CHAPTER 38: YOU’RE AN ALPHA

"Oh." Zander eyes Beck up and down. The beta isn’t all that, he thinks. With flimsy hair and a terrible complexion, Beck would be a six on a scale from one to ten. How convenient it is for him, that he’s just right next door. Zander narrows his green eyes at the beta across from him, is that how he’s been able to weasel his way in without Zander knowing? His forefinger raps against the table, his head resting in his chin. That’s going to be annoying.

Zanders jaw clenches when Beck reaches out to touch Ethan again. Can’t he just keep his hands to himself? Is he often this touchy with Ethan? Why didn’t Ethan tell him about Beck? The alpha reaches up to scratch his nose. Right, Ethan hasn’t accepted him. Yet.

A finger jabs him in the shoulder and Zander turns to raise an eyebrow at Leo. The omega shrinks back in his chair and curls his lip in distaste. "Can you chill? You’re making it hard to be around you."

Zander frowns and reaches up to ruffle his hair. His pheromones are thick and heavy in the air, tinged with a bitter scent, giving away to his true feelings. He glances at Ethan, but he’s too busy paying attention to Beck. The two betas are oblivious to the pheromones Zander has been letting out.

When Ethan spills his water, Zander stands and tugs him up. He doesn’t bother to clean up the wet mess on the table as he steps away. "He looks tired, so I’ll take him up to bed." He nods his head in the direction of the stairs. He doesn’t acknowledge Beck as he speaks, his gaze only on Leo.

"You know where his room is at?" The omega asks. His nose is wrinkled, and Zander can see he’s trying his best to show that the alphas aura doesn’t bother him.

"I’m tipsy not drunk." Ethan scoffs. He wobbles on his feet as he turns around. "And stop talking about me like I’m not here." He pouts at Zander and Leo. He pushes the alphas hand off of him and spins back around so Leo can see his back. "I can walk by myself."

Zander waves to Roxanne, and when she sees Ethan walking towards the stairs, she shouts a good night at him, to which Ethan gave a half hearted wave.

"Love you, momma,"

Zander barely hears the words Ethan mumbles under his breath. He walks behind the beta up the stairs in case he falls. When they reach his room, Ethan pulls off his shirt while Zander closes the door behind him.

The alpha leans back against it and crosses his arms over his chest as Ethan drops on his mattress. The skin of his back is paler than his arms, and Zander guesses that he doesn’t take his shirt off when he’s outside. The muscles on his back are defined with indents, the curve of his waist turns sharp near his hips.

Zander lifts a hand to his mouth and he licks the tip of his thumb as he stares at the rise of Ethan’s ass in his pants. The beta is muscular, but it’s not the strength one gets from working out. It’s from daily labor, as if he’s constantly lifting heavy boxes.

Zander pushes off of the door and steps closer to the edge of Ethan’s bed. He licks the inside of his cheek, his green gaze glued to Ethan’s plump backside. "Ethan." Zander’s voice is a low timber in the quiet room. The beta gives a barely audible hum, "You can’t go to sleep yet."

"Why?" Ethan mumbles. He turns his head so he can blink up at the alpha in his room.

"I wanted to show you this." Zander drags his eyes away from Ethan’s sharp hip bone, his tongue slipping out to lick his bottom lip. He pulls his phone out and holds up the picture of Ethan in a maid dress. "Do you happen to still have it?" He asks, his voice growing thick.

Ethan’s eyes widen and he shoots up. His forehead smacks Zander in the chin, a loud thud echoing as pain erupts.

"Fuck," Zander stands up and steps away, his hand reaching up to cradle the bottom of his face. The sting starts to fade and he turns around to face him.

"How’d you get that?" Ethan gasps, the flush on his face due to the alcohol deepens to something more self aware. "It’s forbidden!" It wasn’t originally forbidden. Ethan did invite Zander to drop by for a sample during the promotional event. So if Zander had shown up, he would’ve seen Ethan in person. Only Zander didn’t show up, so now he can never have the chance to see it.

"Forbidden?" Zander’s lips quirk upward, "Why’s it forbidden?"

Ethan glowers at him, "Because you weren’t supposed to see that." He says, his voice taking on a matter-of-factly tone. "It was only for a promotion."

Zander raises a dark eyebrow, "So," He takes a step forward and leans down so that he and Ethan are face to face. "Everyone else gets to see it, but not me?" When Ethan doesn’t answer, just stares at him with brown eyes, Zander’s jaw ticks. "Did Beck get to see it?" He asks in a whisper.

Ethan glances away, "Mhm."

Zander licks the edge of his teeth and gives a mean smile, "That doesn’t sound fair, does it? Hm, Ethan?"

"Well, no." The beta rolls his eyes, "But that doesn’t matter."

Zander frowns, "Why doesn’t it matter?"

"You’re an alpha." Ethan blinks up at him. "A dominant alpha with pretty green eyes." He reaches up and rubs his thumb above Zander’s cheek bone.

The alpha doesn’t move, his muscles tensing. Ethan said he has pretty eyes. "You’re not making any sense." He chuckles, hoping to get more compliments out of him. What does Ethan really think about him? About his confession?Do you think he has time for romance? Max’s irritating voice rings in his head at the worst time.

"I’ve done my research." Ethan drops his arm back to his side and pouts. "You don’t think I have, but I did."

"You’ve done your research on dominant alphas?"Zander asks with furrowed brows. "And what did you learn?"

Ethan hums and nods his head. "I know that when a dominant alpha imprints it drives them insane." He whispers.