Prologue
Oliver
“Are you sure no one else is going to be out here?”
“Yes,” Philip the blue-eyed Adonis answered me. “I promise, but if you want to turn around and go home, we can. We don't have to go up here and… you know.” He waved his hand in the air.
We both knew what he meant. We’d been skirting around being intimate for a while now. But last week, I had graduated high school and turned eighteen, and I was more than ready to take our budding romance to the next step. After all, I was an adult now, right? Ready to make my own decisions.
There was no pressure from Philip, not even a little bit, but I wanted this more than anything. Well, more than most things. One thing I'd really love to get from Philip was a promise of forever, but that may take more time.
I loved him. I knew he was it for me. I wanted to spend the rest of my life with him. He was my Alpha. My body ached and thrummed with the need to be filled by him. Since the moment I had laid eyes on him years ago, I'd been head over heels in love. It wasn't until this spring when he’d come home on a break from college that the two of us had really hit it off. He'd seen me at the bowling alley where I worked and asked for my number. He’d called me the next day. I'd been surprised, but very pleased. We spent every waking moment together of the entire week he was home. When I wasn't working, I was with him, hanging out at my grandmother's house where I lived. When I was working, he was there, bowling a few frames to pass the time.
Then he’d returned to school. I expected to lose touch with him. After all, he'd be surrounded by gorgeous omegas at college. All of them falling over themselves to be with him, I’m sure. Why would he ever wait for the young omega from a small town with zero experience?
The first few days he'd called and texted. I’d expected his interest to wane and for the messages to stop, but they never did. If anything, they got more frequent as we talked about our lives, our hopes, our dreams, our passions. I knew everything there was to know about Philip Miller, and he knew everything there was to know about me. Hell, I'd even shared my artwork with him and I didn't show that to anyone. He'd said he loved it, but I'm sure he was just being nice. It felt good to hear it though.
Philip pulled his Chevy Silverado into one of the makeshift parking spots out on Lover’s Lane. Such a stupid cliché name, but that's what it was called. It wasn't a cliff that overlooked the town, like in the movies. It was just a hill that high school kid’s parked at to make out, or more. The view of the city was okay, but not spectacular.
Millerstown was a small, quaint little town. I'd lived there forever, as had Philip. His family had founded the town, hence the name. He came from a long line of Millerstown mayors, it was practically a monarchy at this point, a miniature one, but a monarchy nonetheless.
Philip put the truck in park and turned sideways in the driver’s seat to face me. “You're the real deal for me, Oliver. You know that don't you?”
I bit my lip and looked at him through my lowered lashes. “I had hoped so, but we hadn't made any promises to one another… and I didn't want to get my hopes up.” I wrung my hands in my lap, unsure of where to put them, what to do.
“I know we're young,” Philip said. “But I know what's in my heart. I will love you until the end of time. You are my heart, my soul, my everything. Being with you, even when we're separated by distance, is absolute paradise to me. I wish you'd consider coming to school with me, so we’d never be apart.”
I looked away. “You know I can't afford that.”
“I'll help you,” he said.
“I can't take your money.”
“I'll help you look for scholarships, financial aid, anything. I just want to be closer to you. I could switch schools,” Philip suggested tentatively.
“No,” I said. “You're halfway through your program. You've only got a year and a half left. Besides, it's the best school in the country for fire science. I'm not letting you give that up for me.”
Philip let out a frustrated sigh. “If I didn't think that I needed this degree to get a good job, so I could provide for you, then I'd quit school in a heartbeat.”
Butterflies danced in my stomach and my skin flushed. “I know,” I said. “And I wish I could come to wherever you are, but it will only be for a little while. I'll get my credits done at the community college and by then I’ll have some money saved up. I can go someplace else and you'll be done with school. By then we could…” I bit my lip and looked away again. These were things I hadn't yet voiced out loud. They were only fantasies in my head that I let myself indulge in when I dared to dream.
Philip smiled, his teasing grin that always made me weak in the knees. “Then we could get a little house? Get married and have little babies?”
“You want children?” I looked at him then, wide-eyed and hopeful.
“More than anything. Since the day I was declared an Alpha, I've been waiting to find my Omega and make babies with him. The minute I saw you, I knew you were my Omega. Mine and no one else’s.”
“I felt that way, too,” I said. It was now or never. I knew I wanted to take this next step with Philip and no one else. Tomorrow, he'd be going on a trip with his fraternity brothers, and then he'd be back to school for the summer. I'd be working like crazy. Who knew when we'd get another opportunity like this?
My hands went to the buttons on my shirt without even thinking. Slowly, but with determination, I undid button after button, then slipped off the shirt completely.
Philip sucked in a breath. “Are you sure about this?”
“Yeah,” I said. “More than anything.”
Philip grinned, and his eyes sparkled. “I want to be with you forever. I swear, I’m going to love you until the end of time. We might as well start now.”
He got out of the truck and ran around to the passenger side. He helped me out of the truck. The late spring air was warm, and the forest buzzed with sounds of crickets and bullfrogs, but I didn't care about any of that. All I cared about was being in my Alpha’s arms.
He pulled a blanket out from behind the seat and spread it out on the ground.
“I wish this could be in a bed at my house, or your house, or hell, even a hotel. Although that seems pretty cheap.” He laughed.
“No,” I said. “This is perfect. Romantic even. As long as…” I looked around, we were the only car there that night. “As long as no one else shows up.”
“I don't think they will,” he said.
“I trust you, Philip. I love you.”
He stepped closer to me, lifted a hand, and cupped my cheek. “I love you, too, Ollie. More than anything.”
I pulled of my shirt and pants while Philip did the same. The warm air hit my bare skin and I shivered. Philip laid me down on the blanket and covered my body with his.
He kissed me on the lips, cheek, and neck as he trailed his hand down my stomach, then my pelvis and between my legs. I spread for him, inviting him in, ready to welcome him. Until now we’d only kissed, and grinded against each other while we made out on the couch at my grandma’s house. But I’d dreamt of this night.
I sucked in a breath and hissed as he probed around my tight ring of muscle, touching me in places no one else had. Then he was gone from my side, sifting through his pants pockets.
“I have lube and a condom. I’d hoped that we’d… I didn’t want to assume… but I wanted to be prepared. You’re on suppressants, right?”
I nodded.
He returned to me, fingers coated with gel. The intrusion burned a little, but subsided as he stretched me with one finger, then two, then finally three. By that time, I was writhing beneath him, my cock aching with the need to come.
“Please Philip, I want to feel you.”
He covered my lips with his and pushed inside of me. I yelped from the slight pain.
“I’m sorry.” He tried to move away, but I dug my nails into his back.
“No,” I said, breathing through the stretch and pull of my channel. “It’s fine. Just give me a minute.”
I kissed him, driving my tongue into his mouth in a sweeping, deep kiss. After a minute, I rocked, pulling him into me deeper.
“I love you so much, Omega.” He thrust into me, again and again.
Moans escaped my lips and I buried my face into his neck to keep from screaming out my pleasure into the night.
It was everything that I’d ever dreamed of and hoped it could be. I bucked my hips, accepting all of Philip’s length, everything he had to give.
I groaned as he hit my prostate again and again. Cum shot from my dick, coating my stomach in ropey white lines.
Philip roared above me and drove deeper than ever before, filling me with his seed. “I love you, Omega.” He kissed my neck, then nuzzled against me.
“I love you, too, Alpha.”
***
We fell asleep, cuddled on the blanket together. We awoke early the next morning. The sun hadn't risen, but we’d slept for several hours. He took me back to my grandmother's house and dropped me off.
With one last slow, sweet kiss, he promised to call as soon as he got home from his trip. He asked me not to make any solid plans for school until I spoke with him again. He promised that we could make arrangements, so he and I could be together while I did my courses. I believed him. I believed everything he said right down to my very core. I’d stake my life on his word.
For the next two weeks, I floated on cloud nine, anxiously waiting for him to call. I took back my tuition deposit at the community college and gave up the apartment I had tentatively rented. I was ready to move forward with my life with Philip. I could picture our children now: blond hair, blue-eyed, or green-eyed like me, either one would be fine. Anything would be fine. A life with Philip would be perfect. More than I could ever have hoped for.
The first day that he was supposed to be back, I waited for his call, but it never came. Perhaps he was busy unpacking, visiting with his family, or maybe his trip had been delayed. I stalked his social media a little bit to see if there was any activity, but there was nothing.
The second day that he was supposed to be home, I sent him a text telling him that I hoped he had a good trip and that I missed him. I heard nothing back.
That's when the nausea started.
At first, I assumed it was anxiety, but after a few days, I realized that it could be more. We’d used protection, obviously. But those weren't one hundred percent effective, right? Less so in fertile Omegas and Alphas. Something about their body chemistry together rendered condoms less effective. But I’d been on suppressants for years, weren’t those supposed to work?
Only if you take them every day at the same time.
Even on the third week of Philip’s absence, I still waited for his call each day. With each passing hour though, I came up with fewer and fewer reasons why he wouldn't have contacted me. Now I'd begun to worry that I'd been played for a fool. But why? What purpose would it serve?
While I was getting groceries, I passed through the family planning section. I eyed the Omega pregnancy tests. I grabbed one just to be on the safe side. If nothing else a negative test would ease my worry. A positive one… I didn't even want to think about that.
My grandma wasn't home when I got back, so I took the test immediately and waited the three minutes for the results. Actually, I didn't even wait the three minutes. I just stared at the display window, waiting for a line to appear or not appear.
The chemical reaction was instantaneous. Two lines showed. I was pregnant.
I sat on the bed with my test in my hand, trembling. Pregnant at eighteen. What the fuck was I going to do? What had I been thinking?
I grabbed my phone, ready to call Philip, then thought better of it.
I'd go to his house. He couldn’t ignore me if I was right in front of his face.
I raced down the stairs, still holding the test in my hand. When a knock sounded at the door, I tossed the test in my back pocket, hoping that no one would notice it. Perhaps it would just be a traveling salesman that I could shoo away quickly.
I never expected to see Ian Miller standing at my front door. The mayor of Millerstown and Philip’s dad.
“Mr. Miller. I mean, Mr. Mayor, how can I help you?” My voice shook, but I hoped he assumed it was from nervousness rather than anything else. I'd seen the mayor, obviously. It was a small town after all, but I had never spoken to him. He was a local hero, practically a celebrity by small town standards.
“Aren't you going to invite me?” he said, almost harshly.
It was jarring, such a complete different voice than what I'd usually heard from him. Mr. Miller was friendly with everyone. Always smiling and shaking hands.
“Of course,” I said and gestured for him to come inside. “Can I help you with something? Or perhaps get you something to drink?”
“No,” he said curtly. “I'm just here to take care of a problem and then I'll be on my way. It shouldn't take too long.” He paused and narrowed his eyes at me. “I'm hoping you can help me with this problem that I have.”
A coldness seeped under my skin. “Problem?” I squeaked.
“Yes,” he said. “Seems my son has taken an interest in you. And while it was fine for a while, I understand that my son wants to so sow some wild oats, so to speak, but I've got plans for Philip, you see. Plans that include him following in my footsteps and leading this town for the next generation.”
I swallowed a lump in my throat, knowing full well that joining politics was not in Philip’s plan or so he had told me.
“I assumed that Philip would lose interest in you and he has. I was right. That’s why he hasn't contacted you in the last few days, even though he has been home and had plenty of time to get back in touch with you.”
My stomach dropped, and it took all I had in me to keep from throwing up on the mayor’s shoes. “Well, message received. I won't contact him anymore.” I bit my lip and stared at the ground. “But you should know—”
“I don't want to know.” Ian cut me off. “I know about your little purchase at the pharmacy earlier. I own this town after all. It shouldn't come as a surprise that anything that happens within the city limits, I'm aware of it.”
“Oh,” I said. I took a step back. “It—”
“I don't want to know,” Ian shouted. “My son doesn't want to know. And I want you to make yourself scarce. Do you understand?”
I nodded.
“You can take care of this problem on your own. This check here should cover it.” He held out an envelope.
I stared at it like a snake ready to bite me. I shook my head. “I'm not taking that.” I knew what he was suggesting, and I wouldn't do it. Not under any circumstances.
Ian dropped the envelope to the floor. “Do whatever you want with it. Tear it up. Burn it. Use it. I don't care. But whatever you do, don't come near my son again. Do you understand?”
The underlying threat was not lost on me and I nodded. They were the only muscles in my body currently working. Everything else was paralyzed still with fear.
“Yes, sir,” I said.
“Good boy.” He patted my cheek hard enough to sting. “Now, what is it that the kids say these days? Lose my number? Do that with Philip’s. You understand?”
I nodded. “Yes, I understand.”