Page 29 of The Feisty Omega

Knock. Knock.I rapped my knuckles on the door.

“Door’s open. Come on in.” The voice, rough but cheerful, was welcoming.

The doorknob was slippery in my clammy hand and I had to make two attempts before it would turn.

A large man with hair beginning to grey sat behind the desk. He was a beta, possibly somewhere in his late 30s or early 40s. I hadn’t seen him on any of my previous visits to admin. Not that there had been that many. He sized me up with sharp brown eyes and waved me in.

“Come on in and sit down. Tell me what’s got you looking so concerned.”

He stood up and leaned across the desk, hand extended. “Name’s Johnson.”

“Oh, er. Hey. I’m Talius Braden. I’m in the graduating Alpha program that’s running now.” I replied as we shook hands.

“Hey, Talius. Pleased to meet you. Now sit down and tell me what’s on your mind.”

I shifted nervously in my seat.

“Well, sir, I…”

He cut me off. “Relax, Talius. No need to be formal with me. Just call me Johnson.”

“Cool, um, thanks. See the thing is, when I signed up for this, I was told the course was an accelerated course. That it would finish in two weeks…”

The grey-flecked head was already shaking, as he interrupted, bushy eyebrows drawn. “That was never going to happen, Talius. I don’t know where you got that idea from.”

I hesitated. Would he believe me? Was he going to laugh in my face?

“My Alpha told me.”

Johnson cocked his head, brows meeting across his forehead. His dark brown eyes pierced me.

“Every Alpha knows it’s a four-week program. Always. Are you sure you didn’t mis-hear him?” The tone of his voice had dropped, more serious now. Did he think I was lying?

My head fell forward, the unruly hair flopping across my face. It hid the tears of frustration and rage pricking at my eyes.

“There are… reasons… Alpha might not want me around the pack at Christmas,” I admitted softly.

The silence was a vacuum between us. He was waiting for me to fill it, so with a sigh, I did.

“There’s an omega who visits our pack every Christmas,” I explained. “I mean, he’s too young to be making any plans, but he and I, we have some kind of bond, and, ah, we kind of suspect we’re fated somehow,” I looked up when I said this, trying to gauge his reaction.

He looked at me, eyes thoughtful and sympathetic. He wasn’t looking like he thought me an idiot or anything, which was encouraging.

I continued, “But Alpha’s son has shown an interest in him.” I bit my lip. What I was about to say, could be out of line. It depended on how traditional Johnson was. “We think maybe an arrangement has been made between his parents and Alpha, for a union between their sons.”

Johnson’s jaw firmed. He looked pensive, then he said, “And you think it would be convenient if you were out of the way so his son can make a move?”

“Yeah, maybe.”

“How old is this person you think is your potential mate?”

“He’s 18.”

Johnson leaned forward in his chair, looking alarmed.

“Whoa, that’s young! You know you can’t be…”

I put my hand up to stop him, I didn’t want him thinking I was taking advantage. “No, I know. We haven’t… we aren’t… we’re just friends for now, but we know it’s gonna be more later on,” I stammered.

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