8. Breaking and Entering
Breaking and Entering
Evangeline: One Month Later
His apartment is nicer than I thought it would be.
An Alpha living alone? I expected the worst. Even Auggie told me that my presence is the only reason he cooks every day rather than only eating crap. The desire to please me, cater to my needs, and to be a provider influence his decisions.
It took me an embarrassing amount of time to get into his place. I found it easily enough. I followed him home one day after a date. But getting inside was another matter. The security for this place is insane.
The building itself is part of three others, which make up a gated community.
The large structures range from 40 floors to the tallest towering over 80.
From what I have observed, each car is scanned before being allowed through the gate, along with facial recognition for the driver and passengers.
Visitors and foot traffic are handled differently with a 24-hour concierge team, who are very attentive and seem to recognise every single resident.
I spent the first few days casing the place, and in the end, a well timed cry was all I needed to be let inside.
It’s an Omega superpower really, the ability to manipulate and play the damsel in distress works a little too well.
And it’s a power I abuse. Once I came back a second time, I was let right in.
Then, all I had to do was wait and see which apartment was his.
I probably should have guessed the penthouse.
Then all I needed was a key. They put a lot of security on the outside of the building.
I guess they didn’t think they would need as much once they were inside.
So I stole a spare key from Alpha Browen’s office.
I knew his apartment would have its own security.
To prevent being caught, I found my way into the basement and hacked into the electricity (I flicked switches randomly until the lights went out).
I spent a good couple of days going back at random times and flicking the switch so no one would suspect what I was doing and attribute the power failure to a wiring fault.
Now it’s time.
Under the cover of darkness, I slip into the apartment.
You used a key and walked in.
Do not ruin my movie moment, brain.
I did not expect a dog.
The white Dobermann stares me down like I’m its last meal before being sent to hell.
Sleek and powerful, it moves, tracking its prey, slow and premeditated.
A beautiful creature, no doubt, but deadly.
Its ears pin back, and its lips curl, revealing razor-sharp teeth.
I freeze in fear and stare into its mesmerising grey eyes and hope that if I move slowly enough, I will be able to reach into my pocket.
My fingers wrap around the emergency dog treats I keep on me for the rare occasion that I see a dog and must befriend it. Okay, I’ll admit it. I go out and search for strays. One can only be snubbed by a raccoon so many times before they need a new friend.
The dog’s head tilts, tracking my movements, and honestly, it’s quite adorable. Its pink nose twitches, and I slowly pull out the treat. The absolute sweetheart sits back, tail wagging and tongue lapping at the air. I place it between us and take a step until my back is firmly against the door.
It lunges for it and devours it in seconds before making its way over to me. With a gentle bump, it nuzzles into my leg, pushing my hand until it rests on its head. I run my fingers over the silky fur and resist the urge to purr.
Just like that, we’re best friends.
With newfound confidence, I slide to the floor. The dog towers over me, demanding that I scratch its neck. I use the distraction and slide the tag around its collar so I can read the inscription.
Apollo.
“Such a good name for a beautiful boy.”
He pushes his wet nose into the side of my cheek, and I wrap my arms around his neck. Faintly, he smells of my mate. The smoky scent clings to his fur. A calm chamomile scent shocks me, and once again I freeze.
Have I been caught? Is someone here? Did someone walk in while we were bonding (rude)?
But no, it’s me.
I let out a breath of relief and curse myself for not trying to project earlier.
Together we tour the apartment. The entrance itself is huge. With tall ceilings, the long room feels cavernous, which is not eased by its emptiness. No shoes scatted on the floor, no table for mail, not even a rogue dog toy. What kind of sociopath is my mate?
Could he really be worse than you?
Rude.
Finally, we come to a door. The sleek dark wood is not inviting in the slightest, and it’s made worse by the darkness encasing us, yet a tingle of excitement goes up my spine.
Light greets us, and for a moment I worry that the power has come back on, but no, the windows lining the wall from floor to ceiling bring in the natural light and bathe the room in sun.
Massive does not begin to adequately describe this place.
A tall staircase captures my attention, bringing my line of sight up. A second floor.
How much money does this guy have?
How much would he let me spend?
Apollo struts over to the large sofa and gracefully leaps. He curls in on himself in the corner, and within seconds a light snoring echoes in my silence. A yawn surprises me. Clearly, Apollo and I are in sync. Right now is cuddle time. I’ll rummage through his stuff on a different day.
Settling in on the sofa next to the bestest boy to ever exist, I flick on the TV. I seem to be stuck navigating out of Alpha hell as I power through the various channels of sports, horror films, and history documentaries.
Jeez. Is this what he does with his spare time? No, thank you.
Where is the drama, the romance, the laughter?
A soothing but rapidly escalating violin sounds and my eyes spring open. A smile creeps onto my face as I await the next part of the intro music. Arguing, lies, betrayal, and crying become louder than the music, and I know exactly what this is.
My show!
Nested is a reality TV show, but it’s more than that. It’s a lifestyle. Following the lives of several high-ranking families, focusing on the Omegas, the show depicts the ups and downs of society. Arguments, love, drama, and, best of all, Omega Skylar.
Omega Skylar Jeweller is arguably the most famous Omega in the world.
Stolen as a teenager, he was kept, experimented on, and his scent was stolen and sold on the black market.
He has been on the show longer than he’s been alive.
His mother was one of the co-creators of the show, and the very first episode began with his ultrasound.
I feel a sort of strange connection with Omega Skylar.
As a child who didn’t know where I fit in the world, I used to pretend that Omega Sklyar was my brother.
I wanted to be like him, confident in the world and in himself.
He was the picture perfect definition of an Omega.
He would never judge me, and he was always around, right there on the TV.
As I grew older, I realised that most of the show was fake or dramatised, but I can’t help watching.
I relax into the fabric and let the sounds of Omega Mama Jeweller’s cries lull me into a state of serenity.
It’s pretty boring in here. It needs a splash of colour, or something. Next time I come over, I’ll bring a toy for Apollo at least.