Page 54 of Collateral Omega

“No. I don’t have a reason to trust you,” Holi said. “You’ve done nothing but torment me ever since we met.”

Xaine clenched his jaw.

“Your friend will be fine.”

“How do you know? Do you work for the council of alphas or something?” Holi asked.

“I donated some of the commune houses around the capital to the council of alphas. Covus Holdings oversees the running of each house. Don’t you watch the news?” Xaine asked flippantly.

Holi bristled at his words.

“I was too busy running away because some beast was after me to watch the damn news,” he snapped. “So that's how you were able to find me every time?”

“It helped. But there’s nowhere you can run that I wouldn’t find you. Remember that,” Xaine warned.

Fuck you, Holi wanted to say, but kept quiet.

They drifted in awkward silence all the way to Xaine’s house. Xaine got out of the pod and made his way into the house. Holi followed slowly behind him.

“This way,” Xaine said. Holi hesitated at the door. He never thought he’d be back here…ever.

Holi nodded and followed him down the same hallway he’d walked down that night of the party. He was really going to hate living here, wasn’t he?

Everywhere he looked was a reminder of that night. If only he could turn back time.

“Sit,” Xaine said as he walked into the office. “We have to wait for a bit.”

“Wait?” Holi asked.

“For my legal advisor and an officer from the council. We have to make our arrangement as legally binding as possible,” Xaine said, walking around the desk. He sat down and stared at Holi.

Holi looked around for a place to sit, but the only chairs in the room were the ones in front of the desk…too close to the alpha.

Holi sat down with a sigh. He looked everywhere but at the alpha, but Xaine didn’t seem to have that problem. He stared at him, his eyes hard and overly focused on Holi.

Tingling sensations slid over his arms, climbing higher up the column of his neck and down his chest, to pinch his nipples into aching points. Holi rubbed his arms, trying very hard not to fidget or pull his shirt away from his sensitive nipples. The material clung to them, and he was sure Xaine could see how hard they were.

Don’t react to him, Holi told himself. Hold on to your hate. This beast tormented you.

Holi clenched his jaw, trying hard not to react to Xaine.

Time ticked by slowly as they waited for the legal advisor and council officer. The awkward silence added to the tension between them. Holi tried to think of something to say, but nothing came to mind.

Holi breathed a sigh of relief when Klane walked in.

“Hura and the officer are here,” he announced, and stepped to the side to allow them to walk in.

“Let’s get started,” Xaine said.

The officer of the council opened his case and took out his data reader. “I have the documents ready for signing.” He handed the reader to Xaine to press his thumb in the slot. Once he was done, Xaine slid the data reader towards him. Holi skimmed through the document quickly, not really taking in much, but he did note the job title – house assistant.

But that was not why he was there. Were they lying now? Or did Xaine change his mind? Was he going to make him work in the house to pay back the debt?

Holi pressed his thumb in the slot and handed the data reader to the council officer.

“I’ll take my leave now, consider your employment official as of this moment,” he said, and then walked out the office.

“Hura,” Xaine said. “It’s your turn.”

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