Omegas' Destined Alpha [Full Collection]

Chapter 3

Chapter Three

ZEKE

When Wes comes back from the kitchen and gives Nathan his order, I can see that he’s changed. The way he moves, the way he holds himself, it’s different from before and I hate the way it makes me feel, this sadness that spreads through my heart.

Something that I said must have turned his head bad, must have triggered something inside him that makes him revert to this again. The way I saw him behave when we just met.

He’s acting like a drone almost, he appears to be smiling but it doesn’t reach his eyes, and I can see the way in which he’s deflecting conversation with Nathan now. The way he stands, his shoulders tense, his body ready to flee, makes me want to go right over and pull him away. Makes me want to demand he tells me what’s going through his head.

I know that Wes sometimes thinks too much. That he feels he’s a bother to other people, even when he isn’t. I’ve known him for over a year and I’ve seen him revert back to this a few times, it always hurts.

I’ve tried to show him that not everyone is evil and that people really do like talking to him.

But years of conditioning by his asshole of an ex is hard to break, and worst of all… his ex wasn’t exactly unusual in the way he thought about Omegas or the way he treated Wes. He was just a little on the extremer side of the norm. It feels wrong to say ‘a little’, but my own experiences tell me that it’s right.

I take another customer’s order and get back to work. I can’t let this distract me right now. I’m going to have to talk to Wes later, hopefully before he’s off to class, but if that doesn’t work out, we’ll have time to talk tonight too.

There are too many customers to deal with this right now, even if that hurts.

I bring another order around and as I’m on my way back to the counter, Nathan motions for me. I go over to him, trying not to read anything into the look he’s giving me, but I know that he’s going to ask about Wes. He looks sad and a little confused.

“Yes?” I put on my best smile, which isn’t too hard around Nathan. It’s easy enough to smile at someone when they’re this handsome, even though I’m still worried over Wes.

Nathan takes a breath and then his eyes automatically go to Wes, who is helping another customer. “Did I say something wrong?”

“I have no idea. I’m not listening in on your conversations.” Okay, maybe I’m a little snippy. Can’t help it.

Nathan walking in here this morning changed something and it made Wes revert back to this state. I get snippy when that happens.

“Smart.” Nathan shakes his head a little, a small smile appearing on his lips, even though his eyes are still sad. “He came back with my order and he just looked… different.”

“I know.” I say it before I even realise it. I wasn’t planning on answering his question, but I couldn’t help myself.

Nathan’s eyebrows go up as he looks at me, alert. “So, something did happen.”

“If something happened…” I take a deep breath. “It’s not your fault. He’s… had a rough couple of years. He doesn’t easily trust people.”

I can give Nathan this, right? He looks genuinely interested in Wes and upset by the change, not in an angry way, but in a sad way.

“Alphas.”

“Hmm?” I blink, not sure I understood Nathan right.

“Not people, Wes doesn’t trust Alphas.” There is something in Nathan’s eyes as he looks Wes’ way that makes my chest clench and makes me feel like he knows exactly what he’s talking about.

Why does that hurt?

Why would…

“Something like that.” I hate how suddenly my voice sounds rough.

His eyes come to me again, falling on my face, and suddenly it feels like he sees right through me, like whatever is hurting on the inside is okay to let him know. Like he can see inside me, and understands it.

“I… I need to…” I take a step back, turning around.

“Zeke.” His voice stops me.

I turn back to him. I need to take a moment to myself, I really have to. I have to get away.

“Is it okay if I ask the two of you out for dinner? If I ask him that, will you come too?” He sounds so sincere, and at the same time scared.

The look in his eyes… It’s protective, a look I don’t often see from someone who makes my heart beat like this.

I nod, swallowing hard, unable to say anything. Something is bubbling up inside and I need to take a break.

“Thank you.” His voice is low and soft.

I nod at him again, and flee. Wes can take over the orders for a bit, but I need to hide. I need a couple of moments to myself.

I lock myself in one of the bathrooms, my breathing hard as I feel tears stream down my cheeks. I feel like such an asshole. Telling a total stranger about Wes, about his past.

But also, the look Wes had after I said that Nathan was flirting with him, and the way Wes changed when he came back… How am I supposed to handle this? How am I supposed to do this?

I love Wes, I love him with all my heart. I’ve never felt like this before. Never. I’ve never been in love before I met Wes.

And now… Seeing Nathan and Wes interact… It’s almost like that’s okay, that what I’m seeing between them is how things are supposed to be.

My heart may beat a little faster at seeing Wes get some positive attention, but my brain knows that as soon as he chooses a new Alpha… It will be over between us. It hurts.

I’ve always known that this would happen, but to see it play out in front of me, it hurts.

So why am I not upset over Nathan, but only sad about losing Wes?

I want Wes to be happy. And I’ve always known that I won’t be the one who will make him happy for the rest of his life.

How can I? He had an Alpha before, and he will have an Alpha again. He was never someone who was interested in other Omegas.

I was just someone who happened to him… A single Omega he seems to like, just one, me. I’ll never be able to give him what he needs… I can’t even… During s*x… I can’t give him that, it doesn’t work like that for me.

So how can I ever compete with an Alpha?

I take a deep breath, I knew this would happen at some point. I guess it just happened sooner than expected.

Better get back to work, enjoy the time I still have, and prepare myself for the inevitable.

When I get back, when I feel like I can act normal again, Wes is playing with Mia, Evan and some of the other kids in the play corner and Nathan is back to work, typing on his computer.

Nathan looks up and finds me watching him, something in his gaze changes, worry. He motions for me to come over, but I shake my head. I really need to get back to work.

When I see the time, I realise that Wes will leave for classes in about twenty minutes, so that means that the other barista, Tim, will come in soon.

I help a couple more customers, and then, as I’m preparing orders, I see Wes at Nathan’s table and my chest tightens. Nathan asks him something and Wes frowns.

Wes looks my way, confused, before saying something to Nathan again, his face serious.

I bring the order I was working on to the customer and then, on my way past Nathan’s table, Wes grabs my arm, pulling me to them.

“Zeke.” Wes’ voice is low, but I can see the confusion on his face.

“Yeah?” I look at Nathan next, he already knows my answer to his question.

“What… Why…” Wes looks so confused, and it hurts to see him like this. I wish I could just hold him, pull him close, but this is not the right place for that.

“I asked him if he’d like to go on a date, all three of us.” Nathan says it like it’s the most normal thing in the world, like he hasn’t already asked me.

“Oh.” I shrug. “Sure. Sounds fun.” I put on a smile.

Wes looks at me with wide eyes. “But… The kids…”

“Your brother and his mate can look after them for a night. I’m pretty sure they still owe us some babysitting time.” I step closer to Wes, taking his hand in mine out of the view of the rest of the cafe.

Wes squeezes my fingers tightly, but I also feel how he’s shaking a little, scared.

“Sounds like a plan.” Nathan smiles at us. “I can pick you up after work on… Thursday?”

“Wednesday works better for us, we close late on Thursdays.” I play along.

“Good. It’s a date, then.” Nathan looks at us both, his smile getting bigger, then he finishes off his juice and packs his laptop. “I’m off.”

He steps a little closer. “See you two lovelies tomorrow.” His voice is low so only we can hear it.

Then he leaves the cafe and Wes immediately pulls me towards the back of the cafe, into one of the quiet rooms there.

“Why did you say yes?” Wes closes the door behind him. “Why did you have to say yes?” He looks upset now and I wonder if I made a mistake.

“Why not?” I shrug. “He seems nice, and it’s been a long time since either of us went out for dinner without the kids or your brother.”

“But…” He looks around, his eyes darting from place to place.

I step closer, putting my hands on his shoulders. “There is nothing wrong with this. We can go out for a night, have some fun. That’s it.” Although, the look in Nathan’s eyes, I’m pretty sure he wants it to be more than just a single night.

“But…” Wes grabs my hands, holds them in place. “I love you. I don’t…” He looks so upset. “Don’t you…”

I pull him closer, wrapping my arms around him tightly. Why does he break my heart so much by looking like that? “I love you too. The most in the world. This is just a fun night with someone who just moved here and doesn’t know anyone. That’s okay, right?”

I feel him nod against my shoulder.

“It will be fine,” I whisper against his neck. “Everything will be fine.”

The look in Nathan’s eyes when he talks to Wes… He doesn’t want to hurt him either. If there is one thing I’m sure of, it’s that Nathan doesn’t want to cause any trouble, but that didn’t stop him from asking us on a date.

And the way he looks between us… I think he knows, or at least suspects something is going on between Wes and me. I don’t know how I feel about that, but it won’t matter anyway, not if everything works out right.

Can I do it? Can I let Nathan get close to Wes, after everything Wes went through?

The rest of the afternoon was slow. I don’t know what it was exactly, but after Wes left for classes, the afternoon just seemed to drag on and on.

It didn’t help that Mia and Evan were being difficult, both wanting to be carried around the whole time. But I made it through. I made it through the day and when I got back home, Wes and I spent the evening on the couch, wrapped up together and the kids doing their own thing.

I know that Wes wants to talk about what happened at the cafe, although he won’t bring it up in front of the kids. I respect that, though I don’t think they’d really realise what was going on anyway.

When Clay, Aiden and their kids come home, and all the kids are safely tucked into bed, Clay and Aiden sit down on the other couch.

“Anything interesting happened today, at the cafe or college?” Clay wraps his arms around Aiden.

Wes shrugs, trying to look neutral. Of course, he fails.

I speak up instead. “Can you look after the kids tomorrow evening? Over dinner and potentially into the evening?”

“Oh?” Clay raises his eyebrows as he looks at us. “Anything I should know about?”

“Just going out for dinner with someone.” I try to play it off cool, though I’m sure that I’m just as bad at it as Wes.

Aiden smiles. “Sounds good. Sure. We’ll make sure to pick them up from school. I don’t have to go to Sterling’s tomorrow anyway. Wednesday being my day off work and everything. I’ll even look after Mia and Evan during the day, if needed.”

I eye Wes, but he shrugs, his eyes guarded. “I don’t think that that will be needed. They’re good at the cafe.” I smile. “But, thanks. We may have to take you up on that some other time.”

“Of course. No problem. So, tell me… Anyone interesting?” Aiden’s eyes sparkle and I smile.

“Not really. Just someone who wants to get to know people. He just moved here.”

“Ah.” Aiden smiles too.

Wes moves a little. “He says he’s an author and he’s teaching at the college.”

“A smart man, then.” Clay nods. “It’s always good to have smart friends.” He grins and Aiden rolls his eyes at him.

The way Clay and Aiden just easily accept our explanation makes me relax a little. Yeah, Nathan may have called it a date, but it’s also just meeting up with someone. And he did just move here, that’s the truth.

In my arms, Wes has also relaxed a little. I think we can make this happen without too many awkward situations.

Not that I wouldn’t be the cause of many of them…

I don’t really have any experience with dating. I was never allowed to date, and when I finally got my own life… I had no interest in it at all.

I saw the pain that it caused too often. I didn’t feel like I’d ever find someone I’d actually like to date. The trouble of going through all those dating things just didn’t seem worth all the pain when people realise they’re not actually mates.

And then Clay brought Wes home with him…

And everything changed for me.

And, today, things may have changed once again…

Fuck.