Page 5 of Of Daggers and Deceit

It was another year where we were desperate to both protect the citizens of the Haven and survive against the Dominants, those disgusting beasts who believed in the subservience of Omegas.

Harsh pain exploded on my chin. “Fuck!” I yelled.

The idiot laughed. “Stop thinking about her and focus!” he teased, and I glared at him.

“I wasn’t even thinking about her this time!”

I came at him harder, with punches and kicks quicker than he was used to as I threw him off balance. He tripped over himself onto the mat, laughing.

“You usually are, though, and that’s the problem. When are you going to do something about it, bro?”

I held out a hand to help him up, which he took, as the others in practice began to move off the floor for a break.

“This is going to be my year,” I said as we walked towards our own water bottles and sweat towels, sitting on the bench for a rest.

“Yeah, well, it better be, because I’ve seen some of the other Alphas eyeing her off,” he commented before pouring a steady stream of water down his throat.

“I’ve already warned them to back the fuck off. If they want to test me, they can go ahead, but they won’t like the outcome.”

Hayden rolled his eyes, dabbing at the sweat on his brow. “You can’t just look at her forever and threaten everyone who wants to pursue her when you won’t act on your feelings. What if she doesn’t want you? What if she has her eye on someone else?”

He waggled his eyebrows, and I growled then, something nasty and possessive waking to life inside me at the thought of it.

I forced a calming breath out.

“Nah, she’ll fall in love with me this year, I know it. Once I make my move, I know she will. You can’t mistake this thing between us as anything other than the real thing,” I added before gulping my own water.

He shrugged his shoulders, unconvinced. “Maybe, maybe not. All I’m saying is, don’t wait, because there are others eager to replace you.”

My jaw clenched. He was beginning to grate on me. “Like I said, this is the year that everything changes.”

He laughed again. “Yeah. For all we know, we could be dead in a week.”

I frowned at that, though I usually laughed, because it was the only way to survive a life sentence of serving in the defence.

I wanted to spend a lifetime with Raya, not a week.

A heavy hand fell on my shoulder with a squeeze, his sweat towel now thrown around his neck.

“See you tomorrow. But go easier on me; I need to be in good shape for the thinning,” he begged.

I tipped my head up in acknowledgement, watching him walk to the steel door that led to the stairwell to ground level. He quickly typed in the code on the side of the door and cast a quick glance back with a wink towards me before allowing the door to slam shut behind him.

I looked around the now-empty room, resolve now firming my decision for the year. I couldn’t stand to think about her with an Alpha who wasn’t me. A laugh escaped me, that nasty feeling inside me twisting. No, definitely not.

This year, I would finally make my move on Raya, make her fall in love with me so I could live out the future I’d been dreaming of.

Tonight would be a good time to start.

Never in my life have I been short of willpower.

Living in the Haven with a life sentence to serve in the Defence required significant amounts of it already, but having the willpower to survive despite the odds was incomparably different to the sort of willpower required to restrain all my impulses. It was an uncomfortable sort of itch that had only increased in intensity over the last couple of months. Since we kissed. Then, she acted like it never happened.

Lights inside homes began to flicker on, drawing my awareness to the few stray Alphas finishing their day as they made their way home alongside me. The neighbour waved just before the door opened behind him, his lover’s arms opening wide in welcome, both dirtied but happy to see each other as they embraced. A small face peeked out behind the female’s leg, peering at me, and I smiled and waved to their daughter too. She ducked her head away, just as she always did, but still, seeing their bond brought a sense of lightness to my chest.

But with it came a sense of longing.

I walked the last few dusty steps towards the rickety front door, licking my lips ready. I intended to charm Raya and be incredibly convincing this year, not giving her any option to consider another in the Haven. I couldn’t allow it. Even the thought of it made something sharp and deadly rise inside me.

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