Chapter Four
Joseph
I lean back in my chair, a small chuckle escaping my lips as I replay Adriel’s reaction in my head. I could cut through his surprise with a bread knife. It was so evident, even over the phone.
An Omega? They really got him to do it? It’s not every day you hear Adriel sound so taken aback. I spin a pen between my fingers, the memory of our conversation still amusing me. Adriel might be a superstar with the world at his feet, but when it comes to matters like these, he’s just as entertained by the family drama as I am.
I glance around my office, and a familiar sense of appreciation swells in me in this calm moment. I have every reason to feel it too, because I know it is rare, being both an employee and a confidant to someone like Silas, but I’ve always felt lucky to navigate that delicate balance.
It’s not just about the job and the privilege of working for such a reputable family. I’m genuinely grateful for the friendship we’ve built over the years. Despite his often cold, authoritative demeanor, Silas has always been someone I could rely on, even when we were kids.
It was just like yesterday, I remember it so easily, the first time I truly met him, all those years ago. I was just a scrawny kid in a school that thrived on power dynamics. Being a recessive Alpha and an orphan wasn’t exactly helpful in a school like that. The other kids used to torment me relentlessly, calling me names, making me run their errands, and smacking me on the back of the head just because they could.
*
The classroom buzzes with noise, the usual chaos of teenagers left to their own devices. I keep my head down, scribbling in my notebook, hoping to disappear into the background. It never works.
“Hey, wimp,” a voice cuts through the din, sharp and taunting.
I freeze. My stomach twists as I hear the familiar shuffle of shoes approaching my desk.
“Still pretending to be busy?” sneers Marcus, the ringleader of my tormentors. His hand slams down on the desk, rattling my books.
The others laugh, circling me like vultures around a carcass. I feel a shove from behind, and my pen skitters out of my hand.
“Answer him, runt,” another voice jeers, and before I can react, someone smacks the back of my head. Not hard enough to hurt, but enough to humiliate. My face burns as the laughter swells.
“Why don’t you run another errand for us, huh?” Marcus says, grinning. “You’re good at being useless.”
I clench my fists under the desk, my eyes stinging. Words stick in my throat, my body frozen in the same old helpless routine.
“Pathetic,” Marcus mutters, leaning closer. “Say something, Joseph. Or are you just…”
“That’s enough.”
The voice slices through the laughter like a blade. It’s calm, cold, and commanding.
The room goes silent.
All heads turn toward the door, and there he is, Silas. He steps into the room, his presence immediately swallowing the air. He’s taller than anyone else, broader, his gaze sharp enough to cut steel.
Marcus straightens, but his confidence falters. “Oh, hey, Silas. We were just…”
“I said, that’s enough,” Silas repeats, his voice as even as before but having a tone that makes Marcus flinch.
He walks forward, his steps unhurried. When he stops beside my desk, he looks down at Marcus like he’s nothing more than a bug beneath his shoe.
“No one,” Silas says, his voice low but deadly clear, “is allowed to pick on Joseph anymore.”
Marcus stammers, his bravado crumbling. “We were just messing around.”
“Do I look like I care?” Silas interrupts, his tone icy.
Marcus looks away, his cheeks burning, and without another word, he and the others scatter. The classroom is deathly quiet now. The only sound my shaky breaths as I dare to lift my eyes.
Silas doesn’t look at me right away. Instead, he picks up the pen from the floor, placing it back on my desk.
“You don’t owe them anything,” he says simply, his voice softer now but no less firm.
I nod, swallowing hard. My throat feels tight, but not from fear this time. It’s something else …something warm, like hope.
Silas doesn’t wait for a thank you. He turns and walks away, leaving the classroom as silently as he entered.
From that day on, no one laid a hand on me again. I started following Silas around, carrying his books, sticking close to him like a shadow. At first, it was just for protection, but over time, our relationship grew into something deeper. We became friends, not the kind that needed words to validate it, but the kind that understood loyalty without question.
That memory puts a wide smile on my face, and to think now that same kid who saved me from bullies all those years ago is probably about to get married. There’s a warmth I feel at the thought of it, but my mind inevitably drifts back to Silas’ choice of a mate.
A recessive Omega. Well, I can’t say I’m surprised. Knowing Silas, this is just his way of pushing back against his parents’ pressure, a subtle but deliberate act of rebellion. Still, I can’t help but wonder about this Omega.
The bullying I faced as a kid was cruel and inexcusable, but even I will admit that it's par for the course in these parts. Our city is brutal, a place where strength is currency and weakness is a death sentence. People here don’t have time to pity anyone who can’t keep up.
My head shakes almost automatically, a nagging thought sticking to my mind: can a recessive Omega even survive here? It’s bad enough being recessive, but then being from another part of the world and not being accustomed to our harsher tendencies here?
Before I can spiral further, my phone buzzes on the desk. It’s Silas.
“Hey, Joseph,” his voice comes through, clipped and formal. “Drop by my office. Quickly.”
That tone. That usually means there’s something serious.
“I’ll be right there,” I say, hanging up and grabbing my things.
As I walk into his office, I immediately sense my friend’s tenseness. Silas sits behind his desk, his expression unreadable, but there’s an edge to his posture, a sharpness to his movements. He slides a folder across the desk toward me without a preamble.
“Look through that and see if I’ve missed anything,” he says.
I pick up the folder, my eyes catching the title immediately: Terms of Union .
Curious, I flip it open and start reading. The more I read, the heavier my chest feels. The document is cold, clinical, and painfully detached. It’s a set of stipulations meant for the prospective Omega, outlining the nature of their arrangement. It’s clear from the very first line that this isn’t a marriage. It’s a contract.
“No shared bedrooms,” I read under my breath, my eyes scanning further. “No public displays of affection.” I flip the pages, finding more restrictions, each one colder than the last.
I glance up to Silas, who’s watching me with an expectant look. “You really think this is necessary?” I ask, trying to keep my tone neutral.
He shrugs, leaning back in his chair. “It’s better to set expectations early. She needs to understand what this is and what it isn’t.”
I close the file, feeling a pang of sympathy for this woman who hasn’t even arrived yet. “I get that you don’t want to do this, Silas. I understand that you’re being forced into it. But don’t you think this is a bit...much? She hasn’t done anything to deserve this.”
Silas’ eyes narrow slightly, and he scoffs. “She’s an Omega, Joseph. They’re all the same. They fawn over pheromones and think that’s enough to get by. I’m just being honest with her.”
I hold his gaze, debating whether to push back. I know Silas well enough to understand how deep his disdain for Omegas runs, and I know better than to argue when he’s in this mood. But still, I can’t shake the feeling that this isn’t fair.
“I’m just saying,” I say carefully, “maybe give her a chance. You might be surprised.”
Silas doesn’t respond, his expression hardening as he turns his attention back to his desk. The conversation is over as far as he’s concerned.
I nod, knowing there’s no point in pressing further. But as I leave his office, I make a silent promise to myself. If this Omega is really coming into this situation, I’ll do my best to make her feel welcome. Silas might be determined to keep his distance, but that doesn’t mean she has to face this alone.
It’s going to be a difficult situation for her. That much is clear. But if there’s one thing I’ve learned from Silas over the years, it’s that strength comes in many forms. Maybe, just maybe, this Omega will surprise us all.