Omega's Unexpected: A Gay MPREG Romance

by Tammy Knight

  “Listen little parasite, if you’re in there… don’t get too comfortable. You’re not going to be staying long,” he said bitterly. He gave his stomach a little thump before grabbing his nametag and fixing it to his chest. He brushed a hand through his hair in a vague attempt to tame it before making his way downstairs, prepared to make his way to the diner. His father glanced up as Craig stepped into the den, sneering a bit.

  “Don’t become some charity case, alright? It’s bad for both of our reputations. Think about that friend of yours--Jeremy?” He paused, and Craig rolled his eyes in irritation.

  “Jamie. Yeah, Dad, I’m not gonna end up like Jamie Briggs. The very thought is laughable,” he said with a scowl.

  “Right, right, I’m sure. If you start coming around with that single father angle, though, I’m gonna smash your teeth in,” the elder alpha said as if it were the most natural thing in the world to say to his son. In Craig’s world, receiving threats on a regular basis had essentially made him numb to the fact that his father would probably follow through someday. Hell, at that point, he would be happy if the older man just put him out of his misery.

  “Bye, Dad,” Craig said simply, slipping out the door.

  CHAPTER NINE

  Jamie knew he could spend the rest of the day worrying about what had set Craig off. He didn’t think the prospect of sleeping with him could be that bad, but the omega was certainly pissed about something. He’d even been nice during the whole thing; he was gentle, he was tender, and he didn’t even kick the other male that night. It seemed the world was just out to get him, as usual. He kicked a rock off the sidewalk he was currently walking on, making unhappy grumbles in the back of his throat. He planned to head to his favorite bar and get totally wasted--who cares if it was still morning? Jamie had some breakfast, after all, and after picking the pocket of someone a few miles back, he had plenty of money to buy drinks. He knew Craig wouldn’t approve of his actions, but he didn’t want to think about Craig at the moment. It was an almost inescapable thought which had given him the idea to go to the bar. His personal tequila stash had been depleted thoroughly between the night before and that morning. It was why he was walking to the bar instead of driving, in spite of the distance between the place and his apartment. He was stupid, but he wasn’t suicidal. He knew he wasn’t in any shape to be driving. He wasn’t in any shape to do much of anything, that day--except ruin his only friendship apparently. Damn, his thoughts had already gone back to Craig. That’s exactly what he was trying to avoid; why did the omega have to haunt him so much? Truthfully, he wanted nothing more than to go to Craig’s place and demand an answer for his ridiculous behavior. He knew that wouldn’t be well received, but a part of him didn’t even care.

  With a sigh and a roll of his eyes, he pushed through the doors of his favorite bar. He quietly made his way to order a drink, slumping into a bar stool and waving a hand at the bartender. The bartender was a handsome alpha with pale skin, dark hair, and brown eyes. Jamie had often admired the other alpha on the rare occasion he was actually there when he came in for his daily buzz. He looked to be sculpted out of marble, the sleeves of his casual work shirt rolled up to reveal his strong arms. Jamie usually wasn’t the type to fool around with alphas, as it only led to a power struggle. He could see himself bedding this particular man, but it wasn’t as if he was going to outright ask about it. Besides, he didn’t want to think about sharing a bed with another wolf any time soon. After the disaster that morning, he was reluctant to even consider a one-night stand. A small voice in the back of his mind pointed out that if Craig had come back for him, he wouldn’t have any question of whether he would sleep with the omega. Even if it was just sleeping, as sappy as that sounded. He felt like such a pansy, gritting his teeth as the bartender finally stepped towards him. The older alpha considered him with an amused expression, wiping down some glasses as he apparently waited for Jamie to order something.

  “Trouble in paradise, kiddo?” the bartender asked, setting the glass he was cleaning down and leaning across the bar top. Jamie rolled his eyes, muttering unhappily under his breath. “Sorry, didn’t catch that,” the older man pressed, resting his chin in his palm. The younger alpha frowned, glancing towards the other man from the corner of his eye.

  “I just don’t understand omegas, is all,” Jamie said coldly, not wanting to reveal any more than necessary. The bartender simply stared at him for a moment before tossing his head back and barking out a laugh. Jamie growled, realizing he was beginning to like this bartender less and less. He leered as the older alpha continued to chuckle, wiping an imaginary tear away from his eye. “Glad you’re getting some enjoyment out of my situation,” he muttered in irritation, refusing to meet the gaze of the elder alpha.

  “Oh, come on. You’re Jamie, right? Jamie Briggs? You could have your pick of nearly anyone in town, and you’re fretting over some omega? Let me guess, it’s that guy you bring along sometimes,” the alpha said coolly, tracing his finger around the rim of a glass. “Are you going to order a drink, or what?” He asked as an afterthought, rummaging around with some bottles behind the bar.

  “I come here enough that you should know I like a good shot of tequila,” Jamie muttered, tapping his claws on the bar top. The bartender rolled his eyes a bit, grabbing a bottle. “Wait, the cheap stuff. I’m not here to have a good time, I’m here to get wasted,” Jamie muttered, gesturing towards one of the bottles near the bartender. The older man scoffed, grabbing the cheap tequila and pouring it up in a shot glass. He slid it across the bar to the younger alpha, and Jamie shot him a briefly grateful expression before tossing the entirety of the cup’s contents into his mouth. He set it back down harshly, glancing towards the other alpha with a quirk of his lips. “Keep it coming,” he ordered, clinking the tip of his claw on the side of the glass.

  “You look like you came in here pretty wasted already; I don’t know if I can keep pouring you shots with a good conscience,” the bartender said casually, pouring up another shot in spite of his words. Jamie gripped the glass tightly in his hand, inhaling deeply before tossing it back as well.

  “No one is paying you to have a conscience,” the younger alpha said with a sneer, resting his forehead in his palm.

  “Come on, Jamie. This omega, whoever they are, can’t be worth all this anguish. You know how omegas are. They’re emotional, flighty, and eager to tie down the first alpha they can sink their nails into. It’s all a game to them; they just want someone to support them so they don’t have to do the dirty work themselves,” the bartender muttered in a half-hearted attempt to be comforting.

  “Craig knows better than to try and tie me down. No one can tie me down, no matter how cute they are,” Jamie hissed out, raising up to stare scrutinously at the other alpha. The older man smirked, shrugging his shoulders noncommittally. “You can’t think every omega is just out to tie us down. How could he even begin to force me into a relationship with him? I can kick his ass if he crosses any lines,” the young alpha continued, his voice irritated as he gestured towards his shot glass. “Anyway, he said he was cool with things being no strings attached. I know that may be hard to believe, but--,” Jamie paused as the other man barked out another laugh.

  “Yeah, yeah. Sure. First of all, I know exactly who you’re talking about, and I’ve noticed the way he stares at you when he thinks you aren’t paying attention. He can pull one over on you, but I have an outsider’s perspective,” the bartender hummed, pouring up a shot of tequila. Jamie hesitated, looking down into his glass and narrowing his eyes. He knew he shouldn’t believe some random guy instead of his best friend, but there was something sincerely wrong with the whole situation. He wasn’t inexperienced by any means, but he’d never had feelings for the omegas he’d shared a bed with prior. Could it be possible that Craig knew about his feelings and was making an attempt to exploit them? It seemed the opposite of what Craig would do. His omega friend was a good person, would never do anything to intentionally hurt h
im. At least, he was rather confident of that fact--or had been.

  “He’s my friend,” Jamie said with a frown, tossing back the shot and enjoying the way it burned down his throat. He shuddered, the alcohol from that morning and the shots he’d had in the bar so far beginning to have a noticeable effect on him. He wasn’t properly wasted, yet, so he had no intentions of stopping any time soon. His stomach ached slightly from the awful meal he’d had some hours ago, and the alcohol certainly wasn’t helping. “He’s my friend, he wouldn’t do that,” he reasserted, glaring at the older man. The bartender smirked, crossing his arms over his broad chest. Jamie narrowed his eyes, fidgeting uncomfortably beneath the gaze of the other man.

  “Alright, whatever. But you really need to blow off some steam, kid,” the other alpha said in a voice that Jamie might have considered sultry if he weren’t in such a tizzy. Jamie rolled his eyes, sorting through the bills in his pocket to make sure he had enough to cover the drinks he was purchasing. His vision was swimming, his mind blurring together as he stared at the money. He blinked down at his hands, and the bartender snorted from behind the bar, seeming to think he knew more about Jamie’s situation than anyone else. He didn’t even really know this guy, in spite of coming to the bar rather frequently. The stupid Adonis of a man had no right to pretend he cared about Jamie or knew anything about his life. He parted his lips to say as much, but he cut himself short as the other alpha produced a pen from his pocket. He grabbed a napkin from the dispenser, scribbling on it for a moment before sliding it across the counter to Jamie. The younger alpha squinted at his handwriting, unable to immediately process the numbers that were scrawled across the paper napkin. He grabbed it, recognition dawning in his mind when he belatedly realized what the bartender was doing. Thomas was his name, apparently, and he had just given Jamie his number.

  “Uh… I usually don’t fool around with other alphas,” Jamie said quietly, tucking the number into his pocket anyway. Tom smirked, brushing a hand through his long dark hair.

  “At least there’s no chance of anyone getting knocked up,” the other alpha said with a slight grin. “Anyway. You’ve had too much to drink. I’m not pouring you any more, so if you want to keep drinking, you’ll have to find a bartender with no moral compass,” Tom said with a sigh, grabbing the shot glass out of Jamie’s hand and beginning to idly wash it. The younger alpha stared at him through wide and angry eyes, hands tensing into fists at his sides.

  “Come on. You’re seriously cutting me off? What kind of business are you running here?” Jamie hissed out, slamming his money down on the counter. “Pour me another, Thomas. I mean it. Who cuts off their patrons at--,” he paused, glancing at his watch with a sneer. “Who cuts off their patrons at two in the afternoon? Are you serious?” Jamie gritted out, his voice slurred and words repetitive. Tom raised a brow slowly, leaning across the bar top and looking up at the younger alpha. His lips were curled in a cheeky smile, and he reached out pat Jamie on the head. Jamie had never felt so belittled in his life.

  “We usually cut people off when they’re wasted. The question is, who gets wasted at two in the afternoon? Maybe you should reconsider your time out there and go home. Sleep things off. You’re being an idiot. A cute little idiot, but an idiot all the same. Maybe while you’re at it, figure out how you’re going to set things straight with your little omega friend. I’d hate to see you dragged down by excess baggage,” Tom said, idly examining his claws. Jamie leaped to his feet, sinking back down immediately as the world began to spin. “Should I call a cab for you, kid? You didn’t drive here, did you?” the older alpha pressed, and Jamie shook his head before rising more slowly. He braced himself against the bar for a moment, his expression vaguely nauseous.

  “You know what, Tom… you just gave me an idea. I’m going to go talk to Craig now, and give him a piece of my mind. If he thinks any stupid omega can tie me down, he’s going to have another thing coming,” Jamie slurred, slapping his fist into his palm. The bartender rolled his eyes.

  “Doesn’t that Craig kid work at the diner? You’re seriously going to go cause a scene at his workplace while you’re drunk out of your mind? That’s a good way to get arrested,” Tom murmured, hesitantly reaching out to touch Jamie’s cheek. The younger alpha’s cheeks blushed bright red, and he drew away with a jerk.

  “Don’t act like you know my life, dude. You have no idea who you’re dealing with. I’m going to deal with Craig, and maybe if you do less talking next time I’ll let you blow me,” Jamie hissed out, crossing his arms defensively over his chest. The bartender looked taken aback, moving to speak but unable to get any words out as Jamie stormed towards the exit. He stumbled with every other step, and it was no small wonder that he didn’t fall flat on his face.

  As Jamie stepped out into the open air, he breathed in a deep breath before sighing. He knew the path to the diner by heart, as Craig was usually all too happy to serve him free burgers. He assured himself that the food was the only true attachment he had to the place. If Craig thought he could just play with his emotions and try to get him to fall deeper, well, he was worse than Jamie had thought. Was it obvious that night, with how gentle he’d been, that he’d already been head over heels for his omega friend? It might have had something to do with his being taken advantage of so easily. If he were in his right state of mind, he would have realized that the best thing to do would be waiting until he sobered up and actually talking things out with his friend. With the path he was going down, it would be surprising if Craig even wanted to continue being friends after the fact. A small voice in the back of his mind, the barely rational part, tried to beat this into the rest of his brain. Jamie Briggs wasn’t one to listen to reason when he was drunk, however.

  “Craig wants emotional? I’ll show him emotional. He’ll have no idea what hit him, the sick bastard,” Jamie rumbled, walking in the direction of the diner. He wished he’d taken up the nosy bartender’s offer to call a cab, but he certainly wasn’t going to stop now.

  He had an omega to deal with.

  CHAPTER TEN

  Busying himself with wiping down the tables after the lunch rush, Craig did everything in his power to ignore the nagging fear in the pit of his stomach. His hands were bandaged up as a result of his breakdown in the shower that morning, but fortunately he didn’t have anything to do with cooking the food. He just focused on cleaning tables, taking orders, and bringing out orders when they were ready. The omega wasn’t quite sure why his boss wouldn’t spring for some busboys to do the cleaning instead of piling the whole thing on the waiters and waitresses. They didn’t even have a dedicated cashier; it was just a few people working at any given time, and they did what they could with the staff on hand. Craig had wanted to leave the job for some time, but couldn’t afford to be jobless with the mistakes he had been making. No one was going to take care of him or his bills, and if a baby came along, no one would be helping him with that either. He didn’t begrudge his father too terribly for threatening to kick him out; after all, it was only a matter of time before the elder alpha found some reason to make him leave. He supposed he could always get an apartment, maybe at the same complex as Jamie.

  He truly felt guilty for the way he had treated Jamie that morning. The alpha was being a jerk, sure, but that was the norm for Jamie. Craig could usually keep his cool, and though he had managed to regain his composure, he had totally lost it that morning. He sighed softly, the slight pierced spots in his hand burning from the cleaning spray they used on their tables. He ignored the pain, swiping the rag in his hand around on the table top. He could hear the other workers dealing with the few customers that were lingering around, and knew the manager was in the back office that day. The older omega hadn’t been particularly forgiving when Craig came into the diner looking like he’d been through hell and back. It wasn’t like he could explain the situation to the older man--the fact that he was an omega should have made him more sympathetic, but in his experience, the opposite was true. The
last of his omega workers had been laid off the moment she revealed her pregnancy to their boss, which happened to be at a baby shower she was holding in the restaurant. The manager had agreed to it, but he had no idea that it was actually Debbie’s baby shower. It had ended poorly, with high and mighty Adam drawing Debbie to the side and speaking quietly to her for a moment. She’d erupted in tears, and he had simply retreated to his back office while the carrying female sobbed about being laid off. It hadn’t been the most enjoyable day to be working at the diner, but he supposed all he could do was keep his head down and avoid anyone finding out about his little slip.

  Breathing a sigh, Craig glanced up as the door to the diner burst open, blinking slowly for a moment as he took in the sight before him. Jamie was swaying from side to side in the door frame, taking a staggering step forward before his eyes sought out the omega. Craig made a valiant attempt to manage a smile, but Jamie’s eyes simply narrowed as he lumbered in the omega’s direction. Craig whispered a quiet prayer under his breath, standing upright and turning to face his alpha friend head on. Jamie was breathing harshly, his voice coming in shuddering gasps as he leveled the most insidious glare that the omega had ever had turned upon him.

  “Jamie, hi. Were you wanting something for lunch?” the omega nervously inquired, hoping that the alpha would allow bygones to be bygones. The alpha reeked of alcohol, and as much as he wanted Jamie to leave for the time being, he was somewhat grateful for the chance to make everything up to his friend.