Page 6 of Choosing Her Alpha
Sasha's father had said the man should give the job to someone who wanted it, but sector admin jobs were earned, sometimes with blood. One didn't just give the job away.
"Bastard was too busy to even talk to me," Merrick growled.
Sasha knew of Merrick’s troubles with other alphas. After he’d abandoned his duty to the King's Army, they had no respect for him. They’d all done their time in the army. It was a rite of passage for males of the breed.
The beta with his cock out decided he'd had enough of being teased. He leapt towards the stripper in a hungry rush. The unfamiliar alpha next to him saw this as a challenge, and instinct struck hard.
With a deep bark of warning, he stood. The other male instantly deferred to him, even though he’d yet to move on the woman. Tipping his neck to the side in submission, the weaker man slunk around to the stripper’s mouth instead of his original target. The alpha filled the space between her legs. The third, not to be left out, joined them for touching and fondling.
They had the woman surrounded, one at each end and one in the middle. How could the beta do this every day? Was the pay so good? Sasha didn’t understand it. The act looked painful and ugly. Even the men had grimaces on their faces.
Merrick watched, clenching his jaw so hard she could hear his teeth grinding. Scenes like this were everyday occurrences in the pub now since he’d taken over. He’d turned her dad’s dream into a den of filth. It saddened Sasha to no end.
Turning on her with a snarl, he said, "What do you want?"
"There are no credits and we need honey to make the mead. Do you have any left?"
"Are you questioning me?"
"I’m asking, alpha. In six months, there will be no mead to sell. Not a drop. If there are no credits, how can I make it?"
"So rude and disrespectful, asking me stupid questions. You want to be punished, don't you?"
His question was rhetorical. She had her eyes on the floor, feigning deference, but he’d caught the lack of respect in her voice. How could she be expected to respect him? To fear him?
"I need to make a batch of mead. I've already put it off too long."
"Come here." He spoke with another alpha growl, but it merely rippled over her like a breeze, leaving her agitated but unmoved.
She took two steps forward, hoping to appease him. He darted out of his seat and snatched hold of her braid, baring her throat as he forced her head to the side. Crowding into her, radiating alpha aggression, he said, "I'm looking forward to teaching you your place."
His nearness triggered memories of her father and brought on a lonely ache. She wished she hated his warmth and smell. An omega breeder instinctively sought the comfort of an alpha, nature dominating rational thinking. He should want to care for her not break her.
But Merrick was a terrible person. It would be easier to remember if his outside appearance matched the rottenness of his insides. He made her long for someone else, a worthy alpha. An alpha like her father.
The other alpha had noticed them now. The male tipped his head back to scent for her and left his position behind the woman on the ground.
Sasha closed her eyes so she wouldn't have to watch the stranger's wet cock bob closer as he stalked over to them. She really hoped he didn't touch her with it. She didn’t want his stench on her. These alphas were a bunch of troublesome blockheads.
"What's this, Merrick? Is this that breeder girl who lives here?"
He tried his growl on her, an action that would make a drone or beta willing and wet. But just as it had with Merrick, his growl had no effect on her.
"Are you Edin's girl? You're about ripe now, aren't you?"
Merrick snapped at the other man, showing his incisors. "She was just leaving."
The hand on her back lowered to the curve of her backside. He caught up a little handful of her soft flesh and gave her a vicious pinch that was sure to leave a bruise.
Looking pleased with himself, he reached into his pocket and pulled out his bulging wallet, which no doubt contained most of the credits from the cash box. He gave her half the papers.
"Take care of it, then. No mistakes, either. Make this a good batch."
Make it a good batch? Of course she'd make a good batch. Annoyed, she took the credits and left the room as quickly as she could, happy to have escaped the attention of so many filthy men.
*
The day had gone on and on, one problem after another to sort, one mess after another to clean up, all while Merrick was prowling around her, circling like a vulture. Her legs hurt from going up and down the stairs catering to the betas, cleaning up messes, and shielding the drones from drunken advances. Her body was tired, but she couldn't shut her mind down.
