Chapter One
Four days earlier: Monday
Lucky
Lucky was nervous, though he couldn’t say why.
He didn’t understand why Lincoln had asked him to wait outside the shop, rather than going in with him.
He was a lone omega and the entire point of being with Lincoln was so that the alpha could be his chaperone and protector.
The laws existed for a reason, because underage omegas were at risk of being kidnapped by the illegal Omega Market, and were susceptible to alpha flare.
Why the fuck was Lincoln leaving him out there, at risk of those threats, just for a packet of cigarettes?
A hand on his waist made him flinch, and he scowled at the burst of laughter as Lincoln crept up beside him.
“What’s gotten into you?” Lincoln grinned at Lucky as though he hadn’t just frightened him on purpose.
“Don’t do that!” Lucky hated that he always had to be a brat. How did he expect Lucky to ever want him as an alpha mate when he pulled childish shit like this? “Can we go now?”
Lincoln tucked something into his pocket that looked nothing like a packet of cigarettes. He didn’t bother asking, because Lincoln had been acting odd for the last three weeks and Lucky didn’t want to be involved in whatever shit show he was tangled up in.
Two steps away, Lincoln leaned in close. “Is your Heatwave still working?”
Lucky rolled his eyes, amazed that someone so smart could be such a brainless, self-centred asshole.
“It’s fine.” It would have been Lincoln’s fault if it wasn’t.
Heatwave acted as a barrier between Lucky’s free will and the influence of alpha flare.
Assholes like Lincoln were happy to use flare on any omega they wanted to fuck with, and Lucky dreaded the day Lincoln was no longer contained by Override.
Lincoln lit a joint, which was illegal and could tamper with his Override, which meant that whether Lucky liked it or not, he was already at risk from Lincoln’s reckless choices. “Hang back. I need to meet some friends.”
Lucky kept his mouth shut against his better nature.
If he pissed off Lincoln and he walked off, it wouldn’t take long for a lone omega to raise eyebrows.
He’d be recognised and reported to his father, then he’d send a squad car to collect him.
He’d spent his life trying not to be the detective’s son, and wouldn’t ruin that just because Lincoln was a selfish shit.
He recognised the group of guys Lincoln waved to from college and rolled his eyes at how desperate Lincoln was to fit in, but reluctantly followed when he walked over, remaining on the periphery.
At least it was a nice day to hang around outside.
Threnul was a naturally warm province, but the heat they'd been having lately was unseasonable for this time of year.
“Jack!” Lincoln did a handshake-hug with Jack that looked ridiculous.
Lucky leaned against the nearby wall between two shops to wait.
After close to ten minutes, sick of waiting, he was about to check his phone when someone appeared beside him and dropped to one knee.
A blond head blocked his view of any discerning features as the guy tied his shoelace, then he stood, revealing a familiar face Lucky couldn’t put a name to.
He was tall, dressed in expensive designer jeans and a brand T-shirt beyond Lucky’s price range.
His trainers probably cost more than Lucky’s entire wardrobe.
Removing a packet of cigarettes from his back pocket, the guy flipped the lid and wrapped his lips around a cigarette.
He held it there while he tucked the packet away, removing a lighter with his other hand to spark the tip.
He spotted Lucky, eyes narrowing before darting away to the crowd of bodies nearby.
“You with Lincoln?” He jerked a thumb in Lincoln’s direction while releasing a cloud of smoke.
Lucky wondered at the guess, until he realised Lincoln was shooting nervous glances at Lucky.
He tucked his hands behind his back as those bright blue eyes raked over him from head to toe.
“Unfortunately.” He bit his bottom lip, cursing his honesty, in case this guy was friends with Lincoln. “I’m Lucky.”
“Chase.”
“Chase Walker?”
The guy raised an eyebrow. “I’d remember if we’d met before.”
“Everyone knows Chase Walker.” He was the second youngest son of the most prominent family in the province, who owned an empire of corporate businesses.
His alpha father was an infamous womaniser, councilman, and gambler.
Though rumour had it that his omega mother was the real power behind the name, the business and family fortune.
Chase was more handsome in person than in those paparazzi pictures.
Six feet four, with broad shoulders, narrow hips, strong arms and thick thighs, with sunshine hair cropped short and beautiful blue eyes, drool-worthy barely covered it.
Nearly every omega in Introductory College practically flooded with slick just from hearing he was nearby.
Chase laughed, slightly bitter. “At least you’re not a sycophant or stalker.”
He didn’t know if that was an insult, but Lucky shrugged. “I’m only interested in food right now.” He was starting to get hangry. They’d been off campus for nearly twenty minutes of their hour and he hadn’t seen a single sign of food.
Chase looked genuinely surprised. “You like noodles?”
“I love noodles. Why?”
Chase leaned in with a warm smile. “I’m hungry, there are noodles over there, and last I checked, I’m a suitable alpha chaperone. Shall we go eat?”
Chase
It took five seconds for Lucky to take his hand, teeth drawing his bottom lip into his mouth, like he couldn’t believe he was doing this. Neither could Chase. He knew he was trustworthy, but Lucky didn’t.
He wasn’t sure what he was doing, except that Lucky was a refreshing surprise to a routine day.
Grant and Neko had been in a study group when he’d left campus, and Jack had arrived with three of his friends.
He couldn’t be bothered expending the effort to shake them, until Lucky presented a better alternative.
“Your name is Lucky, you’re friends with Lincoln, and you like noodles.” Chase glanced at Lucky, walking beside him like they weren’t complete strangers. “I know three things about you. Make it five and I’ll buy you ice cream after the noodles.”
Lucky laughed, a sweet sound that matched the warmth in his eyes. “You know two things about me, and I can buy my own ice cream,” he countered, then bobbed his head. “Add in salted caramel sauce and I’ll make it seven.”
Chase nodded, impressed by his bargaining. He took another quick drag on his cigarette, eyeing the distance between them and the café. “Ten.”
“Eight.”
He caved, because he was intrigued. “Since you didn’t lie about your name and I can’t imagine why you’d lie about liking noodles, I deduce Lincoln isn’t your friend.”
“Are you sure I didn’t lie about my name?”
Chase smiled around his cigarette and tapped off the ash. “I remember,” he admitted, having only needed to hear his name to jog the memory. “There’s this Lucky Darro in a few of my classes, who likes to remind alphas that we’re selfish assholes who rule the world.”
“I’ve heard of him.” He actually looked embarrassed. Chase had never seen anything cuter until Lucky got indignant. “I will not apologise for pointing out that all the laws that govern omegas were written by alphas. It makes no sense!”
“You’re right. But then, I usually find myself agreeing with you.”
Lucky looked impressed and tucked his hands into his trouser pockets. “I like an alpha who can admit he’s not always right. You’re a rare breed.”
Chase smiled, loving this unexpectedly playful side of someone who was always so serious in class. “Lincoln? How come you’re not friends?”
“Have you met him?” Lucky said, so blunt that Chase laughed.
“Lincoln is a selfish asshole, but he’s been my neighbour since we were kids.
I’m stuck with him, like you were stuck with Jack.
” The way he said Jack’s name, in that lazy, drawling way Jack had of talking, made Chase smile around another smoke.
“At least you can walk away.” Lucky heaved a world-weary sigh.
“What’s worse is that he wants to be more than friends, and that will never happen. ”
Chase had never encountered that problem.
Alphas were allowed to experiment and screw around long before they were officially of age, and he’d had fun times with betas from campus.
Lucky didn’t have that benefit, since omegas weren’t classed as legally of age until twenty-one, and were expected to abstain unless it was with their true mate.
“I guess you can’t fake a true mate bond.”
Lucky laughed, cocking his head at Chase like he was a surprise.
“Who says I can’t? He’d never know.” His brave statement was immediately ruined by sadness and worry.
“I’m more afraid of what he’ll do if he realises he’s not my mate.
It’s almost safer to let him hope for the impossible.
Just until I find my mate and secure the bond. ”
They were only steps from the café, but Chase caught Lucky’s arm.
“Are you afraid of Lincoln?” He’d never imagined an omega would have a chaperone they didn’t trust. That was the point of a chaperone, to keep the omega safe.
If Lucky didn’t trust his, then what did that mean for the rest of the omegas in the world, who were stuck with a chaperone that scared them or crossed the line?
There was no recourse for a chaperone who abused their position, that Chase was aware of. He wasn’t sure it had even been considered, never mind put into law. Everyone just believed in the role as protective, to safeguard omegas.
“He’s super possessive. He’d never let anyone hurt me or take me away, but―” Lucky stopped abruptly, but his meaning was clear.
“But…he could hurt you.”