“Perhaps.”
There was a long silence as Ezer sipped his coffee, his heart aching, and a stubborn refusal to accept his Da’s words took hold.
Da spoke again. “Your brothers have a larger outlook than you.”
“Do they?” Ezer wasn’t going to be any alpha’s adoring plaything. If that was what his brothers wanted, then they could take their so-called “larger outlook” and shove it because that life looked nothing more than stunted to him.
“Yes. And your brothers want to make sure they’ll make a good match in the future. With your father having moved on with another omega, one who will hopefully provide the alpha heir he’s been looking for, they’ll need to make a good marriage with someone of substantial fortune if they want to continue to live at the level they do now.”
Ezer sniffed and lifted his chin. “I don’t care about any of that. They have different priorities than I do.”
“Obviously.” Da stood to adjust the second-hand quilt, faded from washing, that was pinned on a line over the stove to dry. Then he sat down again, his expression all seriousness. “And what is your plan for yourself, Ezer? If not to make a good match?”
“To auction my heats to the highest bidder. That’ll be enough to pay for school.” He left off the part about wanting to apply most of his proceeds to helping his da live a better life.
Da would only take offense and refuse to be helped, and Ezer wouldn’t have that. Once he had heat money, then he’d find a way to make Da accept.
“And then what?”
“I’m good at math. Reading I’ll never be able to do, but my teachers give the tests to me orally now.” That had been thanks to Da’s input prior to the dissolution of their family. “And so long as I pay attention in the classroom, I learn quickly. I could become a professor. Teach.”
Da studied him a long moment and then whispered, “You’re very smart. I always told your father you were.”
And yet Father had never believed Da, and still didn’t. If reading wasn’t such a problem, then maybe Father would dislike Ezer less, but, as it stood, between his inability to read and his loyalty to his da, Ezer was his father’s least favorite son. “I’ll make a career of my own in mathematics, one way or another, and remain alone. I don’t need an alpha or a husband. I don’t even want children.”
Da cocked his head. “Don’t you, though?”
Ezer did, actually.
Babies were delicious things he craved the scent of, and children were funny and cute. He wanted the opportunity to have a happy family of his own. Despite all evidence to the contrary, some part of him still believed it was possible to have such a thing.
What he didn’t want was to have to submit to an alpha who, depending on the contract worked out in advance, could take legal custody of his children and all his property by default, even if the marriage ended due to no fault of Ezer’s—like birthing too many omegas, or his alpha’s wandering eye.
Ezer would rather be childless than face any future where he was at an alpha’s mercy financially, emotionally, and physically.
And after what his father had done to Da, Ezer didn’t know how he could ever trust an alpha again.
“You’re angry,” Da said, touching his cheek. His fingers were cool, and eyes sad. “I understand why. But your life doesn’t have to be like mine, Ezer. You could find a good match. With an alpha you care about. Who cares aboutyou. You could make a life with him in your own way.”
Ezer lifted his chin, remembering Braden’s strong hands on his body, Ned’s boot on his chest, and Finch’s nasty laugh. He remembered his own clawing fear, and how helpless he’d been.
“I do plan to make a life my own way, Da. Alone.”
“I suppose there’s no reasoning with you then. Just know your father has other plans for you. And by coming to visit me you’re cementing them further. I love you, Ezer, but for your own sake, you should go home in the morning and never come back.”
Da stood then and left the kitchen, his unfinished mug still steaming, and the heavy, wet quilt dripping onto the hot, hissing stove.
Chapter Two
Six Months Earlier
“Sorry.”
Ned flinched, turning toward the low voice issuing an unnecessary apology. Ned had been the one to knock into the small omega—and, hell’s bells, no omega was ever so fragile-looking as this one—so he should be the one to offer an apology.
But the words died on his lips as he gazed at the boy. He had the most beautiful eyes Ned had ever seen. Clear as the sky, and big enough to drown in. As he stared down into them, Ned’s heart gave a weird thump, and his fingers began to tingle.
The bell rang and the already hectic school grounds fell into chaos. The omega, whom Ned had never seen before, winced, and seemed to brace himself for the flow of bodies, his big eyes growing even wider.
