Chapter 1
This is book two to The Beta's Mistake.
______
My house is always chaotic. I have two fathers—technically three if you count Uncle Max. He’s my dad’s best friend, and he helped raise me until my dad apparently got out of jail and came back to be with me and my real dad. With him came three of his kids, and he has another one on the way. Then there’s my Uncle Landon, who fell in love with Max and got pregnant.
Ha—I know, it’s a lot. At least I have my own room.
I just crashed my dad’s car today, and apparently I met my old childhood friend, August. I don’t even remember him because we moved away when I was like seven or something. I got his number, but my parents will kill me if they find out. I’m not supposed to talk to an alpha because I’m an omega, and I can get pregnant.
My dad is a beta, which is rare because he got pregnant with me, and my other dad—who I call Deddy—is an alpha. It’s a long story, but apparently I’m not allowed to do anything because it was agreed that if we came back to our pack, then I couldn’t be with anyone. Which isn’t fair. If it were up to me, I would have just stayed away.
My phone starts ringing, and I slowly walk over to my door and crack it open. Nobody’s around, and I can hear the kids screaming downstairs. I quietly close the door and grab my phone. My heart pounds in my chest. I’ve never talked to a guy on the phone before, other than my best friend Eddie. My parents are super strict, and I’m pretty much trapped in a cage.
I answer.
“H—hello?”
“Hey, what’s up?”
I nearly hang up. His voice is deep, with a rasp to it—much deeper than it was earlier.
“Um—nothing. I—I mean, what are you doing?”
Why am I so lame? I can barely speak.
“Hold on. Hang up, and I’ll FaceTime you,” he says, and before I can respond, he hangs up.
I drop my phone and race over to the mirror, running my fingers through my hair and checking my face to make sure I look halfway decent. My phone starts vibrating on the carpet. I rush back, grab it, and answer the FaceTime call.
He’s sitting at a kitchen counter, eating a bowl of Captain Crunch.
“Hey.” He smiles before putting the spoon in his mouth. “I hope you don’t mind. I just got home from work and was eating, but I really wanted to talk to you. I couldn’t stop thinking about you after seeing you again.”
My cheeks hurt from smiling so hard. “Yeah, same.” I lean back on my bed, holding my phone. “So, like… how old are you?” I don’t remember anything about him at all.
“Eighteen. How old are you now?” he asks, shoveling another spoonful into his mouth.
“Sixteen. So I guess if I was seven, you were like nine?”
“Mm.” He nods, chewing. After he swallows, he says, “I don’t remember everything—like, not every detail—but I do remember you. And I’m really glad we got back in touch. So why aren’t you allowed to talk to alphas? I know your dad is one. I remember him.”
“My dad?” I raise my eyebrows.
“Yep. I vaguely remember he hated me. He showed up to my birthday party or something, and I guess he could tell I was an alpha. He didn’t like that,” August shrugs.
That makes me feel really bad.
“My Deddy doesn’t like anyone except my dad. Sometimes it feels like he doesn’t like me…” I trail off, then shake my head. “But I know he does. He just doesn’t want me to get in trouble.”
August smiles. “I get that. So tell me—what school do you go to?”
I tell him the name of my school, and he nods. “Me too—”
“Really?!” My eyes widen. “That means we can see each other!” I pause, suddenly aware of how excited I sound. “I mean—if you want to see each other.” I cup a hand behind my head, embarrassed.
“I’d love to see you, doll baby,” he says, and I feel my soul catch fire. “Just text me when you get to school tomorrow. I hate to cut this short, but I’m tired. I’m really glad I got to see you again, Vayson. Goodnight.”
“I’m glad to meet you too, August,” I smile. “Goodnight.”
I end the FaceTime call and fall backward onto my bed, letting out a long sigh. I grab my pillow and scream into it.
Is this what having a crush feels like?!
If so… it feels pretty amazing.
~*~
Vice's POV.
This must be my karma. It has me pacing around my own living room.
“So tell me what happened again?! How our son was talking to an alpha?” I snap, looking over at Kayson, who’s stretched out on the couch, reading like this is no big deal.
“Vice, you’re making too much out of this. He’s sixteen. We can talk to him and lecture him, but we cannot suffocate him. He’ll end up resenting us. Do you remember what it was like being sixteen?” he asks.
I think about it. “…You’re right.”
“Thank—”
“I’ll nail his door shut!” I storm off.
“Vice!” Kayson hisses.
Hiss all you want, Kayson. I’m going to protect my kid from those horny little alphas.
____
I knock on Vayson’s door, but he doesn’t answer. I slowly push it open and pause when I see him already asleep on his bed. One hand rests beside his face as I walk over and sit on the edge of the mattress.
I study him. He reminds me so much of Kayson. Even though Kayson’s a beta, he still fell for me so easily. My biggest fear is that my son will find his mate and that person won’t care about him the way they should. No father wants their kid’s heart broken—but not like I do. I will destroy anyone who tries to hurt him.
He’s my only child. A gift that shouldn’t have existed in the first place.
His phone lights up, and I pick it up.
The pizza guy: >Hey, don’t forget to text me in the morning.<
I scrunch my nose. The hell?
“Baby?” I carry Vayson’s phone into the living room and hold it out to Kayson, who stares at me in shock.
“You went through his phone?!” he snaps.
“Thank God I did, because our kid is texting the pizza guy!” I hiss back.
He takes the phone from me. “Well, good for him. Maybe he’s a beta. Now go put his phone back.” He returns to reading like this is nothing.
He’s acting like he doesn’t even care!
“Bab—”
“I don’t want to hear it anymore, Vice,” he cuts in. “We have to trust our son. He knows we’re his parents and that what we say is law. He wouldn’t go behind our backs and do something wrong. He’s an omega, but he’s our son first. So go put his phone back—and then you can give me a back massage,” he adds with a smirk.
I stare at him.
…Oh. I like that idea.
I head back upstairs and put Vayson’s phone on the charger. I gently pull the covers up and tuck him in. I pause.
**Flashback—**
After I got out of prison, I found out where my son went to school. I sat outside for hours, waiting. I didn’t want to see Kayson then—I knew he was upset with me. He thought I had bailed, when in reality, I was locked up.
When his class walked outside for recess, I couldn’t help myself. I went to the fence and squatted down. He sat alone in the grass, playing with toy cars he’d brought from the classroom.
I didn’t even know his name. I remembered Kayson calling him Vayson—our names combined—so I took a chance.
“Vayson?”
To my relief, he looked up. I waved him over, and he stood before slowly walking toward me.
I stared at him as I squatted behind the fence, my fingers locked through the holes in the chain links.
“Hi. I’m your daddy,” I said softly.
He stared back at me. “No, you’re not. My daddy is my daddy, and—”
“Yes, I am. Here…” I swallowed. “Put your hand on the fence, and I’ll put mine up too.”
I pressed my hand against the metal.
He watched me for a moment, then lifted his tiny hand and placed it over mine.
---
**Flashback over—**
“Please…” My voice trembles as I look at him. “Don’t grow up too fast.”
I slowly stand and walk out of his room, closing the door behind me.
