Page 36 of One Wild Omega

Now his little sadist was fast asleep in his bed, a bed he’d been unable to sleep in all night. He’d lain awake, his mind running a virtual hamster wheel as he tried to make sense of what was happening.

It would be easy to be angry at Bellamy, but then Bellamy didn’t know Fitz was his alpha.

He could easily tell the truth, but there were so many possible scenarios that could happen if he did. Some of the endings he imagined made him cringe, so he came up with a better plan. If he stayed quiet… and Bellamy and Fitz kept up their little friendship… he could remain on the periphery, learning all he could about his alpha. What things made Fitz Walker tick. And maybe… over time… Fitz would warm up to him.

Look at Tanner without that snarl on his face and the tone to his voice.

But it also put him into an uncomfortable situation. Using a friend to get information on Fitz. But if he clued Bellamy in… he’d lose his chance to keep Fitz in the fray.

Just as he finished up in the bathroom, he heard a click of the outer door closing and realized he’d never heard Bellamy come back home. But then, he had been a bitbusy. Peeking out his bedroom door, he saw Bellamy walking in with a wide smile on his face.

Wearing the same clothes Tanner had lent him the day before.

He grabbed a robe off the back of the door, unable to stop himself. Strolling out, he plastered a smile on his face and hoped he could fake it for more than a minute. Heading for the coffee pot, he winked. “Look who’sjustgetting home!”

Bellamy shook his head, face growing red. “No… it’s not like that. We didnotdo what you’re imagining we did.”

“Oh? Do tell?” Tanner cooed as he started a pot of coffee. All while trying to hold back the bile rising up his throat. “My imagination is pretty vivid, as you well know. Who knows what I’m thinking.”

“Well, we stayed through the band’s full set. And you heard them—they were really,reallygood.”

“Actually, Raimy and I left not long after you guys went inside. The place was pretty lame so we headed to this wild new club called the Outer Limits. That place wasintense.” He paused. “But never mind that… keep going.”

“Ah, I didn’t realize you left so soon in,” Bellamy said, sounding a little disappointed. “Well, they werereallygood. And we stayed until they closed up for the night and helped them break down their equipment afterwards. As a thank you, his coworker, Kyle, and their band mates took us out to breakfast with them… and we all just hung out and talked and laughed all night. Then Fitz brought me home.” Bellamy smiled. “He’s atotalgentleman. I wish he was my alpha… because he’s exactly the kind I’d want.”

Tanner wanted to scream, but held it all inside. His alpha treated another omega better than him. He clenched the edge of the counter and tried to control himself.

“You okay?” Bellamy asked behind him.

Clenching his teeth, he turned with a fake smile. “Yep. Just had a little too much fun last night myself.”

“Oh? The Outer Limits, hmmm? I heard about that place… alpha heavy?” Bellamy lifted one brow. “I thought you didn’t mess with alphas?”

“I don’t.” Tanner quickly steered the conversation away from his night and back to Bellamy’s. “I’m glad you had a good night. Really, I am.” He poured some sugar into his cup. “Are you… are you going to see him again?”

“I told you. He’s only a friend. I’ll see him at lunch breaks, sure. But that’s it.”

“I could see by the way he looks at you that he wants you to be more than his friend.”

Bellamy frowned. “I saw. I also reminded him last night that I wasn’t his omega. I refuse to lead him on so I was totally straight and upfront with him. Again. But I don’t think he believes me.”

“Well, with us omegas onScentex, I’m sure many unmated alphas run around, wondering about just about every unmated omega they meet.” That was just another thought that had come to him at five in the morning, as the sky was just starting to grow gray.

Fitz hadn’t seemed to wonder about him, though. He’d acted as if Tanner was a virus he was afraid of catching.

“Who knows… your alpha might be back in the Eastern Provinces,” Tanner wondered aloud and realized the truth of his words as he spoke them. He turned to gaze at a nervous-looking Bellamy. “And if you never go back, there might not be someone for you out here.”

Leaving him open and available to Fitz.

Oh fuck.

“I hadn’t even considered that,” Bellamy said, red creeping over his face. “But, really… if fate sent me here… and had me cross paths with you, giving me a place to stay… maybe I was meant to be here. Maybe my mate is out here, too.”

“Maybe,” Tanner mumbled, suddenly feeling a bit sick to his stomach.

His bedroom door whipped open and a naked—erect—beta stormed out. “Do I smell coffee?”

Bellamy’s eyes widened before his stare whipped to Tanner. “Someonedid have fun last night.”

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