Page 31 of Collateral Omega

But they were already doing it. Omegas all over the planet were moving into commune houses. Aggressive alphas were getting medicated. Everyone was doing exactly what they were being told to do. And no one was thinking of fighting back.

“Look around, father. We won’t have a life if we don’t do something soon. And we can’t live on dad’s savings forever. That credit is going to run out one day. What will we do then? Saki will leave because we can’t pay her. And I need her to take care of you when I get a job.”

“Do this for me. Just this once,” his father begged.

Fuck, he was killing him. Holi closed his eyes to keep from crying.

“Look at me, baby,” his father said. “I want to see you settled before I die. I haven’t done much for you after your dad died. Please, do it just this once. If you don’t attract an alpha this time. I’ll never talk about this again.”

“And you’ll let me work?” Holi asked. He held his breath waiting for his father to say something.

“It’s not what I want for you, but okay,” he said.

“Thank you, father,” Holi said, wrapping his arms around his father’s fragile body.

He was so thin. Tears prickled Holi’s eyes, but he blinked them away. His father was going to get better. He had to be positive. If his father died, he’d be all alone.Holi couldn’t imagine a life without him.

“I’ll go and get ready,” he said, pulling away.

“Yes, go. The pod will be here soon,” he said, a smile pulling at his lips. Holi hadn’t seen that smile in a while. It made him happy to see it again, even though he was doing something he didn’t want to do. Holi picked up the bag of clothes from the floor and made his way to his room.

“He got to you, didn’t he?” Saki asked.

“Please don’t start,” Holi said tiredly. “I’ve already called myself all kinds of stupid. You know I can’t say no to him.”

“I know,” Saki said. “Good luck tonight. Your alpha is out there.”

Holi rolled his eyes and continued down the hallway to his room. He was wasting his time going to this party. He already knew how the night would go. The guests will either ignore him all night, or gossip about him. The alphas would stare, yet no one would make a move. Holi couldn’t believe he was putting himself through this again.

“Dammit!” Holi said.

He quickly got ready, loving and hating the clothes his father bought for him. The cloth was soft on his skin and the design was amazing. The colour complimented his skin and made his eyes stand out. He looked amazing. His father must have spent a fortune on them, Holi thought, as he ran his hands lovingly down his chest. If only he could find an alpha like master Tarymn.

Surely, he didn’t care about status and other things.

No, he didn’t, Holi thought. He was a nice alpha.

“Holi! The pod is here!” Saki called. Holi glanced at himself one last time and walked out of his room.

“You look amazing,” Saki said as he made his way to the front door. “Make sure you have fun tonight.”

“If only I knew how to do that,” Holi returned with a sigh. He was always too nervous to dance, eat or speak. Going to parties was torture for him.

He opened the door and walked to the waiting pod. The operator greeted him warmly, ushering him inside. Holi sat down and stared out the window as they drifted down the airway. Lights swirled all around him, creating a kaleidoscope of colours within the tubes. He felt weightless and free.

Holi touched the glass, tracing the streaks of light. Tonight, the lights looked especially beautiful. Holi wished they could go on and on, and never stop. But too soon, the pod slowed down and turned onto a residential airway. The airway was chock-full of hover pods dropping off omegas and their parents at master Yom’s house. It looked like the whole planet was here.

“Here goes nothing.” Holi thought as the pod came to a stop in front of the door. He got out and walked to the front door. One of master Yom’s maids greeted him with a glass of Red Amber spirit.

"Something to warm yourself." She smiled.

Holi took one and drank it down, just to take the edge off.

This is the last time, he told himself as he reached for another glass of Red Amber, and then he followed the crowd into the party hall. Holi’s eyes widened as he walked into a fantasy world of twinkling lights, gorgeous flower arrangements and wispy smoke slithering on the floor. Music played sedately, creating a relaxing atmosphere. Laughter and chatter filled the space as everyone socialized. He turned in place, searching for master Yom. The sooner he spoke to him, the sooner he could leave. Holi sported him on the other side of the room with an older alpha. He made his way there. Master Yom saw Holi coming and immediately said something to the other alpha that caused him to turn and stare at Holi. The look in the alpha’s eyes gave Holi pause.

“Come closer, Holi,” Master Yom said. “Let me introduce you to my friend. I told him about your situation, and he’s interested in you.”

Oh… that explained the creepy gaze.

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