Holy shit.
Maybe this was going to work. Maybe this was how I could get the alpha pheromones and money I needed without risking my safety.
I opened the first proposal. It was from an older alpha…mucholder. I was just as attracted to older men as the next person, but this alpha wasseventy. He wanted to hire me for twenty-four hours, and the list of things he was interested in made me queasy. I quickly exited out of the proposal.
I couldn’t stop thinking about Bear as I walked to my room and flipped through two more proposals. Part of me wished Iwould come across his picture. I rolled my eyes. He probably had a string of women at his beck and call.
I was about to give up on the app for today when I clicked on the final proposal. My heart started pounding as I looked through his—Nox’s—photos. The first one was a selfie. He was lying back on a couch wearing a sweatshirt. He had a full beard and short brown hair. His brown eyes were soft, his smile almost hesitant as he looked at me through the screen. He looked like a teddy bear. My eyes widened at the second picture. A big hotsexyteddy bear. It was a gym mirror picture and Nox was ripped. His sweatpants hung low, revealing thatvsituation some guys had going on.
“Please don’t be creepy,” I whispered as I clicked to the next section of the proposal and sat on my bed. The tightness in my chest eased as I read over the list of things he was interested in.Oral Sex. Vaginal Sex. Knotting.My eyebrows raised as I read the next item.Pleasure Dom. Well, that was interesting.
Before I lost my nerve, I accepted his proposal, which would allow us to start messaging and decide if we wanted to move forward. I squealed, throwing myself under my blanket, heart pounding like I’d run a race. After a few minutes, I snaked my hand out of the covers to grab my phone and pull it under with me, giving in to the urge to look at Nox’s photos again. I was zooming in on the gym picture when my phone vibrated.
Nox
Hi Ava, thanks so much for accepting my proposal
Oh my god.
This was happening.
I stared at my phone screen for a long minute before opening the message and typing a response.
8
WESTIN
The sun was shining the next morning as I left the house for work. I waited until I was at the end of the driveway to put my skates on, learning my lesson from last night. I was excited to show off my new mode of transportation to Josie.
My eye caught the mailbox and I came to a flailing stop, using the wooden post to keep myself from falling. I’d forgotten to check the mail when I got home yesterday. I opened the box and saw a single letter inside. It was addressed to me—rare, since most of the mail was still for my uncles—but there wasn’t a stamp. I frowned as I opened it, and my expression only deepened as I took in what was typed on a folded piece of paper.
Roses are red, violets are blue
Westin, you’re mine forever
You know that, don’t you?
I swallowed hard, my chest tight as I read it again. What the fuck did that mean? The hairs on the back of my neck stood up and I whirled around as it sank in thatsomeone placed this inthe mailbox. It had to be a prank, but I couldn’t think of anyone who would do something like this.
First my destroyed bike, now this? I’d never felt like my uncles’ house was my home, but I felt safe in this neighborhood. Was someone pulling pranks on all the houses? I swallowed as I folded the note and tucked it in my pocket. That had to be it. It didn’t make sense for anyone to target me specifically.
I did my best to shove down my anxiety as I skated to the bakery on unsteady legs. The sidewalks were packed with people doing their shopping, especially once I got to Main Street, and I got plenty of dirty looks as I clumsily dodged them. I was almost at the bakery when my skate clipped something, causing me to stumble. I caught myself before I face-slammed into the pavement, but pain shot through my palms and my left knee, which had taken the brunt of the fall.
I stayed on the ground and took a few deep breaths, allowing my brain to catch up to what happened.
No one moved to help me.
Slowly, I made my way back to my feet, using the fire hydrant next to me to pull myself up. People on the sidewalk kept walking, giving me a wide berth. Sometimes being an omega was the loneliest feeling in the world. Betas didn’t know what to do with us. Alphas just wanted to take advantage of us. And the result was being simultaneously objectified and ignored every day.
I made my way to the bakery and swapped my skates for my sneakers before going inside. I hid my bloody palms as I said a quick hello to Josie before heading into the back in search of the first aid kit.
I took deep breaths as I bandaged my hand and the gash on my knee. My jeans had ripped a bit on my fall, but I didn’t think anyone would notice. My skin stung and burned, and I felt a little dizzy. I was already physically and emotionally exhausted,and the day had barely begun. I was putting away the first aid supplies when the familiar notification from the Sugar Nest app sounded.
I grabbed my phone to silence it, but I couldn’t stop myself from opening the latest message.
Nox
Good morning, sweetness. I hope you’re having a good start to your day
