2. CHAPTER 2
CHAPTER 2
For far too long, Weston’s world had been about survival. He would have liked to have said things were different, but he would be lying. There hadn’t been a moment when he hadn’t been alert and ready to defend himself or his friends. He might have been an Alpha, but no one was truly safe, especially west of the Mississippi River.
It was a lawless world, where only the ruthless survived, and not always, even then. Ambushes while one slept were something that happened all the time, especially for those who dared to stand up for what was just. He’d learned that the hard way when he’d watched his father and brother get slaughtered for defending an Omega that several Alphas were raping.
His father had forced him to hide and not come out as he’d only been fourteen and no match for the group of Alphas they were confronting. It shamed him to admit he’d been scared. No. Terrified. He hadn’t left his hiding spot for two days until hunger and thirst had gotten the best of him. Even then, he’d carefully extracted himself under the cover of darkness and ran all the way back to their small home.
Their neighbors had taken him in, who believed in helping Omegas and Alphas when they were in the right. Both the Alpha and his Omega mate had trained him to survive. By the time he’d turned eighteen, he could use every weapon ever made and camouflage himself when necessary. Their key lesson had been when to get involved and when to realize there was nothing he could do. It had been a hard pill to swallow each time he’d had to watch the atrocities done to Omegas, but they’d explained that his dying wouldn’t help that Omega or any future Omegas he might save.
Sure, those he’d defined as friends had changed through the years, but he’d learned since childhood to trust his instincts to know who he could trust and those he couldn’t. Mostly. Okay, so it had taken time for him to have been able to judge a person’s character based on nothing more than a momentary meeting.
Which was why, when he’d once again seen an Omega friend, Gulliver, that he’d known for years, he’d been willing to risk not just his own life but those of the few friends he depended on. He’d been willing to help keep them safe on the dock and get them the supplies they needed. It hadn’t been easy.
It was why, when he’d overheard Alphas planning to go after a boatful of Omegas, he almost hadn’t gotten involved. He knew a few Alphas who would be willing to help, but they would be hopelessly outnumbered. But there had been something nagging at him to help however he could.
Finding fuel for a boat he and his friends owned took longer than expected as it was a much sought-after commodity, but they were determined to do something. When their risky plan of ramming the Alpha boat with their own had worked, the Omegas offered to take them back to their home, a place called Sanctuary.
The moment he’d stepped onto the dock, Westland had known he’d found his home. The only problem? It wouldn’t be easy to defend. The town wasn’t huge, some of its infrastructure wasn’t exactly ‘in town.’ Like the hydroelectric plant. It was a huge structure that spanned the river nearly ten miles away. With only their feet and a few horses to get around, it would mean leaving it defenseless to attack. At least with their current number of residents.
Maybe if they could recruit more people they would have a chance, but they would need the bulk of the townspeople to defend not only the town but the farm that supplied most of the food for Sanctuary because without food, they had no chance of survival. Electricity was nice, but most people who lived in the west went without.
It also meant altering the jail he’d help rebuild with padlocks in case the electricity ever went out. The last thing they needed was for the Alphas they’d captured who were trying to harm the town and the Omegas who lived there to get free.
With it being such hot work to solder the locks on the doors, he’d set up a place outside for him to work. Yeah, it would take him longer since he could only attach it to the door, but it would be cooler. Plus, the last thing he wanted was to be in the jail with a bunch of locked up Alphas he was more than tempted to kill for the destruction they’d caused.
Taking a break, he set down his tools and reached for his reusable water bottle. Taking a long drink, he looked out over the open area between the jail and school, where Leandro was currently sitting on a bench at the playground where a bunch of kids were playing.
There were always at least four people guarding the playground in order to get the children to safety if the town was under attack. That didn’t even include the parents or guardians who were there monitoring their kids as they played.
It gutted him to know even the young ones weren’t safe from harm. If anything, they were even more at risk of being taken by an unscrupulous Alpha.
Watching the beautiful Omega with the light blue eyes that reminded him of the sky on a day like today, Weston could tell by his hunched shoulders and the tension radiating off his body, Leandro was upset. Not that he could blame him. The Omega just buried one of his best friends. That couldn’t have been easy.
His vibe was warning others away, but Weston couldn’t help but make his way across the expanse to check on him. He’d wanted to say something earlier at the gravesite, but Leandro had basically bolted the moment the service was over.
He longed to at least be friends, but Leandro had given him the cold shoulder since almost the moment he’d arrived in Sanctuary. Considering most Alphas weren’t actually trustworthy, it made sense, but it hadn’t made it any easier when Weston’s arms itched to hold the slight Omega and keep him safe.
The closer he got, the easier it was to see those light blue eyes darken as Leandro glared at him. He knew the Omega was pretty much warning him to ‘fuck off’, but Weston couldn’t deny the urge to try to comfort him.
“I’m really sorry about Zuko,” he said as he stood in front of Leandro. Then he sat down even though he hadn’t been invited to. “I know he was one of your best friends. Is there anything you need?”
“No.”
That was it. No thanks. No tears. No emotion.
Then again, he witnessed Leandro’s tears as they buried Zuko. It was possible he was all cried out for now.
He placed a hand on one of Leandro’s stiff shoulders. “If there’s anything you need, night or day, just let me know. I’m here if you want to talk, cry, or yell.”
The short, light brown hair blew slightly in the breeze, but Leandro ignored it as he turned to Weston with such hatred in his eyes that it nearly bowled Weston over.
When he’d first laid eyes on Leandro, he’d pined to hold the prickly man. But he’d been there for a couple of months now, and so far, he hadn’t been greeted with anything remotely like warmth. When it had to do with getting the town ready, whether it’d been from attack or providing more infrastructure to provide more housing for new residents, expanding the rooms that could be used for the hospital or the school, Leandro would speak to him. Just not anything else.
Nothing personal. Not even how much Leandro seemed to stay away from anything kid-related. He might have been willing to guard the playground or even the school, but Weston never saw him willingly interact with the children. There was zero doubt in Weston’s mind that there was a story there.
Unfortunately, he doubted he’d ever hear it despite his attempts to spend time with Leandro. The problem was, since meeting him, the often cold and distant man was the only Omega Weston had ever been attracted to.
As hard as he’d tried to form a relationship with Leandro, something that could have possibly turned into love, it hadn’t been given a modicum of a chance. Hell, for all he knew, love didn’t even exist.
What if what Ford and Lowen had, or Coleson and Renzo claimed to have, wasn’t real? Maybe it was just their choice to be together.
Which meant what for him and Leandro?