4. Tim
4
TIM
I had no idea why I was being so bold.
Usually, being around Conrad made me even more shy and awkward than I normally was.
But now?
My omega practically howled for his attention.
Hell, I could feel myself getting slick just being in his presence.
And then he started flirting —not just the cute, sweet semi-flirting we'd been exchanging for months, but really flirting— and I was ready to strip off my clothes and beg him to take my virginity then and there.
I didn't even care that we were in the middle of the pear orchard where anyone could wander over and see us.
I wanted him.
I needed him.
Is this Heat?
I’d gone to the mandatory omega health sessions run by the fertility clinic when Beckett, the pack Alpha, announced that unlocking the alphas might change things for omegas in our pack, too.
Eric and Brandt, the two doctors in charge of all the science and magic-y stuff, explained that the magic was all about universal balance or whatever.
Essentially, that meant with alphas being unlocked, omegas in the vicinity would likely return to having heat cycles without a mate.
They did say it was all a theory at the time, but they made sure we all knew it was a possibility.
They also offered us birth control options specifically designed for omegas, which the Alpha's mate, Ollie, said he swears by.
I turned down the birth control pills. I didn't see any sense wasting the pack resources when I had no use for them.
It wasn't like there was anyone knocking on my door and asking me out. Not even the betas, who were thought to be biologically unable to impregnate an omega, were interested in me.
But now here I was, uncharacteristically throwing myself at the man I thought was the sexiest alpha of them all.
He chuckled at my outlandish words and shook his head. "Cute," he grinned, then sighed. "But we've gotta get to picking these pears before your daddy comes at me with his shotgun."
"It's only for show," I playfully exaggerated, "I don't think he even knows how to load it."
I considered making another flirtatious joke about Conrad's weapon and where he could unload it, but I bit my tongue, knowing the moment had passed. That was probably for the best.
What the hell is wrong with me?
We worked in tandem, with Conrad keeping an eye on me and, as promised, making me stick to the easier picks. I felt wobbly and dizzy a few times, but I blamed the heat and possible dehydration. Either way, he made me sit down and guzzle water until I felt okay again.
I kind of liked him looking after me that way.
Okay, let’s be real: I loved that he was caring for me.Paired with the flirting, I was starting to hope that maybe —just maybe— he might be interested in me, too.
As the day came to an end, my stomach twisted and turned with a weird sort of anxiousness.
Oblivious, Conrad grabbed both the heavy tubs of freshly picked pears and stacked one on top of the other, lifting them both with a soft grunt.
It was a purely innocent sound, but it sent a surprising wave of arousal through me, to the point where I was certain my underwear was officially damp with slick. My cheeks flamed, and my stomach roiled with embarrassment.
“You okay?” he asked, peering around the top of the two tubs. His eyebrows drew together in concern. “You’re looking pale again.”
I opened my mouth to say something —anything— to reassure him, but my mouth watered and the unexpected urge to hurl hit me out of nowhere. Spinning on my heels, I raced to a nearby tree and expelled the meagre contents of my stomach onto the grass and dirt.
“That’s it, let it out,” Conrad’s deep voice soothed as his large hand rubbed circles on my back.
Tears trickled down my cheeks as I heaved. They were partially from the vomiting, and partially from humiliation. There was no way he’d be interested in me after this. I didn’t know how his sensitive shifter nose could deal with the smell of my sick. It set me off all over again.
“Ugh,” I gratefully accepted the bottle of water he handed me when I finally straightened up. I rinsed and spat, scrunching my nose at how gross the whole experience was. “I thought I was done with that.”
Conrad frowned. “Have you seen a doctor?”
“It’s just the flu,” I insisted, then looked up at the sky. “Or maybe a bit of heatstroke. I’m not wasting anyone’s time on that.” My throat stung as I sipped at the water. “I’m honestly already feeling better.”
Drained, sure, but better.
He squinted. “Hmm. I’ll be keeping an eye on you, Timmy.”
Despite my embarrassment, I liked the sound of that. “Oh yeah?” I folded my arms over my chest as he picked the tubs up again from where he must have hastily put them down. “How are you going to do that when we’re working on opposite sides of the farm?”
“I’m going to take you out,” he declared. I think he was just as surprised by the words as me. His cheeks turned pink over the top edge of his beard, and he cleared his throat. “I mean, if you’d like to go out with me. On dates.”
My fox practically did backflips. I felt breathless, my heart hammering madly. “I’d like that a lot, Conrad.”
He grinned, but the smile fell as we walked towards the main farmhouse. My house. “Your dad’s not gonna like it.”
“You said it yourself,” I refused to let this chance to date my crush slip through my fingers, “I’m a grown man. Anyway,” I shrugged, “Dad’s all bark, no bite. And you’re one of his favorite workers. He won’t actually stand in our way.”
“You sure about that?” he jerked his chin towards the house, where Dad was leaning against one of the porch posts, quite obviously watching us approach.
I rolled my eyes and waved. “Hey, Dad.”
His stern expression melted into paternal affection, and he nodded, stepping down the front steps to come and take one of the tubs from Conrad’s hold. “Looks like you had a good day in the orchard,” he said, inspecting our haul. “Good work.”
“Thank you, sir.”
Dad’s expression switched to amusement. “Sir? That’s a new one. What happened to Mister Bowman?”
Conrad’s cheeks turned pink. “I…well, uh…” Floundering, he glanced over his shoulder at me, silently pleading for help.
I snorted and followed them towards the sheds where we kept the produce for sorting and shipping. “He’s afraid you’re going to come at him with your shotgun when I tell you we’re going out on a date.”
Dad’s steps faltered for a second, but his tone was level when he asked, “Is that so?”
“But you’re not a neanderthal who treats omegas like property,” I continued lightly, “and you know Mom would whoop your butt if you said that it would be the same if you had a daughter, because we’re not living in the fifties and women aren’t property either. Besides, I’m an adult.”
“Of all that, it’s the fact that your mother would bitch me out from here ’til next June that gets me the most,” Dad teased. “But…you’re right. I can’t stop you from dating whoever you like. Although,” he placed his tub down on one of the gleaming stainless steel sorting tables and rounded on Conrad with a pointed index finger, “you’ll be a perfect gentleman, won’t you, son?”
“ Dad ,” I facepalmed. “Really?”
“He’s still an alpha,” he said. “I know you’re not in the same situation as Oliver and Beckett were, or Rex and Damon, thanks to Conrad’s alpha already being unleashed or whatever it is the kids are saying. But, adult or not, you’re still young and still an omega, and I’m too young to be a grandpa. Especially when this is the first man you’ve gone out with?—”
“ Dad !” My face was on fire. I hadn’t wanted Conrad to know just how inexperienced I was, and I certainly hadn’t wanted him to hear it from my dad.
“I respect you and your son too much to be anythin’ but a gentleman, Mister Bowman,” Conrad said while I was still plotting ways to reverse time.
Groaning, I spun to glare at him. “What if I don’t want you to be a gentleman? I’m twenty-two and I’m the one in control of my body, not him.” Glancing back at Dad, I huffed, “And I’m only two years younger than Mom was when she had me. Don’t act like you two waited until marriage or anything.”
Dad scrunched his nose. “I don’t want to think about you like that. And I don’t want you thinking about your mother and me…”
“Yeah, well, I don’t want to think about it, either, but?—”
“We haven’t even had our first date yet,” Conrad interrupted our family squabble with a chuckle. “So…let’s maybe cross that bridge when it comes to it, Tim. I’m not in a rush here. I’m plannin’ on stayin’ in Shifters Sanctuary for as long as I’m welcome, and that means we have time to get to know each other properly.”
That did not help me. I already wanted to climb the man like a damn tree. It figured the first man to ask me out would also be the kind of guy who wanted to wait and form a proper connection first.
But his sweet side was a big part of why I liked him. Besides, he was right.
“Yeah, well, to be honest I’m not ready to…” I cast a sidelong glance in Dad’s direction and exhaled again, “ rush anything. But I’m just saying I’m in my twenties. This isn’t something my parents get an opinion on.”
“You’re right,” Dad clapped his hand on my shoulder and squeezed. “But you’re always going to be my little boy, Timmy. My sweet little omega. Plus, worrying about alphas is still a new concept for me. My caveman brain kicked in for a minute, and I’m sorry.”
An overwhelming urge to cry struck me out of nowhere. I could only assume it was because I was overtired, still a bit sick, and the whole day had been a rollercoaster of emotions. Clearing my throat, I pretended his words were embarrassing, and we helped him lock up the shed for the night.