Wilde Ranch is beautiful. It’s peaceful.It’s mine.
In a world without Omegas, I’ve learned to take in the good and push aside the bad. I was raised among the horses in our small community, not far from here. Even with the decreasing numbers of Omegas, it wasn’t until much later that I realized it wasn’t going to happen for me. I guess I was dumb enough to hope for a miracle until I had to watch the last Omega scent-match with her pack.
I wasn’t the only one without a purpose. What is an Alpha without an Omega? A shell of a man that is. I watched many packs separate and move away, deciding to live among the Betas in the hope of finding happiness. The memory takes me unaware. It was a heartbreaking time, and I hate to think about it. I shouldn’t dwell in the past.
This land is my present and future. That’s what I should concentrate on. When my dads offered me the Wilde Ranch, I packed my bags before they finished talking. I couldn’t stay back in our township anymore, not when everyone had moved on. My brother Derrick was a rodeo star; he could bury his head in the sand and move on instead of watching everyone’s dream shatter. I was grateful for that. It was hard enough watching my friends fall apart. I thought he was happy out there living his dream.
Jesse was the only one who followed me out here. We both knew we were a pack. Even when there was no Omega to spoil, the bond was there. That’s why I never wanted to forget our ways and move on with a Beta. It felt wrong.
“There you go, Champion.” I finish brushing the other side and give the horse one last pat before moving from his stall.
Fuck, the melancholy has a prime seat inside my chest today, and I don’t have time to feel this way. There’s always something to do on the ranch and rarely any time for nostalgia. I track down the stalls until I find my horse, Chaos. With a shiny black coat and an attitude, it’s pretty obvious why we bonded. We both have a chip on our shoulders.
“Mornin’.” I move to prepare his saddle while he snorts a reply.
A ride before breakfast might do me good and keep the ghosts away. Once Chaos is ready, we trot along the sunflower patch, breathing in the morning air. A list of chores loops through my mind, things that have to be done before noon, but the sunflowers are the most lucrative business for us, and it has my full attention. It’s almost time for theharvest, and I’ve seen a few slugs mulling around. I can’t let anything happen to these plants.
Chaos vibrates with relentless energy under me, and with a chuckle, I release his reins. He takes on speed quick as lightning. As we fly through the ranch, my mind finally rests, and the weight lifts off my shoulders. There are no responsibilities when we gallop this fast. Everything is a blur, and all I feel is the wind crying out as we speed.
It’s past seven when I drop Chaos back to his stall and move to the house, I’m starved now and ready for a hearty breakfast.
Jesse is on the porch when I arrive, with no shoes on his feet, but that damn guitar is glued to his chest. His curly hair falls to his forehead as he looks down at the guitar, absently playing tunes to the sun. He doesn't lift his eyes when I step closer, choosing quiet notes instead of words.
“Mornin’, Jesse.”
The music stops, and he looks up with a lopsided smile. It should concern me how in peace someone can be every single day, but that’s Jesse for you. He has a gentleness I don’t possess. My brother has a cup in his hands, watching me with the same blue eyes I have, saying nothing as I come in and drop my hat to the side.
“Champion is in good spirits.” I grab a cup of coffee.
Derrick dips his chin in acknowledgment, and I push down my disappointment. It’s fucking useless to try him. He hasn’t been the same since he came back from the rodeo with a fucked hand and broken dreams.
“What do we have for today?” Jesse asks, finally picking up a shirt and putting it on.
I roll my shoulders, thinking about how to deliver the news, but fuck me, I’m not good with words, so I might as well just spill it.
“St. James’s kid isarriving today.”
Both of them stare at me, eyebrows lifting in surprise. They knew it was happening, but none of us knew when. He got in contact last night, and I had to swallow the inconvenience of it all and accept the deal. What can I do when he’s my biggest client? He knows he has me in the palm of his hand.
Three months ago, I was contacted by Anderson St. James, CEO of St. James Industries. He’s one of my biggest clients because he buys my entire sunflower production every year. St. James is an old prick, as most rich men are, so it never bothered me. When he contacted me this time, it wasn’t to discuss an order but to request something unusual.
According to St. James, his grandkid is out of control. The old man says it’s one bad decision after another, and he thinks some time on the ranch will do him good. I knew the score without him having to say. He wants to take the boy out of circulation and have him do manual labor to teach him that working in some skyscraper for Granddaddy is much better than shoveling shit.
I don’t do well with people, especially new people, but I know better than to say no to my biggest client. Without his money, I won’t make it through the year, so his favor became a demand.
The others don’t know how much we rely on one man. I don’t like to share my fucking failures for everyone to see, so I understand why they are shocked that I agreed to this whole thing. It doesn’t feel much like me.
I clear my throat and avert my eyes from their accusing gaze. “At the end of the day. But we need to do a few things before he arrives. I don’t trust a young boy with certain tasks.”
“You’re telling me he won’t be a good ranch hand, then?” Derrick drawls.
The tension that has been building since St.James's call last night shakes me from head to toe. I make a warning sound with the backof my throat, telling my brother to leave it be. I hate when people put words in my mouth, and he knows this.
“It takes time to trust people, Derrick, “I reply in a cutting tone. “I won’t let the animals suffer because of a rich delinquent.”
“What do you think he did?”
Jesse’s question defuses the tension in the room, and my shoulders relax. I move my gaze from my brother to my other pack member, thankful for him. I never thought I’d need a peacemaker in the pack, but fuck, I’m glad he’s here.
