Page 4 of Coco and the Misfits (The Candyverse #4)

ZACH

C oco…

She’s so pretty. So girly, frilly, flowery, sweet… like candy on my tongue. Her pink hair gets my heart pounding, my cock hard. Her smile gets my insides twisting. Her curves, oh boy… I have no words. Let us just say I fantasize about her at night.

Every night.

Seeing Coco is always a punch to the gut, followed by a fist around my dick.

Yeah, a pleasant punch. A pleasant fist. But it’s that violent, that visceral, I don’t know what to do with it. No other chick has ever made me feel this way. No other omega. No other person, period.

It’s… slightly terrifying. I’m still young. I don’t plan on a serious relationship at this point. Don’t get me wrong, I love sex. Fucking love it. I’m horny all the time and I’ve slept with my fair share of girls and guys.

Why the hell does Coco hit differently?

Anyway, like I said, not looking for anything serious. My mom had me when both she and my dad were very young and I always got the feeling they felt… trapped for a big part of their lives. They stayed together for many years because of me, and knowing that makes me feel guilty.

I grew up firmly believing that I shouldn’t look for my mates and establish a pack this young.

And why does Coco make me think of pack and mates?

Fuck.

I try to get her out of my mind but the idea that she might join one of my classes completely throws me off my game. I make mistakes. I stumble. The students laugh at my sudden clumsiness.

What the hell, right?

Being half-hard for most of the afternoon, ever since I talked to her, isn’t helping things when teaching martial arts. I’m wearing a groin protector but my dick barely fits in it right now. It’s uncomfortable and annoying.

A fucking disaster.

“Zach! Hey, Zach! What next?” a slender omega guy calls out and I jolt, finding myself frozen in front of the class.

I grin, covering up my discomfort, and guide them through the next exercise, then set them up in pairs and walk among them, correcting mistakes.

This is it. Everything’s fine.

But the tightness and the horniness persist until the end of my working day and I don’t like it.

A voice from the doorway of the locker room startles me.

“How’re you doing, son?” My dad grins at me, his duffel slung over a broad shoulder. “Did I manage to get a drop on you? What’s my prize?”

“Very funny,” I growl. “Hey, Dad.”

“I thought it was damn funny. You should have seen your face. I never catch you off guard anymore. What’s up?”

“Nothing,” I mutter.

“Hm…” He pins me with his gaze. Sometimes I think he can see the inside of my head, then I have to remind myself that not even I know what’s going on in there.

An alpha like me, he works here, too, as a trainer. He recently got himself a nice little pack and I’m not jealous at all. Am I?

Fuck.

I’m still feeling off, dammit.

I need... something. Something that’s missing from my life, but not a pack. Hell, no. A thrill, a novelty, some excitement.

Yesterday my roommates were talking about a night out. That’s probably what I need. Drink, dance, laugh, hang out, find someone to fuck, and life will go back to normal.

“I’m done here.” I swing my own duffel over my shoulder, avoiding his too-knowing gaze.

“Heading home?”

“Yeah.”

“You could swing by. Eat dinner with us. Catch up with everyone.”

His pack is awesome. I never thought it possible but I like every single mate of his. I should think he has good taste since he had me with Mom and Mom is awesome, too, but... Yeah, it’s not easy to like an entire pack and yet here we are.

It doesn’t change the fact that I feel off my game tonight and I don’t want him teasing any annoying truth out of me.

Whatever that might be.

I clap his back. “Another time, Dad. Give my regards to everyone.”

“Will do. Zach... you know you can always come to me whenever you want to talk, right? Whatever the problem is, big or small.”

“There is no problem, Dad. I swear. I’m probably coming down with something.”

“Are you taking your vitamins? Eating well?”

“Yes, Mom . Stop your worrying.”

“It’s my job to worry about you, kiddo. When you become a parent, you’ll get it.”

“Yeah, yeah. Until then…” I smirk at him. “Be good.”

“Hey!” He shakes his head with an affectionate smile. “That’s my line. Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do.”

Like get a teenage girl pregnant, the way you did with my mom? I think, but don’t say it. It wouldn’t be fair. Accidents happen, which is why I’m standing here, and my parents never made me feel unwanted. A happy accident, if an accident at all.

They risked their lives, their hearts, to give me a home.

So why am I so risk-averse? I won’t even buy the lottery or take a bet. I like my odds good and my outcomes certain. Easy conquests. Easy relationships.

I think of Coco’s smile and rub my eyes.

No, not ready for any risks at all.

* * *

Unlocking the door, I enter my apartment and cross the empty living room. I glance inside the small kitchen. Empty.

I frown. I share the place with two other idiots but it’s oddly quiet tonight.

But as I move further in, I hear loud voices through Ezra’s door, letting me know that despite appearances, I’m not home alone.

I relax. I don’t like being alone, living alone. I grew up as an only child, and you’d think I’m used to loneliness but I’m not. I never got used to it.

The voices increase in volume. What the hell? I recognize Ezra’s voice but also Gael’s. I knock and push the door open, catching the two halfwits in the middle of a shouting match.

“Hey, hey!” I grab Ezra who’s actually going after Gael and pull him back. Gael has his fists raised. “What the fuck, guys? Calm your tits!”

“That asshole!” Ezra rages, fighting me. “Let me rearrange his fucking face!”

“Me? He’s the one who started it.” Gael comes after Ezra, so I swing Ezra around and grunt when Gael’s punch hits my back. “Fuck.”

“Cut it out. Both of you.” I drag Ezra, who’s struggling like a wild animal, to his bed and throw him on top of it, then turn and jab a finger at Gael. “And you. Sit.”

Both of them are betas and the growl in my voice finally gets to them. They sit, rubbing their heads, glaring at one another. They may not be omegas but they still submit when I tap into my dominating side.

“Now...” I clench and unclench my fists, trying to let out the tension so I won’t end up grabbing and shaking the two dolts until their teeth fall out. “One of you explain. Gael, you go first.”

Ezra scowls. “But?—”

“Wait for your fucking turn,” I snap and he falls silent.

Gael grunts. “He tried to steal my boyfriends.”

Well. That’s succinct and clear.

I turn to Ezra. “Now you.”

“Not my fault his boyfriends dumped him for me, is it?”

“You may give better head,” Gael grinds out, “but you’re a black hole of destruction, Ez.”

“You’re digging too deep, Gael, which may be why your boyfriends got bored with you.”

Well, shit. I raise my hands before they jump on each other again. “Enough.”

“Enough? My boyfriends!” Gael shouts. “You don’t just break up a relationship like that?—”

“It was already broken, you idiot.” Ezra sags, obviously giving up the fight. “Otherwise, they wouldn’t have hooked up with me. It’s just sex, G.”

“Fuck.” Gael slumps back, too, dragging a hand over his face. “Just sex. Great.”

“Guys.” I prop my ass against Ezra’s desk. “I know what we have to do.”

“Is that right?” Ezra gives a glimmer of a grin. “Who are you, Dr. Doolittle?”

“He talked to animals, you idjit,” Gael mutters. “Whatever.”

“We need to go out tonight,” I say, “and get fucking wasted.”