Page 36 of Omega Chattel
I was fairly certain he didn’t believe me when I told him he needed to take time to settle, that if his assignments were too many and too hard, he could take breaks, take his time.
He still seemed to think he’d failed me with every coming day. And then there were Alli’s stares, filled with all his hopes. I was used to everything being on my shoulders, including all the responsibilities for my Omegas here at the house. But not that look Alli had, not that hope. Not that restless fever in his eyes. An Omega fever, which of course Omegas didn’t get, not like Alpha Burns. Yes, Omegas responded to Alpha Burns with arousal and readiness to mate, and Alli’s looks were even hotter. But I wasn’t in the Burn.
I had a question I needed to answer fast.
Should I go to Alli right now?
Ah yes,said a part of my mind.Just to make sure he’s okay.
But the righteous part of me, the part that wanted to do the moral and right thing concerning all Omegas—especially those under my care—said I needed to maintain my distance.
That was a bit difficult if I was dreaming of Alli every night. Listening for him moving around his space through the wall between our bedrooms. Questioning constantly:Am I entering an early Burn?
Before I realized what I was doing, I let the curtain drop. My feet were bare, padding down the hall and through the kitchen to the open French doors.
For a moment I stood on the threshold, breathing in the fresh, cool air. Silently, I made my way across the wood floor to the stairs.
He remained still, kneeling in the wet grass, and my feet and the hems of my trousers were soaked by the time I came up alongside him.
“I’m not sitting and getting my ass wet,” I said softly. “Would you like to move to a bench?”
Startled, Alli looked up at me, his face bathed in dim moonlight. He looked so young. Ethereal. My pulse stepped up.
His computer began to slide into the grass. He sat back and grabbed it.
“You followed me,” he said.
“Come on. Get up.” My words came out harsher than I’d intended.
The trees beyond shivered and for a second the crickets stopped. The breeze stopped. All was silent.
Alli got to his knees and stood, clutching his computer.
I led us to one of the stone benches.
He sat with his head bowed.
I hoped the others were settled in their rooms by now, not paying attention to anything else but their studies, or in the case of Farrell and Tev, each other.
“When we first met, you wanted to rob me.” I made it a statement of fact. For I could feel it off him that night on the street, the desperation of him, his scent of ice and need.
Head hanging, the words came as night whispers almost lost in the late silences. “Until I scented you.”
“Really?”
“Yes.” Low. Shy. “After that I wouldn’t have. I never would have done anything that might hurt you. I just wanted to give myself to you. And maybe you’d pay me so I could get off the street for a few nights.”
“What changed your mind?”
“You did.”
“How?” I needed him to say it.
“Something. Something else. Something more about you. Not like the others I saw picking up all the corner boys. Nothing like them.”
The knowledge of what this was began to dawn on me, but I wouldn’t face it. Not yet. Not until I heard more.
“Tell me how you see me.”
