Read His Dominant Omega Online
Authors: A. J. Jarrett
Being an omega wolf was never Cole Weathers’s choice. He doesn’t have a submissive bone in his body, and taking orders just isn’t his thing. When given an ultimatum from his overbearing father, he leaves the only home he’s ever known to experience life as he always wanted to, free from his father’s hatred.
Applying for a job leads Cole right to his mate, Josef Bayer. Not that he doesn’t want a mate. He just doesn’t want to bring anyone into his crazy family life. He disguises his scent from Josef, feeling the other man is better off, but his plan backfires.
Josef can’t explain his attraction to Cole, but it's driving him crazy. When he discovers Cole’s deception, he doesn’t know if he should be relieved or angry for being lied to, but all that is forgotten when a crazed alpha threatens Cole. Now Josef must rely on his friends to help him save the man he loves.
Genre:
Alternative (M/M or F/F), Shape-shifter, Vampires/Werewolves
Length:
37,175 words
HIS DOMINANT OMEGA Copyright © 2013 by AJ Jarrett E-book ISBN: 978-1-62242-721-5
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His Dominant Omega
by AJ Jarrett from BookStrand.com or its official distributors, thank you. Also, thank you for not sharing your copy of this book.
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Amanda Hilton, Publisher
www.SirenPublishing.com www.BookStrand.com
Winter came and went, and now early summer had sat upon them. Josef liked the warmer weather. It gave him a reason to be outside away from the lovebirds taking over the house.
Josef didn’t begrudge his best friends finding their mates, but a man could only take so much. If he had to admit it, he was jealous they’d found their one true loves. Hell, even Erik who had just turned seventeen had a mate. A mate he couldn’t be with because he was underage, but still.
“What’s eating you?” Skyler, the pack chef extraordinaire and pain in the ass, asked.
“Nothing,” he muttered as he filled a mug full of steaming-hot coffee. He took a sip and closed his eyes, relishing in the liquid energy.
“I call bullshit.”
“Well, I don’t give a flying fuck what you call, my dear.” Josef grabbed a piece of toast from the stack sitting on the counter, shoveled some eggs inside, then bent it over making a sandwich.
“I’m just saying all the damn sexual pheromones in the air are taking their toll on me, too.” Skyler turned around and put his hands on his hips. “I mean honestly, I think all they do is fuck. Don’t they need to come up for air or some shit?”
Josef let out a heavy sigh. “I know, it’s rough, but we should be happy for them.”
“I know, but still, my hand is chafing from all the self-love I’ve been partaking in.” Josef looked from Skyler’s hands then to his sandwich and scrunched up his nose. “Oh for the love of Pete. I wash my hands, you sick freak.”
“Just checking.” Josef kissed Skyler on the cheek as he passed by.
“Oh, before I forget,” Skyler called after him. “Devon said to remind you that the man interviewing for the position will be here at seven thirty.”
Josef looked down at his watch and saw he only had five minutes to get his ass down to the office. “Shit.”
“Have a good day,” he heard Skyler shout as he speed walked down to the Carsten and Son’s offices.
Carsten and Son’s Construction had been started by his best friend Devon’s father. After his death, Devon, as the oldest, took on the burden and responsibilities of running the company and the pack. The two other Carsten sons were still too young and dealing with the loss of their parents, so Josef had been more than happy to help Devon run the business. Devon had been there for him more times than he could count and now it was his turn to return the favor. Josef never knew his own father. He’d been gunned down by hunters when Josef was just a baby. His mother raised him with the help of the pack. Josef spent a lot of his time with Devon and Viktor while growing up. His mother was the office secretary for Carsten and Son’s, and he spent all his time hanging out with his friends.
It was right after Christmas fifteen years ago that his mother had passed. She had been out grocery shopping and on the way home hit a patch of ice. The car slid off the road and crashed into a tree. She had been killed instantly. Josef had only been fifteen at the time. Devon’s mom and dad took him in, no questions asked. And he had been with the Carsten family ever since then. When he lost them due to hunters, he felt the loss of his parents all over again. Because they never treated him like an outsider. They loved him, and he loved them, and when they were gone, it hurt just as much as if he had been their biological son.
Josef hustled down the small hill toward the office building. The sun rose on the horizon and warmth flooded down around him. The trees were green and leafy. Birds sang in the distance, and Josef couldn’t help but want to take off for an early morning run. He needed a good workout after listening to Devon and Aiden going at it all night.
The sound of feet hitting the ground in a run had Josef turning around. He stood waiting at the front office door to see who was running through the forest. A gray wolf raced across the ground and in midair shifted.
“Erik,” Josef called after the kid.
Erik jumped in surprise and spun around to face him. “Hey, Josef.” The young man gave a small, nervous wave. “What are you doing up so early?”
“I could be asking you the same thing, young man.” Josef stepped away from the door and walked over to Erik. “Have you been out all night?”
“Um.” Erik’s eyes fell to stare at the ground. He fidgeted with his hands, not looking up at Josef.
“Do I need to bring your brothers into this?”
Erik laughed. “They’re too busy to care about what I’m doing.”
“I’d bet you’re wrong in thinking that, kid.” He understood why Erik might come to that conclusion, seeing as his brothers were enjoying the pleasures of being mated.
“Whatever,” Erik said with a little more attitude than Josef liked.
“Excuse me?” Josef had been there when Erik had been born and helped raise the little shit. So for him to act so disrespectful to him or toward his brothers was unacceptable.
“Josef, I’m not saying they don’t love me, but they’re busy.” Erik shrugged. “I’m actually really happy for them. Now if we could only find you a mate, things would be perfect.” He gave Josef a big goofy smile.
“I bet. Now spill. Where have you been?”
“What does it matter?” Erik huffed. “School’s out. I don’t have a curfew in the summer, remember?”
The kid had him there, but the no curfew rule only applied if Erik stayed within their property lines. And he had a sinking feeling that Erik hadn’t been on pack lands until about few minutes ago when Josef saw him making a mad dash for the house.
“I’m sure you remember that only applies if you are on our land, not out about in the city, wolf boy. Now seriously, where were you last night?” He watched as Erik’s skin paled and he shifted from foot to foot. He knew he had been caught.
“Erik, I understand you’ve found your mate and want to be with him, but you can’t. You have to wait until you’re of legal age. It’s our law and the human law. I’ve met Brandon, and if there is one thing about that man it’s that he’s honorable. So I have to ask, what are you doing?”
“I know, but no one ever said I couldn’t go and watch him from a distance.” Erik’s chin started to tremble, and Josef’s heart broke for the kid. “I just want to be near him. I swear he doesn’t know.”
“Kiddo.” Josef pulled him into a hug. “I know this has to be hard on you, but you have to live your life and not think about him. I know that’s easier said than done, but you’re just hurting yourself by doing this.” He pulled back to look at Erik. “I won’t say anything to your brothers, but you’ve got to promise to knock this off. You have a year to still be a kid before you go mate crazy like your brothers. Enjoy this time.”
Erik wiped away the tears from his eyes. “I’m trying. It’s just really hard.” Erik started to laugh. “I mean really hard.”
Josef muffled his laugh as he picked up on what Erik meant. “I’ll take your word for it.” He ruffled Erik’s already-messy hair. “Now go get cleaned up. I have a guy coming about a job and he’ll be here any minute. We don’t need you scaring the poor guy away with your naked ass swaying in the wind.”
Erik started to laugh. He turned around and headed up the hill toward the house. Josef shook his head. To be seventeen again, he wouldn’t do it. All the extra hormones racing along in their bodies then add to that having a mate. It had to suck. He imagined the poor kid was probably rubbing one off every hour on the hour. Josef remembered those days, and he didn’t even have a mate.
Josef unlocked the office door and stepped inside. Devon had a job in Silver Creek he had to finish up on and in his absence asked Josef to interview the guy. If he seemed on the up-and-up Josef had permission to hire him. Summer was their busy time. Everyone wanted to do additions to their homes, and new home buyers were buying land and wanting houses built. Then they had some restoration jobs of older homes and buildings around town they were working on. Summer brought longer days and more work than they could possibly finish in a timely manner. They always hired on extra help for the summer months. Carsten and Son’s had been around for close to thirty years. Everyone in town knew Carsten senior and had no problems giving their business to him and Devon. They also gave awesome recommendations, hence all the new work they’d been getting.
Josef enjoyed his job. He didn’t have to spend countless hours tied down to a desk. Some days required that, but more often than not he had the freedom to go to the jobsites and help out when office life got to be too much. He and Devon helped each other out, and when one needed a break the other picked up the slack. But lately he’d been doing more picking up than Devon.
A loud knock on the outer door pulled Josef from his grumbling thoughts. He hated to be jealous of his friends, but damn it, he wanted what Devon and Viktor had so badly.
Pushing up from his chair, he walked around his desk then out toward the front door. The man coming for the interview must have arrived. Josef wondered why the guy didn’t just walk in. Then he wondered if he locked it.
The man knocked again, and Josef jogged the rest of the way. He turned the knob and opened the door. “Come…” His voice trailed off when he met the greenest eyes he’d ever seen staring back at him. He moved his jaw up and down but couldn’t make it work. He was speechless, struck stupid by how cute this potential employee was.
The man gave him a curious look but still held out his hand. “Hello, I’m Cole Weathers. I’m here to apply for the opening.”
“Yes.” Josef finally found his voice. “Please come on in.” He held the door open and took a step back giving Cole room to come inside.
“Sorry I’m late, but my truck stalled, and I had to jack with it to get her running again.” Cole’s chuckle sounded a little nervous.
Josef looked over Cole’s shoulder toward the truck he was referring to. He had to agree the poor jalopy had seen better days. “No worries.”
He led Cole to his office. Cole took a seat in the chair in front of his desk. Josef walked back to his chair and started to shuffle through a stack of papers. Devon had given him Cole’s resume yesterday, but he never even looked at it. He thought he’d just wing it, but now sitting face-to-face with the little cutie, he desperately wanted that sheet of paper to help take his mind off of Cole and his hotness.
“Aha.” Josef held up the file. “I found it.” Cole’s brow furrowed, and he rushed to explain. “Sorry, I don’t usually handle the hiring. That’s Devon’s job, but he’s out on a jobsite and asked me to cover for him today.”
“And you are?” Cole asked.
“Oh shit!” he said louder than he intended to. “I’m Josef, Josef Bayer.” He leaned across the desk to offer his hand to Cole.
“Hi, Josef.” Cole shook his hand. “Nice to meet you.” He smiled so brightly Josef almost fell onto his desk.
What felt like a small electric shock sparked against his hand when he touched Cole’s. He sniffed the air but didn’t smell anything. Scent was a telltale sign of finding one’s mate, but he didn’t smell anything unusual. That didn’t mean Cole’s smell wasn’t pleasant. No it was quite nice, soap and a hint of motor oil. Josef assumed that had to be from working on his truck.
“So,” Cole said when Josef sat there staring for too long.
“Oh, right.” He skimmed down Cole’s resume and looked back up at him. “This is your first job?” Having experience wasn’t a must, but it helped.
“Yes. I was taking classes at Hemsworth but…” Josef watched as Cole chewed on his lower lip making the plump flesh turn a bright red.
“But what?” he asked but kept his gaze transfixed on Cole’s lips.
Cole snorted. “I had a falling out with my dad, and he pulled the card that if I wasn’t living under his roof he wasn’t going to pay for my college.” Cole shrugged his shoulders. “So I decided to get a job and pay for it myself. I have to take a few semesters off and save up so I can reapply later.”
Josef didn’t know the reason for the family falling out, but he instantly took Cole’s side and wanted to punch his father in the mouth. Cole looked young. His family should be supporting him, not making him resort to having to do back-breaking work.
“I’m sorry to hear that.” His tone sounded bitter to his own ears, and he hoped Cole didn’t pick up on his hostility toward a man he had never even met before.
“It’s not a big deal.” Cole smiled. “So do I get the job or not? I mean, I know I don’t have any previous experience, but I’m willing to learn.” Cole took a deep breath. “I really need this job.”
Josef looked down to the paper trying to ease his crazed thoughts. A part of him wanted to wrap Cole in his arms and promise that everything would be okay. That he didn’t need his family, that Josef would be his family and take care of him. But why was he having these thoughts? He just met Cole, and his scent wasn’t giving off any indicators that they were mates. But Josef couldn’t deny his attraction toward the young man.
“Then it’s yours.” Josef didn’t think twice. He just offered him the position. “When can you start?”
“Today, sir.” Cole hopped up from his chair.
Josef stood up. “Great, but first things first.” He led Cole to the front seating area and pulled out the tax forms. “Fill these out then…” Josef trailed off when his phone began to ring. He looked down and saw that it was the architect for the Anderson house. “Sorry but I have to take this.” Cole nodded his and got to work filling out the paperwork.
Josef took the call in his office. The architect wanted Josef to meet him at the Anderson property and go over some last-minute changes the Andersons wanted to make. He hung up the phone and looked out at Cole. He smiled at the concentrated look on Cole’s face. His lips moved as he read over the papers and filled them out. Josef didn’t want to leave but work called.
He walked back into the room. “Cole, I need to go meet with an architect for a project I have going. I’ll call the foreman for the job I’m sending you to. He can show you the ropes and get you started. I’m sorry I have to leave you.” And he was. More than Cole could possibly understand.
“It’s okay, really.” Cole stood up and held out his hand. “Thanks for everything, sir. I promise not to let you down.”
Josef silently cringed at the
sir
usage again. He wasn’t one of those guys who was into the whole master-and-sub scene. Not that that was how Cole meant it, but damn if Josef wasn’t attracted to the man. All his thoughts had gone below the belt since he met Cole fifteen minutes ago.
“Please, call me Josef.” He grabbed Cole’s forearm as he shook his hand.
“Josef.” Cole smiled brightly at him.
“Good.” Reluctantly he let go and headed for the door. “I’ll call Dave and he’ll meet you here. Just hang tight and leave those papers on the desk. Dominic will get all that squared away from you later.”
Josef left before he found another excuse to stay. He put a call in to Dave who was en route to the job and was okay with turning back around to come and fetch Cole.
As he drove off, his mind wandered aimlessly back to Cole. The man stood close to his own height, maybe an inch or two shorter, and looked thick with muscle, which Josef found appealing. He wasn’t into thin little guys. He wanted a man who could give as good as he got and liked to take turns being in the driver’s seat.