“Exposure?”
He nodded, a far-off look in his eye that said he was considering the question.“OX takes the core elements of Euphoria, which gives a natural heat to an omega who has trouble regulating their heats, and mixes everything else that’s supposed to protect omegas,” Ford explained, warming to the role of lecturer.Chase was surprised to find that it was oddly charming.It was the first time he’d seen Ford being serious and it suited him.“Hints of Undermine act as a contraceptive, Bittersweet provides a calming agent, shutting off any fear or doubts they might have, and a heavy dose of Mania is there to intensify the heat so it can be given to underage omegas.Instead of their first heat being two weeks, they suffer the first heat intensity with only four days to cope.”
Chase swallowed, his heart racing at the dangers of OX.Now he understood why Ford and Rafe were willing to do anything to get the drug off the streets.“Why don’t we learn about OX, if it was created by the Market?”
Introductory College taught them about the dangers of Mania, which had become a recreational drug in certain circles, where alphas wanted the high of feeling an omega’s heat without the actual heat, but he’d never heard of OX until now.
Ford took another drag of his cigarette.“Fear.The government’s aware the drug is dangerous and set a non-negotiable lifelong prison sentence.Even possession of OX will have an alpha arrested, and no amount of mitigating circumstances will save them from being placed on the Containment listing, having all rights to a mate revoked, and serving the first three years of their sentence in complete isolation.”
Vaguely gesturing with his cigarette hand, Ford caught Chase’s eye.“Not even the Omega Market uses OX, though they still produce it for those with the money to take the risk.Slipping an omega Mania is less dangerous than dealing with OX.The Market has seen the side effects first-hand—omegas dying from the intensity of a flash heat, the pain they suffer.Some omegas have killed themselves after realising what they’ve been given, because they find that better than the alternative.”
“Being stuck in a four-day heat with strangers who can and will do anything to you.”
With a faint huff, like he wasn’t sure whether to speak, Ford took another drag.“That’s why I nearly shot Lucky yesterday.”Chase looked up, and was stunned by the fact that Ford smiled.
“That boy is blessed by Omha, and it’s a fucking good job.I knew the risks of OX, the fate of omegas who had been in his shoes, and I figured it were better to end his suffering than to let him face the worst.”
While Jesi had spoken privately with Lucky at the clinic, Ford had filled Chase in about how the crew of thugs had been in the next room, twenty alphas who worked for the Market and had no conscience or care for an omega’s suffering.Chase could only imagine what had gone through Ford’s head, knowing what they’d do to Lucky if he couldn’t stop them.
Ford laughed, capturing his attention again.“Fucking Lucky.I pulled the fucking trigger and nothing happened.”He looked Chase in the eye and explained the story of how the gun had misfired, then he’d shot into the corner.Chase couldn’t believe how shocking that must have been, almost shooting Lucky then getting the call that had given them hope.
Chase would have been bricking himself in Ford’s shoes.“How do you do it?”
“Of all the shit I’ve seen in the ORT, I ain’t never been more grateful for being wrong,” he replied, tapping the ash off his cigarette.“That ain’t even the strangest shit I ever seen.”
He shook his head, not surprised that Ford had a catalogue of ‘strange shit’ he’d seen on the job.He leaned over and slipped the cigarette from Ford’s fingers.“How about finding out you’re the second alpha mate to an omega who is both the victim and witness in your latest case?”
“Definitely a turn-up for the books.”
Chase could only imagine.Hearing Lucky claim him as a second alpha mate must have been as big a mind fuck as the moment Chase had recognised the mate bond.Honestly, he wasn’t sure he was ready for any of this, but he didn’t have a choice.He wanted Lucky to be happy.Resisting just because Ford was an alpha was ridiculous.
Even if he wanted to, Chase couldn’t think of any reason not to accept this bond.Lucky was everything he’d ever wanted in an omega mate, right down to feeling an attraction and being fascinated by his mind long before he’d felt the bond.And Ford was… Well, as unexpected as he was, Ford was a revelation, because Chase had never imagined himself capable of lusting over another alpha.Yet, here he was, barely able to explain how badly he wanted to treat Ford in all the same ways he would treat Lucky—to protect him, to kiss and hold him, to flirt and fuck, to spend days just talking to him and exploring all the ways they fit together like they’d been made for each other.Because they had been.Omha or Azrah had created these three souls to fit together like a jigsaw where no other piece fit.
And whether anyone else accepted it, understood the draw, or thought he’d lost his mind, he didn’t care.For once in his life, Chase wanted to take control of his fate, to be carefree, to let his instincts take over, and not live up to the expectations laid at perfect bloody Chauncey Walker’s feet.If he wanted to be a true mate worth waiting for, he needed to be Chase Walker, the self-made, independent alpha he’d always wanted to be.And that meant growing a pair and doing what felt right.
* * * *
Fourteen hours later
Ford
Hanging up on Sykes, after a progress report that told him nothing useful, Ford found Chase hovering in the doorway to his private bathroom.“What are you doing here?”
Holding eye contact, probably to avoid getting an eyeful, Chase cleared his throat.“Feeling restless.Want to order food and have a beer?”
Anything that got Chase to spend more time with him was a bonus.He’d been lounging in the living room, reading, completing coursework for college, or avoiding the elephant in the room while Lucky slept off the Fugue.Ford didn’t want to push, but he was finding the nervous-alpha thing oddly appealing.
“You lost your accent,” Chase said, more of a comment than a criticism.“All the slang and dropped letters.They disappear when you’re talking about work.”
Ford grabbed a towel from the heated rail to scrub his hair, giving Chase time to ogle him if he wanted.“I gotta be professional at work.The accent makes me sound more like I fit in on the streets, but your mam don’t like it,” he explained, stepping back to lean against the sink while Chase kept trying, and failed miserably, not to look at his dick.“You want to use the shower before we eat then we can crash into a food coma after?”
Chase swallowed, looking nervous, though a smile flirted with his lips.“Yes.”He stepped aside and gestured for Ford to leave, but when he didn’t bother to shut the door, Ford took it as an invitation to stay.
“Did your friend send you coursework or are you distracting yourself?”
Chase tossed a towel over the top of the shower enclosure.“I’ve already done the essay, but Grant sent me notes from class that support my theory.I was checking where I could include the new evidence.”
Ford was glad he’d left school early, even if he had been forced to attend night classes at the college to get his official qualifications before he joined the ORT.“What class is it for?”
