Page 11 of The Alpha's Fake Mate
“This way, Orion,” Saben, my lawyer, said.
I blinked. I’d wandered away from the group without noticing and now faced a blurred painting on a wall. It was of wheat blowing in a wind, the sun shining on it from a low angle, the sky turning pink above.
The artist had captured the movement of the weather in the picture exquisitely.
“An Omega did this?” I asked, pretending I’d been distracted by the painting this whole time.
“Yes.” Chirl came toward me. “A twelfth year from ten years ago. He’s mate-bonded now, with three children of his own.”
“He’s very talented. Does he continue to paint?”
“I don’t know.”
Those three words made a hollow sort of chill begin to form in my chest. A talented man had done this and no one knew if he’d continued to paint or not. As an Omega, he probably would not be given any space to show his work. So why would he bother to continue?
No, he’d mate-bonded and was now raising a family. That was his reason for living now. That was what Omegas did, while Alphas controlled everything from business to art to deciding who they would or would not breed with.
My mind kept going back to that angry boy. Zilly’s seemed like a decent place where Omegas were educated, given a healthy life, and yet it made its profit—my profit now—by selling Omega services to Alphas in the Burn.
While I’d been taught that was the nature of things, and Omegas were always eager to please, I’d be stupid to think there wasn’t a darker side, that there would be Omegas who could not fit in, who were unable to give in to their natures, or who were simply unhappy.
Was this business one I really wanted to keep? I didn’t need the money so I wasn’t forced to take a profit off people who had no choice in their fates.
While I was being shown around by the warden who openly answered all our questions, I wondered how I could find out about the things I didn’t know to ask. I wanted to talk to that boy. The bright and happy Omegas, eager to please, could offer only one side to life here at Zilly’s. I wanted to see the writing on the pages not so easily turned.
After a time, Chirl and his associates led us outdoors to the beautiful grounds of the farm. A sloping, well-manicured lawn, at least ten acres back, led to a line of old pines that brushed the sky in a high, soft wind. A fountain trickled nearby. I heard it before I saw it: Two five foot tall stone lions on their hind legs grappled. Water came out of their mouths and poured into a pond green with lily pads. White flowers bloomed across the small body of water, sweetly scenting the air.
Beyond the fountain was a blacktop area with basketball hoops, and beyond that a sandy area with volleyball nets.
These Omegas certainly got exercise and fresh air. My dad had not allowed this place to become run-down as I had feared.
Chirl saw my gaze and said, “There’s a pool, too. It’s a good size but not huge, so in the summer we put the boys in groups to take their turns at swimming lessons and recreation. Everyone here knows how to swim.”
“And you have an indoor gym, too, you said.” I wanted confirmation. Everything seemed almost too good to be true.
“Yes.”
“Would it be all right if I had a look around out here? By myself, I mean. I’d just like to get a feel for things. Walk down to those pines.” I felt that Chirl was rushing us through this tour.
“Of course. You are free to move about, except the dorms where I will accompany you, and that’s only because they are personal living spaces.”
“I understand. I won’t wander in there unaccompanied, I promise.”
There were benches around the fountain and lily pond. I left my group there with Saben, who questioned me with his eyebrows.
I shook my head at him.
I heard Chirl order one of his men to bring drinks. Lemonade. Perfect for a nice autumn day like this. But I didn’t want lemonade. I knew I couldn’t get a proper feel for this place if I was told what to see, where to go.
I moved on the thick, plush lawn toward the pines, the air brisk on my face, the sun shining in my eyes. The forest of pines stretched into shadows and I could not see, from my vantage, how far back it went.
I walked along the tree-line. Bird sounds surrounded me. A squirrel rushed from one tree to the next. The pines gave off a heady, cool scent. I followed the tree line as it wound about the complex and tapered off to a farmer’s field some distance away.
Coming back uphill, green all around me, I realized I now faced the back of the chattel farm building. It was a huge complex. It housed single adult Omegas who serviced Alphas, as well as children and a school. I had nothing to criticize about the upkeep of this establishment. Maybe my dad had been cold, but he’d kept things running smoothly, and I did not see even one crack in the paint, not out front, and not here in the back.
I found a white cement path that took me closer to the building, and noted up ahead an area fenced off by chain link. That was when I saw the pool. It was behind that fence, glimmers of sapphire pulsating in daylight and surrounded by dozens of empty lounge chairs.
Slatted awnings jutted off the building’s roof, creating shady spaces.
