Micah

“You’re late.” Xari crossed his arms, looking down at me. I tucked my head submissively to the alpha. 

“I’m sorry, Xari, I accidentally slept a bit too long on my nap.” My cheeks turned red. 

“Okay, but you really need to work on being on time. You know, some of the employees think we’re sleeping together or something because I let you off the hook way too often.” He huffed. 

“You’re married, though.” I furrowed my brows. 

“I’m also an alpha, and you’re biologically an omega, so do you see how they could come up with that conclusion?” He tilted his head to the side. 

“Yes, sir.” I frowned, glancing over my shoulder, looking at the other bartender who was cleaning glasses, staring at me. 

“Next time you’re late, I’m going to have to write you up.” I bit down on my bottom lip and nodded again.  

“Sorry,” I mumbled. 

~~~ 

After my mishap when I arrived, I had tried my best being the star employee. I ignored the stare from the Beta I had to work with for the night. I knew it was no secret among us bartenders that Xari had treated me a bit differently than everyone else. Not only Xari but the customers too. Despite me being on BetaT, it was apparent I was an omega. I would get heftier tips because I was an omega and a smooth talker. 

But, when being in a position where I was making more than others, jealousy tended to rear its ugly head. Jealousy in the workplace was a scary concept. Especially when I was in danger of not losing one job, but both because of my genetics. 

I tried to shove the thoughts back into my head, but of course, I couldn’t do anything about it. Since my talk with Sherry the other day and Xari telling me if I fucked up one more time, I’d be getting written up. It upset me more than anything. 

I was lucky that Xari’s mate’s brother was an omega in a similar, but not so similar, situation as me. She really helped me by changing his mind and telling him to hire me because she knew how hard it was for an Omega to get a job. 

It felt like I was so close to my impending doom. Like I couldn’t even begin to think about what was going to happen if I lost both jobs. The only thing I could think to do was to continue to sleep with other Alphas. 

“Micah, what are you doing,” Lawrence said, flipping the lever to the beer tap I had been holding on to. 

“Oh, sorry.” I broke from my thoughts. 

“I don’t know what the fuck you’re doing, but you need to snap out of whatever fantasy land you’re in. I’m not getting a write-up for your dumb bullshit.” I furrowed my brows. 

“Sorry,” I mumbled. “I’m going to go to the bathroom.” 

“Whatever.” He waived me off, continuing to serve the customers at the counter. 

I needed to breathe for a minute. I quickly walked to the bathroom and locked myself in one of the stalls. I closed the lid on the toilet and sat down for a second, resting my elbows on my knees and putting my face in my hands. I tried to calm my racing heart. 

It felt as if my world was about to tilt on its axis. I couldn’t stop my mind from racing, to stop it from thinking of the worse case scenarios. I sat there for a while. Trying to get my thoughts, my breathing, and my mind under control. It almost felt as if my world was about to crash down on me. 

I rubbed my eyes, trying to get the tears that I hadn’t realized were falling from them away. I knew I was probably being over dramatic, catastrophizing something that hadn’t even happened yet.

Yet. 

It was doomed to happen if I went into heat at either of my jobs at this point. Missing that much work without warning would probably turn Xari and Sherry to fire me. 

I needed to stop thinking about it. I needed to get my mind off of it. I took a few more breaths, trying to calm myself down. I took in one final deep breath, keeping it in for a moment before releasing it. I wiped my eyes free from tears and held my head high unlocking the stall door. An Alpha was using the urinal, and a beta and alpha were making out in the corner of the bathroom. I knew they probably heard me having my little breakdown, but I had to play it off and continue my work. 

I looked in the mirror, and my eyes were puffy from the evident tears I had cried. I washed my hands, splashing water on my face to freshen myself up a little. I grabbed a few papertowels, wiping my hands free from the water, then my face. 

When I returned to my spot behind the bar, I continued my job. Keeping myself from thinking about doomsday. 

“I need a top-shelf scotch on the rocks.” An alpha’s voice I knew all too much. I looked over to Lawrence, who was on the other side of the bar, tending to another customer. I took a deep breath, trying to keep my cool. 

I grabbed the liquor bottle as requested and grabbed one of the crystal glasses, threw a few cubes of ice inside, and poured the scotch. I turned around, looking down and hoping Alistair wouldn’t notice me. 

But luck really wasn’t on my side today at all. 

“Hello, little mouse.” He greeted. I looked up, meeting his yellow eyes. “I didn’t know you worked here too.” 

“I need the cash,” I mumbled under my breath, hoping that someone else would try to get my attention quickly so I didn’t have to talk to him much longer. 

But again, I wouldn’t get that lucky. 

“Oh, I see,” Alistair responded, and a strand of hair fell in front of his face. He gripped the glass in his hand, and a large ring with a ruby on his middle finger clung to the glass. His appearance a complete 180 from this morning. 

He was now in a black button-down, long-sleeved shirt with the sleeves rolled up. Alistair looked rugged from the long day.

“I’ve been here several times and I haven’t seen you here before.” He raised one of his thick eyebrows. 

“I’ve worked here since I was twenty-one,” I replied, grabbing an empty glass that was left on the bar and beginning to clean it. 

“Oh?” He nodded, taking a sip of the hard liquor, his brows furrowed. Obviously, the alcohol burned his throat when he swallowed. “How old are you?” 

“I don’t have to disclose that information.” I pursed my lips, starting to glare at him. 

“Oh, come on, I’m a faithful customer at the coffee shop, and now here.” He smirked. 

“That’s something I don’t have to tell you.” I grinned. 

Alistair chuffed, leaning over, and he grabbed something out of his pocket. The item was his wallet, and he flipped open the trifold wallet and pulled out a twenty, slamming it down on the counter. “How old are you?” He asked again, sliding the cash to me. I snatched it from under his hand. 

“Twenty-three.” I responded, tucking it into my pocket.  

“Oh, really? I thought you were a bit older.” He looked down at the glass in his hand.

“I mean, why does it matter?” I sat the glass down, raising a brow and putting my hand on my hip. 

“Hmm,” He swirled the glass around a bit, taking a sip of the drink again. “I dunno, there’s something about you.”

“Yeah, and there’s something about you,” I rolled my eyes. “That annoys me to high heaven.”

“I think it’s my good looks and charm,” Alistair chuckled. 

“Yeah, in your dreams, buddy.” I bit down on my cheeks to keep myself from chuckling at his joke. 

“So, what do you do for fun?” He grabbed another twenty out of his wallet, quickly catching on that I would answer his stupid little questions for money.

“I like to paint,” I smiled at the thought. “I also like to fuck.”

Alistair raised his brows in surprise. 

“What? Never met an omega that loves to fuck for fun?” I grinned darkly at him. Knowing this would probably get him to stop bothering me. 

“Oh, I’ve had plenty of omega’s that love to fuck, but I’ve never had one as brazen about it.” He smirked. 

Fuck, what would it have to take for him to leave me alone?

Someone called for me, and I lifted my head, smiling at the waiting customer, lifting my finger to let them know I’d be with them in a few seconds. Alistair reached out and grabbed my hand to keep me there for a bit longer.

“I have other customers to tend to.” I replied at his weak attempt to keep me in place. 

He pulled out a crisp hundred and put it on the counter. “Give me your number first.” 

I grabbed the hundred-dollar bill and grabbed the pen out of my pocket, and wrote my number down on his wrist. I mean, if he called me, I could always block his number. Totally worth the hundred. 

Alistair smiled at me and let me tend to the waiting customer. When I turned back to where he was, the Alpha was long gone, and another crisp hundred sat on the counter in his place.