Getting a Mate in Four Easy Steps

“f**k!” Rohan Adams cursed softly after he’d finished reading the notice taped to the front door of his apartment. “Another rent hike.” It was nearly three o’clock in the morning, and he had just finished an eight-hour shift bartending at the bar downtown where he only got an hour break for dinner. He was damn exhausted, and all he wanted was to get inside his shitty, tiny studio apartment and fall face-down onto his bed for a few hours’ sleep before he had to wake up, shower, and rush to his other job as a barista at the nearby coffee shop for the next few hours. He tore the piece of paper off his apartment door, crumpled it into a ball with his right fist, and threw it somewhere behind him. He lived in a rather dilapidated eight-story building, which was barely maintained or cleaned up, in one of the worst neighborhoods in the city so it didn’t matter if he dirtied it up. Nobody would care anyway. He unlocked the front door and entered his apartment before sighing loudly. He would have to scrimp and save even more in order to make rent for the following month due to the increase, but he didn’t quite know how he would manage that, considering he was already living frugally day in and day out, and he wasn’t certain if there was any other apartment that would be cheaper than his current place. He stripped naked in a hurry as he headed toward the twin bed in the corner before toppling down onto it with a loud groan. He was relieved to finally be home, but he scrunched up his nose in disgust when he was assaulted by the musky stench of his perspiration and alpha pheromones, along with the unfamiliar stink of another alpha. The latter resulted from having to grab on to that sweaty and rather intoxicated alpha earlier at the bar because that man and another male alpha were about to start a fight and punch each other bloody. He might be an alpha himself, but it took every ounce of his self-control to pull that enraged man away from the man’s opponent. There were many reasons for that. As an alpha, the scent of another angry alpha would spike his own fury. If he didn’t have sufficient control over his own temper, he might have joined in the brawl instead. In terms of physique and brute strength, male alphas were the strongest. It didn’t matter how muscular a male beta or omega was. When the altercation involved a male alpha, the male beta or omega would be at a disadvantage. Period. At the moment, he ached from head to toe because he’d had to exert plenty of energy to drag that irate alpha away from his opponent. After all, that drunk alpha had lots of muscle to spare, and he was about three, four inches taller than Rohan’s own height of six feet. Fortunately, Rohan, weighing two hundred and thirteen pounds of muscle, wasn’t too shabby either, and he succeeded in breaking those two roaring, fuming alphas apart. Otherwise, there would be a ton of injuries to deal with, and several things inside the bar might end up being broken into pieces. He was about to shut his eyes when he saw the brochure on his nightstand. He reached for it and skimmed through it for what felt like the thousandth time. He’d received the brochure about three weeks ago right before he was about to enter the grocery store close to his apartment building. It contained an advertisement for the local alpha auction house. Initially, he’d wanted to discard it, but something held him back, and now, he was glad he kept it. He was aware of the existence of alpha auction houses all over the country. Some were shadier than others, but they were all legal. Or they were supposed to be. To put them in a better light, they could be labeled as dating agencies that specialized in handling alphas, especially male alphas, who were willing to offer their services, s****l or otherwise, to the betas and omegas. Alphas might be the majority in the world, followed by the betas and then the omegas, which made up less than twenty-five percent of the total population, but they weren’t in charge. Instead, the omegas were the most powerful, both financially and politically. “What the f**k?” Rohan muttered under his breath. “I must have lost my mind for a second there.” Or maybe he was simply desperate enough to consider the possibility of joining an alpha auction house. His chances of meeting an omega while simultaneously earning some extra money would be much higher if he joined. After all, the alpha auction houses, at least the respectable ones, had strict policies when it came to the alphas they were willing to accept as clients. The background check would be stringent, and Rohan knew he would have to undergo multiple health screenings. Granted, the various fees at the alpha auction houses were really high, and the omegas knew they would also have to provide, monetary-wise, for the alphas they purchased. At least for the duration of the contract both parties agreed on. However, the omegas would feel much safer if they selected their alphas there instead of picking them at random on the street somewhere. Rohan read through the colorful brochure one last time before putting it back on the nightstand and closing his eyes. He had to think it through. An alpha auction house had actually been called an alpha for rent about five decades ago, but some people thought the name made it sound really sordid and disreputable. Rohan didn’t think its current label was any better, but at the very least, it was a legal form of business and more or less respectable. Besides, the clients of an alpha auction house only purchased the alphas’ services there, and they weren’t there to buy the alphas themselves. However, it wasn’t an option Rohan thought he would ever need, but he was at his wit’s end. Or he was probably too exhausted to properly analyze his alternatives. He’d have to sleep on it. Maybe he’d come up with another choice after a few hours of sleep. After thinking that, he shut his eyes and did his best to doze off. Everything would probably be better in the light of day. * * * * Diego Lawson knew he should be sleeping, since it was already three in the morning, but he was too excited after receiving his acceptance e-mail from the alpha auction house he’d applied at a few days ago, and he needed to talk about it with somebody. Fortunately, Jason Holton, his alpha best friend, was still awake. Diego could see Jason’s online status in one of the social media sites so he picked up his cell and dialed his best friend’s number to share the good news. Jason answered almost immediately. “Hey, jerk. What’s up?” Diego laughed. “Not much, asshole. What about you?” “Just finished two rounds of mind-blowing s*x with both of my omegas.” Diego whistled softly. “Damn! You lucky son of a bitch.” “I know, right? And guess what?” “What?” “We’re seriously thinking about mating.” Diego gasped. “All three of you?” “No. With the donkey and the llama, too. What the f**k, man? Of course the mating will be among the three of us. You know what I’m like. I can be friends with just about anybody, but there are lines that I won’t cross, and having s*x with another alpha is one of them. Can’t stand the stench of another alpha, especially a male alpha. f*****g disgusting.” Diego rolled his eyes. “Yet you have no issues bedding two male omegas at the same time.” “That’s because they both smell f*****g incredible. You have no idea how delicious they taste when I eat their asses—” “Yuck!” Diego interrupted in a hurry. “No details, man. You’re my best friend.” “Prude!” “No, I’m not. You’re just slutty.” “Whatever. So, what’s going on with you?” Diego was instantly reminded of his initial purpose in calling Jason up at three in the morning. “Oh, that’s right! I got the acceptance letter!” “What letter now?” “An acceptance letter from the alpha auction house.” “Oh, s**t, man! That’s awesome. You finally decided to heed my advice after all, eh?” “Yeah.” “You won’t regret it. The auction house I recommended is one of the best in the nation. In the world even. Everything is legal, and the people who work there are some of the nicest.” “That’s where you first met Greg and Ash. Am I right?” Gregory Banks and Ashton Irvine were Jason’s omegas. Diego liked them both. He thought they were perfect for Jason. They somehow managed to tame Jason’s wildness while turning him into the best version of himself ever. “Correct. Best day of my life.” “Obviously.” There were a few seconds of silence before Jason abruptly cleared his throat. “Hey, jerk.” Diego snorted. “Still here, asshole. What is it?” “Can I tell you something? But you have to promise to keep it a secret between us. At least until I get the opportunity to have a conversation about it with Greg and Ash.” Jason sounded really serious, and Diego was beginning to feel concerned something was wrong with his best friend. “What is it?” Jason was quiet for a second or two. “I think I…uh, I may have fallen for Greg and Ash. I know some alphas only mate with their omegas because they want to have an easier life. After all, the omegas are generally rich and successful. I swear that’s not the case with me. I really want to mate with Greg and Ash because I’m in love with them.” Diego was stunned for a brief moment by Jason’s rambling before he burst out laughing. “Is that it? Holy s**t! I thought you were going to talk to me about something else. Like maybe you were about to keel over and die.” “What the f**k, man? I’m freaking out here.” Diego shook his head in amusement. “Listen to me, you stupid asshole. I’ve known about you being in love with them for months now.” “Really?” “Yes! You’re always so slow on the uptake when it comes to the emotional stuff. Even a blind man can tell you’re madly in love with Greg and Ash.” “You’re not kidding, are you?” “No.” “Do you think Greg and Ash already know about me being in—” “I’m certain they do. Your omegas are extremely perceptive. Both of them. Believe me when I say that they know how you feel.” “Okay. What should I do now? Help a buddy out, man.” Diego didn’t quite know how to answer that. “I have no clue. You’re the one with the omegas. Do you know how many alphas will kill to be as lucky as you are right now? Dating and making love with two gorgeous omegas at the same time. s**t! They’re damn famous and rich, too. You’re one lucky motherfucker! I really don’t know what you need me for.” “But you’re older and you’ve dated more people than me. Any suggestions?” Diego scoffed. “I’m thirty-two years old so I’m only three years older than you are. Besides, I’ve never gotten the chance to date an omega. You know what it’s like out there, man. Omegas are so rare and precious, and alphas like us are the lowest on the totem pole. My only dating and s****l experiences revolve around betas and other alphas. It’s almost unheard of for an alpha, or a beta for that matter, to randomly meet an omega on the street and start dating each other. Forget about those dating agencies or online applications. They’re f*****g useless, and some are creepy as s**t. Some alpha auction houses may be rather shady, but for most of them, their reputations are actually quite excellent.” Jason sighed. “True. Never mind then. Forget about Greg, Ash, and me. What are you going to do next? When do you have to submit the documents to the auction house?” “Within the next two, three days, I guess,” Diego replied. “The people there will need them to do some background checks on me. I’ll also have to visit them sometime this week so one of the in-house doctors can give me a full body checkup.” “Cool. I remember the process, and based on my recollection, you should receive a clearance from somebody there within two weeks or less. After you sign the contract, you will be provided with the date of the auction. Don’t worry about a single thing, man. I know you. You’re as clean as a whistle. I’m sure you’ll pass with flying colors.” “I hope so. It’ll be wonderful to have an omega mate. I’ve been dreaming of that for years.” “You and a few billion other alphas out there.” “Yeah. Alphas and betas are wonderful, but omegas are just…just something special. You know what I mean.” “Yeah, I do. Anyway, good luck, jerk. I need to hang up now. My omegas are calling for me. I think I’ll be getting lucky again. I can smell their slick. f**k! Later, man.” Diego grimaced. “Yuck! Thanks for the image. Bye, asshole.” He hung up afterward before reading through the acceptance e-mail one last time and making his way to the bed. He felt slightly calmer now he’d shared the news with Jason. He was beginning to feel rather drowsy, which was a good thing because he had an eight-hour night shift in the twenty-four-hour research section of the public library downtown, and he required plenty of rest to survive that. After all, he had to leave the house no later than four in the afternoon in order to reach the library on time, and he had quite a few errands to take care of before he could go to work. Nevertheless, he was thrilled his application was accepted by the auction house. At the very least, he’d passed the initial screening. Just a few more steps to go. * * * * Percy Watts sipped on some hot chocolate before cutting into the slice of blueberry cheesecake on the table in front of him. It was nearly four in the morning, and he hadn’t gone to bed yet. There were too many thoughts swirling inside his head, and he had to work through them before he could fall asleep. For what felt like the thousandth time over the past twenty-four hours, he debated internally if he should go through with his plan of attending the next auction at the alpha auction house that came highly recommended by Gregory and Ashton, his fellow omegas who were in the same line of work as him. He was a television personality who was famous for his skills in the kitchen as well as his ability to decorate any house or apartment. He had also written and published eight books on those particular subjects over the past fourteen years since graduating college at twenty-two years old. His books always remained on the bestseller lists of various magazines for several months after they were released. In addition, he worked with a few manufacturers to produce his own lines of retail items that were used in various rooms inside a house or an apartment. He put his name on many things, which included most of the things that could be used to decorate and complete any rooms in the house, apartment, restaurants, and even office buildings, and they were in high demand all year round. With a net worth of more than seven billion dollars, he was one of the wealthiest people in the country. In the world even. Unfortunately, there were some unpleasant occurrences that he had to contend with every time he was out and about, especially since he was an omega. He didn’t even want to think about that awful case nearly two years before, involving Howard, his last ex-boyfriend who was a beta. The past two years had been filled with nightmares and endless therapy sessions. The case was something he would rather forget as soon as possible. Even though somebody of his secondary gender designation had many opportunities in terms of career choices, he was aware he was physically weaker than the alphas and betas. At five feet, six inches tall and weighing one hundred and fifty pounds, he was actually quite big for an omega, but he wouldn’t be able to compete against a taller or larger alpha or beta. He’d lost count of the number of times an alpha or beta had touched him inappropriately, or sniffed at him. It might not happen all the time, but there were more than enough of those incidents to piss him off. However, there was nothing he could do about them. Those alphas and betas were getting smarter and sneakier. They would grope and grab him in crowded, tight places like an elevator or a busy market because he wouldn’t be able to identify who molested him since there were too many people around, and he couldn’t exactly accuse everyone. That was extremely frustrating. He understood, as a male omega, his scent was enticing to alphas and betas, but he grew uncomfortable when they got too close. He could have reported them to the authorities, but without any solid evidence, there was little the police could do. If he had an alpha with him, especially one who was already vetted by the auction house, the two of them could form an initial bond. It wouldn’t be a full mating bond, but it would be sufficient to create a temporary attachment between them, and the alpha would instinctively protect him. The other alphas and betas out there would be able to smell his chosen alpha’s scent on him and shouldn’t mess with him. He sighed and stared at the website on his smartphone. “This really looks like an excellent alpha auction house,” Percy muttered to himself as he scrolled through the webpage. “Maybe I should give it a chance. I don’t have anything to lose anyway.” Percy saw the next auction would be held at the end of the following week. He hesitated for a brief moment before making up his mind and signing up. Once that was done, he had a momentary panic attack, but he managed to shake it off. It was already done. All he had to do was make sure he kept his schedule empty that day. Hopefully, he would be able to find a suitable alpha at the auction. Maybe the two of them would hit it off and become really close. Besides, he was already thirty-six. It would be nice to have a companion. Preferably, the alpha could turn out to be someone who would chase away the loneliness as they grew older together. That would be an excellent outcome.