Omega’s Pretend Mate by Lacey Daize

Chapter 5 - Gabe

Dates and times swam in front of my eyes as I stared at my scheduling program.

I always tried to end my days by refreshing my memory of what I had to do the next. But I’d been unable to focus all day, and even reviewing my schedule seemed to be too large a task.

I pinched the bridge of my nose in an attempt to push aside the last bit of lingering headache from the weekend. I just wanted to get home and collapse.

There was a knock on my office door and I looked up to see Christian standing there.

“Mind if I come in?” he asked.

I motioned to one of my guest chairs.

He closed the door behind him, then took the two steps to the chair and sat.

“I went over all your trust info last night,” he said, hands clasped between his knees.

I sighed. His posture was enough to tell me what I already knew. “It’s pretty ironclad, isn’t it?”

He nodded. “I did see one potential opening for you, but I don’t think you’re going to like it.”

“What do you mean?”

“The opening is the one thing you were trying to avoid. I think your best bet is to get married.”

“What?” I cried.

Christian shook his head. “I know, but… The wording says mated or married, which means you don’t have to have a bond bite to trigger the clause. It doesn’t even specify that you would have to marry an alpha. More importantly, it doesn’t say that you have to stay married past that one year mark. There’s nothing indicating that the role of trustee would revert in case of divorce.”

I crossed my arms. How could he suggest marriage when that was exactly what I was trying to avoid? But the longer I stewed on it, the more I saw that he was right. There was nothing about staying married. I didn’t like it, but it would be playing by the rules they’d set down for me.

I sighed.

“I’m sorry,” he continued. “I know it’s not what you wanted to hear, but it might be your best option. Find somebody you trust, write a bulletproof prenup just to be safe, and get hitched. The biggest risk is if your grandfather survives longer than expected, but that’s a bridge to be crossed after that first year is over.”

I groaned and slumped in my chair. Would it violate the spirit of the wording? Absolutely. But at the same time, I was tired of being treated as less-than because I was omega.

“Thank you,” I said. “I hate it. But I have to admit that it’s an avenue I hadn’t considered.”

“I wish I could have found something better for you.”

I shook my head. “You already did more than I can properly thank you for. I appreciate you taking a look at all.”

He smiled. “I’m sure you would have done the same had our positions been reversed.”

“You mean if alphas were the irresponsible ones by default?” I asked.

He chuckled. “I’m surprised we’re not already. I’m not sure about your caseload, but I swear the number of times I see an alpha doing something stupid…”

I laughed, knowing exactly the kinds of cases he was talking about. Laughing felt good, and I realized it had been too long since I’d really done it.

“I’d better get going,” he said, standing. “I’ve got some paperwork to finish.”

I smiled and nodded at a pile of law books with flags sticking out of the pages. “I know that feeling.”

He laughed. “I think never-ending paperwork is true in almost any job.”

I returned the laugh. “Probably.”

His smiled faltered. “I’m sorry I couldn’t come up with anything better for you.”

I shook my head. “No, I really do appreciate it. And…” I blushed. “I appreciate you taking care of me the other night. I was stupid and was in a position to be taken advantage of, but you saw to it that I had a safe place to be.”

“I saw a person I know who needed a friend, and, again, I think you’d have done the same for me.”

“Probably.”

He smiled, then headed out of my office, leaving me alone with the decision about what to do.

∞∞∞

I groaned as I looked at my abysmally short list.

Once I’d decided that Christian’s plan was the best one, I’d started making a list of potential husbands. Unfortunately, my decision to keep my wealth private was coming around to bite me in the ass.

Money changes people. It was a fact that I couldn’t ignore. Maybe that was why I’d always been so private about it. It was easier to go about life without worrying who would be the next person to shove a donation request in my face, or make selfish demands because I could afford it.

It also kept away the jackasses who’d see a single rich omega and think that a quick fuck with a tampered condom would get them a pass to the easy life.

Half the names on my list were omega friends I knew from college, and whom I knew were still single.

I sighed and crossed them off. The whole scheme was already risky enough, and marrying another omega had the potential to torpedo it.

After I finished I only had three names left. Two were alphas close to the family who’d been interested in me for years. My parents and grandparents would be thrilled if I married either of them, but the pressure from all sides would be immense, and there was every possibility that I’d be forced to move to where they lived anyway.

They weren’t ideal, but I thought I might be able to convince them to hold off on a bond bite long enough to last a year, then divorce them. But they couldn’t know what my plans were.

It was far too risky.

Which left only one choice. I sighed and picked up my phone.

Are you home? I texted.

My hands shook as I waited for a response.

Yeah. What’s up?

Is it ok if I come over?

There was a pause, then, Sure.

I’ll be there in a few.

I was glad that I was familiar with the area where Christian lived. It meant I only had to remember which apartment was his.

A few minutes later I stood outside his door.

Was I really ready to do this? Granted, it had been his idea, but I doubted that he’d expected to be roped into it. And could I really fake-marry my work-crush and manage to keep feelings out of it?

I squeezed my eyes shut and swallowed. The alternatives were to marry somebody else, or lose my home.

I knocked, and a few seconds later the door opened.

Christian looked great in a tee and jeans, so different from the daily suit.

I licked my lips and took a deep breath. “Christian? Will you marry me?”