Love At Last: A M/M Non-Shifter Romance (West Bay Chargers Book 4)
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LOVE AT LAST:
M/M MPreg Non-Shifter Romance
(West Bay Chargers)
by ESME BEAL
Copyright © 2018 Esme Beal
All rights reserved.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental. All persons appearing on the cover are models and being used for illustrative purposes only.
About the West Bay Chargers Series
Love At Last is a gay romance novel featuring two male protagonists. This story contains dominant alphas, loving omegas, and friendly betas, both male and female. Some scenes contain sex, violence, and language that may offend some readers. This book is intended for mature audiences only.
If that sounds like something you’re interested in, enjoy the story!
Table of Contents
Welcome to the West Bay
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Epilogue 1
Epilogue 2
Thanks for reading!
The West Bay Chargers
Welcome to the West Bay
The city of Snow Falls isn’t much different from other towns. It doesn’t matter whether you’re rich or poor, young or old, gay or straight, Alpha, Beta, or Omega… Most citizens are just trying to live a regular life. For the most part, life in Snow Falls is pleasant enough.
Omegas share a particular trait among themselves. In only a month, an Omega can go from conceiving a child to the delivery room. Four weeks is all it takes for even the most ordinary Omegas to become a mother or father. It doesn’t matter if they’re living in the affluent peacefulness of the Northside or the impoverished Southern Block, all Omegas are susceptible to their inherent genetic calling.
Things get particularly interesting in the West Bay. Thugs lurk in the darkness between the derelict buildings, looking to prey on unsuspecting victims. Biker clubs ride the beaten streets with no respect for authority. Down one alleyway, a shady drug dealer is looking to peddle his product. Down another, men and women gamble on street fights between two combatants fighting to survive another day. It’s no secret the West Bay is home to the most lawless people of Snow Falls.
One group looks to rise above it all.
At first glance, the Chargers look to be just another motorcycle gang. But the group isn’t looking out for just themselves. Led by Cade Green, the Chargers get their hands dirty, doing work the cops can’t, to make the West Bay a safe place for everybody. The Chargers are the difference makers. The line between complete chaos and the peace all living in Snow Falls seek.
No matter how dangerous it gets in the West Bay, there is one thing that is for certain: All Omegas are bound by fate to the Alphas they share a destiny with.
This is the story of Cade and Brock.
Chapter 1
CADE
Silence. I’ve always hated silence. Just a bunch of nothingness to remind you there was absolutely nothing happening around you. I guess when you grew up in the West Bay, you could never appreciate silence. Bikers moving up and down the streets.
Gunshots and violence. Police and ambulance sirens following up on those same gunshots and violence. Men and women screaming as the punk who mugged them ran off with their belongings. Yeah, the West Bay was a really damn noisy place when it wanted to be.
I’d gotten so used to it that the silence I had to endure now was annoying.
It was only the middle of the day but my eyelids were already getting heavy. A yawn escaped me, pulling me even deeper into my slumber. Even in the uncomfortable position of leaning up against the bar with my chin in my palm, I still couldn’t work up the strength to stay awake. Not that there was any reason for me to keep my eyes open.
“Cade… Hey, Cade you still there?”
I ignored the voice of the woman next to me. I couldn’t remember a single time when Judith had anything important to say to me.
“Cade—”
“What?” I sighed. “What is it?” I slowly turned my head to see the older woman grinning at me.
“How’s about a free beer?”
Most people would have too much pride to ask for a free drink. Judith was as far away as you could get from most people. I couldn’t blame her for trying though. An older woman like her who spent most of her time on the docks needed everything she could to relax. I knew how stressful the work was.
That wasn’t any reason for her to take advantage of me though.
“And why would I give you a free beer?”
“Look around. You don’t exactly have too many patrons in here at the moment.”
Counting Judith, there were only three customers total. A couple of dockworkers off to the side were sitting and minding their own business. If you didn’t know any better, you would’ve thought Brickstone was about to go under.
“You’re right,” I said. “This place is empty. So why the hell would I give you a free beer?”
“Because I’m here. I’m a true, loyal patron. Even when it’s not busy, I’m still around to keep you company.”
“If I don’t give you a beer, does that mean you’ll leave?”
“Oh, don’t be like that, Cade. I know how much this place is making these days. You can spare a drink for a valued customer.”
“True. Loyal. Valued. You’re using a lot of nice words to describe someone just having a drink.”
“I’m only being honest.” She smiled her toothy smile at me. I’d gotten so used to seeing Judith around the bar, there was a part of me that would miss her if she wasn’t around. Of course, I’d never tell her that.
“Fine. One free beer.” I let out another sigh as I got up from the counter. At least it was something for me to do.
Judith eyeballed me as I poured her drink from the tap. Seeing her enthusiasm grow when I pushed her glass in front of her was enough to make me smile.
“That’s why Brickstone is so successful.” She held her beer up and examined it. “You know how to treat your customers right.” A big gulp was followed by a satisfied sigh.
“It doesn’t matter how successful we are. I give you a free beer, everybody will be lining up around the block asking for one.”
“I know I’m special.”
“Just make sure you don’t tell Bryce.”
“Tell me what?” Like clockwork, my brother popped up from the back of the bar. He walked up to me, an eyebrow raised. I loved Bryce more than anybody. He was the nicest guy I knew. But even he would be upset if he realized I gave Judith another free beer.
“Nothing,” I said. “Nothing at all… That seems to be the theme of the day.”
I walked over to the side of the bar and collapsed in the booth. I intended on closing my eyes and sleeping to pass the time away but Bryce suddenly took a seat in front of me.
“Cade.”
“I g
ave her a free beer. She keeps badgering me. I’m sorry—”
“That’s not what I wanted to talk to you about.”
“Oh? What is it?” I noticed a concern in Bryce’s eyes. There was a time when my brother and I had things to worry about. Growing up in the West Bay, you never quite knew what to expect. It’d been a long time since Bryce looked like he had something to talk about.
“Are you all right?”
I shrugged. “Why wouldn’t I be?”
“Something’s wrong. Lately you’ve been a little down.”
“Been a little down… I’m your older brother, Bryce. You’re making me sound like a little boy who didn’t get the toy he wanted for Christmas.”
“I think that might be the case. You can’t hide that from me. You’ve been moping around the bar these past few weeks. You think I can’t notice something like that?”
“You spying on me?”
“I don’t have to spy on you when it’s that obvious.”
Bryce raised his eyebrows at me. I couldn’t keep anything from him. If there was one man in the world I could trust, it was him. And the truth was, there was something bothering me.
“Zak and Kellen are relaxing at home,” I said. “Sparrow’s with his Omega. Same with Tristan. I’m the only one left. I’m the only Charger still hanging around.”
“What are you talking about? The boys are still around. They’ve got other things to take care of, that’s all. They’re Chargers. They’ll always be Chargers.”
“It’s not that. It’s just… They’re starting construction on your new project next door. Detective Kennedy told you how much crime is down not just in the West Bay but in every part of Snow Falls. It’s not just numbers. I ride through the streets and I don’t see as many pushers as I used to. It’s like all the thugs just disappeared.”
“I wouldn’t say they all disappeared. All the bad people are roaches. Uriah just has to shine a spotlight on them to find them.”
“That’s it though. There’s nobody left to find. The West Bay is actually… safe.”
“I see…” Bryce leaned back in his seat and nodded. “You know that’s not a bad thing though. You and the rest of the Chargers vowed to keep these streets safe. You think there’s no need for the Chargers anymore?”
“I’ll always be around to keep the peace. Just knowing the Chargers are around is enough for people to watch what they’re doing.” I looked down at the table and laughed at how absurd the situation was. “When you and I were growing up here, do you remember how hard it was?”
“How could I forget? There was a time when I didn’t have to wonder if some thug was gonna start trouble because it always happened. And that was on top of trying to find a decent place to sleep. It’s part of the reason you started the Chargers in the first place.”
“The Chargers we were the baddest biker club in all of Snow Falls.”
“You still are.” Bryce smirked at me and I laughed again in response.
“What good is a biker club in a place that’s completely safe?”
“Is that it? You did what you were supposed to do and all of a sudden your life is over?”
“Don’t get the wrong idea. I’m happy the West Bay is nice and safe. It needs to be that way if you’re gonna raise a kid here.”
“But?”
“All my life I’ve been struggling just to make it. The business is successful. The West Bay is safe. Hell, I heard Ashton Webb himself wants to put some money down here.”
“But?” he repeated.
“But… What the hell am I supposed to do now?”
It was a sincere question. If anybody had the answers, it was Bryce. That’s why I was so surprised when he reared his head back and cackled like he was having a seizure. The other three people in the bar took notice and got a chuckle even though they didn’t even know what he was laughing at.
“Bryce… Bryce…” I said his name but all I could do was wait for him to calm down from his laughing fit. It took him a bit before he finally stopped, wiping the tears from his eyes while he recovered.
“I was serious—”
“I know, I know,” he interrupted. “I guess that’s just the kinda life we’ve lived.”
“What good am I if there isn’t anybody out there who doesn’t need help?”
Bryce reached out and put his hand on top of mine. “You asked me what to do and now I’m gonna tell you… Go out there. Enjoy yourself. Have fun. Stop stressing yourself out and wondering what punk you’ll have to deal with next.”
I nodded. “Yeah… I think I get it. I’ll go out there and look for some trouble.”
“Cade, that’s not what I meant…”
“No, no.” I got up from my seat, wide awake and my boredom a thing of the past. “I spend all my time in this place waiting for someone to come to me for help. I’ll ride the streets and talk to people. There’s some punk out there just waiting for me to mess him up.”
“You haven’t a word I said, have you?”
“I heard every word, bro.”
I grinned but all he did was roll his eyes and shake his head. I headed out of the bar and hopped on my ride. It was a sunny day in the West Bay. The streets were empty. There was something out there for me to handle. Just one Charger would be enough to take care of it.
Chapter 2
BROCK
Noise. You had to get used to the noise when you were around the Demons. In the middle of the day. Late at night. Early in the morning. No matter what time it was, the Demons were always up to something. Even when they were recovering from a night of drinking, their snoring sounded like a jackhammer. They were the rowdiest group you’d ever meet in Snow Falls.
I was used to it all. Being around the Demons, you welcomed all of the noise. Silence just meant something was wrong. And if there was ever one place you didn’t wanna be when something was wrong, it was around the Demons…
It was an ordinary day for the gang. The crew had a whole building to themselves. There were so many abandoned spots in the West Bay, it was easy to take one for our own. The abandoned warehouse had all of the amenities we needed for the entire crew of a dozen. Water. Electricity. Appliances for washing our clothes and cooking our food. We were one big, happy family.
“Piece of cake…”
I stood in front of the stove and had several pans working. One was stuffed with eggs. Another was full of greasy bacon and sausage. Another was cooking some pancakes to a nice, fluffy golden brown.
It wasn’t much trouble for me. Every man in the crew had errands. Today, it was my time to cook breakfast. And in the middle of the day when most of the boys were just waking up, right now was the perfect time.
“Yo, Brock! It almost ready? I’m starving over here.”
“Keep your pants on, Randy…”
I didn’t have to look to know who it was. I could picture Randy’s dark hair going in every direction after a comfortable night on the couch. I smiled to myself knowing the rest of the club was just picking themselves up out of bed.
The Demons were the most notorious gang in all of Snow Falls. Everywhere we went, people knew better than to try to mess with us. It was nice knowing we wouldn’t have any problems with any of the rival crews in this part of town. But as bad as our reputation was, we were just a group of guys trying to make a living like everybody else in the West Bay. And cooking breakfast for all of us was just a reminder for me that it was the simple things that were more important than anything.
As I started preparing the plates, I could hear the rumbling of the group over in the next room. They wouldn’t be Demons without that kinda noise. I brought the plates out of my makeshift kitchen to find them all gathered around the table in the center of the abandoned warehouse. They were groggy, hungover and barely able to keep their eyes open. But their blubbering about how drunk they got the night before was enough to make me smile.
“Eat up, boys! Get all of that crap outta your system!” I gave every man in the club
a plate then watched them hungrily chow it down. They chewed on bacon and sausage and stuffed pancakes into their mouth even though their mouths weren’t big enough to hold all of it. The way their cheeks puffed from all of the food just made me smile even more.
The warehouse wasn’t the nicest place in the world. It was mostly empty with dust and cobwebs in every corner. Some of the windows were shattered. On cold nights, you’d have to bundle up on your bed or couch a little more than usual. But this was our spot. I didn’t need a nicer place than this warehouse because I had the rest of the Demons to keep me company. My friends. My brothers.
I took a moment to enjoy the sight of all of them chowing down then headed back into the kitchen. I was just getting ready to clean up some leftovers when someone standing at the doorway caught my eye. I already knew it was Leon.
Even though I knew I had nothing to worry about from him, he was always imposing. A head shaved clean with tattoos from his neck down all over the rest of his body. A barrel chest and swollen biceps like he spent too much time at the gym. He was a few inches taller than me even though I wasn’t exactly the shortest man you’d ever meet. There was something else about Leon though. Something I couldn’t explain. His calm demeanor belied a man who was capable of the worst if you crossed him. I guess that’s why they called him ‘Lion.’ You didn’t have to do anything to let anybody know you were king of the jungle. You just were.
“What’s going on?”
“I need you to do a run for me,” he said. “Head on over to Hagen’s on Fifth Street.”
“Hagen’s? Is that a bar?”
“That’s right. The owner’s a man named Pico. Tell him I sent you.”
I raised an eyebrow. “What’s this all about?”
“Pico’s paying for protection. It’s time to collect.”
“Right… I guess if it’s time to collect, it’s time to collect. You want me to go right now?”
“You can clean up in the kitchen first. No hurry, brother.”
I moved over to the sink to get to work on the pots and pans. It wasn’t the most exciting work in the world but it wasn’t anything for me to complain about. I would’ve lost myself in it if I didn’t notice Leon was still standing there.