Page 38 of Dream Mates (Into The Parallel Omegaverse #2)

Chapter Twenty-Three

Evan

F riday night, Grace, Riley, and I filed into the packed auditorium at the Finchley Academy for Exemplary Omegas. I winced at all the alpha smells permeating the state-of-the art building, even though the air filters were running.

“It’s so nice that all these families are here for a talent show.” Grace looked around, holding my hand.

“Yeah, that’s not why people are here.” Riley checked her phone and led us down and to the right.

“Well, there are families here. Mostly for the local students,” I said.

Finchley was one of the best omega schools in the country.

People sent their omegas to get an excellent education.

Many of their graduates transferred to top universities or took jobs at prestigious companies.

Or made very good matches. Often all three.

Every year omegas of note were chosen from graduating omegas worldwide. It wasn’t uncommon for Finchley to be represented.

As we made our way to our seats, a lot of people ignored me, but looked Grace up and down with interest. Shit. We should have brought alphas with us. I got out my phone and texted the group chat. I’d forgotten who else Finchley events drew.

“They’re shopping . Well, that’s what Rose calls it.” Riley waved at someone, and we sat. “Finchley goes from high school all the way through undergrad. Packs come to school events to see who might be available.”

That they did. Especially younger alphas that might not be quite ready for an omega and perfectly willing to wait for the right one.

Grace frowned. “Even college is a little young, isn’t it? I mean I had a bunch of friends get married in the last year or right after graduation, but it still feels early.”

“Even though a lot of work has been done to make it a choice, not a necessity, plenty of omegas do still choose to mate in their early to mid-twenties. A lot of it is biology. That pull to want an alpha or two of your own.” I put an arm around Grace as a group of alphas in suits that looked like trouble stared unabashedly at her.

There was also the fact that a heat without an alpha could be very painful–and too many of those could have long-term health effects.

While the Omega Center did help you find heat partners, provided comfortable places to have a heat, and even offered safe ways to go through it partnerless, it was an intimate experience, and you craved a permanent partner to share it with.

I’d already been dating Wes when I’d awakened as an omega, so I never had to worry.

But with my clients, there was often a big biological push.

Heat suppressants were something many chose, especially when trying to get through university or establish a career.

However, heavy-duty blockers and heat suppressants could only be taken for so long without causing health problems.

“Still…” Her frown deepened.

“That’s why the Center exists. To make sure matches are above-board and in everyone’s best interest. The Center even looks over agreements for matches they didn’t make. Like mine,” I offered. “And yours.”

They also had a calculator to help determine the value of a mating gift. Both to make sure the omega wasn’t shorted and ensure the alphas didn’t want an omega so badly that they went into debt.

“Me?” Her head cocked.

“You don’t think Mrs. Beekman won’t be all over the pack agreement to make sure you’re being treated fairly?” I grinned.

Grace’s advocate had come for another home visit accompanied by our dear friend Luc the integration counselor, who’d met with the whole pack.

“True.” She nodded.

Riley rolled her eyes. “Alphas. They just seem like so much work.”

“Which is why all your friends seem to be young alphas in the making?” I teased.

“Fuck you, you doofus.” She scratched her nose with her middle finger. There were little spiderwebs painted on her black nails.

I looked at my phone, then waved at my coworker, Carly, who sat nearby with her alphas and toddler. She had a few clients in the show tonight, too. We tried our best to attend things for our clients, especially the ones that didn’t have much–or any–family.

The lights dimmed and the show started. I peered at the program to see who was in what number.

This wasn’t like my high school talent shows with students singing karaoke and doing marginally appropriate dance numbers.

There were sets, costumes, and lighting.

Everyone’s talent was at a high level. Some school groups also performed tonight–like the cheer team and dance squad that Rose was part of, the choirs, and music ensembles.

It was also quite long.

“Those kids,” Grace breathed, as the cheer squad performed. “That is so much better than we ever were, and we competed.”

“We’re in fancy-land, Grace,” Riley whispered. “Tons of rich kids. Most of them have been in dance classes or music lessons since birth.”

Children didn’t take the basic blood test, the prick-test, that showed which of the three main designations they were until middle school. However, families often had a general idea of what their children might be, and some tendencies did sometimes manifest early.

Like baby Grace building nests in the laundry.

The team certainly was good. The show finished and everyone poured into the adjoining gym for a reception.

Grace darted off to find the omega science teacher who’d once been one of my clients so she could talk to her about recruiting students for the Compass BioTek internship program.

I made my rounds, finding all my clients and complementing their performances. Finally, I went over to Rose.

For a moment she looked anxious, and her voice lowered. “I thought I saw some bad alphas, like the ones my uncle always owes money to.”

“Thank you for telling me.” That didn't sound good.

Had the uncle wanted part of the money to pay his debts? Perhaps they were who the doctor had gotten the drugs from that had made Rose an omega? There was so much we didn’t know about Rose’s circumstances even with her mom and uncle being in jail.

Wes joined me. “There you are.”

“Where’s Grace?” I leaned into him.

“With Spence, who’s chatting up the headmistress,” he said. “Thanks for letting us know we were needed . ”

Rose looked at Wes and her mouth formed a little ‘o.” The first time I met her, she looked at a picture of my mates and told me that Wes was her favorite.

“This is Wes. Wes, this is Rose.” We went back into the gym.

There were less people now, as families took their students out for an ice cream or a late dinner, but there were also alphas talking to omegas–and students speaking to each other.

I spied Riley in a group–some of her schoolmates probably had siblings here.

“Thanks for coming.” Rose gave me a hug then went off to join her friends.

“Let’s find Grace,” I said to Wes.

Headmistress Nikita found me first. “Evan. Did you like it?”

“Amazing as always,” I said. “So many people.”

“I know. But it’s nearing the end of the year, which always brings interest. Speaking of interest,” she looked around and lowered her voice. “Can we talk?” She was tall for an omega, and on the younger side for a headmistress.

“I’ll round up the others,” Wes told me, giving me a squeeze and leaving.

“Some men were asking about Rose. Something about her uncle talking to them about a possible match. It didn’t feel right because I know Rose is a ward of the Center.

” The headmistress frowned. “Also, beyond the age gap, they were… how do I put it? Not the type of pack I’d encourage a Finchley student to choose?

Not that alphas in, um, the family business , don’t deserve to be matched with omegas, but these particular ones…

you understand my concern here?” Her eyes pleaded with me.

Gangsters. Gangsters were asking about Rose. These were probably the bad men Rose was talking about.

“No. Rose’s uncle isn’t allowed to do such things. She’s still a ward of the Center. And sixteen.” I frowned. “Are those men still here?”

“No, they asked when the next mixer was, and left. They didn’t ask for an introduction and I didn’t see them speak to her. It was a little odd,” Headmistress Nikita said.

“We don’t have any record of who they are, do we?”

She shook her head. “Other than getting a clip from security footage and running facial recognition?”

“We can do that. Sorry, with everything going on, this makes me worry,” I said.

“Me, too. Because it affects everyone’s safety,” she stated, expression serious.

“I know.” I recalled what she’d said previously about not being able to keep Rose if she put everyone in danger.

“Also, I got notification from the Morris Foundation that they are discontinuing funding for the scholars here. However, it seems that Spencer Thanukos is starting a foundation and offered to cover it. Do you know anything about that?” she asked.

“I definitely want these young people to continue their education, and we can’t internally fund all of them.

It just seems odd that he’d do that. I’m pretty sure his omega isn’t a former Finchley student. ”

“Spencer’s my packmate. When we were blindsided by the Morris Foundation’s decision, he decided it was time to step up. And Grace, I wish she would have gotten the opportunity to go to a place like Finchley.” What would it have been like for her, had she grown up omega?

The headmistress gave me a look of surprise. “You’re in a two-omega pack? I didn’t know that.”

“Technically, Grace is a gamma. I love her,” I confessed.

“You do?” Grace wrapped her arms around me. “Sorry if I’m crashing something important. Riley’s getting restless.”

“Hi.” I gave Grace a squeeze. “This is Headmistress Nikita. Headmistress, this is my mate Grace.”

“Hi.” Grace waved.

“It’s very nice to meet you. I’ll send you what we discussed.” She nodded and left.

“Everything okay?” Grace asked.

“I hope so.” I took her hand. “Should we get Riley and have some ice cream?”

Grace nodded. “Absolutely.”