Hi there! After peeking at the reviews—I see some readers didn’t care for Tanner’s story as much as previous Omegaverse books. It seems the biggest gripe was that there was too much story in the past.
But after alluding to a backstory between Fitz and Tanner in Bellamy’s story, I felt like I really needed to show you all they’d been through. The mistakes they’d made along the way. I stand by the story I wrote. I loved it.
If you weren’t a fan, it’s all good ☺️ I’ll get ya on the next book!
****
Cut Scene from
ONE WILD OMEGA
(Alphas of the Western Provinces, 2)
ã2019, Kelex
A New Home
Fitz pulled up outside Bellamy’s building and fished for his phone in his pocket. Before he could dial the number, Bellamy came striding out the front door. He turned his head to offer a smile… but saw Bellamy wasn’t alone. His expression faltered.
Tanner McCreary was there at Bellamy’s side.
Bellamy opened the passenger side door. “I hope you don’t mind, but Tanner wanted to see the townhouse, too. I thought he could come with us and take the tour.”
Of course he did.“No problem… hop on in, Tanner,” Fitz grated out through his forced smile.
Tanner’s eyes narrowed as he smiled back. Without a word, he slid into the back of the cab and settled in while Bellamy climbed into the front.
Fitz glanced up in the mirror. The blue and purpled hair monster in the backseat glowered at him. Another fresh wave of the odd dislike he always felt washed over him. Be nice.He’s Bellamy’s friend.
“So where are we headed?” Fitz asked.
“Taylor Street and Fifth,” Bellamy answered. “I can direct you once we get there.”
“Staying in Uptown, hmm?”
“Barely,” Bellamy replied. “It’s on the fringe between Uptown and Down, but it’s a nice, quiet neighborhood from what I saw when I sneaked by yesterday.”
Fitz’s eyes flicked to the rearview and their third wheel before he pulled out into traffic. “I guess it’ll be nice to have him out of your… ah… hair.”
“Actually… I rather like having Bellamy staying with me. It’s nice to have someone around who appreciates art.”
“Another designer, are ya?”
“Fine artist,” Tanner corrected.
“Ah,” Fitz answered. “So that’s why you’ve got this wild get-up. You’re an artiste.”
“Does my appearance offend your khaki and polo wearing sensibilities, Fitz Walker?”
Just the way Tanner said his name made him cringe. “I don’t know, Tanner McCreary. Maybe it does. Looks like someone who simply wants attention.”
“Fitz,”Bellamy admonished under his breath.
Tanner proceeded, not needing Bellamy to fight his battles. “Or someone who doesn’t care about what other people think. I wear what I want. It matters little to me what your opinion is. I am who I am. Vibrantlyso.”
“Someone who didn’t care wouldn’t try so hard.”
“Ashamed that you can only fade into the background, alpha?”
“Will you two stop?” Bellamy cried, spinning to face them both. “What in the hell is wrong with you guys?” He looked at Fitz. “I’ve never seen you so rude.”
Fitz clenched his jaw, knowing Bellamy was right. He had no idea where the words had come from… they’d just spouted from his lips like water rushing in a river. Why he felt the need to push the omega’s buttons… he simply didn’t know. “Sorry,” he murmured before looking up into the mirror. “Sorry.”
Tanner had his arms crossed over his chest—and had pulled on a large pair of sunglasses. “Whatever.”
Fitz eyed Bellamy and saw the omega looked hurt by his actions. He felt terrible for putting that look on Bell’s face. “Sorry.”
Bellamy spun to sit straight ahead again, the tension in the cab cloying.
Fitz knew he needed something to shift gears—as well as stop himself from ripping apart what he’d just done with a magnifying glass. His rude behavior didn’t just unsettle Bellamy… it unsettled him, too. The fact he didn’t know how to stop was almost frightening. “So, tell me more about this townhouse.”
Bellamy sighed before answering. “It’s a small brownstone in a row of many. Built nearly a hundred years ago. They all look alike on that street, but what really matters is the inside—which I have amazing plans for already. Eventually, I want to use it as a showplace. A way to show potential clients what I’m capable of. You know… once I have my own firm.”
“So that’s the plan, hmm?” Fitz asked. He quickly glanced at Bell before making a turn. It was nice seeing the frown fading away. The omega’s excitement helped ease memories of his bad behavior away.
He gave another quick glance in the mirror and saw Tanner staring out the window, watching the scenery pass. Again he felt bad about the things he’d said. It wasn’t like him. Not at all. What was it about McCreary that had him act that way?
McCreary. That sums it up.Another rich boy, able to throw his money around and get whatever he wanted. Fitz hadn’t grown up in a world like that. They were like oil and water, never able to truly blend.
“Over there… by the tree. Park there,” Bellamy said, excitement in his voice.
Fitz parked quickly and they all jumped out. He took a look along the street and indeed saw that all the townhouses looked the same on both sides, for as far as the eye could see. But there were many large oaks lining the narrow street. Individual houses had made minor changes to stand out a bit here and there. A potted plant here, a colorful flag there. He spun to face Bellamy—and Tanner—before following the pair up to an empty townhouse nearby.
A beta realtor was there to open the door as they arrived. “Bellamy! So glad to see you again. Come on in.”
As soon as they were inside, a round of introductions were made before the realtor gave them all a huge smile. “Welcome everyone. Go ahead and give the place a walk-through. I’ll stay down here and let you roam. Feel free to ask any questions.”
Fitz glanced around. The townhouse was narrow… and the small rooms didn’t make it any better. He felt claustrophobic.
“Tiny place,” Tanner murmured in agreement.
“Of course you’d say that. You’re used to mansions,” he said without a thought. He’d thought the place was small, too. So why the fuck had he felt the need to start another argument?
Tanner and Bellamy glared at him before they walked deeper into the house.
“I know it’s tight—but I want to blow out these three walls and open it up. Once I did that, it would feel twice as big,” Bellamy said. “Ripping it open would be easy. Affording to put it all back together again will be the expensive part.”
“Sorry, not trying to eavesdrop, but we couldpotentially add some for renovation costs into the mortgage,” the realtor said, off to the side.
“That would help,” Tanner said. “The money and blowing out these walls. It wouldn’t feel so… claustrophobic.”
“Heisonly one person,” Fitz replied. “It’s not like he needs a ton of space.”
“Be nice,” Bellamy whispered at Fitz.
Tanner turned to eye him. “Bellamy asked me to come and offer my opinion. Which I am doing. Do you have a problemwith that?”
Fitz felt words bubbling up his throat and had to clamp tight in order not to say them. “Nope.”
Tanner glared a moment longer and Fitz felt a tight pinching in his chest. What the fuck?
Bellamy moved closer as soon as Tanner’s back was turned and gave him a look. The look an alpha never wanted to see from an omega—especially one he thought might be the one.
Utter disappointment.
“Sorry,” Fitz said for what felt like the millionth time that day. He held up his hands in mock surrender and bit the inside of his lip as a reminder to keep them shut for the rest of the tour. From that point on, he trailed behind the pair… took a peek here and there… and saw potential in the townhouse. If renovated well, Bellamy could have a beautiful home.
When they were done with the tour and outside on the small back deck, Bellamy turned to them both. “Can you see my vision?”
“I think I can,” Tanner said. “And I think it would be gorgeous once you had your way with it.”
Not to be outdone, Fitz added. “I know you can make this place amazing. I’d love to help with the renovation. Get my hands dirty. I could potentially get my brothers over here to help, too.”
“That would be awesome,” Bellamy said. “I’d make sure there was plenty of pizza and beer on hand if you and your brothers could be my wrecking crew.”
“Not just wrecking,” Fitz said. “We all know a thing or two about construction, so… I’d love to help make this place right for you. Make it a home you can be proud of.”
He glanced to the side and saw Tanner glaring at him again. Only this time… there was something different in his eyes.
A high-pitched humming roared in Fitz’s ears… his heartbeat thundered there, too.
“I appreciate the offer… and I might take you up on it. But, honestly Fitz… this is a huge job. I won’t take advantage of you like that,” Bellamy said.
“It’s not taking advantage when I offer it. Friends do things for one another… right?”
“A little help is fine. I won’t have you and your brothers busting your asses for me. I mean, I could afford to pay you some, but not nearly enough.”
“Pay? No,” Fitz replied.
“Then just what is it you get out of this deal?” Tanner asked him, one blue brow sharply elevated.
“Friendstake care of one another,” Fitz spat. “Do you have many of those, McCreary? Or just random people around you that you use for your entertainment?”
Anger shone in Tanner’s eyes before he stormed back inside the house.
Bellamy glared at him. “Fitz? I’ve never seen this side of you. And frankly… I don’t like it.”
As soon as Tanner was gone, the anger he’d felt shifted and it was like the red was taken from his vision. “I don’t like it either. Trust me.”
“Why are you being so cruel to him?”
Fitz shook his head. “I don’t know!” When Bellamy didn’t look convinced, he added, “Seriously. I don’tknow. For some reason, I feel defensive when he’s around. I felt it at the club the night I met him, too.” Something tickled at the back of his brain… a memory… a thought of something, but it wouldn’t come. “I see red when he’s around. I can’t explain it.”
“Explain it or not, I want it to stop. Tanner saved me. Literally.Had it not been for him, I’d likely be back east, locked away in the Omega Quadrant. I owe him a lot. For my sake… please… be nice.”
Fitz clenched his jaw and nodded. “This isn’t who I am. It isn’t. You know that.”
“I thought I did.” Bellamy eyed him warily before walking inside.
Fitz remained outside another minute, trying to understand the reaction Tanner caused in him. It didn’t make sense. At all.
He wasn’t this man. He wasn’t cruel. He didn’t start arguments just for the sake of starting them. Once he’d calmed down a little, Fitz walked back inside and heard the tail-end of a conversation between Bellamy and the realtor.
“…I can have the offer drawn up and submit it to the owners. I know they’re motivated to sell, so I think you might have a good shot at it even at that low of a price. So many have walked in and seen what shape it’s in and walked right on out. This place could use someone willing to give it some TLC.”
“He needs to keep the offer low, too. So he can affordto fix this place up,” Tanner said to the realtor.
Why are you worried about his money?Fitz managed to keep that comment to himself. With great pains.
“We’ll see what they say,” the realtor replied. “Bellamy, I’ll call you when I get an answer—one way or another.”
Once they were all outside and in Fitz’s truck, Bellamy turned to them with a brilliant smile and fingers crossed on both hands. “Maybe I’ll get lucky!”
“I almost hope you don’t,” Tanner murmured. “Because I don’t want to lose my roommate.”
Fitz swallowed down another comment. And another. He decided it best just to keep his big mouth shut. He drove Bellamy back to the building the two currently shared and pulled up along the curb. Tanner was quick to jump out without a word. Bellamy paused a moment before unbuckling.
“Maybe we could go grab some lunch?” Fitz asked hopefully. His stare went to Tanner’s back as the omega marched toward the front door. “Just you and me?”
Bellamy shook his head. “I don’t think that’s a good idea. I’ll… I’ll see you, Fitz.”
Fitz watched as Bellamy left, the door slammed closed in his wake.
What the fuck did I just do?
He drove off down the street completely confused about his own behavior… and what to do to win back Bellamy’s trust.
****
Upstairs…
“I am soooosorry,” Bellamy said as soon as they were in the apartment alone. “I’ve never seen Fitz act that way. And I never would’ve asked him to come if I knew he’d treat you like that.”
“It’s okay,” Tanner murmured. “Not your fault. He’s just an asshole, apparently.” No. He’s a dick. A total Richard, remember?
“Honestly… he’s been a great guy up to this point. Maybe something’s going on with him… I mean, in the time I’ve known him—he’s neveracted like this.”
“Seriously. It’s no biggie. I’ll survive.” Will I?He forced one foot before the other, heading for the kitchen and something to drink. He gazed into the fridge, but saw nothing that appealed. Then he saw the old whiskey bottle on the counter and decided to pour himself one.
“It’s only two in the afternoon,” Bellamy said behind him.
Tanner took the shot before looking at his roommate. “Not like I work banker’s hours.” He poured another.
“I guess not,” Bellamy mumbled. “I just rarely see you drink.”
The alpha drove me to it.“Rarely doesn’t mean never,” he said before downing a second one. He immediately poured a third and pounded that back, hoping to take the edge off the pain he felt.
Heat the chill of Fitz’s loathing for him.
Because he sure as hell felt cold inside. And a little empty. It was one thing to get an ugly look or two. A sneer. It was a whole other thing to feel total rejection.
From his alpha.
Not mine. Never. Fucking asshole.
And still, Tanner knew deep down that he’d never be able to ignore the attraction he felt toward Fitz. Maybe it was a good thing Bellamy was moving. Maybe he could cut ties and put up walls to protect himself. If he never saw either of them again, he could forget. Heal. Move on. Because that’s what an adult would do.
Versus this pouring of salt into the wound he seemed unable to stop himself from doing.
After the fourth shot burnt its way down his throat, he poured another and let the liquor’s warmth burn away Fitz’s coldness. Drunk was the only option he could think of in order to stop feeling what he was feeling.
As soon as he’d downed the fifth shot, he turned to look at a shocked Bellamy. The world was growing a little fuzzier around the edges and he felt more mellow. “Want one?”
