Chapter 2

Rohan read through the colorful brochure one last time before putting it back on the nightstand and closing his eyes. He had to think it through. An alpha auction house had actually been called an alpha for rent about five decades ago, but some people thought the name made it sound really sordid and disreputable. Rohan didn’t think its current label was any better, but at the very least, it was a legal form of business and more or less respectable. Besides, the clients of an alpha auction house only purchased the alphas’ services there, and they weren’t there to buy the alphas themselves. However, it wasn’t an option Rohan thought he would ever need, but he was at his wit’s end. Or he was probably too exhausted to properly analyze his alternatives. He’d have to sleep on it. Maybe he’d come up with another choice after a few hours of sleep. After thinking that, he shut his eyes and did his best to doze off. Everything would probably be better in the light of day.

* * * *

Diego Lawson knew he should be sleeping, since it was already three in the morning, but he was too excited after receiving his acceptance e-mail from the alpha auction house he’d applied at a few days ago, and he needed to talk about it with somebody. Fortunately, Jason Holton, his alpha best friend, was still awake. Diego could see Jason’s online status in one of the social media sites so he picked up his cell and dialed his best friend’s number to share the good news. Jason answered almost immediately.

“Hey, jerk. What’s up?”

Diego laughed. “Not much, asshole. What about you?”

“Just finished two rounds of mind-blowing sex with both of my omegas.”

Diego whistled softly. “Damn! You lucky son of a bitch.”

“I know, right? And guess what?”

“What?”

“We’re seriously thinking about mating.”

Diego gasped. “All three of you?”

“No. With the donkey and the llama, too. What the fuck, man? Of course the mating will be among the three of us. You know what I’m like. I can be friends with just about anybody, but there are lines that I won’t cross, and having sex with another alpha is one of them. Can’t stand the stench of another alpha, especially a male alpha. Fucking disgusting.”

Diego rolled his eyes. “Yet you have no issues bedding two male omegas at the same time.”

“That’s because they both smell fucking incredible. You have no idea how delicious they taste when I eat their asses—”

“Yuck!” Diego interrupted in a hurry. “No details, man. You’re my best friend.”

“Prude!”

“No, I’m not. You’re just slutty.”

“Whatever. So, what’s going on with you?”

Diego was instantly reminded of his initial purpose in calling Jason up at three in the morning. “Oh, that’s right! I got the acceptance letter!”

“What letter now?”

“An acceptance letter from the alpha auction house.”

“Oh, shit, man! That’s awesome. You finally decided to heed my advice after all, eh?”

“Yeah.”

“You won’t regret it. The auction house I recommended is one of the best in the nation. In the world even. Everything is legal, and the people who work there are some of the nicest.”

“That’s where you first met Greg and Ash. Am I right?”

Gregory Banks and Ashton Irvine were Jason’s omegas. Diego liked them both. He thought they were perfect for Jason. They somehow managed to tame Jason’s wildness while turning him into the best version of himself ever.

“Correct. Best day of my life.”

“Obviously.”

There were a few seconds of silence before Jason abruptly cleared his throat. “Hey, jerk.”

Diego snorted. “Still here, asshole. What is it?”

“Can I tell you something? But you have to promise to keep it a secret between us. At least until I get the opportunity to have a conversation about it with Greg and Ash.”

Jason sounded really serious, and Diego was beginning to feel concerned something was wrong with his best friend. “What is it?”

Jason was quiet for a second or two. “I think I…uh, I may have fallen for Greg and Ash. I know some alphas only mate with their omegas because they want to have an easier life. After all, the omegas are generally rich and successful. I swear that’s not the case with me. I really want to mate with Greg and Ash because I’m in love with them.”

Diego was stunned for a brief moment by Jason’s rambling before he burst out laughing. “Is that it? Holy shit! I thought you were going to talk to me about something else. Like maybe you were about to keel over and die.”

“What the fuck, man? I’m freaking out here.”

Diego shook his head in amusement. “Listen to me, you stupid asshole. I’ve known about you being in love with them for months now.”

“Really?”

“Yes! You’re always so slow on the uptake when it comes to the emotional stuff. Even a blind man can tell you’re madly in love with Greg and Ash.”

“You’re not kidding, are you?”

“No.”

“Do you think Greg and Ash already know about me being in—”

“I’m certain they do. Your omegas are extremely perceptive. Both of them. Believe me when I say that they know how you feel.”

“Okay. What should I do now? Help a buddy out, man.”

Diego didn’t quite know how to answer that. “I have no clue. You’re the one with the omegas. Do you know how many alphas will kill to be as lucky as you are right now? Dating and making love with two gorgeous omegas at the same time. Shit! They’re damn famous and rich, too. You’re one lucky motherfucker! I really don’t know what you need me for.”

“But you’re older and you’ve dated more people than me. Any suggestions?”

Diego scoffed. “I’m thirty-two years old so I’m only three years older than you are. Besides, I’ve never gotten the chance to date an omega. You know what it’s like out there, man. Omegas are so rare and precious, and alphas like us are the lowest on the totem pole. My only dating and sexual experiences revolve around betas and other alphas. It’s almost unheard of for an alpha, or a beta for that matter, to randomly meet an omega on the street and start dating each other. Forget about those dating agencies or online applications. They’re fucking useless, and some are creepy as shit. Some alpha auction houses may be rather shady, but for most of them, their reputations are actually quite excellent.”

Jason sighed. “True. Never mind then. Forget about Greg, Ash, and me. What are you going to do next? When do you have to submit the documents to the auction house?”

“Within the next two, three days, I guess,” Diego replied. “The people there will need them to do some background checks on me. I’ll also have to visit them sometime this week so one of the in-house doctors can give me a full body checkup.”

“Cool. I remember the process, and based on my recollection, you should receive a clearance from somebody there within two weeks or less. After you sign the contract, you will be provided with the date of the auction. Don’t worry about a single thing, man. I know you. You’re as clean as a whistle. I’m sure you’ll pass with flying colors.”

“I hope so. It’ll be wonderful to have an omega mate. I’ve been dreaming of that for years.”

“You and a few billion other alphas out there.”

“Yeah. Alphas and betas are wonderful, but omegas are just…just something special. You know what I mean.”

“Yeah, I do. Anyway, good luck, jerk. I need to hang up now. My omegas are calling for me. I think I’ll be getting lucky again. I can smell their slick. Fuck! Later, man.”

Diego grimaced. “Yuck! Thanks for the image. Bye, asshole.”

He hung up afterward before reading through the acceptance e-mail one last time and making his way to the bed. He felt slightly calmer now he’d shared the news with Jason. He was beginning to feel rather drowsy, which was a good thing because he had an eight-hour night shift in the twenty-four-hour research section of the public library downtown, and he required plenty of rest to survive that. After all, he had to leave the house no later than four in the afternoon in order to reach the library on time, and he had quite a few errands to take care of before he could go to work. Nevertheless, he was thrilled his application was accepted by the auction house. At the very least, he’d passed the initial screening. Just a few more steps to go.