Page 3 of Omega on the Rocks (Pubbin’ Mates #1)

I slid into a booth, my eyes darting back and forth between him and the room. Where was I supposed to look? I suddenly felt angsty, like something within me was clawing to get out. To be free. To fight for its place. Need, aching, burning desire rising in my chest.

"Calm down, Angel. Everything is alright." His voice was honey smooth, and my gaze shot to his brown eyes. He smiled at me, the effect quite like a bolt of lightning.

"Alright?"

"Of course. Are you feeling like you can't get a scent from me at all?" He quirked an eyebrow as though he hadn't just pegged one of my revolving questions in one sentence. "I have a supplier a few towns over. I use one of the best scent blockers known to wolf kind."

I relaxed in my seat, the sudden bout of anxiety beginning to loosen. At least he was a wolf. My shoulders no longer feeling tight like a livewire. "Oh, why do you use scent blockers?"

Of course, many wolves preferred to use scent blockers. Especially omega's, but this man was clearly not an omega. Nobody would ever mistake him for one either -- even if being a male omega was a thing.

"To keep other rival wolves from scenting me. I tend to hang around in some darker, seedier places such as the one we are in right now where multiple packs hang out. Sometimes things do not go so well, when other alphas scent me out."

So he was an alpha then. Of course he was, what else could a man that looked like him be. He had muscles for days. I swallowed dryly, choosing my next words carefully. "What pack are you from?"

"I am the pack alpha of pack Blackrock. This is our territory here, but this bar is open to all." He said the words, just as Kenzie set the order on the table.

"Would you care for a burger, or some fries, Kieran?" The bartender asked, his eyes glued to the man across from me.

Irrational jealously poured from my very bones. "He will tell you what he wants when he wants it." I spat out, unable to stop myself. What the hell is wrong with me?

Kenzie took a few steps backward, his gaze shooting between the two of us. “oh.. um… uh… “ he stammered.

“You know what I get round here Kenz, just grab it for me if you would, beta. Please bring preacher here the same. Also 2 peanut butter milkshakes.” He shot a glance over at me, his eyes dark and filled with something I couldn’t place my finger on.

“You allergic?”

Allergic to what? I was allergic to that man being anywhere near my table.

Mine. Mate. Go away.

The voice of my wolf was growing increasingly loud and insistent. I took in a deep breath, attempting to control my words. “I’m not allergic to a goddamn thing except this asshole who won’t leave you alone. If you wanted something you’d have asked for it.”

“Hey. I did ask for it. Calm down, he’s my first beta. He knows what I need, and he will provide it for me.”

Provide? Need? Was he suggesting what I thought he was suggesting? A low growl sounded around the room. Full of warning, and possession. Uneasy, I glanced around, the hairs on the back of my neck standing at full attention. Who was growling?

Kieran’s eyebrows shot clear to his hairline, and he cleared his throat. “It’s alright omega. Calm down. Kenz isn’t near me.”

“What?!” The words fell from my lips, accompanied by another savage warning growl. The rumbling in my throat caught me off guard. Wait… had I been the one growling? At Kenzie? An unwelcome flush filled my cheeks. Seriously, what was in the alcohol at this joint?

“I said, the beta isn’t near me. Beta go now.” The alpha power in his voice was so strong even I felt it practically vibrating in the air.

“Oh right, yes alpha.” Kenzie bowed and scurried off.

Meanwhile, I was still stuck in my head.

Provide? Need? Why would he get someone else to fulfill his needs…

more importantly why the fuck did I even care.

Some part of me knew the answer but I was too damn scared to admit it even to myself.

That would fuck up every plan I’d ever made, every goal I had in place, and my entire life.

“Omega. Look at me.” His words were laced with power, and I couldn’t stop my gaze from flying to meet his. The brown intensely full of flickering gold. His wolf was close to the surface.

“O—mm—e—ga? What?” I stammered. “I’m not an omega.”

A disbelieving expression crossed his face, before laughter began falling from his lips. His entire face lighting up. “Oh cut the crap preacher, I can smell that omega from a mile off.”

“You must be mistaken, I am a male.”

Keiran sobered up. “So? What the fuck does that have to do with your hierarchy?”

Seriously? I was going to have to spell it out for him? Talking about humiliation at its finest. Nobody could know this… this was a secret that was my cross to bear. Mine alone.

“I asked you a question. I expect an answer.” His voice was firm.

“I can’t be an omega, I am male.”

I don’t care if you are male, or a jackass. Mate. Mine. Must get rid of beta. Not right. Not his to provide for.

Shock ran through my body, setting the edges of my nerves ablaze.

My wolf had never spoken to me in full sentences.

Broken words, two or three words strung together – even that was rare.

The blazing pink elephant in the room was getting hard to ignore, but I had to hold on longer.

I couldn’t give in. I couldn’t even think it…

“Oh, you come from one of those packs then. Where Alphas are male, and omegas are female I take it?” He winked at me, and placed both of his elbows on the table.

“Hate to break it to ya preacher, but that’s antiquated.

It’s not common, male omega’s but its certainly not unheard of by any stretch of the imagination. ”

“You mean to tell me you’ve met a male omega before?”

“No. But I sure wish I had, they are most revered in these parts. I’ve always had a penchant for let’s say… eggplants, so I was very hopeful that I would be blessed with a male omega. I know a alpha in a neighboring pack just secured a male omega. I haven’t met him as of yet, however.”

What was he suggesting? That the very thing I had been taught to hate, was not only okay – but desired? Was he trying to prank me? I looked around for the camera… trying to find the source of his words. Someone was trying to ruin my career. That had to be it.

Mate does not mislead. Mate is trustworthy. Stop being in your head, trust him. He knows. He can help us. I can sense his wolf, he is nearby – and he is very pleased to make our acquaintance.

I startled, the movement so abrupt that I bumped into the table, causing the entire thing to clank.

“What happened?” Keiran jumped to his feet, looking all around, his body on defensive mode.

“It’s my wolf, he’s talking to me. He is usually quiet.”

He sat back down slowly, taking me in. His eyes perusing every inch of my body as he licked his lips. “Well, maybe he didn’t feel safe enough to talk much before. Wolves can carry trauma too. Did your pack leader destroy your bond to the pack when you presented?”

“Yes. He tore it from me.”

Keiran’s eyes darkened. “When I’m done making you mine, remind me to go rip his goddamn heart out and eat it, while the life drains from his eyes.”

I blinked. Then blinked again. A strange feeling of being cared for filling my bones. I was not going to say a word. That would be best here… right?

“Omega. It is okay that you are male and omega. Seriously, it’s a non-issue.”

“Oh.” I managed to make my numb lips form words.

“Here you go Alpha-sir, and alpha-mate I made you the same thing. Please let me know if it isn’t to your liking.”

Keiran watched me. I could feel his dark brown gaze boring into the side of my head as I stared in horror at Kenzie. “Excuse me, but I’m not … whatever you just said… the food looks fine though.”

I blinked, trying to blink back tears that were threatening to fall. Why had I been placed in this bar? Why couldn’t I have gone to any other bar… any other night. Surely, I could have found somewhere that was less assuming, and less demanding of my wolf side.

“Thank you for your respect beta, that is all for now.” Keiran’s voice was low, and a tremble shot through me.

“But… but… what about what he called me?”

Keiran picked up his burger, lifting an eyebrow. “I didn’t see any issue with what he said, preacher. You are indeed the alpha-mate.”

The thought that I had been trying to push away climbed to the forefront of my mind. My wolf sniffing and rumbling in ecstasy. We had found our mate. More pointedly I had found my mate … and he was a male.

I continued to stare at Kieran, my mind a whirlwind of confusion and newfound realization.

The weight of his words settled over me like a heavy cloak, and I found myself at a loss for what to say.

He seemed so certain, so confident in his assessment of me and our situation.

Yet, I couldn't shake the deep-seated doubts that had been ingrained in me since I was young.

"You can't be serious," I finally managed to whisper, my voice barely audible over the low hum of the bar. "I'm not... I can't be... an alpha-mate. I'm just a man."

A surprised look crossed his face, before he schooled his features.

Must be trying to ignore how much I could truly be oblivious…

or something. “You can be an alpha-mate, whatever makes you think you can’t?

” He chewed his burger, and my gaze latched on the way his jaw flexed with each bite.

Strong, muscular, angled in such a way that it nearly made my mouth water.

Mmm. Mate. Yes, so sexy.

A shudder inadvertently crossed my shoulders, and I tried to play it off, by shifting. The perceptive knowing look in his eyes told me that I wasn’t as successful as I would have hoped.

“Well, what about you know… pups… and the way your pack would react… I mean my pack threw me out.” No sense keeping that a secret. Everything would be spilled out in the open soon enough if I walked through this door – or if I didn’t.

“Pups aren’t an issue, and I don’t find it very likely anyone in my pack would take issue to you being a male, preacher. This isn’t whatever backwoods hick town you were raised in.”

What did being raised in a backwoods town have to do with it? I was still a male. “Of course pups matter, you are the alpha of your pack. You have to produce an heir.” Even I, outcast as I were, knew that pups would be one of the most important things to the alpha lineage.

“Who says you can’t have pups?” He growled, his gaze darkening, as he took another bite of his burger.

I stared at him in confusion, before a chuckle escaped my lips. “My anatomy.” I muttered, taking a sip of my drink.

“I’m not following you. Do you mean to tell me you think because you are a male omega you cannot produce an heir?”

Was this man two nickels short of a dollar? I stared at him for a moment, before nodding. “Well, yes. Alongside of every scientist, biologist, and even humans can tell you that.”

A glitter of amusement filled his eyes, as he grinned. The white of his teeth flashing against tan skin. He cleared his throat as though preparing to make a life-altering announcement. “I hate to be the bearer of bad news preacher, but male omega’s can in fact give birth.”

WHAT?!