The Bachelor: Beta Edition, A Gay Romance (Book 2) (Win an Alpha) (2 page)

Kris finally put a finger on why this Omega called out to him and his wolf. Looking beyond appearances, Kris saw a soul, longing for love as much as he was. Luck decided the show though. Kris wouldn’t be able to see the contestants. The host would ask questions and the Omegas would answer, their voices disguised. Kris would have to pick based on their answers alone.

Grinning, Kris played the video again and memorized the Omega’s cute features in his head. He has never backed away from a challenge, and he wasn’t going to start now. Kris saw the number of ‘likes’ beside the Omega’s video. Pretty soon, the video would go viral and for sure, this Omega would be picked by the organizers simply for being so honest and different from the rest.

“Hold on to your horses, baby. Pretty soon, you’re going to be mine.”

Kris widened his smile. He didn’t know a thing about this Omega, but he knew, just at first glance, what the words ‘love at first sight’ finally meant. Whistling under his breath, Kris settled in bed and played the video again. He knew he was acting like a man obsessed, but he couldn’t wipe away the image from his mind.

“Give me a chance”, the Omega on the video pleaded, but Kris would do more than that. That nameless Omega was about to become his sooner or later and he wouldn’t be able to see Kris coming.

Chapter Two

“Contestant number three, tell us about your ideal date?” the announcer asked.

Will nervously rubbed his sweaty palms on his jeans. He needed to pinch himself to remind himself that this was really happening. Will’s gaze slipped to the audience watching them.

God.
How did Will ever get himself into this position?

He knew he should focus on giving honest answers. Lying had never been an option, given he was terrible at making things up and dominant wolves could usually smell a lie from a mile away. Besides, even if Will got himself all tangled up in this ridiculous dating game show, he still had a good chance of winning. Given there were only three contestants, that wasn’t much of a relief.

Still, despite being televised and watched by over a hundred people live, Will wanted the Beta behind the mirror to know bits and pieces of Will’s real self.

“Contestant three?” the host prodded.

Will blinked and nervously fiddled with his hands. “A nice dinner and maybe a show after, or we can go back to his place—”

The audience ‘oohed’ and ‘ahhed’. The host gave him a wink and finally showed interest in him. “And…?”

“Or we could find something on Netflix and cuddle on the couch with popcorn.”

The crowd ‘booed’ him, the two other contestants looked at Will like he was some kind of alien from outer space and the host pretended to yawn.

“How nice. Now, contestant number two…”

Will didn’t hear the rest. His heart thundered against his chest. Jesus Christ. Did he just royally screw up his one chance at love?

Wait. Love?
Where the hell did that come from? For crying out loud, Will was in a dating game show, for the amusement of the crowd. Did he really think he’d find his mate here? Why did he continue torturing himself when he could bow out now and scurry out, tail between his legs?

That would be cowardly, plus, Will had the full view of the bachelor Beta behind the one-way mirror dividing them. Dark-haired, brown eyes and six-foot plus of rough and hard sexiness looked back at Will. The Beta wasn’t prince-charming handsome, but there was no denying his roguish appeal. The Omega wolf in Will wanted to clamber up his lap and offer the Beta his neck.

Heck. Will could imagine the Beta wrapping those muscular yummy inked arms around his waist, holding him steady—powerful arms capable of tearing another man apart, but Will knew the Beta would never hurt him.

Will could feel the Beta’s gaze, burning holes through the glass and searing his soul, but that was beyond ridiculous, a product of his imagination. The Beta couldn’t see any of them. Will slapped at his face, the sound making the two other Omegas jump. He needed to focus. Win his man, but Will didn’t want to win by deceit. If this hunk of a Beta really wanted Will, he’d choose Will because he would’ve liked what he’d heard so far.

Pure heart. That was what the organizers said when they picked him for the show. They said Will’s video was raw and gritty. Will didn’t even know how his entry had gone viral, but everyone suddenly knew, even his pack. He thought his mother and Fletcher, pack Gamma cum match-making expert, would laugh at his face or even worse, show disappointment. Instead, they slapped him on the back and congratulated him.

They didn’t seem to understand the battle hadn’t begun. Screw this. Will might have lost the last battle about the date question, but by hook or by crook, he’d win this war.

“Contestant three, how do you see yourself and your mate in five year’s time?” the host asked.

Finally, a question he could answer because Will had been planning since he was a kid.

Will didn’t hesitate, didn’t look at the host or anyone else but the clueless Beta beyond the glass. He hoped his words would reach that Beta’s heart. “I see us happily married, living in a single-story house with five pups—”

“Five?” the host choked.

Will continued. “Despite the kids and problems of our everyday lives, it’s his face I look forward to seeing every morning and his cock buried in me before I sleep, reminding me who my heart and body belongs to.”

The audience fell silent. The host looked at Will like he’d never seen him before and the other two Omegas’ mouths hung open.

“Did you get that from some gay werewolf novel?” the first Omega hissed.

For the first time since the show started airing, the mysterious man-candy Beta spoke, “That’s him.”

“Excuse me? Can you elaborate, Beta?” the host asked, clearly unnerved the show went off the expected path. The people behind the camera signaled to the Beta and one held out a sign that read he shouldn’t be speaking, but the Beta ignored them and stared right at Will.

“Him. Mine. I knew from the moment I saw your video. I nearly called the producers to tell them I quit.”

Will found himself rising from the stool and approaching the mirror.

“Should we cut?” the host whispered to his microphone.

“Keep it running.”

Will pressed a hand to the glass, amazed the Beta rose from his seat and mimicked the gesture, as if he knew Will was there. Their hands met, touched, with the exception of the mirror between them. Will could hardly breathe.

“I can smell you, even all the way from here, Omega,” the Beta said. “You smell so fucking good. Fuck, I can even hear your heart, beating so excitedly from here. Tell me your name.”

“Will. My name’s Will.”

“Will. Perfect.” Will jumped, hearing glass smashing a second later. A bloodied fist appeared through the crack. With a growl, the Beta made a giant hole, large enough for him to squeeze through. Will didn’t have the heart to tell him he could have walked around the glass, but he sure made for a dramatic entrance.

The audience held their breath. So did everyone else but them. Will had never met anyone who would do something so drastic, simply just to reach him—plain, unwanted and mediocre Will.

“Why do you want me? I’m so ordinary,” Will couldn’t help but ask.

This didn’t feel real. It felt like he’d been transported to a movie or romance book. But when the Beta gripped a handful of his shirt with bleeding fingers, Will felt the tug, knew this was real and it was happening to him.

The Beta’s touch grew gentle. He spread his fingers wide, pressing his hand against Will’s chest. “Wrong, Omega. You’re fucking extraordinary. Hear that? Your heart tells me the truth.”

Will couldn’t stop staring. Up close, the Beta was huge, imposing almost, but lust and longing hit Will twice as bad. With trembling fingers, he lifted the Beta’s hand to his lips and licked away the blood.

The Beta swore and Will blinked, noticing his feral golden eyes and his fierce wolf looking back at Will and his beast with unconcealed interest. Will couldn’t forget what this Beta called him. Will never had anyone refer to him as ‘mine’ before. Warmth suffused his limbs and went right to his chest and dick.

“I don’t know your name yet,” Will blurted out loud.

“Kris. Now, why don’t we get the hell out of here?” Kris grinned.

Will smiled back, twining his fingers with Kris’.

“Y-you can’t do that. The program’s not over yet,” the host protested.

“But it is.” Kris turned to the cameras, still rolling. “Thanks to the organizers for helping me find my mate.”

Kris tugged him along, but Will was happy to follow where he would lead him.

Never before had Will been certain of another man, another Alpha…until now. They might have just met, but Kris admitted he’d fallen for Will the moment he saw his video. Will uploaded that video, tossing his bait and hoping something would bite. But Kris, he blew Will right out of the water and Will couldn’t wait to find out what would happen next.

Chapter Three

“We’re riding that?”

Kris chuckled when Will saw his Harley. Damn. He’d been waiting so long to meet Will face-to-face. All that waiting was worth it, because Will was better than he had imagined.

Sweet and sensitive, Kris could smell Will across the mirror. All of Will’s responses tugged something inside him, his heart strings maybe, and that meant something. Kris never let anyone in his heart before, the way he was about to with Will.

Walking to the back of his bike, Kris took out a spare helmet and tossed it to Will, who caught it with trembling hands. He could smell the fear and excitement on the Omega and Will was so easy to read. Never before did Kris felt such overwhelming protective and possessive feelings towards someone before.

Will put his helmet on, but it was a size too big. Chuckling, Kris walked up to him. Will stilled, licking his lips and Kris grinned, helping him buckle the strap on. Will clearly liked what he saw and Kris was the same way.

Will trusted him.

Kris swore to never disappoint him. His endless days of traveling like a road warrior and fucking whoever he wanted, constantly searching for something or someone—those days had finally come to an end.

“Kris,” Will began, looking hesitant. “I don’t usually do things like this. Go off with a stranger I mean.”

“I’m not a stranger.” To prove his point, Kris made the first move. Approaching Will, Kris banded an arm around the Omega’s waist and pulled him close. Tilting Will’s chin upwards, Kris’ smile widened when Will closed his eyes and parted his lips slightly.

God damn it. Will was so fucking cute and sexy. How did Kris ever get so lucky?

Will blinked, looking anxious, but Kris finally took his lips and he tasted certainty on Will now. He claimed Will’s lips, all tongue, teeth and heat. Will grabbed his shoulders, responded, complying to the demanding press of his mouth. Kris prodded his tongue against Will’s lips and Will let him deepen the kiss.

When he pulled away, he decided he liked Will’s swollen mouth and Will looking at him like he wanted more.

“What happens next?”

“Dinner. We rent a movie and cuddle.”

Will bit his lip. “Are you making fun of me?”

“No, I’m proving to you I listen. You don’t think I want those things too?”

Will looked skeptical. “You look like a guy who can get whoever he wants and often tells the world to fuck itself.”

“You aren’t wrong. I’m those things, but I’ve had enough of chasing that dead-end road.” Kris kissed him again, slowly and taking his time to prove to Will he can do both gentle and rough. “Don’t you think I want my cute Omega to snuggle next to me on the couch on a cold winter’s night while we drink hot cocoa together and watch old reruns?”

It was a little embarrassing, admitting the truth, but Kris made one vital decision after seeing Will’s video. He won’t screw his chance up. If he wanted a crack at this, at a relationship with a sexy guy, a treasure like Will, there would be no lies and deceptions.

“Oh,” Will whispered, looking heartsick. “That sounds lovely.”

Kris clasped his hands and color rose to Will’s cheeks when he kissed them before releasing them. “Let’s make it a reality.”

Will beamed at him, like a damn fine ray of sunshine Kris never had. “Dinner and a movie sounds good.”

Kris mounted his bike and nodded to the seat behind him. “Get that sweet ass over here.”

Will walked up to him. “I’ve never ridden a motorcycle or done anything wild before.”

“Don’t sweat it. It’s easy breaking rules. Anyway, I’m a safe driver and tonight’s a night of many firsts.”

Will rode behind him and hesitantly, but eventually, locked his slender arms around Kris’ waist.

“You’ve already won me over.”

“Good. Hang on tight, pup.” Kris revved the engine and rode out of the studio parking lot.

Kris picked up speed. Will let out a cute shriek and held onto him tighter.

“Where are we going?” Will yelled against his ear.

“We’re going to begin the rest of our lives, baby.”

“That sounds good,” Will murmured behind.

“Beginning with me claiming you,” Kris continued. He didn’t need to turn to know his adorable and sexy mate was blushing.

“Oh my,” Will whispered. “This feels odd and exciting.”

“What does?”

“Someone wanting me the way you do.”

Kris let out a growl. “You’re worth it, baby. I’m going to prove it to you soon.”

Feeling Will shiver behind him, Kris grinned. He drove out of the city, no immediate destination in mind, but he’d figure it out. Will behind him, lean body warm, made it hard to think. God, Kris’ prick started to harden at the thought of finally having Will in his bed. His dick will be the first one inside Will’s sweet ass and the last, because by the end of this evening, Will’s body will be his and the Omega’s heart and soul will follow suit.

Recalling a charming inn in the next town where honeymoon couples went to, Kris steered his bike to that direction. The Peach Cobbler Inn wasn’t his kind of place, but Will would fucking love it.