Page 16 of Evan and the Alpha

6

Evan

Ispend most of the evening figuring out how to make my move. Ideas whir through my mind, but I pitch them all aside. Nothing seems like it will change Sobek’s mind.

Making a move feels even more impossible because I’ve been assigned two omega “guards”—a couple of kroakka dressed the same as I am—who seem to have the sole purpose of making sure that Sobek doesn’t make a move on me.

We all dine together in silence; I know my time is running out as the room gets darker and darker, but I still can’t think of anything to say.

“You’ve had enough wine,” Kiki says at length. That signals the end of the meal, and Wek gets me to my feet. Together, the two of them usher me out of the room. I toss a desperate look back at Sobek, but he’s staring out the window.

I try to wrench free from the two kroakka’s iron grip on my arms. “I want to talk to him,” I protest as I shake them off.

We come to an abrupt halt, both omegas glaring at me. “You’re not allowed,” Wek explains finally.

I shake my head. “It’ll just take a minute.”

“You belong to Nojak now,” Kiki chides. “You have no business talking to Sobek.”

“But,” I start.

Kiki shakes his head, and Wek squeezes my shoulder. “Sobek has no prospects, not until his phapha dies. Nojak will be a good mate for you.”

All the machinery in my head comes to a grinding halt. “Wait, what? Mate?”

Wek and Kiki exchange A Look. Then they turn back to me. “Yes. Alphas and omegas are mates.”

I shake my head furiously. “I’m not anybody’s mate,” I huff. “I’m a guy.”

When they give me a funny look, I wave my hand. “Male!”

Wek laughs. Kiki gives me a sympathetic smile—or, well, as much sympathy as I’ve seen from the kroakka. “Everyone is male,” Kiki says.

Wek grins wryly, then waves a hand. “And some become alphas and some become omegas.”

“What do you mean, become?”

Another sly look between them. Wek wraps an arm around my shoulders. “Everyone starts as a beta. Then we grow up. And the biggest, boldest, strongest betas—they become alphas.”

“And some betas become omegas.”

I stare at them in horror. “You … change sexes?”

They share another look, this one with a frown. “I’m not sure I understand,” Wek says.

“I … never mind,” I murmur. “Human—I mean, sun spirits. We don’t do that. Not … not without, like, drugs and stuff. So I’m … I can’t change.”

Wek laughs again. Kiki smiles broadly. “But,” he says, “Evan, you’re already changing.”

I stare at them. And stare. And then I turn myself around and march back to the communal dining room. I slam open the door, barking, “Sobek!”

He’s lounging on a stone slab, apparently picking something out of his teeth. I grind to a halt at the sight of that wide open jaw, all those cruel teeth.

Something unfurls in my stomach, dark and fluttery like panic—but better.

He glances up at me, closing his mouth and pitching his toothpick aside. His golden gaze is unimpressed, nearly angry.

Well, I’m angry too. I take another step toward him, barely out of Kiki and Wek’s grasping claws. I can hardly hear them behind me; my blood’s rushing through my ears, a kind of pounding drum that spurs me on.