Suddenly being told he was Sebastian’s fated partner, Chester froze. His eyes wide open. Suddenly, he was awake. “Huh...?” was the only thing escaping his mouth.

Sebastian gave a faint apologetic smile. “Well,” he said, a little too excited to sound natural. Stiff like a robot, he continued, “Have some rest. I’m going now. See you on Monday.”

Sebastian scurried away, feeling tint of red forming on this tan cheeks. That was awkward, he’d be honest. But he didn’t regret it—he was sure. The moment his eyes laid on him, Sebastian Rodriguez knew exactly that Chester Morrison was his fated partner.

At the same time, Chester was standing still, dumbfounded by the unexpected confession. His cheeks blushed and he cupped his mouth. “What was that...” his voice trailed, dreamily recalling Sebastian’s words.

He shook his head, walking back into his apartment. He could think of him later—or never!

Yet that was all he could think about.

Throughout the night, the only thing Chester could think of was Sebastian’s confession. His words lingered in Chester’s mind, repeating like a broken record. Even after cooling his mind in the shower, Sebastian’s presence was still clear in his mind.

No wonder he thought they were fated pairs.

Chester walked into his living room, wiping his hair with a towel. A steamy shower on a Friday night was bliss; he felt content. He picked up the TV remote from his coffee table, turning it on to a random channel and leaving it on to get some water. He came back to his living room and flopped down on his couch. His eyes lingered on the screen; his mind wandered somewhere else.

His phone rang, pulling him back to reality. Chester picked up his phone next to the remote, looked at the screen, and picked up the call. “Mum?” he answered.

“Hi, Chester. How are you?” his mum—Kayla Morrison—was delighted to hear Chester’s voice. “Have you eaten yet?”

Now that he thought of it, he forgot to buy dinner. His plan was to buy a takeaway and headed straight home—but ended up with Sebastian escorting him straight home. “Just about to eat,” Chester decided to say. “I just got home.”

“You don’t forget to eat, do you?” Kayla accused. She sighed. “Well, I believe you’re old enough to take care of yourself.”

“Mhm-hm.”

Chester tilted his head and leaned on the couch, eyes staring aimlessly at the TV screen. On his ear, he listened to Kayla’s concerned questions. “Do you still have enough suppressants? Want me to send some money your way? What about this month’s check-up?”

“Mum,” Chester groaned. “I can take care of myself, I swear. We’ve had this talk too many times and it’s time to stop worrying about me.”

Kayla fell silent. Finally, with a faint voice, she said, “You know I can’t stop worrying because you’re the only...” and left her sentence hanging.

“I know, I know,” Chester whined, ruffling his damp hair frustratingly. His own mother couldn’t even say that he was an Omega. “Because I’m the only one in our family, I know best how to take care of myself.”

His mother didn’t reply, letting a tense silence suffocated the two of them. Chester refused to prolong the conversation, while Kayla was unsure whether to bring up a subject. Though, she finally opened her mouth. “Don’t you... need to find an Alpha?”

That was the last straw. From the moment Chester accepted the call, he knew she would bring up this subject. As if she didn’t know how he felt about Alphas. Chester clicked his tongue. “No, I don’t need an Alpha. I am capable enough to care for myself,” he stated firmly and—not letting Kayla interfered his arguments—he hung up the call.

Looking at his mother’s number on the screen got him irritated. He threw his head back, half-yelling his feelings out of his system. Again, and again. His mother once again told him to find an Alpha. How many times she did it, Chester had lost count. It was aggravating enough that his mother had set him up with some random Alphas several times.

It wasn’t that Chester didn’t like the prospect of having his heat affected no one. Although he knew he would be safe by being marked, he didn’t want to lower himself into someone else’s property. And that was what most Alphas thought of Omegas.

He did not detest being an Omega, but he cursed fate for making himself alone an Omega. A family full of Beta—he was so sure that he was a Beta himself. But—no, fate itself was playing a sick game on him, making him the only Omega in his bloodline. How many things he had to give up because he was an Omega? How many dreams, how many friendships? And at the end of the day—he still would end up settling with an Alpha. Even ten years of suppressants had taken a toll on his body, let alone that he needed to increase the dose from time to time.

Chester’s eyes blanky stared at the ceiling. If, in the end, he had to settle with an Alpha—who would that be?

He shook his head, dragging himself up. He needed to eat, no time to think!

Though, Chester glanced at his phone once again; the screen showing nothing. Now that he thought of it, he didn’t have Sebastian’s number. Chester put his finger on his chin—a habit he had when he was thinking. He shrugged, putting his phone on the table before he left to the kitchen.

Well, he could ask the next time they met.