Jamue must be from a wealthy family. He had a connector, and his clothes were of the best quality.
Mac wondered why he ended up in a commune house. Omegas from wealthy families usually got bonded off by their families to avoid living in commune houses. However, the council of alphas set strict protocols for such bonds. Mac wouldn’t have minded being bonded off to some rich alpha if it saved him this torture. But he doubted his parents would have been able to find him an alpha – wealthy or not.
No alpha wanted to be with someone like him. He was the least attractive omega on the planet. The best thing he could do was to find a job and take care of himself. No one else will.
“Let’s go.”
Jamue gave him a tour of the house even though there wasn’t much to see. The washroom was communal, with a few bathing bots. The house had one workstation in a tiny room that doubled as storage. There were all kinds of things in there - broken serving bots, foodstuff, cleaning agents and other items Mac couldn't identify.
“As you can see, we have one workstation. Fights break out every time the Placement Agency lists jobs on its bulletin. We’re all desperate to get out of here.”
Of course, they were. He was also desperate.
Mac eyed the monitor. Getting a job and being under an alpha will mean freedom for him. He wouldn’t have to endure the ill-treatment he got from other omegas. He would live in peace away from them.
“We’ll all find something eventually. We have to be hopeful,” Jamue said. “Let’s go to the cooking station and add your name to the schedule. We take turns doing the house chores.”
“Okay.”
Mac followed him to the room with the cooking station. The other omegas had congregated there. They turned as one as he walked in. Mac sighed, taking in their hardening faces.
Ryine smirked.
He was enjoying this. He'd rallied the other omegas against him.
The omega was such a cliché.
“Where is the schedule?” Mac asked, ignoring them.
Jamue pointed him to a notice board. Mac walked to it and wrote his name. Done, he walked out of the back door.
He took a deep breath, shaking off the depressing feelings that rushed through him. He wasn't going down that road.
“They’ll get used to you,” Jamue said, having followed him.
“I don’t care if they do or not. I’m getting out of here as soon as possible, even if I live alone.”
“You can’t live by yourself.” Jamue looked horrified. “Omegas are not allowed to do that. Don’t you want someone to take care of you?”
He did. But he wasn’t stupid enough to think an alpha or beta would want to take care of him.
“Don’t you?” Jamue persisted.
“Even if I do. No one wants me. I am…different. And people don’t like different.”
A glossy sheen coated Jamue’s eyes. He blinked rapidly and forced a smile. “We’ll stick together then, you and me. We'll take care of each other. What do you say?”
“You don’t think you’ll find someone?”
“I don’t want anyone. I don’t want to be stuck in a loveless bond with an alpha my parents chose for me. I want to be free to be me. I want to fall in love.”
They stared at each other. Mac’s heart hammered in his chest as he realized that for the first time in his life, he was making a friend.
“We’ll stick together then, you and me.”
Jamue took his hand, and they shook on it
Chapter 1