Chapter Two
Chase
He choked on a sip, raising a hand to his mouth to make sure he didn’t spit it out. When Lucky pushed his milkshake glass across the table with a knowing smile, Chase took a sip to soothe the burn of his throat. “Five?”
Honestly, he’d presumed that Lucky wouldn’t want to find his true mate, because that would mean submitting to an alpha. From the way he talked in class, Chase had pitied whatever alpha sensed the bond with Lucky, because he’d been sure Lucky would reject them.
True mates were chosen by the Gods. Maybe that was why Lucky believed in a bond that would otherwise feel like a shackle.
It was said that true mates would find each other, over and over, until their hearts were ready to accept the bond.
They were never strangers—most people needed to have developed a crush or a friendship before they opened their hearts and minds to a true mate.
It hit like lightning straight to the heart, an instant connection that transcended boundaries.
It didn’t matter how well they knew each other—once the bond took hold, they couldn’t imagine a life without their bonded mate.
Chase was a hopeless romantic, having always hoped to find his true mate in someone he could imagine spending his life with before the bond struck. His father called him reckless and selfish, but Chase wanted to adore and care about his mate without the bond.
“They don’t all have to be biological.” Lucky raised his hands, looking shocked.
“I’d like to work with the ORT someday. They have so many kids rescued from the Market, or families torn apart by the Market.
I’d like to foster, maybe adopt. I’m an only child in a world where omegas are expected to have multiple kids.
I don’t want any other kid going through that loneliness, the snide comments about their parents, the judgements. ”
He had a point. The Omega Market was an illegal organisation that profited from the kidnap, torture and trafficking of omegas, which included children.
They forced omegas into pregnancies, then used the kids as re-sellable goods.
It was a disgusting practice, but so extensive he couldn’t imagine the government stamping it out for good.
Lucky was right that those kids didn’t deserve to be in that situation, and a good foster home or adoption could change their life.
Spurred on by that confession, Chase made one of his own. “I’ve already submitted my interest for a position at the ORT.”
“Seriously?”
“It’s a management position, mostly paperwork. After all the years I’ve spent being forced to learn the family business, it’s where I can do the most good,” he explained, though he hoped to train in the field, eventually.
Lucky’s eyes softened with understanding.
“Father worked hard to get his promotions and reach the rank of detective, but when they decided to have a family my papa gave up everything to raise me. He rejected an offer to work in a publishing firm because I was a sick baby and he put my care before his dreams. I want to repay him and earn enough money to help him open his own bookstore. He volunteers at the library and he’s got a book club, but it’s not what he loves. ”
Chase nodded, amazed they understood each other. “That’s a nice dream.” He loved that he cared about his papa’s dreams.
Lucky opened his mouth to say more when a shadow fell across their table.
“Chauncey?”
Lucky
Lucky had never heard anyone call Chase by his full birth name, but it didn’t suit him.
“Hana, what are you doing here?”
The woman, dressed in a dull, corporate brown suit, dismissed Lucky with barely a glance. With her hair cropped short and wearing high heels, she looked every inch the professional woman. Except for the boy holding her hand, who she barely registered.
“Hi, Uncle Chaun!” the boy piped up with a beaming smile.
Chase turned his attention to the boy. “Hey, buddy.”
“Chauncey, what are you doing in the omega section?”
If Chase was the boy’s uncle, that must mean Hana was his elder sister. She was nothing like Chase in style or personality, but Lucky could see the resemblance in their bone structure.
“As you can see, I’m sitting with an omega.” Chase rolled his eyes dramatically and his nephew giggled then snapped his gaze to his mother, looking guilty.
Lucky had a horrible suspicion that the boy expected to be chastised and leaned in to provide a distraction. “Hi. I’m Lucky.”
“That’s a pretty name for a pretty omega.”
“Thank you, sweetheart.” Lucky beamed at Chase, who was sufficiently distracted, talking in quiet hisses to his sister.
He gestured for the boy to come closer, not surprised he glanced at his mother for permission and carefully slipped his hand free when he realised she wasn’t paying attention. “How old are you?”
“I’ll be five soon,” he announced with pride. “I’m Pip.”
Lucky brushed blond hair from his eyes. Pip looked more like Chase than his sister. Perhaps she dyed her hair or her omega was as blond and blue-eyed as the other Walkers. “You’re tall for five!”
The compliment made Pip beam bright. “What’s that?”
Lucky cocked his head, not sure what he meant. “My hair?”
Pip shook his head and took a cautious step closer. “May I touch you, Omega?”
“You may.” He slid to the edge of the booth where the boy raised a tentative finger to Lucky’s neck in explanation of what he found fascinating.
It was funny how much he took after Chase.
Lucky turned his hand to show the boy more marks on his skin. “These are called Omha Sigils,” he explained, as Pip traced the deep blue marks painted beneath his skin. “They honour the Goddess Omha, who gave all omegas life.”
Pip lifted big, wide eyes to Lucky’s. “They’re pretty.”
A hand clasped onto Pip’s shoulder and urged him away from Lucky. “Don’t get any ideas. Omha’s Sigils are an old-fashioned, outdated concept.” Hana practically pulled Pip in front of her.
“I’m sure that could be said about me for a lot of reasons.
” Lucky rested his elbow on the table to place his chin in his hand, unbothered by her criticism.
He’d heard worse from far better people whose opinion meant more to him.
“To certain people it would be considered old-fashioned and outdated to give omegas the right to govern their own bodies. By the look of you, you believe that children should be seen and not heard. I’m afraid I don’t ascribe to that.
” He watched Pip with concern, hating how rigidly he stood next to his mother.
“I believe children should be loved, not managed. They’re gifts from Omha, not burdens on my precious time. ”
Hana scoffed, which had Pip hunching his shoulders like he’d been caught misbehaving. “If you can’t take Philip for the afternoon, I’ll give him to Mother.” Hana ushered Pip away from their table without even letting him say goodbye.
Chase watched them leave with obvious concern. “That’s my sister. I’ve never seen her act like that with Pip. I’ve never seen him so nervous.” He swallowed and reached into his jeans pocket for his phone. “I should warn my mother.” He sent a text, fingers flying over the screen.
When he was done, setting the phone at the side, within view, Lucky offered a distraction. “Secret ten. I’m an only child, because my papa had four miscarriages before I was born, and I almost didn’t make it three times.”
He became the instant focus of Chase’s attention, though he frowned and shook his head.
Lucky toyed with the napkin beneath his glass.
“That’s why he called me Lucky. My parents had already decided to stop trying the year before I was conceived, because he couldn’t bear another loss.
I was their miracle baby. That’s why I’ve always wanted a big family. It can be lonely being the only child.”
“It can.” Chase nodded, eyes shrouded with worry as they darted to his phone. “Thank you for distracting Pip. Hana said he’s got a temperature and she had to bring him to a meeting. I imagine he’s having a tough day, but you made it better.”
“I went to the library with my papa when I was off school sick. I can’t imagine how boring it is to follow around a corporate lawyer.”
“I would have loved to have taken him for the rest of the day, but I have three classes this afternoon.” Chase must be in the advanced year, with optional classes, whereas Lucky had optional and mandatory classes, which was a more well-rounded schedule.
Latching onto the topic, Lucky hoped to distract Chase from his worry, at least until he heard back from his mother. If Wynna Walker’s reputation was even half true, she’d not only take care of Pip but have some choice words for Hana. “You didn’t happen to have Professor Juniper this morning?”
“No. Why?”
“She hates me. I was hoping she’d be in a good mood.”
Chase patted his hand. “Sorry. I can’t help you with that, but you can go into class knowing I find her just as insufferable as you do.” He lifted his coffee cup for a toast.
Lucky clinked with his milkshake and took a sip, glad someone agreed about the evil alpha professor who hated omegas. Chase was such a surprise, he almost wanted to thank Lincoln for being an ignorant shit who had completely forgotten about him.
* * * *
Ford
The spark from his lighter briefly blocked his vision and put a halo around a golden head across the street. He smiled around his cigarette, blew out smoke and dropped his hand to put the lighter in his pocket.