Chapter 5
Chapter Five
Shayne
Running isn’t exactly my favorite pastime, but when you live with one grouchy Alpha, one demanding Beta, and one very needy Omega in a less than spacious two-bedroom apartment, spending some time outside everyday becomes an absolute necessity.
In general, I prefer working out on machines in the gym, but I don’t get the same high from that, and it’s nowhere near as fulfilling by the time I’m walking back home, drenched in sweat and buzzing from beating my last sprint record.
It’s worth the burn, for sure.
If it was just a little easier to make myself get started it wouldn’t feel like such a chore. I nod at one of our neighbors as he leaves the apartment building. I don’t know his name, but he’s usually going out for a run when I’m coming back in.
“Have a good one,” I tell him as I pass.
“Thanks!” he calls back as he heads out.
I catch the door before it closes, and I step into the cool, dark corridor of our apartment building.
It feels like we have aircon in here. I don’t know what exactly makes the corridor and stairwell so cold, but it’s like stepping into a refrigerator every time and it feels incredible.
I take in a few breaths and enjoy the cool air before I make my way up the stairs.
I go slowly to make the most of it before I get to our apartment.
I’ll be jumping in the shower once I get inside and then I’ll be drinking an ice-cold water.
Simple plans but they sound like heaven right now.
Two flights later and a few feet down the corridor and I’m looking at our apartment door.
I get my keys out of the zipped pocket in my shorts, and I unlock the door.
Right away, I can tell Falcon is still in a shitty mood.
The mail is on the floor next to the table it’s supposed to sit on, scattered like he picked it out of the letter box and flung it near the table as he started to walk away.
I clear my throat as I close the door. “I’m home!”
Once it’s locked, I put my keys down on the top of the table.
I take off my running sneakers and stuff them into the coat cupboard by the door.
Then, I pick up the mail.
Falcon appears in the hallway while I’m leafing through it.
“Oh, it’s you.” He doesn’t sound impressed.
“Yeah, it’s me. The Alpha Alliance doesn’t have a key to our place.”
“Funny,” he says sourly, rolling his eyes.
I don’t see anything of interest in the mail, so I put it down on the table.
Falcon’s still standing by the bedroom door scowling at nothing and no one in particular.
His hair is wet so I’m guessing he attempted to exorcise out his rage-monster at the gym.
He’s already had to pay for repairs to one of their punching bags this week.
Clearly, burning out his anger with violence doesn’t work.
“Don’t tell me … They still haven’t contacted you?”
He turns his scowl on me. “It’s been weeks, Shayne. Weeks! There’s no reason for this bullshit! If she doesn’t want to see me, all they’d have to do is tell me.”
I have to admit, the angrier he gets about it, the more I want to know about this girl.
At first it was sweet. He wanted to make sure some girl he helped rescue was doing well.
It made sense. He’s always been a caring kind of guy, under a pretty hefty layer of gruffness.
If he’d seen her already, and he was still acting this way I might be more concerned.
But I know he’s like this because he hasn’t been able to put his mind at rest.
“Why don’t you just go out there and ring the bell, or whatever?” I ask, raising an eyebrow.
“You don’t just ring the bell to Goldcrest Omega Academy,” he growls. “Don’t you know anything? That place has armed guards. You don’t get in unless they know you’re coming.”
“Then call them and ask to visit her.”
He looks at me like I just grew horns. “Do you have any idea what’s going on right now, Shayne? The Omega Academies are in the middle of a massive change. There’s no way in hell they’re letting random guys visit the people they have in their new hospital wing.”
“Well, I guess you’ll have to wait for the Alpha Alliance to facilitate it then.”
He growls again. “I’m sick to death of waiting.”
“I can see that.” I push the bathroom door open and grab a towel off the rack.
If I’m going to go check the laptop, I should give myself a quick wipe down first.
So much for simple plans.
I pass Falcon to get to the living room, where our shared laptop is sitting on the coffee table.
Wiping the sweat off my face makes me feel a little more human.
I rub my hands on the towel before I set it down next to the laptop.
Looking up, I see Falcon bringing his cell phone to his ear in the hallway.
If his contact doesn’t tell him he can go visit that girl soon, I don’t know what might happen.
As grouchy as he can be, he doesn’t let things get him this agitated very often.
It makes his behaviour unpredictable, and his mood unsettling.
He doesn’t lash out at us, but he becomes incredibly hard to be around.
Harper can barely handle it.
That’s why he’s out with Jay right now.
Our Beta has been keeping our Omega occupied while Falcon’s been so distracted.
A part of me wishes Falcon hadn’t volunteered to help the Alpha Alliance when they were reaching out for volunteers. If he hadn’t said yes, he never would have met the woman he’s so desperate to check on now.
Opening the laptop, I let out a sigh.
“Pick up your goddamn phone, Jeff!”
This time, Falcon’s growl has a hint of roar behind it.
I clear my throat. “I’m telling you, going direct to the academy will get you an answer.”
He turns and frowns at me, his eyes narrowing when he sees I’m on the computer.
“What are you doing?”
“I’m looking up Goldcrest. Finding out when their next event is taking place.”
“Their next event? You mean their next social? Why?”
He steps into the room, and I look back at the screen.
I click to go to the right page on the website, and a smile stretches my lips.
“They’re having a casual social next Friday. All you have to do is fill out a form. The head of the school might call you, or she might accept the application without further question. What do you have to lose?” I look back at him.
He’s leaning in, frowning at the screen.
He straightens and shakes his head. “Those socials are for Alphas to meet their Omegas. I don’t want to lie about what I’m going there for.”
“Then call the school and explain things. I bet it gets you in faster than waiting for this Jeff guy who doesn’t seem to know how to answer his phone.”
He grunts, but I can see he’s thinking it over.
“Either way, I’d stop calling your Alpha Alliance contact,” I add, as I stand up, leaving the laptop open on Goldcrest’s event page. “If he thinks you’re a psycho, there’s no way he’s going to arrange for you to go see that girl.”
In fact, that’s probably why the guy is ignoring him.
He’s already decided Falcon shouldn’t be allowed a chance to see her.
“I’m not a psycho,” he breathes out, his stare seeming to contradict that statement.
“I know that,” I remind him. “Strangers don’t. Especially strangers who get angry voicemails.”
He lets out a breath. “Fuck. I did that, didn’t I?”
I nod slowly. “You might think leaving another more rational voicemail will help, but I would ignore that impulse.”
“Damn it,” he mutters. “I wasn’t thinking. I’m just so frustrated.”
“I get it. It seems like a simple ask, and it feels like he’s ignoring you.”
“All I need is to know she’s okay,” he says. “That’s it. That’s all.”
“I know. How ‘bout I try calling him?” I ask.
“How will that help if he isn’t answering his phone?”
“He’s probably answering his phone.”
I let that response hang in the air until it finally sinks in.
“Christ, I fucked this up!”
“Don’t worry about it. I need to take a shower, but I can give him a call after that.”
He sinks down onto the couch and puts his phone down at his side.
I hear him cursing under his breath as I head for the bathroom.
We all have our issues. Falcon’s stems from who his father is.
It’s not something he can just get rid of, but I can help him deal with the fallout.
That’s what mates are for.