Carver paced back and forth, fury threatening to bubble over in his chest. He couldn’t believe that Tex was even suggesting this. He’d always known that his husband didn’t have the most accurate moral compass, but that he’d be willing to do this shocked him.
They were talking aboutslavery.
“That was over a hundred years ago, and even then it was uncivilized. I don’t want to mate with someone whose only other option is prison. That’s too fucked up.”
Tex was unmoved.
“You’re making this more difficult than it has to be. We get an omega, an omega gets to avoid prison and all the nasty hormone blockers that come with it, and society doesn’t have to pay to keep a perfectly good omega locked away where it’s no use to anyone.”
“Do you even hear yourself?” Carver asked, running his hand through his hair and taking a breath to calm himself. He stopped and looked at his mate. “You sound like a fucking psychopath.”
“I sound like a realist.” Tex’s voice was hard, his easy calm evaporated. Carver knew that the calm had been a façade. He bet that if he put his hand on Tex’s chest he’d feel his heart racing.
“You sound like an asshole who wants to get his knot wet and fuck the consequences,” Carver countered angrily.
Tex rose from the couch, face blank, and walked over to the flipped over coffee table. Ignoring Carver completely, he carried the table back into position in front of the couch and gave it a little shake to test if Carver’s outburst had damaged it. Then, shooting Carver a look he couldn’t decipher, he gave a little shrug and headed toward the kitchen. Carver followed, a bad feeling in his stomach.
“What did you do?” Carver asked, grabbing Tex by the arm and spinning him around and slamming him into the wall. Tex had about an inch in height and ten pounds of muscle on him, but he let himself be manhandled.
“I knew you’d be like this,” Tex said, the calm façade cracking. “That’s why I waited until it was a done deal before telling you.”
Carver rocked back, hoping that Tex hadn’t actually fucked them over like this. Buying a mate wasn’t something you could take back. There were no refunds.
“You didn’t.”
“He’ll be delivered tonight.” Tex pushed Carver back, sending him stumbling back against the kitchen table. “And don’t worry. He’s exactly your type.”
“How…” Carver trailed off, betrayed and heartbroken. “How could you do this?”
The look on Tex’s face was pure defiance.
“Because we need an omega. You won’t survive another year without one.”
Carver didn’t know what to say to that. The pain in Tex’s eyes cut him deeply, but he couldn’t go along with this. Not just to save himself.
“I’m leaving,” he said, turning around and making for the exit. This time it was Tex who grabbed him and slammed him into the wall.
“I could have had my fucking pick if it wasn’t for you,” Tex growled, spit flying with every word. He tightened his fists on the collar of Carver’s leather jacket and lifted him up with a rough jerk before slamming him into the wall. “I’m not the one listed as a fucking sadist in my profile. I’m not the one who’s sent every candidate running for the hills with my bondage and punishment shit. That was you! That was all fucking you, so don’t you dare get all sanctimonious with me when I do what needs to be done to saveyourfucking life.”
Tex stepped back and dropped his grip on Carver’s jacket, and Carver could see the moment his words caught up with him and he realized what he’d said.
“Carver, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean—”
“No, you’re right. We both know I’m the reason no one’s picked us. I’m sorry about that. If I could change my profile, I would.” Carver took a deep breath. “But that doesn’t mean I’m going along with this.”
“What does that mean?”
Tex crossed his arms, his jaw tight as he looked Carver right in the eye. He truly believed that he’d done the right thing. That was the problem with Tex. Once he got it into his mind that he was right, it was impossible to convince him otherwise. Carver slumped, and for a second he wondered if he should just leave. There had to be a limit to what he’d let Tex get away with.
Only he knew he wouldn’t. He could no more leave Tex than he could cut off his own head. If Tex really had done this, if the paperwork was signed and the omega was theirs… there was no going back from that.
“I just can’t believe you’d do this.”
Tex wilted, though there was no regret in his expression.
“Your ruts are getting out of control,” Tex said, his voice soft and worried. “Last month it lasted six days. Another day and I would have had to admit you to the hospital. That’s not sustainable. If I have to choose between your wellbeing and the freedom of some random omega, I’m going to choose you. I’m sorry that this feels like a betrayal, but I didn’t do it lightly.”
Carver closed his eyes and turned away. Of course Tex hadn’t done it lightly. It was still horrible.
