Omega For Four (The State #2)

1. Chapter One

Chapter One

Zeller

Zeller stifled a yawn and forced himself to smile at the alpha in front of him. The man was complaining about interprovincial travel, listing grievances with the entitled air of someone who had probably never packed his own suitcase. Zeller wanted to scream with boredom but nodded instead.

Because he understood his role here.

While his fathers were busy speaking with the other influential couples present tonight, he played the part of their demure omega child.

The older men discussed business and politics. Zeller engaged in dull conversations with their alpha sons.

Thankfully, this was a cocktail party, so there had been no long dinner to endure. Three dozen attendees chatted in smaller groups throughout the great room of his family’s mansion. Zeller had been making the rounds for over an hour, and he wondered if it was too soon to slip away.

The alpha finally took a breath.

“If you’ll excuse me,” Zeller interjected. “I see my brother waving me over. It might be important.”

“Oh…of course.” The man bobbed his head.

Asher had not been waving, but Zeller sidled up to him anyway. “You need to save me,” he begged. At his brother’s chuckle, he persisted, “I’m not joking. If I have to make small talk with one more bloviating alpha, I’ll scream.”

“Now that would be something,” the beta said. “I almost wish you would. If only to see how Father and Daddy would react.”

Not well, they both knew. Father held a very public position as Warburton Province’s tax minister and their parents were obsessed with maintaining the family’s sterling reputation.

“Ever since I turned eighteen, they keep finding opportunities to introduce me to prominent young alphas,” Zeller complained. “I need a break.”

Asher grinned. “Let’s go up to your room,” he said, leading Zeller toward the doorway. “You’ve been here long enough. If anyone asks, I can tell them you’re ill—”

“And just where do you two think you’re headed?” Father appeared in front of them, looking severe in his all-black suit.

“Um…” Asher hedged.

“To my room,” Zeller replied softly. “I’m not feeling well and Asher was helping me. He also left his bag up there and needs to grab it before he goes back to his place.”

Father hummed. “I suppose. Our guests will be leaving soon enough. But Zeller, first I want you to meet Heprah Neddles. His father heads the largest tribunal selection committee in the province.”

Zeller deflated. But there was no use arguing. He turned to Asher. “How about you go up and wait for me? Please don’t leave without saying goodbye.”

“Never.” Asher squeezed his forearm.

Zeller followed his father to the far side of the room where a gruff-looking alpha stood with his shoulder against the wall.

“Mr. Parkenson—” The man straightened and shook Father’s hand. “My daddy said you were planning to introduce me to your son.” He smiled, but it didn’t entirely dissolve his sour expression.

“Heprah, I’ve told you before to please call me Keyes…and this is Zeller.”

“Hello,” Heprah said, shifting his gaze. He reached out boldly to bring Zeller’s knuckles to his lips.

Zeller winced inwardly as the alpha’s mouth touched his skin. It took all his self-control not to recoil. The other young men he’d met tonight had been boastful yet benign, pompous in their elegant manners. Heprah didn’t fit that category.

“I’ll leave you two to get acquainted.”

Father walked away before Zeller could ask him to stay. He wasn’t sure he should be alone with this man.

Heprah confirmed he was right to be wary.

Once Father was out of sight, the alpha’s demeanor transformed.

His body slackened as he raked his gaze over Zeller.

“You are a very pretty omega,” he leered.

“No surprise your parents paraded you around tonight. Good way to let all the eligible alphas know you’ll be available soon, eh? ”

Zeller blinked. “I s-suppose.”

Heprah inched closer. “Being pretty is helpful, but when it comes to marriage, the most important thing is that the omega knows who’s in charge.” He thumped a fist against his chest.

Zeller realized that this man was less menacing than simply oafish. The clarity gave him confidence.

“Oh?”

“Yeah. I want the kind of omega our grandparents had. One who takes care of the house and the babies. None of this new shit where they go to college and have careers. That’s for the poors. Not for people like us, right?”

Zeller barely maintained his blank face. While it was true that many wealthy families adhered to traditional gender roles, was this supposed to be enticing?

Heprah clearly assumed so.

“Everyone knows Deveron Parkenson is like that—old-school—so I figure he raised you to be that way too. That making your husband happy is what will make you happy?”

Unfortunately, the alpha made a fair point about Daddy. Zeller’s omega father prided himself on being a good partner, and he defined good as subservient. Perhaps there were omegas out there who sought that type of life, but Zeller never would.

But he did not want to antagonize Heprah in front of his parents’ guests by rejecting him outright. He needed to extricate himself from this conversation.

“I definitely plan to make my husband happy,” he replied truthfully, plastering on a smile.

Heprah nodded. “Good. Good. Then I bet you also won’t mind if we don’t go for that monogamy horseshit either. Alphas need to fuck. And not just one omega for the rest of our lives.”

Zeller flinched. “I…um…wouldn’t know.”

“No. I guess you wouldn’t.” He licked his lips. “I like that you’re innocent.”

“Oh.” Ew.

“And you don’t have to worry. I promise to be discreet with my extracurriculars.”

Stars! What slimy rock had his fathers turned over to find this guy?

“Discretion is important,” Zeller mumbled.

“It is. That’s why I decided to be direct with you and put it all out there. You needed to understand that I’m different from the other alphas here.”

“Yes, that’s…evident.”

Heprah’s eyes lit up. “I knew you’d appreciate it. Knew you’d be an omega who wanted a firm hand. I saw you talking to everyone tonight. You looked bored.”

Zeller’s jaw ticked. “I’m not bored now.”

How could he be bored when he was speaking with the most repugnant alpha he’d ever met? Until this evening, he hadn’t given too much thought to his parents’ hints that he needed to start thinking about marriage, but after this conversation…

“How about we continue this—”

“Apologies for the intrusion,” the Parkensons' butler, Antoni, interrupted whatever foul thing Heprah was about to suggest. “Zeller, Asher requires your presence upstairs." The beta looked at Heprah. “Family emergency, you see.”

The alpha hmphed. “I guess.” He turned to Zeller. “We’ll talk again soon.”

Zeller nodded, determined that they would, in fact, never speak again. Out of Heprah’s eyesight, he mouthed thank you to Antoni.

The butler winked.