Chapter Nine – Mason
This fucking sucked.
I could not get that single thought out of my head. The moment I pulled up to the house and saw my brother’s car, I knew something was going on, but I never would have imagined it’d be Asher with the little omega he used to be friends with way back when.
I mean, how long has it been? Ten fucking years? Since when did they rekindle their relationship? Not that I care, because I don’t, but I swear my brother tells me nothing.
Just as well, I guess. I don’t really tell him anything, either. Only three years apart, and yet it’s like we were born in different worlds. Asher is all for the life our parents have, learning and shit, while I…
I just don’t want it. I don’t want to pretend. I don’t want to play nice with the shareholders and the media. Those skills were never mine, and I never cared enough to practice, which our parents noticed early on—hence why they pushed Asher so much to follow in our dads’ footsteps.
Asher doesn’t know I’ve been here for a few weeks. Neither do our parents. I thought I’d have the place to myself the entire time, so I’m still pretty ticked off I have to share it not only with my brother but also with Jessica fucking Dryers.
Yeah. An omega who’s planning on having her first heat here. An omega who’s apparently also planning on going through that shit alone.
Whatever. I don’t care. If she wants to suffer, then she’ll suffer. I want abso-fucking-lutely nothing to do with it.
Most people steered clear of me when I make it obvious I don’t play nice or give a shit about them, but not Jessica. No, shegave it right back. Last night she joined me on the couch, and she didn’t seem to care I didn’t want her there. Not one bit.
The next day I stick to my room until hunger overpowers me and I’m forced to venture out and grab something from the kitchen. We’re fully stocked now, thanks to my run to the nearest grocery store and all the food Asher and Jessica brought with them.
I make it to the kitchen, catching faint whiffs of the omega, although I don’t see her. Asher is in the living room on his laptop, and I don’t know where the girl is. I don’t care. She’s not my problem.
Still, what bits of her scent I catch fall over me all too easily, much as I hate to admit it.
The girl smells good, even though I’m fairly certain she wears some kind of scent-blocking cream.
I throw a pizza pocket in the microwave and grab a plate, and then I wait impatiently for it to be done. All the while, I hope my brother doesn’t sense the opportunity and come join me in the kitchen. The last thing I want to do is talk. It’s why I came to the cabin in the first place. Read the fucking room.
Alas, Asher does sense I’m in there, or he hears me. Either way, before my food is finished, he comes strolling into the kitchen, all perky and happy, like he always is. Him and I have always been opposites, but the past few years it’s become more and more obvious what plagues me does not haunt him in the slightest.
And what plagues me, you might wonder? I’d rather not talk about it.
“Hey,” he says.
All I do is grunt in response.
“Jess said she talked to you last night.”
Another grunt from me.
“She said you were pretty mean.” Okay, that earns a roll of my eyes, but my brother went on, “But she found you funny, so, I guess it’s not all bad.” When I still don’t say anything to him, he taps his fingers on the counter. “Can you please try to be nice to her? At least while we’re here? I’m not asking you to kiss the ground she walks on, but… she’s going to go through a pretty rough time here soon enough. She doesn’t need to be constantly on-guard when you’re around.”
“This is our family’s place,” I hiss out the words. “I don’t give a shit about what she’s about to go through.”
Asher groans. “Come on. I know you’re a dick, but you don’t have to be such a big one with her. She’s an unmatched omega about to go through her first heat—”
“Yeah, and she’s in a house with two unmatched alphas,” I throw back. “You really think it’s all going to be fine? That she’ll have her heat and go home and that’ll be that? Don’t be so fucking stupid. Something’s going to happen. She’s going to try pulling you in there, or worse, both of us.”
“That’s not what she wants.”
“For now, but when she’s on the floor, crying out in pain, what then? Do you seriously think you’ll be strong enough to stay away?”
“I’m not saying it’s going to be easy, but that’s what she wants. She doesn’t want an alpha’s help through it. She wants to do it herself.” The way he says it, I can tell he genuinely believes it, and yet…
I ask even though it’s none of my business, “Why the hell does she even want to go through it alone? Why not get matched?” It’s not the same for omegas as it is for alphas. Typically omegas are matched with plenty of time before their first heat.
The microwave beeps, signaling my food is done, but I don’t go for it. Instead I wait for my brother’s reply.
