Chapter 20
Chapter Twenty
Freddie
Rufus the realtor is sporting the kind of smile that suggests he’s confident in his ability to find his clients the perfect dream home. Even after the last showing failed, he still seems optimistic about his skill set.
Sadly for him, I know my pack will make him earn every single dollar of his commission. And probably some new gray hairs. Our omega is way too into the unseen elements of a home, wanting to feel it’s the right place for us.
And I will have her back, no matter how absurd those feelings may be.
“Now,” Rufus says, clapping his hands lightly, “I know I missed the mark on the previous location, but this property does not have the same modern qualities and gives a much more contemporary vibe.”
The way he says modern like the smart home system wasn’t a demon in a house suit makes me narrow my eyes at him. Perhaps he’s in cahoots with the thing that I’m sure was attempting to clone us so that it could steal our physical forms in its quest for world domination.
No, thank you.
The only dominating I’ll be participating in is with my alphas.
And Mia, if she’s into that sort of thing.
Perhaps she’d like to dominate Simon. Or maybe Simon could be in charge.
Will I finally get the chance to show the other half of my soul his first sexual experience?
Simon is essentially a virgin… as far as I know.
Before I can fully daydream the scene, we’re guided into the home.
“Why are there three doors at the main entrance?” Mia asks, holding open the one Rufus leads us through so that Spencer, Zak, and I can follow.
“This home has a bit of an eccentric backstory. The sellers own an escape room franchise, and you may recognize that this home makes some nods to that profession.” Rufus’s voice seems to sound progressively further away as he explains.
He’s no longer directly in front of us somehow, and I’m not sure how he managed to disappear in the time it took me to blink.
I quickly grab onto Mia’s hand, unwilling to be separated from her.
We continue down the current hallway for a few feet before more doors appear, seemingly placed at random. Some in this main hall, some down dead-end, smaller hallways branching off the main one.
After a few more steps, I realize that Spencer isn’t with us. Mia curiously opens another door, tugging me along, and we manage to lose Zak, too.
The second door leads us to another hallway.
Mia seems too engrossed in her exploration to question how quickly we were split off from Rufus.
I tag along in silence until the hallway forces us into a sharp right turn, and we find ourselves alone in a room decorated with pieces of furniture in a retro burnt orange tone.
And in the corner is a toilet.
No sink.
No shower.
Just an exposed toilet in a room that otherwise does not look like it should have a toilet.
The anomaly makes me uncomfortable enough to finally ask Mia, “What happened to everyone else?”
She looks over at me with an unspoken question on her lips, then pauses to slowly look around us to confirm that no one else is around. She grabs my other hand and pulls me face-to-face, her eyes wide as she finally joins me in an appropriate level of panic.
Her hands are pretty sweaty in mine, but I’m capable of being a complete gentleman, so I do nothing to alert her of this condition. For my leafy green, I’m willing to bear her clammy hands.
Actually, now that I think about it, this could all be an act. Maybe she’s able to create hand sweat on command, and she’s using that skill to convincingly portray fear to lower my defenses.
Maybe this was her intention all along! She wanted to single me out, and now we’re all alone.
That’s the most reasonable explanation for finding ourselves separated from the others like this. She clearly wants to bang it out in this very weird room because she can no longer wait for us to take that step.
The robot home did say she might be showing signs that her heat was approaching…
Oh, no.
I’m being cornered by our horny omega with no backup. I haven’t received the proper training for this kind of emergency.
“Freddie, I’m kind of freaking out,” Mia admits with worry shining in her eyes.
I nod, obviously having just become aware of what’s bothering her. The growing need that has caused her to take desperate measures in search of relief. I try to put on my most comforting smile even though I know she’ll be devastated that I have to reject her advances.
“I know, Mia. It’s just–”
She cuts me off, too desperate to even let me finish speaking, and whisper-yells, “I don’t know anything about football!”
“Your urges are normal, but–” I stop. “What?”
She tightens her grip on my hands. “Promise me you won’t tell Zak or Spencer, but I don’t know anything about football.
I know you all love the sport so much, and I feel like a terrible omega being so clueless about something that’s so important to the three of you.
You all were so supportive about my job, and I want to return the favor, but I don’t even know where to start.
I hoped I could get by if I started searching for guides on the internet any time I have a spare moment, but there are so many.
And some of them don’t even explain the terms they’re using! ”
Looking online was a good plan.
Not exactly what I would do, but smart in its own way.
She continues rambling, “Now we’re going to do this dinner with the whole team, and they’re probably already going to be judging me for being unfamiliar, plus that whole thing with me showing up to a game in pajamas.
The moment they find out I don’t know anything about your professions, on top of that, they’re going to think I’m a terrible mate and hate me forever. ”
This is not where I thought this conversation was headed.
Not by a long shot.
Slowly, I repeat what I believe I’ve just heard, “You don’t know anything about football, and you’re worried that makes you possibly seem like a bad mate?”
Wow. I really didn’t get that kind of vibe at all.
She should really work on her social cues. Someone could totally get the wrong idea about her intentions.
“Yeah.” She nods pitifully. “I don’t even understand the basics. What’s the strategy? The terminology? The overall vibe?”
She drops my hands and begins pacing the room.
“Right.” I tap my chin thoughtfully and speak slowly to buy myself some time. “The vibes are crucial.”
“Since you’re an expert on the subject, I was hoping you could teach me what I need to know about football. I figure you’re less likely to judge my lack of knowledge than Spencer or Zak would be. They both take things so seriously sometimes.”
“Me. I’m an expert,” I echo her statement while I try to figure out how I’m going to fix this problem for her.
Despite what everyone thinks, I’m no football expert.
Yet, I can’t imagine telling her as much and letting her down. Not when she’s this concerned about making her pack happy by learning more about the world we live in.
My brain is split between two very different trains of thought. On the one hand, I don’t realistically know enough about football to accurately tutor someone else in the sport. On the other hand, I am completely unwilling to deny my omega anything and risk her feeling let down.
She’s waiting for my answer.
Watching me with all her hopes and dreams on the line.
Needing me to be her personal hero.
My little leafy green needs me.
“Yes,” I agree with a level of confidence I shouldn’t feel. “Of course. I can teach you everything you need to know.”
My tone is full of false bravado, and I straighten my shoulders to really sell it.
Football is just a sport played with an ugly ball on grass that I suspect is fake. There are giant broken forks on each end of the field, and the opposing teams like to run into each other a lot.
How hard can teaching someone about football really be?
Her whole body sags with relief, and she stops pacing to smile at me. “Really? You will?”
“Oh, yeah.” I nod like I’ve been waiting for this exact opportunity my whole life. “We’ll start with the fundamentals. The… advanced fundamentals.”
“What are those?”
Of course, she has to question me immediately. Where’s the blind loyalty with absolutely no follow-up? I’m sure there’s a handbook somewhere that says students should never ask their teachers any questions especially if the teacher is extraordinarily handsome and hilarious.
“Uh.”
Why can’t I think of anything to say? She’s waiting; I just have to say something. Anything.
“They’re like… fundamentals, but deeper.” I’m so proud of myself for that explanation that I almost pat myself on the back.
She nods, taking this first note very seriously. I’m already impressed by what a dedicated student she appears to be.
“Thank you so much.” Mia hurries over to hug me, which I accept wholeheartedly now that I know her prime initiative isn’t to seduce me.
“We’ll have to try to sneak in the lessons as soon as possible.
And please don’t forget to keep this between us.
I don’t want anyone to look at me like I’m completely clueless about football for the rest of our lives. ”
“They won’t,” I insist. “Not on my watch.”
I’ll be the best football teacher she’s ever had.
All I have to do is channel my inner Simon. He’s the one who’s always on the field during games. There must be some football wisdom he’s willing to help me impart on a pretty omega who’s so eager to learn.
Before Mia can pump me for any more football knowledge on the spot, we hear the faint sound of someone calling out from somewhere deeper in the house. “Has anyone else found the room that has the furniture on the ceiling?”
Mia and I both pause.
“I think we should find the rest of our group now. We’re missing out on the room with furniture on the ceiling,” I tell her as I take a few steps in the direction we came from.
She hurries into step beside me and holds on tight to my arm.
My leafy green totally trusts me not to steer us wrong.