Page 59 of The Beast's Heart

I don’t see myself ever using that hookup app, but it would be nice to not be self-conscious for once, to feel comfortable in my own skin. To feel worthy of the attention of someone like Adam, perhaps.

“I suppose there wouldn’t be any harm.”

“Great. I’ll see you tonight… Unless you have other plans?”

I can’t believe I’m about to agree to this. “Well, I did have a date lined up with David Copperfield.”

He frowns. “The magician?”

“The book. But I can reschedule.” At the very least, it will help me keep my mind off Adam.

Geoff huffs a small laugh, probably thinking that I’m a lost cause.

24

JONATHAN

Geoffhands me a pair of boxing gloves. The leather is soft and they’re far more comfortable than I would have expected.

He positions me in front of the punching bag, where I can see our reflections in a long floor-to-ceiling mirror. I didn’t think to bring sports clothes on this assignment, so I’m wearing my work clothes, complete with floral tie. I absolutely do not look the part.

“The first thing you need to understand is that we live in a world of alpha and beta males,” Geoff says, bracketing my arms with his own to get me into the right pose.

I look at him sharply.

“What?” he asks.

“You’re aware that’s a fanfic thing?”

A blank look.

“Well, a romance thing. A sub-genre. Alpha, beta, omega. Omegaverse?”

He continues to stare at me, so I feel compelled to continue. “They’re often set in a society where there are no women, so the omegas have adapted to be able to bear children?—”

“You see,thisis the exact problem.” He thwacks the bag, startling me.

“It’s hardly high literature,” I concede, “but it is popular. It’s an excellent example of how fan fiction tropes transcended?—”

“Alpha men donotread fan fiction.”

I clear my throat. “Right. Well. I don’t read it myself either, it’s just fascinating from an academic standpoint.” Although there’s a long list of Johnlock AO3 bookmarks that would prove me a liar.

“Now, as I was saying,” Geoff steadies the bag. “Alphas are the leaders of the world. Like in the animal kingdom, the alphas are the ones who attract mates. Take wolves for example. The alpha is the leader of the pack?—”

“That’s, uh, not actually true. Sorry. It’s a very common misconception, but most wolf packs in the wild are family groups, so the pups follow the dad because…” I trail off at the look on Geoff’s face. “That’s not relevant. Please go on.”

“Look, what’s important is that you understand that there’s a hierarchy out there.” He gestures, encompassing the world beyond Du Villeneuve Estate. “If you want to get action, you need to be an Alpha. Some men are born Alphas, but it’s possible to learn to be one. The main thing is confidence, the way you carry yourself. And that’s easier when you take care of the physical aspects.” He turns my face so that I’m looking back at our reflections. “Believe it or not, I was once scrawny too. I know. Hard to imagine.”

Humiliation trickles through me at the word, ‘scrawny’. It’s true enough. “Do you think Adam was ever scrawny?” I hear myself ask.

Geoff scoffs. “The Beast? Nah. Never. He probably came out of the womb buff AF. His ma probably had to have a c-section. But he works to maintain it. Lots of wrestlers get mixed up inroids and that sorta shit. But not The Beast. He’s pure alpha all the way down.”

Geoff would know.Something cold slithers into the pit of my stomach.

“Have you met his parents?”

Geoff shakes his head. “He doesn’t have parents.”

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