16. Boyfriend Material

SIXTEEN

BOYFRIEND MATERIAL

Oliver growled as he snapped the window shut. “No, Ollie. Don’t you fucking dare go down there,” Matteus said, gripping his arm.

“I have to. Can’t you see what he’s doing?” Yanking his arm free, he strode across the office and towards the door.

“Don’t be a fucking idiot,” Matteus said, creating a barrier between Oliver and the door.

“Matty, calm down. This isn’t good for?—”

“Stop it. If you go down there and intervene, that piece of shit will just play it off as you being a crazy, jealous ex. He’ll do something, or say something to get your back up. Don’t jeopardise your job for that fucking tool.”

“But the omega… it’s the guy I told you about, from the Cock and Bull. Patrick will eat him alive.”

Matteus sighed. “I know. But there are other ways to handle this. You’ve got the omega’s number, right? Call him later, tell him to stay away.”

It made sense, and he really wanted to keep Patrick at arm’s length wherever possible. “Fine. But if anything happens to Pember, I’ll never forgive myself.”

“Good God, this is delicious,” Oliver groaned, tucking into the lamb curry.

Lucas nodded, placing a plate of poppadoms on the table and taking a seat opposite him. “An afternoon in the slow cooker really brings out the flavours.”

Oliver cocked a brow. “I have a slow cooker?” The alpha gave him a quizzical look and pointed towards a piece of equipment in the corner of the kitchen. “Oh, that thing? Matty dropped it round a couple of years ago. I thought it was some kind of ice-cream maker.”

Lucas tilted his head. “Reed, please tell me you haven’t tried to make ice-cream in it?”

Oliver scowled and kicked the alpha’s knee under the table. “Of course not.”

He had. It hadn’t ended well.

“Tell me about the rest of the conversation with the Inspector,” Lucas said, lifting the fork to his mouth.

Oliver huffed and rubbed the back of his neck. “I-It was nothing, really. He just asked if I would consider going for promotion soon.”

Lucas tore off a piece of naan bread with his teeth, chewed, swallowed, and placed his fork back on the plate. “And? Are you considering it?”

Frowning, Oliver took a sip of water and ran his tongue across his teeth. “I always thought perhaps—one day—it might be an option. But as the boss said, there are next to no sigmas in management. And definitely no unmated ones. He said I’d have to have a psychological assessment at the very least.”

Lucas leant back in his chair, the broad muscles of his chest straining under the white t-shirt. “That seems extreme.”

“Right? As if ten years of service isn’t enough to prove I’m not crazy.”

“He said you’re abrasive, not crazy.”

“Yeah, but he also said that having a mate would mellow me out. I honestly feel a bit put out by the entire conversation, like he was only considering it because you and I are—” He gestured between them, waving his hand back and forth.

Lucas grinned and leant forward. “What are we, Reed?”

Oliver blushed and took another long drink of water. “Temporary roommates.”

The alpha sucked his teeth. “Is that so?” His hand slid across the table until his fingers brushed Oliver’s wrist. “We’ve been colleagues, friends, and now roommates. Are there any other titles you’d like to explore?”

Oliver traced a fingertip over the back of Lucas’ hand. “Well, you’re practically my carer at this point. What, with all the meals, and the car cleaning, and the bed making,” he said, trying to play the question off as a joke. “I’m honestly not sure what I can bring to this relationship.”

Oliver’s eyes went wide when he realised what he’d said.

“Relationship?” Lucas said, a slow smile curling the edge of his lips. The bastard was teasing him.

“I-I didn’t mean it like that. God knows I’m not exactly boyfriend material.”

Lucas’ expression softened as he entwined their fingers. “You look like boyfriend material to me.”

Oliver’s gaze dropped to their clasped hands. “Lucas, you’re boyfriend material. I’m just a mess. Besides, have you even considered that maybe all these feelings might just be because of the lingering heat pheromones?”

Lucas tilted his head. “Yes. I had considered it,” he said, licking his lower lip. “But do you know what I realised, as I was trying to find a pineapple air freshener for your car earlier today?”

“That I have terrible taste in air fresheners?”

Lucas chuckled, running his finger over Oliver’s thumb. “That I have had the most infuriating toothache ever since that night in your kitchen.”

Frowning, Oliver snapped a piece of poppadom between his teeth. “Tooth decay. Because of all the cakes I’ve been feeding you.”

“No, Reed. Not because of the cakes.” Lucas flashed his fangs, as if to prove his point. Oliver stared at them, the piece of poppadom hanging halfway out his mouth. They really were quite large and very sharp.

How would it even feel to be bitten? His brother had made it sound like the most wonderful thing in the world, but looking at his toothsome bedfellow, he wasn’t convinced. Oliver knew it was possible to break the mating bond—a course of hormonal injections and a pheromone patch and the bite would fade. Sure it would probably hurt like hell, but what was a bit of pain in the long run? His parents had always instilled in him that the bite should be for life, which he thought was incredibly unfair, given that alphas could tarnish multiple throats at once, but rarely accept the bite themselves.Plus, breaking a bond sent some omega’s spiralling into deep depression. Despite being a sigma, could he really take that risk?

“I don’t share,” Oliver blurted out, brain still half-engaged with the pearly white fangs in front of him. He covered his mouth, trying to catch the words, but they had already tumbled out.

Lucas’ smile widened. “Neither do I.”

The heat spreading across Oliver’s throat was reaching an alarming temperature, so much so that he had to press the cold glass to the side of his neck. “I-I’m not saying I want the bite, but I’m also not saying that I would never consider it. This thing between us is so new, and a little overwhelming. I’ve been on my own for so long and I’m afraid I’m going to fuck it up, or that you’re going to end up regretting everything that’s happened. But I don’t want my indecision to cause problems for you, either.”

Lucas’ gaze dropped to the tabletop as he slowly let go of Oliver’s hand. “I’ll go back to the hotel. To give you some space.”

Oliver placed his fork down and clasped the alpha’s massive hand between both of his own. “Stop pouting, you big baby. That’s not what I meant and you know it.”

Lucas frowned as he met Oliver’s gaze again. “What did you mean?”

Oliver cleared his throat. “What I mean is, I want both of us to move forward with a clear head. We can’t be going around growling and snapping at everyone that comes within a five metre radius. We’re not teenagers. We have to make responsible life choices.” Well shit, he sounded more like Julian with every passing second.

The alpha’s eyebrow twitched as he slowly leaned across the table and pressed two fingers to the centre of Oliver’s forehead. “Perhaps you should listen less to this—” he said, sliding his fingers down his face and between his collarbones. “And more to this.” He poked Oliver’s chest, which made him squirm.

“Easy for you to say,” he replied, a sad smile thinning his lips. “Have you ever given anyone the bite?” He wasn’t sure if he wanted to know the answer, but he asked anyway.

“No.”

“Not even the ex-girlfriend from Barcelona?”

Lucas chuckled and shook his head. “ Especially not the ex-girlfriend from Barcelona. She harassed me for six months after we split up.”

“Oh Jesus. It sounds like we’ve both had our share of horrible exes.”

“Indeed.”

The rest of the evening passed in contented quiet. They stood at the sink doing dishes together, put away the laundry—of which there was a lot—and as eight o’clock drew closer, Oliver found he hated the thought of sleeping alone.

Lucas, rather unfortunately, was heading up a nighttime raid on another property in the neighbouring town.

The thought of Pember and Patrick had been scratching at the back of Oliver’s mind like an annoying little insect. Matteus wasn’t wrong, Patrick would have played Oliver’s hatred off as jealousy. He’d done it all throughout their relationship—calling him crazy or deluded when he smelled another person on his skin. Still, he couldn’t shake the thought of Pember—sweet, ambitious Pember—as just another victim falling prey to the alpha’s two-sided charm. He’d use him and abuse him, wring him out like a rag until there was nothing left.

“See you in the morning,” Lucas said, kissing his forehead.

“Yeah,” Oliver replied, rubbing his face across the lapel of the alpha’s coat. “Stay safe.”

They hung in the hallway for a long moment. Lucas’ nose nuzzled in his hair as a low rumble reverberated through his chest. “Sleep well,” he said, not turning to leave.

Oliver smirked into the fabric of his jacket. “Oh dear. Is this one of those ‘no you hang up’ moments?”

Lucas chuckled, drawing him closer. “It could well be.”

“You’re going to be late.”

“I know.”

They eventually parted, and Oliver pressed his head against the front door as he locked it. He wasn’t sure if the alpha would be returning to his flat after his shift. Neither of them had broached the topic, as though they were afraid of the other’s rejection. Man, he’d become a weak-willed bastard over the last few weeks.

Turning to the coat hooks by the door, he grabbed his own jacket and rummaged around in the pocket until he found the slip of paper containing Pember’s number. He hesitated before punching the digits into his phone. Padding to the living room, he slumped down on the sofa and pressed ‘call.’

“Hello?” Pember answered, his soft voice carrying a strained edge.

“Hey. It’s Oliver. From the police station.”

Pember exhaled. “I was just thinking about you!” he replied, his tone lightening a little.

“Y-You were?”

“Yeah. I was at the police station earlier today. Some idiot crashed into my mum’s car whilst we were out shopping. I had to give a statement. It was quite nerve-wracking to be honest.” The words came out so quickly that Oliver had a hard time keeping up.

“The statement or the car crash?”

“The statement! I was so scared that they’d arrest me if I couldn’t answer their questions.”

Oliver huffed out a laugh. “That’s not how the police operate. If we locked up every witness, we’d never be able to solve any crimes. Are you okay? Were you hurt?”

“N-No! I was standing on the pavement with mum. She was talking to a friend, and I was standing around holding the shopping bags like a complete moron. The guy just came out of nowhere and side-swiped the car. I think he was drunk.”

“That sucks. Was it badly damaged?”

“Yeah. The whole of the driver’s side was completely caved in. Definitely a write-off.”

“Damn. Well, I’m glad you and your mum are okay.”

He thought about how to broach the subject of Patrick without sounding overbearing. Eventually he settled on, “Has she calmed down with her match-making efforts?”

Pember groaned. “If only. Since my sister moved to the city she’s doubled down. There was this random alpha walking out of the police station today. Mum obviously clocked that he wasn’t wearing a wedding ring, so she practically pushed me into him just so we’d have to talk. Don’t get me wrong, he was good looking and all that, and I think his lanyard said he was a social worker, but my God , he was so pushy. Couldn’t get his number into my hand quick enough. They’re all a bit like that, I suppose.”

Oliver’s heart sank, because Pember’s mother had no idea the danger she was putting her son in. “Y-Yeah. Hey, listen Pember. Be careful, okay? Don’t put yourself in risky situations just to please your mum.” He felt like a total fraud, giving a grown man advice that he would rarely abide by himself. “If you don’t like that guy, then don’t feel you need to contact him. Just throw his number away.”

The omega let out a surprised hum. “Ollie, are you telling me to throw it away, or?—”

Oliver could tell him to, and he’d probably do it too. But it was Pember’s life, and the boy had experienced enough over-bearing alphas already. But, man , he wanted to tell him just how much of a twat Patrick was.

“No. I’m just asking you to be safe.”

Had the conversation been the other way around, Oliver would be rolling his eyes and scoffing up a storm. However, Pember sounded genuinely grateful. “Thank you, Ollie. Wait, can I call you Ollie?”

“Sure.”

“Okay! Anyway… sorry, I got carried away talking about myself. What can I do for you?”

They chatted back and forth for a good thirty minutes, and Oliver found himself pleasantly surprised by how easy it was to actually have a conversation with someone outside of the police. He had next to no friends that weren’t police officers, and they’d always end up talking shop—no matter the social setting. Plus, his profession made him naturally suspicious of strangers, which never helped when trying to make non-police friends.

Pember talked about all the jobs he’d applied for, and Oliver gave him unsolicited advice about how to appear more confident in interviews. “Honestly, Pem, I’ve interviewed some right prats. The trick is to always maintain eye contact. Don’t cross your legs and lean forward if you can. Nothing throws people off like listening to every word they say.”

Pember chuckled. “Thanks, Ollie. But I think that might work better on criminals than scientists.”

“Nah. You need to steer the conversation, make them answer to you .”

Then the omega was properly laughing, and Oliver padded to the kitchen to fetch himself a cup of tea. “You really are a police officer, through and through. Aren’t you?”

“Yeah. Sorry.”

“Don’t apologise, I like it.”

Even over the noise of the kettle, Oliver heard the suggestive edge to the comment. “Speaking of which—” Pember continued, voice growing quiet. “O-Ollie, are you seeing anyone at the moment?”

Oliver swallowed as he poured the water into a flowery mug that had “Fresh out of fucks” written in looping gold letters. Christ, he really had an astounding selection of stupid mugs. Sighing, he leant against the countertop. “I… kinda. It’s complicated, but yeah.”

Saying it out loud made him shiver.

Pember huffed, as though he had been holding his breath. “That’s good, Ollie. That’s great. He’s a lucky man.” If he was trying to hide the disappointment in his voice, he was doing a terrible job.

Oliver chuckled and rubbed the back of his neck. “How do you know it’s a ‘he’?”

“O-Oh, well, I don’t really. Perhaps I’m wrong, but I kinda assumed it was that big guy that came and got you from the coffee shop. He gave me a death stare to end all death stares when I said about my number. You wouldn’t have seen it because your back was to him.”

Oliver had seen it, and he flushed at the memory. Had Lucas actually been jealous? He’d made a back-handed comment about them having breakfast together, but Oliver assumed he’d been joking.

“Sorry about that. He looks mean, but he’s not a brute. In fact, he’s pretty funny when you get to know him.”

“That’s good. You deserve someone who can make you smile. You’re so funny, and kind, and handsome. O-Oh shit, sorry. I shouldn’t be saying that to someone who’s taken.”

Now Oliver really was blushing. Taken . The word sounded funny in the context of his own love life.

“That’s okay. Thanks for saying so.”

“Ollie, do you think… do you think we could meet up for that coffee some time? Just as friends, of course. I’d really like to chat with you some more, even if it’s just about random stuff. If your boyfriend doesn’t mind, that is.”

Boyfriend . “Are there any other titles you’d like to explore?” Oliver scrunched his eyes shut, because that one word alone was enough to make him feel flustered as hell. “Sure,” he said, the frequency of his voice so high only dogs could hear.

“Okay, cool! Let me know when you’re free. See ya, Ollie.”

“Wait a sec, Pember.”

“Yeah?”

“Please call me if you ever feel unsafe. Or if your mum pushes you into any more tricky situations.”

“I… thank you. Hopefully, it never comes to that, but it’s a relief to know you have my back.”

After the conversation, Oliver finished his tea, showered, cleaned his teeth and pulled a white t-shirt over his head, before realising—with some amusement—that it was actually Lucas’ t-shirt. He was about to take it off, but the comforting smell of the alpha brought a sense of calm to his frayed nerves. His first day back at work had been a lot, to say the least, but as he nestled himself between the sheets he knew there was something he needed to do. So, plucking his phone off the nightstand, he called Lucas.

“Everything okay?”

“Y-Yeah. Sorry to call you at work, but there’s something I need to tell you.”

“Go on.”

“The boss asked me to go on a diffusion day tomorrow. With Alfie. And the social worker.”

Lucas let out a breath. “I see. What time?”

“Nine o’clock.”

“Who’s your second?”

Oliver thought about lying, but as he clutched the alpha’s t-shirt between his fingers, he found he couldn’t. “No one. The Inspector asked me to go alone.”

“I’m not happy with that, Reed.”

Oliver sighed and rolled onto his side. “I know.”

Lucas let out a quiet hum, and Oliver could hear him scrubbing his stubble. “I’m coming with you.”

Frowning, Oliver buried his head under the blankets. “Please don’t. I need to focus on Alfie, and I can’t do that if you’re snapping and growling at the social worker. And besides, you know I can take care of myself.”

“I know that, Oliver. It’s him I’m concerned about,” he said, the faint edge of anger sharpening his words.

Oliver found himself growing cross as he snapped back. “Right. So, please , can you have a little faith in me? Let me do my job?”

“On one condition.”

“Yes?”

“I’m meeting you at the foster placement. I want him to know who you report to, and that I know he went behind my back to arrange the meeting. And you will keep your phone on at all times.”

Oliver groaned into his pillow. “What good is it going to do? That just sounds like aimless posturing.”

“It’s not aimless, Reed. I want him to know that if he so much as touches a single hair on my mate’s head, then his life won’t be worth living.”

Oliver blinked several times. “Your?—”

“Mate. Good night.”

“Oi, listen here—” Then the connection abruptly cut off, leaving Oliver with the dial tone once more.

Staring at the screen, he thought about calling the alpha back and giving him a piece of his mind. But as he sat up in bed, his eyes dropped to his groin, finding himself inexplicably hard. The arousal was so intense that it almost created a tent under the alpha’s t-shirt.

“Right. Okay then,” he said, flopping back onto the pillows in an attempt to ignore the monster erection. “Listen pal,” he whispered, hand drifting to the hard line under white cotton. “I’ve had quite enough of your antics. Just let me go to sleep.” But then realised he was talking to his penis, so swiftly closed his mouth.

He swallowed as he pressed his palm against the head of his cock, the soft fabric of Lucas’ t-shirt creating an utterly maddening barrier. Squeezing his thighs together, he rubbed himself through the shirt until the cotton grew damp. His heat had ended, and yet he found himself rutting into his own hand at the memory of the alpha’s possessive tone.

“ Fuck ,” he murmured, pressing his face into the pillow and wishing that Lucas was tangled in the sheets next to him. Or on top of him. Or behind him. Or beneath him. Any way would have been fine. His toes curled as he ejaculated into the t-shirt with one shuddering exhale.

He was, without question, down bad.