by D. J. Heart
Chad grins, happy to talk to someone who’s as excited about this as he is. Dawn is competent, but she doesn’t care, and Peter is just humoring Evan.
“We’re trying. Now you said when we talked on the phone that you were interested in bonding with one of them, is that still true?”
The doctor nods, eyes bright. “It’s a little sooner than I had planned, but if I can help someone have a second chance at life… yes, I’m definitely interested.”
“Good, and you read the contract we sent over?”
The doctor nods. “Yes. I don’t have any objections. I’m glad you’re being careful.”
Chad grins. The contracts are as restrictive as they can be, while still transferring legal ownership of the omegas to their new alphas. It’s not much, but it’s more than just about any other omega has. The omegas can’t be resold, with the contract stipulating that the omega has to be returned to Peter if they no longer want it, and the alphas have to provide the minimum level of care recommended by the US Omega Society. Chad had wanted more, but the lawyer had warned him that this was all that would hold up in court.
“On that note,” Chad says. “Would you mind having a little talk with my colleague, Dawn, here? We have a list of questions that we’d like answered before handing any of our omegas over.”
“Uh, no. Not at all. Do you mean right now?”
Dawn smiles. “Yes, sir. If you’d come with me?”
Chad and Dawn have agreed to have Dawn do all the interviews. On the one hand, some alphas might get offended having a beta ask them questions prodding at their sense of empathy for omegas, but then again, those are the kind of alphas they’re trying to avoid.
“Of course,” Dr. Clover nods at Chad, following Dawn out of the room. Chad starts leafing through the files they have on the different alphas, still not sure about some of them.
But Dawn says they’re all good candidates, and Chad trusts her judgment. Reading people based on their online footprint is her job, and she’s very good at it.
***
“No red flags,” Dawn says, coming back into the room. Dr. Clover isn’t with her.
“So we just take him downstairs and have him pick one out?” Chad asks, a little nervous. Even though he knows that Dr. Clover is the ideal candidate, handing one of the omegas over seems like such a huge leap of faith.
But it has to be done.
“That’s what we planned,” Dawn says, still standing.
“Okay, let’s do this.
Dawn has already had the nurses gather all the omegas in the large viewing room, all thirty-three of them wandering around with nervous looks on their faces. They know what’s happening—Chad had made sure it was explained before they were brought out—including the fact that their new alpha would never be allowed to sell them to a place like The Virgin O.
“I wasn’t expecting them to look…” Dr. Clover trails off, eyes roaming over the omegas. The viewing room is separated from the observation deck by a one-way mirror, so the omegas don’t know that they’re being observed.
“Yes?” Chad asks, curious. They all look like normal omegas to him.
“So healthy, I guess. I was prepared for much worse.” He sounds relieved.
“This was a very upscale establishment,” Dawn says. “If an omega was damaged, it would have been sold off.”
“Oh,” Dr. Clover says, nodding his head. He looks a little overwhelmed.
“Why don’t we get the nurses in here,” Dawn says suddenly. “They’re the ones who have spent the most time with the omegas. If you have any questions about an omega, they would be the best person to ask.”
“Except for the omega, of course,” Dr. Clover says, though there’s no rebuke in his tone.
“Yes, though we’d prefer to keep any contact to a minimum. Once they respond to an alpha and go into heat, the choice is made. For them, at least.”
“You’re right. I hadn’t thought of that,” Dr. Clover says, shaking his head. “I’m sorry. I can be a little zealous, can’t I?”
“That’s what we were looking for,” Dawn says, tilting her head gracefully.
As Dr. Clover keeps watching the omegas, Dawn summons the nurses. They both look nervous when they step inside, like they’re expecting to be called to task for something.
“Nurse Tanner, Nurse Ng, thank you for joining us,” Chad says, trying to put them at ease. “This is Dr. Clover. He’s here to choose one of our omegas. We figured you could tell him a little bit about them, given that you’ve spent the most time with them.”
They both relax, though not by much. Dr. Clover turns toward them, a friendly smile on his face.
“Hello,” he says, nodding.
“So do you see anyone you like?” Chad asks, watching Dr. Clover watch the omegas.
“What can you tell me about that one, the one by the wall over there?” Dr. Clover points to a young omega leaning against the far wall, a wide-eyed look on his face.
Nurse Tanner scrunches her face up, no answer imminent, but Nurse Ng steps forward.
“That’s Bo. He’s very quiet—much more so than the others—and very obedient. I’m not sure if that’s because he’s naturally submissive, or just because it’s been beaten into him. When he came here, the bottom of his feet had been hurt pretty badly. Caned, I think. It’s better now, but… well, you’re a doctor. You’d know what to do.”
Dr. Clover’s eyes widen in sympathy. He looks toward Chad. “Can I talk to him? I mean, I think he’s the one I want, but…”
Chad looks at Dawn. She shrugs. “You can, but if he goes into heat you have to take him.”
Dr. Clover nods, looking eager. “Of course. No question.”
According to the notes Dawn had stolen from the ORC, the drugs should prevent any of the omegas from going into heat for a full month, and then only when exposed to an alpha, but Chad and Dawn can’t be too careful.
“Nurse Ng, would you bring Bo into the interview room?” Chad asks, and the nurse leaves the room and walks around to enter the viewing room from the side door. All the omegas look at her when she enters, eyes wary, tracking her movement as she makes her way to where Bo is standing.
The poor kid looks like he’s going to have a heart attack when he realizes she’s headed toward him.
“Is he going to be okay?” Dr. Clover asks, a worried frown creasing his brow. He steps toward the glass, protective instincts flaring up.
Chad is pleased. Too many alphas ignore those instincts, too focused on themselves to realize what their natural role relative to an omega should be.
“I think so. It must be overwhelming for him,” Chad says, watching as Nurse Ng leads Bo out of the room. Chad’s eyes drift toward Trick, Evan’s friend, and he’s surprised to see the omega’s mouth curled up in a sneer.
He’ll have to look into that.
“Why don’t we introduce you to Bo,” Dawn says, opening the door. Chad and Dr. Clover follow her to the interview room, with Chad stepping into the adjoining observation room. He has no idea what went on in these rooms before he and Peter took over the building, and he doesn’t want to know. But for now, they serve his purpose.
Standing behind the one-way glass, Chad watches the storm of emotions on Bo’s face as Dr. Clover steps inside. Hope, fear, anger, lust… Chad can only imagine what Bo is feeling. Dr. Clover, on the other hand, looks completely besotted.
“Hello, my name is Julius,” Dr. Clover says, stepping forward. He might be an omega rights activist by choice, but his body language is all alpha. Chest out, shoulders straight, Chad guesses the good doctor would be mortified if he saw himself now.
“H-hello,” Bo says, looking from the floor to Dr. Clover and back to the floor. His eyes are wide, and he’s shaking.
“It’s nice to meet you,” Dr. Clover says, the words coming out almost like a growl.
Bo shudders, taking a deep breath before looking up bravely. “Are you my new alpha?” he asks, naked longing in his eyes.
&nbs
p; “If you want me to be,” Dr. Clover says, intense. Bo licks his lips, shifting his gaze toward Dawn and Nurse Ng like he doesn’t understand.
“Do you want to be my omega?” Dr. Clover growls, stepping closer. They’re close enough that Dr. Clover could lean down and kiss the young omega; there’s just a few inches between them.
Bo swallows, nodding his head vigorously, forehead bumping into Dr. Clover’s chest and making the young omega startle. Dr. Clover grins, wide and smug, looking down at Bo like he’s the best thing he’s ever seen.
“I’m your new alpha,” Dr. Clover says, lifting his hand and placing it in the back of Bo’s neck.
Bo closes his eyes, a look of rapture on his face. Boneless, he leans forward, letting Dr. Clover support his weight.
It’s the perfect omega response.
Watching Dr. Clover hold his new omega, with Bo looking like he’s in seventh heaven, Chad feels like doing a victory dance. This is exactly what he was hoping for.
After a few minutes of just holding Bo, Dr. Clover looks over at Dawn. “So, should we sign the contract?” His voice is an octave lower than it was when Chad talked to him in the office, and there’s a slightly feral look in his eyes.
Chad remembers feeling like that, all primal and pumped. He still gets like that when Evan goads him into it. Watching Dr. Clover and Bo, Chad can’t wait to tell Evan how well it went.
He still feels bad for getting mad at Evan. It was an asshole thing to do, and Peter was right to call him on his bullshit.
“I’ll go get it,” Dawn says, a rare smile on her face. She leaves to get the contract, taking Nurse Ng with her. Dr. Clover and Bo are alone, and Chad decides that he should give them some privacy. He steps out of the observation room, feeling great about himself.
“That went well,” Dawn says, coming back with the contract in hand. She isn’t smiling, but she looks deeply satisfied. Chad grins, just feeling happy.
They decide to give Dr. Clover and Bo a few minutes before signing the contract.
Thirty minutes later, contract signed, Dr. Clover takes Bo with him out to his car and drives him to his new home. Watching them drive away, Chad thinks about the remaining thirty-two omegas in his care. He can only hope that the rest of them will as lucky as Bo.
***
Evan scrunches up his face in a frown, not at all satisfied with his efforts. He’s outside practicing with charcoal, Mark moving around behind him, his bodyguard looking like he’s enjoying being outside for once.
“What do you think?” Evan asks, looking back over his shoulder. Mark steps up behind him, dwarfing Evan with his much bigger body, studying Evan’s picture.
“It’s nice,” he says, making Evan huff and smile.
“You always say that.”
Evan is in his fourth week of school, and he’s still having the time of his life. Classes are getting harder, though Evan relishes the challenge. He doesn’t feel like he’s having any difficulty keeping pace with the betas and alphas attending classes with him, and it’s a wonderful validation of both his ability and intellect.
Mark is mostly silent, preferring to stay in the background, but when Evan engages him in conversation he’s nice enough. Evan has asked him if he ever gets bored, but Mark just shakes his head and says it’s not the worst job he’s had by a long shot.
Evan will take it.
“I guess I don’t have time to do another, do I?” he asks, looking at his watch. He’s over by the science building, his class having been instructed to spread out and find something to draw and come back in one hour. They’re supposed to draw something that conveys movement, but Evan isn’t sure he’s succeeded.
“Not if you want to make it back on time,” Mark says, easy as ever.
They make it back to the studio just in time, Evan moving to stand next to Johan and his new group of friends. He’s the last one to arrive.
“Let’s see,” Johan says, gesturing for Evan to put his drawing up on his easel. Looking over at what Johan has drawn, Evan feels a twinge of envy. Johan’s subjects are the trees lining the outside of the student building, and he’s captured how they sway in the wind perfectly.
“I’m not very happy with it,” Evan says, putting up his picture. Alex, Kate, and Tara move over to see it too. Evan has drawn the entrance to the science building, adding people to the large staircase as they moved in or out. Blurry shapes. It had been cool when he imagined it, but he hasn’t quite translated his idea to the paper.
“I don’t see why not,” Johan says, smiling at him.
Alex, Kate, and Tara murmur their agreements, making Evan blush. Evan moves along the rows of easels, looking at everyone’s pictures, admiring the skills of his new friends.
Professor Knope comes back into the room, interrupting Evan’s perusal. She instructs them all to leave their drawings, letting them know that she’ll have written critiques for them in the morning.
Evan and his friends leave the classroom, Mark following three steps behind. Everyone Evan interacts with has grown used to Mark, and though they don’t ignore him, they’ve stopped nervously tracking him with their eyes every time he comes close.
“So, my roommate and I are hosting a party this Saturday,” Tara says as they walk down the path to the cafeteria for lunch. “You guys are welcome to come.”
Johan, Kate, and Alex all say that they will, while Evan keeps quiet. He’s not being rude, it just doesn’t occur to him that he’s included in the invitation.
“What about you, Evan? Think you could come?”
Evan is surprised, turning to Mark like he has the answer. Mark sighs, pulling out his phone to call Peter. Evan listens as Mark explains to his alpha what he wants, waiting with bated breath for Peter’s reply. He wants to go hang out with his friends, like a normal person.
“Yes, sir,” Mark says, hanging up the phone. He looks at Evan, “It’s up to Chad. We can ask him after you visit Trick, okay?”
Evan nods, his friends smiling at him.
“Do you think Chad will say yes?” Tara asks, curious.
“I don’t know,” Evan says. He hopes Chad will let him go.
Evan and his friends eat lunch in the cafeteria, with Mark taking a seat at an empty table behind them and keeping an eye out, before splitting up for their afternoon classes.
“Watercolors?” Mark asks, walking next to him as they head out.
“Watercolors,” Evan agrees. He loves his life.
***
The past three weeks have been good for Peter. He’s managed to distance Tank Security from Chad’s omega rights efforts, without upsetting Evan or Chad, and he’s this close to winning a contract with the US military to handle their non-essential system security. It will be a huge score, and Peter couldn’t be happier.
“Mr. Tank? There’s a Detective Adams here to see you. Should I let him in?” Peter’s assistant asks him over the intercom. Wondering what a detective could want with him, Peter tells Logan to let the man in.
Detective Adams is an alpha, big and brawny, and he looks more like a heavyweight boxer than a cop. He walks into Peter’s office like he’s expecting a challenge, and thinks himself more than capable of coming out on top. Peter would like to see him try.
“Detective, what can I do for you?” Peter asks, doing nothing to tamp down his dominance or to put the man at ease. The detective freezes, spine stiffening as he reacts to Peter’s tone.
“I have some questions for you about the theft of your omega,” Detective Adams says, coming to a stop in front of Peter’s desk. Since Peter doesn’t use a chair while he works, preferring to use a standing desk, the detective doesn’t have a height advantage.
“That investigation has been closed,” Peter says, having no intention of indulging some off-the-books investigation. Detective Adams smirks, looking around the office with a contemptuous sneer.
“The investigation into Richard Cruz has been closed. The one on Aiden Halsted has not. What can you tell me about Mr. Halste
d’s relationship with your omega?”
Peter frowns, crossing his arms. “Aiden was my omega’s bodyguard. Why?”
“We have reason to believe that Aiden Halsted was behind the abduction of your omega, not Richard Cruz. Did you conspire with Mr. Halsted to frame Mr. Cruz for the theft?”
Peter blinks, shocked by the audacity of the detective and his news. That Aiden’s betrayal extended this far doesn’t surprise him, but it breaks his heart all the same. It isn’t until he sees the detective’s hand go for his gun that Peter realizes that he’s growling. He forces himself to be calm, reining in the impulse to leap over his desk and tear the idiot alpha’s throat out.