, this is Evan,” Peter says proudly, dropping his arms from around Evan’s shoulders and pushing him forward. Evan looks terribly dismayed to be let go, but Peter can’t see his face. “Evan, this is Aiden. He’ll be watching over you while you go to school and whenever Chad and I are at work.”

  Evan looks up at Aiden with wide eyes, head turning towards Chad for reassurance. Chad can’t offer any. This is Peter’s show, and any complaint about Aiden has to come from Evan himself.

  And Chad could be wrong. He’s never seen Aiden with an omega. For all he knows, Aiden will be great with Evan.

  He doubts it, but it is possible.

  “Nice to meet you, Evan.” Aiden steps forward, clapping an arm on Evan’s shoulder. Chad bristles at the familiar touch, but Peter seems unconcerned, so he doesn’t say anything. Evan looks up at the strange alpha, seemingly at a loss for what to do. He doesn’t look scared, just intimidated and confused. It’s a credit to Peter and Chad, Chad thinks, that Evan can be this unaffected by an alpha as dominant as Aiden.

  Aiden, however, seems a little confused by how little of a response he’s getting. Chad suppresses a smirk.

  “You remember Peter and I told you that we would hire a bodyguard to take you to your classes at The Obrey?” Chad explains, moving into place next to Aiden and nudging him out of the way. Aiden smirks knowingly, but he lets himself be moved. “This is him. He’s an old friend of Peter’s.”

  Evan leans on Chad, looking over his shoulder at Peter before turning back to the alpha who’s going to be his bodyguard.

  “Oh. It’s nice to meet you,” he says, smiling shyly up at Aiden. The alpha blinks, still confused by Evan’s behavior. Chad loves it. He pulls Evan in under his arm, holding him nice and tight.

  “Why don’t you come inside? We were just getting ready for dinner.” Peter claps Aiden on the back, leading him into the apartment. The alpha gives Evan and Chad a dubious look before turning to Peter, grinning and letting himself be led towards the dining room. Chad follows with Evan under his arm, wondering how the fuck this is going to turn out.

  ***

  Evan can’t quite make sense of Peter’s friend. He’s intimidating—but then so is Peter, and Peter is actually nice. But Aiden has an edge to him that doesn’t quite make sense to Evan. He smiles like you’re a joke only he gets, and his comments to Evan and Chad are sharp and cutting, cruel words hidden behind smiles and jokes.


  Evan doesn’t like it.

  “So when do you start school?” Aiden asks, looking away from Chad with a grin. Evan looks up from his plate, smiling at the thought that he’ll soon be attending classes with betas and alphas, learning how to be a real artist. Even though Chad says he doesn’t need classes to call himself an artist, Evan feels like he does. Like he’s earning the label.

  “In January. Peter talked to the school, and they said I could start after winter break,” Evan says, belly buzzing with nervous excitement at the thought of it.