Page 5 of Billy and Cord (Omega Hearts #1)

Cord knew it would be impossible to sleep, but he did his best for about four hours, getting up as the light just began to tinge the sky.

He considered going for a run in his wolf form, but given that his wolf was still hyper-fixated on the scent they’d picked up the night before, he decided that wasn’t the best idea.

Alphas were expected to follow certain rules when courting an omega, and he wasn’t about to be banned from seeing a young man he hadn’t met yet.

Working out in his human form helped. Some routines were so ingrained in Cord’s psyche that his body moved automatically through what many would call a punishing workout.

He was mopping up the sweat from his bare chest and neck when Bullet stuck his head out of the range slider and grinned.

“Rough night, I take it. Coffee’s on when you’re ready. ”

Short but efficient showers were also something Cord was used to, and he was in the kitchen in less than ten minutes.

Bullet was cooking, and Cord fell into the nearest seat at the small kitchen table.

“I’ve been making so many assumptions,” he said – it was the first thing that came into his head, but now he’d voiced a single concern, the others just tumbled out.

“I have no idea what this person looks like. All I really know about him is his gender, and his scent drives me wild. I know he wasn’t accepted by his parents, but why?

Surely, parents don’t just kick their kids out for no reason, especially when they’re omegas.

He works for a living. How weird is that?

I thought omegas were provided for, but he makes his own money.

Is he going to be happy just fitting into my life after he’s worked so hard to create a life of his own?

What if he doesn’t even like me? I’m hardly the conversationalist of the year. And then…”

“Stop,” Bullet said firmly. “Just stop. You’re going to talk yourself into not making the lunch date at all, and if that happens, I will personally beat you into a pulp and stamp on your bones. Cut it out.”

“That’s a bit harsh.” Cord took the coffee mug Bullet handed to him. “Wouldn’t you be worried if you were me?”

“I’d be curious if I was in your situation.

” Bullet bent over, pulling a large casserole dish out of his oven and coming over to the table with it.

“You’ve forgotten the main thing here. You, my friend, have hit the holy grail, the one thing all alphas of any species longs for – an omega to call your own.

Don’t you think you’re being a bit shallow, wondering about his looks and things like that when his scent tells you anything important you need to know – like he’s yours? ”

Swallowing hard, Cord tried to pluck some coherent thoughts out of his rattled brain. “I saw all the omegas at the event last night…”

“Not all of them,” Bullet reminded him, going back for plates and cutlery. “You didn’t see Billy,” he added as he came back to the table, taking a seat across from Cord.

“Okay. Fair point. But why didn’t I see Billy?

” Cord thought he was being reasonable in asking.

“You said yourself that I was ‘fresh meat,’ I think you called it, and so many omegas came up to say hello I lost track. Why didn’t Billy?

See, maybe he didn’t like the way I looked, so he never bothered.

“And I know you’re used to the omegas we met last night, and I’m not saying they’re not a fun bunch, because they truly are, and I felt very welcome by everyone, but Bullet, they were all so…

so…” Cord struggled to find the right word.

He didn’t want to sound as if he was judging the men and women he’d met the night before because he wasn’t.

“Pampered... Refined... Pretty... Polished… not me .”

“Hmm…” Bullet grinned as he dished up a large plate of food and passed it over.

“They are all those things and more. You have to understand that most of the omegas we met last night never had to worry about where their next meal was coming from or if they ever had to get a job. They are raised by loving parents who hold fast to the idea that their omega will make a great match with an alpha one day. I know, I know,” he added when he must’ve caught sight of Cord’s expression, “Not all omegas are that lucky, and honestly, just thinking about the alternatives is heartbreaking, but the ones we met last night have a good life, and expect to go on and have an even better life with an alpha who will treat them right. I’m almost certain your Billy is barely on the fringes of that lucky category. ”

“Do you know him? Have you seen him? Why didn’t you say something last night?” When I was pestering the living shit out of you about him, although Cord didn’t say that out loud.

“I was thinking about it before I went to sleep, and I think I have seen him, not to talk to, but I’ve seen him in passing.

I’ve met Cece and Tristan at Omega Hearts events before, and we’ve always been friendly, so I notice them when they’re out.

I’m almost certain your mysterious Billy is a third man they’ve had with them on occasion.

If it is the man I’m thinking of, he never dances at any of the events.

He smiles and responds if someone talks to him – he seems friendly enough - but he tends to sit in a corner with a single drink and watches his friends having fun. ”

“That sounds a little sad.” Cord had picked up his knife and fork but stopped to rub his chest. “He should be out having fun with his friends.”

“There’s a bit of a stigma among omegas – against those that don’t have parents or family to look after them,” Bullet said quietly.

“The fact that Cece and Tristan have stayed friends with him says a lot about them, along with Billy’s personality, of course.

Cece has very loving parents with three older alpha brothers, and Tristan is being cared for by his alpha brother. ”

“Yes, well. We’ve seen the other side of omega life, where they haven’t got parents that support them – cases where they’ve been abused and exploited instead.

” Cord shoveled some food into his mouth, trying to let the taste block out some memories he wished he didn’t have.

Bullet did the same, and Cord knew it was for the same reason.

The plates were almost empty when Bullet spoke again.

“This Billy, if he is who I think he is, is a bit of a cutey. He’s not tall, probably about the same height as Tristan and Cece but he has a shock of dark hair and a wide smile.

He wears glasses, which might be because of his computer work, but don’t quote me on that, and he’s got one of those faces…

ugh, it’s hard to explain, but when I saw him, I wanted to tuck him under my arm and shelter him from life’s hardships.

He just had that look about him, you know? ”

“No, I don’t know because I haven’t seen him yet.” Cord pushed his plate aside. “That was lovely, thank you. The thing is, what am I going to do with an omega mate?”

Bullet looked at him as if he was simple minded. “I surely don’t need to tell you about the birds and the bees.”

Cord snorted. “I’m sure I can muddle my way through that side of things.

No, after the claim, I mean. I don’t live in Frankton.

My home base is in Newport. And then there’s our work.

I know we only get called out once a month or so, but sometimes, we can be gone for up to three days.

How is that fair to an omega mate being left alone? ”

“From the sounds of things, Billy’s not going to be bothered about being on his own for a few days if he’s confident you’re going to go home to him.

He’s already lived on his own for a while already, possibly years.

But he does have some semblance of a support system here with his friends.

I had a couple of calls about you last night, wanting to know if I thought you were suitable for an omega mate. ”

Bullet waved his finger in Cord’s face. “In fairness, if you’re going to stay on the team, which I know you’ll want to because I’d feel the same way, then it would be only right for you to relocate to Frankton.

There’s some nice places for sale on the outskirts of town that are close enough that Billy can still stay in touch with his friends, and you’d still get your need for privacy with your mate when you need it. ”

“That might not be a bad thing,” Cord admitted as he thought about it. “My current house just reminds me of Rapid, and chances are it still stinks of him, too. If anything was going to be unfair to Billy, it would be rubbing his nose in that.”

“Aww, look at you thinking like a mate already.” Bullet chuckled. “Well, come on, lover boy, you can help me with the dishes and then we’ll hit the town, and you can do some gift buying for your Billy.”

Your Billy. Bullet had used that phrase a few times, and Cord found that he liked the way that sounded. His wolf agreed. Lunchtime couldn’t come soon enough.