Page 55 of Alpha Heat

Xan took it all in. The house was built at the top of a hill that sloped down to the dunes behind the house and then farther to the smooth expanse of private beach that gave way to the white-capped gray-green of the ocean.

It was a home designed for a powerful person, someone like the first Lofton to own it, who had been grandfather to Xan’s pater, George. Flagler Lofton had presided over the town and controlled it with an iron fist, leaving his omega in charge of the estate, which they filled with children. Flagler Lofton had been the kind of alpha Xan’s father had wanted in a son.

Too bad Xan couldn’t imagine being that kind of person.

“It’s so…white.” Caleb whispered, as though still worried about ghosts.

“That’s the first I’ve ever heard you imply something was too white.”

Caleb smiled and fiddled with his silvery cowl again. “It’s intimidating.”

Xan knew what he meant. Even in their home in the city, there were signs of life. It was homey there, with warm fires roaring and rooms Caleb had decorated to his taste. This was a giant architectural echo of the once proud Lofton family and currently neither of them felt up to owning it.

“We’ll plant winter flowers out front,” Xan said briskly, hoping to reduce the house and all it represented down to something manageable in his mind. “Or hire some betas to do it, rather. Nice, bright colors that will enliven the place.”

Caleb glanced around at the grounds as though trying to imagine it with winter flowers. “Does it ever snow, do you think?”

“I doubt it. The ocean currents come all the way from the tropics, if I recall my science class correctly. Anyway, they’re quite warm, from what I understand, even in winter. That brings with it a certain temperateness despite being farther north.”

“Yes, I remember reading about that in school too.” Caleb gathered himself, tucked his long hair behind his ear, and smiled at Xan. “I’m happy with it. We’ll make it beautiful, invite guests, and turn it into a real home. It’s been empty too long, is all. We’ll fill it with sound and noise and light.”

“And children,” Xan promised.

Caleb nodded. “At least one or two, yes. Strong children who’ll one day run down that lovely hill to the ocean and swim like little fish.”

“Romantic,” Xan teased, slinging his arm around Caleb’s shoulder.

“That’s me. Mister romance.”

Xan studied his omega’s handsome face, curiousity welling in him. He knew their promise to always be family, but he didn’t understand Caleb’s lack of interest in romantic feelings. “Don’t you ever want to fall in love, Caleb?”

Caleb threw his arms around Xan’s neck and rubbed his nose against Xan’s cheek. “Darling,thisis what I want. I tell you all the time! I love you more than I can ever say. My dream life is to be with you as the closest of friends and have your children.” He smiled. “You worry too much. Let’s go inside and find out how things stand. It’s going to be a long afternoon and who knows if there’s even any food in the kitchen.”

“The beta servants came on ahead of us just for that reason. It should be stocked. I’m surprised Ren and the crew aren’t out here to greet us.”

“Ren can generally be trusted to think ahead, but the entire move was thrown together so quickly. He’s probably in a panic trying to put everything in order before we arrive.”

He and Caleb stepped toward the threshold of their new home together. Xan held Caleb back just before the door and said, “Take my hand.”

Caleb did. His long fingers felt cool in Xan’s warm clasp.

“The alpha and the omega,” he whispered, unable to resist the pull of tradition.

“The beginning and end,” Caleb answered, smiling warmly at him. “Now who’s romantic?”

“Hey! It’s traditional to recite the vow before entering a new home together for the first time.”

“Traditional!” Caleb exclaimed, laughing and pulling Xan over the threshold by the hand. “We’re anything but that, my dear.”

As Xan followed him into the low lighting of the wide foyer—more of a great hall in the scheme of entry areas—he blinked to see better, clinging to Caleb’s hand like a lifeline.

A large crystal chandelier wired for electric lights hung from the painted, domed ceiling, marble floors clacked beneath their heels, and a wide marble staircase, covered in what looked to be a moth-eaten red carpet, rose up and parted in the middle, taking two separate directions to the landing on the second floor.

“So this is what we’ve been exiled to,” he murmured.

“It needs sprucing up, but it’s got good bones.” Caleb’s eyes shone in the dimness.

“Ray said you’d be pleased with it.”