Page 14 of Worth Fighting For

He wanted a career. Yeah, so becoming a lawyer wasn’t going to happen. Even if it didn’t matter that he hadn’t gone to school, who west of the Mississippi gave a shit about the law? Maybe he was doomed to being nothing but a caregiver and baby factory, after all.

Sighing, he headed onto the dock where Ford was helping the new Omegas find housing. That was something he was good at. Much better than Ford, who didn’t understand the needs of each person or their personalities.

“I can do that, Ford,” he offered. His friend handed over the clipboard with all the rooms that were currently available gratefully.

“Thanks. I really should watch over the unloading of all the equipment you got before someone fucks it all up, making the trip a waste of time.” That was Ford, mechanical and practical, with very little ability to take peoples’ feelings into account.

It was something Coleson and their other friends often struggled to explain to Ford. Since it was mostly the Alphas unloading the bigger equipment, though, he figured they could handle Ford’s abrupt nature.

Then he turned to the Omegas before him and smiled. “If you want us to help you find any family that might be looking for you, we’ll do our best, but in the meantime all of you are welcome to stay in Sanctuary for as long as you’d like. I promise you, you’re going to be very happy here.”

Glancing at the clipboard, he already knew where to place three of the new arrivals. Their personalities would mesh well with those already living in the one house they’d finally been able to make livable just before they’d left on their trip.

Gesturing to all of them, he said, “Come with me and I’ll introduce you to your new roommates.”

Feeling better about his role in Sanctuary, even if it wasn’t technically a job, Coleson told them all about the amenities they already gotten up and running and the ones they were working on. He also talked about jobs available if any of them were interested.

It might not be glamorous, but he loved he could ease their minds as they talked animatedly about what they enjoyed doing and ways they might be able to contribute. This was exactly the reason he’d fought so hard to find a place where Omegas could find refuge.

Smiling, he listened, making note of people he would need to speak with to make their lives better.

“Spill.” Ira stood in the kitchen of their shared home with his arms crossed and a determined expression in every muscle of his body.

Going for innocent, even though Coleson damn well knew what his best friend meant, he cocked his head to the side and did his best expression of confusion. “What is that supposed to mean?”

Okay, so even he didn’t believe what came out of his mouth.

The look in Ira’s green eyes said he damn well knew Coleson was lying. Damn. Not good. Because of all his friends, Ira was the one who knew when he, or anyone for that matter, was lying.

“Stop,” he grumbled as he went into the kitchen to grab himself a coffee as he made breakfast.

When he saw the coffee was already in the pot and the skillet had eggs and there was sausage on a plate ready to be dished up, Coleson knew he was in trouble. Ira was one of those people who only cooked when he felt it necessary. Or, as Coleson and his friends said, ‘when he was trying to get the truth from them.’

The thing was, Ira was an amazing chef. He just didn’t like to cook. Odd? Sort of. But as an Omega, he completely understood. One thing that was expected of them was to cook and clean. It was why most of them were both completely inept at cooking and slobs.

It wasn’t a stereotype, but what was true for most of his friends. The only exemptions were Halsten, who loved to create amazing meals, and Zuko, who was the ultimate neat freak.

After pouring himself a cup of coffee and filling his plate, Coleson turned around to head to their small kitchen table and nearly collided with Ira, who was standing there, arms crossed, just waiting. Fuck. That was seriously not good.

He tried to ignore him and move around him, but Ira kept blocking him. “Fine,” he grumbled, which was enough for his friend to let him pass so he could sit down and eat.

After a big sip of coffee and two bites of eggs, he looked up at the one person he’d always been able to share his innermost thoughts with. “I think I might be attracted to Renzo.”

Just saying the words had his heart speeding up and his hands sweating to where he wanted to wipe them on his shorts. It was the last thing in the world he ever had wanted to admit, but once it was out there, he couldn’t deny feeling as if a huge weight had been lifted off his shoulders.

What he hadn’t expected was Ira’s seemingly happy smile at his admission. This was one person in the world who had every damn reason to hate Alphas. To hate their society that allowed Omegas to be seen as nothing more than property.

He’d been abused his entire life by his Alpha father. Witnessed his Omega dad’s death by the hands of that same Alpha father. Had seen countless Omegas in their home where his father had beaten them unconscious if not to their death. It had been by sheer luck—something he hadn’t really believed in until arriving safely in Sanctuary—that Ira’s Alpha father had died just one month after he’d turned eighteen, since he’d planned on selling Ira to another Alpha, who was nearly sixty and had already married and buried twenty other Omegas in his life.

“That’s great,” Ira exclaimed. Then he tilted his head and his brows nearly came together. “So why do you seem to be upset by this?”

Seriously? Okay, yes, Coleson had always hoped to find someone to love and create a family with, but how in the hell did someone who had gone through what Ira had ask that?

“Because I’m afraid I’ll end up being dependent on him.” Coleson hadn’t planned on saying that, but it was the truth.

He had no purpose any longer. No goals. Before coming to Sanctuary, he’d been driven to find a place they could go to be safe. But now…?

“Are you kidding me?” Ira exclaimed. “You are the one who makes certain we all get out of bed each day. Provide us all with plans to make this place better. Give us something to strive for. How can you possibly believe you would allow any Alpha to change you?”

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