Lucky wondered at the guess, until he realised Lincoln was shooting nervous glances at Lucky.He tucked his hands behind his back as those bright blue eyes raked over him from head to toe.“Unfortunately.”He bit his bottom lip, cursing his honesty, in case this guy was friends with Lincoln.“I’m Lucky.”
“Chase.”
“Chase Walker?”
The guy raised an eyebrow.“I’d remember if we’d met before.”
“Everyone knows Chase Walker.”He was the second youngest son of the most prominent family in the province, who owned an empire of corporate businesses.His alpha father was an infamous womaniser, councilman, and gambler.Though rumour had it that his omega mother was the real power behind the name, the business and family fortune.
Chase was more handsome in person than in those paparazzi pictures.Six feet four, with broad shoulders, narrow hips, strong arms and thick thighs, with sunshine hair cropped short and beautiful blue eyes, drool-worthy barely covered it.Nearly every omega in Introductory College practically flooded with slick just from hearing he was nearby.
Chase laughed, slightly bitter.“At least you’re not a sycophant or stalker.”
He didn’t know if that was an insult, but Lucky shrugged.“I’m only interested in food right now.”He was starting to get hangry.They’d been off campus for nearly twenty minutes of their hour and he hadn’t seen a single sign of food.
Chase looked genuinely surprised.“You like noodles?”
“I love noodles.Why?”
Chase leaned in with a warm smile.“I’m hungry, there are noodles over there, and last I checked, I’m a suitable alpha chaperone.Shall we go eat?”
Chase
It took five seconds for Lucky to take his hand, teeth drawing his bottom lip into his mouth, like he couldn’t believe he was doing this.Neither could Chase.Heknew he was trustworthy, but Lucky didn’t.
He wasn’t sure what he was doing, except that Lucky was a refreshing surprise to a routine day.Grant and Neko had been in a study group when he’d left campus, and Jack had arrived with three of his friends.He couldn’t be bothered expending the effort to shake them, until Lucky presented a better alternative.
“Your name is Lucky, you’re friends with Lincoln, and you like noodles.”Chase glanced at Lucky, walking beside him like they weren’t complete strangers.“I know three things about you.Make it five and I’ll buy you ice cream after the noodles.”
Lucky laughed, a sweet sound that matched the warmth in his eyes.“You knowtwothings about me, and I can buy my own ice cream,” he countered, then bobbed his head.“Add in salted caramel sauce and I’ll make it seven.”
Chase nodded, impressed by his bargaining.He took another quick drag on his cigarette, eyeing the distance between them and the café.“Ten.”
“Eight.”
He caved, because he was intrigued.“Since you didn’t lie about your name and I can’t imagine why you’d lie about liking noodles, I deduce Lincoln isn’t your friend.”
“Are you sure I didn’t lie about my name?”
Chase smiled around his cigarette and tapped off the ash.“I remember,” he admitted, having only needed to hear his name to jog the memory.“There’s this Lucky Darro in a few of my classes, who likes to remind alphas that we’re selfish assholes who rule the world.”
“I’ve heard of him.”He actually looked embarrassed.Chase had never seen anything cuter until Lucky got indignant.“I willnotapologise for pointing out that all the laws that govern omegas were written by alphas.It makes no sense!”
“You’re right.But then, I usually find myself agreeing with you.”
Lucky looked impressed and tucked his hands into his trouser pockets.“I like an alpha who can admit he’s not always right.You’re a rare breed.”
Chase smiled, loving this unexpectedly playful side of someone who was always so serious in class.“Lincoln?How come you’re not friends?”
“Have you met him?”Lucky said, so blunt that Chase laughed.“Lincoln is a selfish asshole, but he’s been my neighbour since we were kids.I’m stuck with him, like you were stuck with Jack.”The way he said Jack’s name, in that lazy, drawling way Jack had of talking, made Chase smile around another smoke.“At least you can walk away.”Lucky heaved a world-weary sigh.“What’s worse is that he wants to be more than friends, and that will never happen.”
Chase had never encountered that problem.Alphas were allowed to experiment and screw around long before they were officially of age, and he’d had fun times with betas from campus.Lucky didn’t have that benefit, since omegas weren’t classed as legally of age until twenty-one, and were expected to abstain unless it was with their true mate.
“I guess you can’t fake a true mate bond.”
Lucky laughed, cocking his head at Chase like he was a surprise.“Who says I can’t?He’d never know.”His brave statement was immediately ruined by sadness and worry.“I’m more afraid of what he’ll do if he realises he’snotmy mate.It’s almost safer to let him hope for the impossible.Just until I find my mate and secure the bond.”
They were only steps from the café, but Chase caught Lucky’s arm.“Are you afraid of Lincoln?”He’d never imagined an omega would have a chaperone they didn’t trust.That was the point of a chaperone, to keep the omega safe.If Lucky didn’t trust his, then what did that mean for the rest of the omegas in the world, who were stuck with a chaperone that scared them or crossed the line?
