Chapter Phone Call
Chad hung up the phone and stared out the window overlooking the yard, a grin spreading on his face. He had pretty much given up hope that Peter was going to call.
Speaking to the dominant alpha had left Chad feeling giddy and almost like he was floating. It was like Peter had burrowed in under his skin, and now just the sound of his voice was enough to get Chad going. And Chad liked it.
“Chad! Dinner is ready!” his mother called from downstairs, startling him. He realized he’d been standing there like an idiot, staring out the window at nothing.
“I’m coming!” he called back. The phone had rung just after he came out of the shower, and Chad was still naked and a little wet.
He ignored the droplets of water still clinging to his skin and pulled on his jeans and a shirt, running out of his room and crashing down the stairs like he’d used to do as a teenager.
“You’re in a good mood,” his dad said, looking up from his seat at the kitchen table. Chad shrugged, unable to help the smile on his face.
“I’ve got a date,” he said, sitting down. His mother set the roast she had cooked on the table and sat down, handing the carving knife to Chad.
“A date?” she asked as he carved the meat. Chad nodded, not quite sure how much he wanted to tell them.
“Mm-hmm,” Chad said, noncommittally. He lifted a thick piece of meat over onto his mother’s plate, and then gave a much thinner piece to his father. The doctor had been very firm when he said that his dad needed to cut down on red meat.
“Boy or girl?” his dad asked. He didn’t look particularly happy about Chad’s selection of meat, but he didn’t complain.
“Man,” Chad said, the word coming out more pointed than he’d intended. No one who ever met Peter would dare call him a boy. If there ever was someone who deserved to be called an uber-alpha, it was Peter. He exuded power and control unlike anyone Chad had ever met.
It was as intimidating as it was hot.
“An alpha, actually,” Chad said. His parents both froze, looking at him with matching wide-eyed expressions, and Chad forced himself not to fidget.
He wasn’t embarrassed by the fact that he wanted to date Peter. Or rather, he was determined not to be.
“An alpha? Really?” his mother didn’t sound judgmental, just really, really surprised.
Chad didn’t blame her. He had never shown any interest in alphas when he was younger, as demonstrated by the posters lining the walls of his bedroom.
“I’ve just never met anyone like him. He’s got this presence. It’s intense.”
His dad frowned. “So he’s more…” he looked like he knew what he wanted to say, but wasn’t sure he should.
“He’s way more dominant than me,” Chad answered the question his dad had been wanting to ask.
“And you’re okay with that?”
Chad shrugged. “He’s just… he’s so dominant that fighting him isn’t even an option. It just feels natural to let him take the lead. It’s weird, but I like the way he makes me feel. It’s nice.”
Chad felt a little defensive. He knew it was out of character for him to be okay with being the less-dominant person in the room, but he knew how he felt.
He wasn’t stupid enough to try denying himself just because there was a specific way alphas were supposed to act.
Before, Chad had disliked being around alphas more dominant than himself because it made him feel on edge and vulnerable.
Peter didn’t make him feel like that, and so he didn’t mind.
It really was that simple.
“If you like him, we’re happy for you. And I’m glad you’re not too caught up in what other people will think to be put off dating him,” his mother said.
“It’s just a date. We’ll see how it goes,” Chad said, shrugging. He didn’t want to jinx things by investing too much. For all he knew, Peter was just looking for a bit of fun.
His parents didn’t comment further, and the rest of the dinner was spent talking about other things.
Still, Chad couldn’t stop thinking about Peter.
He wondered what they were going to do for their date, if he would still be comfortable with the older man, and if he’d end up back in Peter’s apartment.
He guessed he’d just have to wait and find out.
***