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Jamie’s smile warmed his heart.
“It wouldn’t hurt to have more of a life outside of work… and someone special to spend that time with,” Jamie murmured.
Wilder groaned. “I amnotgoing to one of the balls.” He wasn’t ready for his life to hit the most massive of speed bumps. Wilder wasn’t ready for an omega to complicate his life, especially not so soon after his promotion. With his father contemplating retirement in the coming years, he needed to focus there.
“You’re nearly thirty,” Jamie said.
“So? I have plenty of time.”
“Your omega might be sitting in the Omega Quadrant, wasting away,” Jamie spat. “I know I’m not supposed to speak about Gray, but he’s thirty-five and never found his alpha. He’s trapped in the O Quad, a virtual prisoner. Never allowed to leave those walls. Is that what you want for your omega?”
Wilder frowned. He hadn’t considered that. Of course, he didn’t want his mate trapped in the O Quad, but when his omega was simply a concept, not a flesh and blood man, it was hard to feelanyemotion.
Besides panic.
“The longer you wait, the longer your omega is trapped.”
“It’s not my fault that the province laws demand that,” Wilder replied. “I didn’t put him there.”
Jamie shook his head. “Easily said by the alphawho is free.”
After one hellish week of work, Wilder wasn’t ready for some politically motivated exchange on omega rights and the laws of the province. “There’s nothing I can do to change the system. It is what it is, Jamie. Even if I could change it, I’m in no position to start a relationship right now. I need to get myself on better footing, career-wise.Then, I’ll seek this fabled omega of mine.Okay?”He took another swig from his beer. “I’ll attendevery singleOmega Ball until I find him. You have my promise.”
“Don’t wait too long,” Jamie said. “Considerhispredicament. Don’t keep the man imprisoned while you go off and live your life.”
The idea of mating his omega sounded like imprisonment to him. He would have no choice in a mate. Fate took care of that. There would be a physical reaction—preternatural lust—and they would then be linked forevermore. His life would be tossed upside down simply because his cock said so.
Was his omega out there yearning to be mated and bred? Somehow, he thought not, even though that’s what alphas were told. If Wilder had doubts, it had to stand to reason others did, too. Didn’t it?
“I will consider his…predicament,”Wilder said through a clenched jaw. “Next topic.”
Jamie huffed under his breath. “Since everything’s off topic, I suppose weshoulddiscuss the weather.”
“It’s damned cold out there,” Wilder offered with a grin.
Jamie scoffed. “Too bad you have no one to warm you.”
Wilder stared at his brother. “You’re becoming more and more like Papa every day.”
Both Rohan and Jamie gasped.
“You’re cruel, Wilder Jaymes,” Jamie said before lifting his pizza to his lips. “I’ll get you back for that one. Just you wait.”
“You love me too much to hurt me.” Wilder chuckled under his breath before taking another bite of his pizza.
1
Present Day
Acluster of blackbirds took flight as Wilder wended his way through the rows of marble monuments. The sound of flapping wings and chorus of calls faded the farther they flew through the overcast sky. He inspected their path as he marched on, silent as he counted off the markers he passed. The solitary stones were like sentinels, keeping watch over the dead. Silence soon fell again, yet there was a buzzing in his head that caused him to feel as if he were not alone.
The clouds parted, and his shadow grew darker over the rich, verdant grass. He lifted his gaze, noting the sun shone down too bright. It was no time for brilliant blue skies and the chirping of faraway birds welcoming the morning. He paused a second, sensing the warmth of that sun washing over his face. Why it wouldn’t penetrate deeper and ease the chill inside his soul, he didn’t know.
He wasn’t sure it ever would. Not completely.
Finally he made it to his destination. He knelt and plucked at a few small weeds before the shining onyx tombstone. The darker surface stood out amongst the others, making it easier to find amid the hundreds of gray and white marble markers. When he finished cleaning, he placed the fresh spring flowers he’d brought into the small vase cemented to the base. Afterwards, he lifted his stare to the carved letters, still in some sense of shock all these years later somehow.
Jaymes J. Parker
