“What the fuck happened last night?” I whispered to myself as the sun shined through my window the next morning. Why did I come back here? I loved my father as much as he let me, but this was bringing back memories I never wanted to relive.

Jacob, my ex’s new “love,” had always been a prick. He was a bully in grade school. In middle school, he was already geared toward hating every omega in sight, only because he couldn’t find a boyfriend who actually liked his dull personality. Once he reached high school, alphas and omegas were his primary targets.

I knew that Jacob disliked me because I spoke my mind. I also stood up for who I was. And all of the great things he had to say about my father felt about as false as the politeness that circled the dinner table the night before.

I could deal with the insults and Jacob’s passive-aggressive tone. What I couldn’t take was seeing Piper forced into submission. This wasn’t the same man I used to know and love.

He wasn’t happy. It was too obvious, and I figured he’d take the brunt of the abuses once I left for home in the city. Part of me wanted to save him. Another part of me wondered if it was too late.

“Good morning.” I watched as the door opened slightly. Piper’s head peered into the room. “Sorry if I woke you, but there are breakfast and coffee downstairs for you.”

I cleared my throat and ran my hand through my hair in a hurried attempt to look better for him. “No, it’s fine. I woke up about five minutes ago. Breakfast sounds nice,” I said.

Both of us stared at each other for a few seconds in silence. I was covered up with a blanket, but I didn’t have a shirt on, and I could tell that Piper felt uncomfortable. His eyes moved toward the small bin in the corner of the room.

“Oh, I should grab these clothes. They’re a little dirty,” Piper said. “Lots of chores to do. Jacob might get angry.”

I scoffed and held my jaw open. It was almost like Piper wasn’t a real person anymore. What happened to him? Did the community really make him this neurotic?

“He makes you do chores?” I asked. “Like…”

“Please don’t say it, Cole,” Piper whispered, quickly looking behind him to see if Jacob was standing there. Luckily, he wasn’t.

“You’re abused, Piper,” I said, flat-out. It was hard for me to hold back the truth, and I guess that was a problem for a lot of people. But when I saw someone suffering, I couldn’t help but feel the need to stand up for them.

“Don’t you fucking dare,” Piper said, tears welling in his eyes. “This is my life. You left. You have no right to tell me what I’m experiencing.”

I jumped out of bed, flinging the bed sheets to the floor. Before I realized I was half-naked, I whispered angrily, “Why are you doing this to yourself? You don’t have to like me. Hate me all you want, but don’t live a life under his control. You can be free, Piper. There’s a whole world out there. You’re normal. Hear me? Normal.”

Once the betas found out they didn’t need us to have children, it was all over. The betas somehow rallied hard enough, and in particular small communities, they hammered in their ideologies. It was horrible to see how it affected the people I used to be so close to.

Piper covered his eyes and turned away, face turning a deep shade of red. “Put something on for God’s sake,” he whispered. I glanced down to see my hard-on poking against my boxer-briefs.

I didn’t care, but I also didn’t want to offend him. Still, it’s not like he hadn’t seen me before. We dated for a long time. In fact, we used to spend every waking second together curled in each other’s arms. Sometimes, life makes you change. Unfortunately, life can pass you by quicker than you think.

I immediately grabbed the bed sheets and swung them over my body. “Sorry,” I grunted.

“Just meet us downstairs for breakfast, and don’t be weird. Okay?” Piper asked.

I nodded my head politely. “Okay, Piper,” I said.

He was my best friend and only love. I didn’t know how to handle this. As I watched him walk upstairs, I looked at the body I used to feel so close to. He was still so fucking handsome, so kind, and held people to the best standard.

I hated his boyfriend. Piper was a good person, and Jacob knew that. He took advantage of our separation and gained control over the man I used to love. The worst part? It was my entire fault.

After getting ready and getting my hard-on under control, I walked up the stairs to join the couple. Jacob stood up from his chair and smiled. “Cole! Good morning,” Jacob said, cheerfully.

I wasn’t falling for his false kindness. I knew better than to trust a man like him. “Morning,” I grumbled.

“I have to go to work today, and Piper has a lot to do around the house. Don’t you, sweetheart,” Jacob asked. Before Piper could reply, Jacob rudely continued. “But I’m sure you remember the old city, so it won’t be too difficult to find something to do.”

Piper kept his head down as he ate off his plate. The smell of bacon and the rich aroma of coffee suddenly smelled wrong. “I’ll be fine,” I said. “I have a pen and a paper. I can write in the park.”

Both Jacob and Piper’s eyes lit up. “You’re a writer now?” Piper asked.

Jacob’s eyes flashed with resentment. It was easy to spot his hand shaking as he dug into his runny eggs. Piper cleared his throat, as usual, full of anxiety. Apparently, he wasn’t supposed to speak up for himself.

“Yeah. I write novels about alphas and omegas,” I said, staring directly into Jacob’s fierce eyes. “And the love between the two.”

Jacob made himself laugh as loud as he could. “Oh, okay. So, in other words, you’re a cheap romance writer?”

I took a deep breath and tried not to give into his petty insults. “No,” I said, calmly. “Actually, the New York Times just wrote a shining review of my new novel. You should read it sometime, Jacob.”

Jacob placed his fork on his plate. Piper’s eyes darted back and forth between us. Before Jacob stood up from his seat, Jacob said, “There’s no need for that crap anymore. We do fine without your disgusting…” Jacob stopped himself and groaned, shaking his head. He walked away, upstairs into his bedroom.

“What the fuck?” Piper asked me. “Did you come here to antagonize him, or to honor your father?”

“Piper, what is so disgusting about us? It’s simple biology. We were born who we were,” I said.

To me, it was simple logic. If you’re born an alpha or omega, you should feel okay about it. Piper shouldn’t have to explain himself to bigots like Jacob, and neither should I.

Piper shook his head and closed his eyes. When they opened again, tears were clouding his vision. “Tone it down. I beg of you. It all comes back to me. Don’t you understand that?” he asked.

I gulped down, trying not to feel overcome with too much emotion. When he said those words, it broke me. I nodded. “I understand now,” I whispered. “And I’ll leave you alone.”

Piper was right. No portion of his life was my business, not even his self-respect. However, if Jacob ever hurt him physically, I would have to step in and help Piper.

Piper quickly grabbed my hand as I tried to leave the table. He squeezed it three times. That was our old code, and it meant, “I love you.”

I turned around and stared intensely into his eyes. I couldn’t find the words to respond, but neither could he. I squeezed back four times for “I love you too.” Then, Piper let go of my hand.

At that moment, Jacob walked into the main hallway. He put on his hat and turned around. “I’m off to work. Have fun writing your little novels, Cole,” Jacob said.

“Thanks,” I muttered with a slight wave.

Jacob slammed the door, shaking the foundations of the house. Piper lout of a loud sigh. I turned back around and smiled. Still, there was hesitance between both of us.

“I should get my chores done,” Piper said.

My smile faded, but I didn’t leave the room. Piper didn’t either. “What do you have to do?” I asked. “I can help you.”

“The wash should be finished. I have to dry and fold all of the clothes. Then, I have to do the dishes, and mop the floor of every room,” Piper said.

I retook his hand. “I’m helping with these chores whether you like it or not. And then, when we’re done, we’re going to take a walk,” I said.

“Cole, I can’t,” Piper whispered. I took a daring step further until the front of my thighs touched his. He stepped back and started to breathe quickly. “We can’t do this,” he said.

“You can do whatever you want, Piper,” I said. “You can leave a relationship if he’s not treating you right. You’re not in this alone.”

“And then what? Ten years down the drain? It’s not like Jacob is the devil,” Piper said. “He pays for me. He put this roof over my head. I owe him a lot for that.”

I shook my head, closing my lips. I looked at his soft face and placed my palm across his cheek gently. “I’m sorry, Piper. But you’re wrong. The way that you’re living is pulling you under. I wish you could see it.”

Piper turned away angrily. I had hurt him with the truth, but that was okay. If the facts sunk in enough, maybe he could leave Jacob and be free. “Leave me be,” Piper said.

I did leave him. But I wasn’t leaving for good.