Ingram laughed. “Well, fuck. That would do it. And an omega still chose you?”
“What can I say? I’m pretty.”
Ingram clapped Carver on the shoulder, still chuckling to himself. “With a profile like that, you should be able to come up with something fitting.”
“What did you do for your show?” Carver asked, wanting an idea of how far he had to go.
“I’m not telling you that,” Ingram said, wagging his finger again. The way he kept on waving it about was annoying, and Carver fantasized about reaching out and snapping it at the joint. “At least not until after you’re a member yourself.”
“Don’t want to incriminate yourself in case I’m a liberal cuck?” Carver said, making it into a joke.
“Something like that,” Ingram agreed. He was a little too serious for comfort.
“I’m sure I’ll think of something,” Carver said. Hopefully, he and Peter could figure out something that looked appropriately abusive, while at the same time being something that Peter could enjoy.
It would probably help that Peter was submissive and more than a little masochistic.
“I’m sure you will. I’ll get in touch with the club leadership about getting you in, and then they’ll contact you with regards to the membership fees and scheduling your audition.”
So now it was an audition?
“I really appreciate it.” Carver took a sip of his bourbon, struggling to hide the contempt he felt for the older alpha.
“Don’t mention it. Now, if that was all, I have a conference call I need to prepare for. You know how it is.”
“Of course. Thank you so much for your time, and if there’s anything I can do for you, just let me know.”
Ingram raised a sardonic brow. “Think you can get your mother to back off on her omega crusade?”
Carver winced. “Not a chance.”
“It was worth a shot.” Ingram laughed, slapping Carver on the back again. “But I’ll keep in mind that you owe me a favor, yes?”
Carver nodded. “For this, absolutely.”
Downing the rest of the bourbon, Carver picked up his briefcase and said goodbye. He nodded at Julia and walked to the elevator, riding down into the underground parking garage and getting into the driver’s seat of his car.
He sat for a minute, hands on the wheel and key unturned in the ignition. The whole meeting with Ingram had him feeling gross. He knew that attitudes like Ingram’s were common, but he could avoid having to face that fact in his daily life by simply not talking about omegas.
Peter would never have that option. No matter what he did, he’d always have to contend with alphas who thought he was lesser.
It was upsetting, and Carver felt bad for how little he’d done in his life to speak up against those kinds of attitudes.
He’d have to do better in the future. At least, once he’d completed the task his mother had set for him. Until then, he’d have to play the part of the asshole alpha.
19
Peter
Peter was feeling good about the future.
Against all odds, his alphas were semi-nice people.
Though he was still worried that it was too good to be true—that once they claimed him for real, there would be a change—he was cautiously optimistic that what he saw was what he’d get.
Tex and Carver seemed pretty happy with him in return, though he was beginning to wonder if maybe they thought he was a little lazy. They hadn’t said anything, and maybe Peter was just projecting, but all Peter had done since he’d been delivered was sit around and watch TV.
Peter didn’t feel bad about that—his life had been turned upside down and watching mindless TV made him feel better—but now that he was coming out of the funk he’d been in ever since he realized his sister and uncle framed him, he wanted to startdoingthings.
