Evans
“When are you meeting your father?” Sadie asks as she crawls onto my bed, her dress riding up her thighs as she gets comfortable leaning back on my pillows like she belongs in my sheets.
“Next week.”
“That’s the third lunch he’s rearranged.” She says, twirling her long red hair between her fingers.
I’m aware that it’s the third time. Each time he sets a day and time, I can feel my mood drop.
And then when he cancels, it falls even further.
I’ve been out running almost every day for the last couple of weeks trying to exhaust my brain into silence.
I swim with Hunter when I can too, but that fucker keeps odd hours.
“How do you feel about that?” Her voice is soft and low as she watches me closely.
Here’s the side of Sadie that no one else seems to see. The side that asks me how I’m feeling. What I’m thinking. The side that makes me feel seen.
The only other person in my life that I’m comfortable with in the same way is Hunter. And that’s still on shaky ground right now. Don’t get me wrong, the others, Blake and Zale, ask me, but they mean it on a surface level ‘tell me you’re good, bro’ kind of way.
It’s not anyone else’s job to care about what I’m thinking or feeling, so I don’t blame them. It’s also not like I tell them when I’m struggling or let them see that side of me. That would be showing weakness, and alpha’s aren’t weak.
Crawfords aren’t weak.
Sadie understands. Her family is traditional, in the same way that mine are.
There’s all this pressure to pick the right life partner.
To do well in university. To take our places in our family legacy.
There are chains around our necks and not everybody understands.
Zale has told his parents he won’t join Blackwood Tech until he’s ready, and on his terms. I think if I did that, my father would disinherit me and cut me from his life.
He wouldn’t blink twice, even if I am the sole heir. And he’s all I’ve got.
“It’s okay if that makes you angry, babe.” She pulls out her phone, and scrolls her social media before giving me a gentle smile. “You know I’m here for you.”
She isn’t always in psycho Sadie mode, like Hunter has called it more than once. Sometimes she’s just like this, calm and soft as she embeds herself in my space.
I think that’s why the boundaries blur, for both of us.
In her mind we’re perfect together because our families want the same thing.
She’s a female omega, I’m an alpha male and we both have similar social standing.
We’ll both be Oakley graduates. On paper, it all makes sense.
But perfect paper doesn’t always mean it works out in person.
I don’t believe in love or that a marriage needs love. Settling down with one person for the rest of my life because they’re my whole world seems strange. My parents couldn’t do it, so why would I be any different?
And for all of the expectations on us, I know that Sadie still secretly harbors that dream. She wants big love. She also happens to want the money and status that goes along with being a Crawford. That’s why she keeps pushing this thing between us so hard.
As if on cue, she flutters her lashes at me, her pheromones filling the room, sweet and seductive. “Is he still putting pressure on you about being a good boy and getting married. Because you know I can help with that.”
I give her a look, “Sade, we talked about this.”
We keep having the same conversation but nothing really changes. Am I still sending mixed signals? Are we just flogging a dead donkey?
Back at the Vos cabin Hunter had been so clear with her and I tried taking a page out of his book. I was being direct and blunt when she wouldn’t listen or when she started to make me feel cornered, but there were still these throwaway comments that made me think she wasn’t listening.
“I’m not focusing on marriage, my priority is graduating,” I try to deflect. “And I like you, but I can’t give you anything more than what we have now.”
She rolls her eyes, “I don’t think it’s that you can’t Evans, it’s that you won’t.”
Sadie says it like it’s a choice, like I can control how I feel.
Shifting onto her knees, she sits seductively, her hands moving down her body and my cock twitches. “If you just let yourself love me, I could make you happy, baby.”
Could she? Could I spend the next 60 years of my life with Sadie? I wasn’t so sure
“I’ve said how I feel and where I’m at. If you want to stop seeing each other, we can do that.
” I say the words, but that small voice in the back of my head whispers, what if she does?
What if she leaves you too? Swallowing, I glance down and pick at the skin around my thumb nail.
“Maybe you can find someone who will give you the world and everything you want. But that’s not me. ”
She tuts, her pheromones getting stronger as she tries to use them against me. “I want you.”
“Sade…” I warn, a growl in my words.
“Fine we’re done talking about this for a moment,” she holds her hands up in surrender, the scent fading a little. “Now come over here friend, and get your benefits before we need to get ready for Diana’s party.”
Something hot presses against my back, my skin clammy and sticky as I try to stretch out. What was I doing? Hadn’t I been at Diana Zhao’s house party last night? I was so warm.
Too warm.
“Fuck!” Coming awake fully, I startle realising there’s someone else in my bed.
Someone who isn’t Sadie. Turning, I can just about make out pale skin and tattoos in the darkness.
Reaching down to the warmth around my waist, I trace the leather bracelets scratching against my skin.
Why was he in my bed? He shouldn’t be here.
“Hunter?”
He grumbles quietly, obviously half asleep, smelling like spiced oranges and weed as he pulls me tighter so that I’m flush against his chest. I’m not normally the little spoon.
It almost feels…no. Pulling away, I try squirming out of his grip.
How the fuck was he so strong? Wasn’t he supposed to be a starving artist or some shit?
It must be all the swimming he’s been doing.
And the late night runs. He was like a thing possessed lately.
What was he trying to outrun? Finally, there’s a few inches between us, enough for me to get a purchase to shove him.
“Fuck off, you can’t sleep here.” Growling, I give him one big push. He falls to the floor with a thud, making a small squeak.
“What the hell Evans’!”
Leaning on my elbows, I watch him from the warmth of my bed, resisting the urge to laugh at his sleepy grumpy face. My head spins, probably from all the shots I’d done at the party. Where was Sadie? Didn’t she plan to come back with me?
“Why the fuck are you in my room?” I hiss, trying not to wake the rest of the house.
Although, that was unlikely since Blake slept like the dead and I’m pretty sure Zale and Shiloh were visiting Shiloh’s parents this weekend.
Hunter yanks the covers back and crawls into the bed beside me again, despite me pushing against him.
How the fuck was he so strong? Seriously, I’d noticed it back at the omega party when he’d shoved me against the kitchen counter.
I was on the football team damn it, I should be able to fight off an art major.
Even if he was an alpha. I was an alpha too, but it didn’t seem to make a lick of difference as he squirms trying to get comfortable.
“There’s something in mine. I’m not sleeping in there.” He fluffs up one of my pillows before laying down.
“Aren’t you too old to be scared of monsters?
” I elbow his side as he keeps crowding me.
Why was he taking up so much space? It takes me longer than it should to even register that I’ve been touching his bare skin.
“And where the hell is your shirt? I thought you were trying to be more considerate.”
“Fuck that.” He fusses again, grumbling. “Not a monster. Sleep naked usually. And I’m not leaving, I don’t even care that you haven’t washed your sheets. Fucking harpy stench. Move up, my balls are squashed.”
“You better have pants on. I swear to god Hunter—” I snarl, even though I’m sure he does. Not that I looked.
He covers my mouth with his hand, silencing me. “I can’t stay there. Watching me.”
“What was watching you?” Smacking him away, I frown. “Did you take a pill? Drop a tab? Shit, did you eat cheese before bed again? You know it gives you funky dreams.”
He ignores me, burying himself in my sheets, nuzzling my comforter and making small satisfied mumbling noises. He looks kinda cute like this. Different to his usual messy, paint covered, chaotic self. He looks…settled? Fuck that. What are you thinking Benedict? He should settle down elsewhere.
“Go sleep in Blake's room.”
Hunter man oeuvres us so that once again, I’m the little spoon. “No, he’s got snek.”
“Snake.” I correct, fighting his hold. The man has a grip like iron when he wants to be stubborn.
“Yeah, a snek.” The words are warm against the back of my neck, skittering over my skin. Fuck. He couldn’t be here. In my bed. Not when it’s just us. Hanging out was one thing. Swimming together another. And sharing my bed in the dead of the night, mostly naked…that was something else completely.
“I can’t do this.” I mutter, trying to escape again. “You can’t stay here.”
“Settle down. Don’t worry Benny—I’ll keep my knot in my pants.” I don’t miss the amused tone to his words as he squeezes me tighter. My cheeks heat, remembering things I shouldn’t.
“Fucks sake! Get off! You’re not staying—” Kicking off the sheets, I wriggle and writhe until I almost headbutt him. Somewhere in the next room there’s a small shuffling noise and a muted screech. “What was that?”
“Told you. Thing. In. Room.”
I freeze. “Like an intruder?”
With a sigh, likely realising I wasn’t about to let this go, he rolls over onto his back and cracks his eyes open. I don’t even need the light on to know those pale blue eyes are probably a swirling grey right now. They always were when he was tired or annoyed.
Waving a hand lazily, he whispers dramatically. “Like a creature from the depths of hell, with beady little black orbs that stare into the core of my twisted soul. Even with my eyes closed I could feel it watching me. Sensed the disturbance in the air around me, as it sought to consume my—”
“Alright, alright. I get it.” Rolling my eyes, I murmur, “Fucking Bachelor of Arts students are the worst.”
I climb out of bed, and after glancing back at the alpha currently occupying my space I try to ignore the way the moonlight creeping through the crack in the curtains clings to the hard lines of his body. All that running and the swimming was paying off, clearly,
Hunter’s room was next to mine, and if it really was an intruder, surely I would have heard them sooner?
But then again, I’d clearly stumbled home drunk.
I don’t even know why I went. Sadie had talked me into it after riding my cock all afternoon.
Not that the sex was even that great. It just felt a little… hollow these days.
My heart is racing, beating loudly against my ribs as I take another step forward and open his door. Was this how I died?
Carefully, I push. The room is almost in total darkness, except for a small lamp that’s been knocked over onto the floor. It casts sinister shadows everywhere, and the hairs on the back of my neck rise.
For a moment, nothing moves. Not me, and not whatever is lurking. Not that I’m even 100% sure there’s something in here.
Hunter‘s room is messier than usual, with clothes tossed everywhere, pencils and paintbrushes cluttering almost every flat surface and snacks tucked away like he’s some sort of squirrel. I take another step into the room.
Nothing.
Another step forward.
The floorboard creeks beneath me.
Seriously, for a guy who hardly wore clothes, why did he have so many of them?
“Where’s the creature?” Hunter whispers behind me and I practically jump out of my skin.
“Goddess man, don’t do that!” I hiss, my hand over my chest as my heart beat turns into some sort of EDM track.
“Do what?” he grumbles, rubbing his eyes. There’s a smear of paint near his hip bone, a strange streak of green. As I look closer at his hands, I see similar shades around his nail beds.
“Don’t creep up on me like that. You’ll give me a heart attack. Or my hair will turn gray and you’ll have to take responsibility.” I whisper, whacking him in the stomach with my arm. “Are you going to dye my hair for me, huh?”
We listen for a moment, but other than the mess, everything seems normal. Eventually, I say, “I don’t think there’s anything in here.”
“There was definitely a fucking monster in here.”
“Are you sure it wasn’t just some sort of hallucination? Did you maybe smoke a little too much at the party?” I vaguely remember seeing him there with Soren and the others from his art course, but then Sadie handed me tequila and the rest of the night was a sweet, sweaty blur.
He arches his brow, folding his arms across his chest. Something metallic glints in the light.
“Is that a nipple piercing? Is it new?”
“Yeah, I got it a few days ago.” “Stop changing the subject.”
I lift my hands up in surrender, knowing neither of us will get back to bed if I don’t. “Fine, fine. There was a monster in your room. But now there’s not. So can you go back to bed?”
He pauses, tilting his head and listening out for something, but I hear nothing.
“Hunter, I’m begging you man. I am tired and still kinda of drunk—”
Something large and black flies at us and I screech trying to duck, but I end up tripping and falling over one of Hunter‘s fucking sneakers.
As I go down, I grab him, trying to balance myself and we both end up in a crumpled heap on the floor.
Hunter pushes me away, trying to shove me off so that he can get to his feet and scramble away, but I’m not being left in here on my own with that fucking thing, whatever the hell it is.
“Don’t you dare leave me here on my own!” I yell, grabbing onto his legs as he starts trying to climb over me, kicking at my hands while I hold on for dear life.
“No way, fucker it’s every man for himself!” He grunts, smacking the top of my head as I koala bear myself around his left leg and yank him back down on the floor.
Suddenly a light comes on in the hallway, and Blake is staring down at the two of us.
“Do I even want to ask what you two are doing at four am. And why is there a crow out on the landing?”
Hunter sits up on the floor, leaning back on his palms so that both of his nipple piercings are proudly on display.
“A crow,” he chuckles. “Well, at least it wasn’t the soul sucking monster.”
I smack his leg, grumbling. “I hate you.”
.