Playing an omega that was the complete opposite of himself wasn't that hard to do at all. Because at one point in Valentine's life, that was exactly who he was. It took years to toughen himself up. Even longer to learn how to stand up for himself and to get away with it. Most alphas weren't fond of an omega having a backbone at all. Even less so when they had the upper hand at anything. Valentine learned to be even more sly and cunning. If he wanted to survive, he had to play by their rules.

He let his eyes fall on Zac for a few seconds when they crossed paths in the hallway before he looked away either with shame or a touch of fear. 

He stumbled over his words when he talked, played as if he was questioning himself. Blushed cheeks of embarrassment. Soured scents mixed with times of sweetness from him. His natural scent was described as warm chocolate chip cookies by most. Alphas got the sense of a warm feeling of fresh cookies right out of the oven when he was around. Some have even teased that his name suited him. Since he's named Valentine and everyone gets sweets on that day. 

Catching Zac a few times as he looked his way during those sweet moments. Valentine knew he pulled Zac by the scent, but he acted as if he wasn't phased. Every alpha was affected by the scent of an omega. 

Valentine worked the floors almost every night Shaw had not assigned him to Zac alone. He wanted the encounters to be more natural. Shaw didn't want to show his hand. Pretty sure that Zac wouldn't be happy to know that Shaw hired him as some kind of stand-in for Asher because he was worried about losing money on the fights. 

He rested against the main bar as he looked off to the ring. They had just announced Zac's name over the speakers, the crowd cheered heavily as he walked out. He was clearly a favorite here. Valentine didn't move till he was tapped on the shoulder when his drink orders were ready. 

Fight nights were crazy. Valentine has been too and seen plenty of alpha on alpha fights over the years of him working, but this was something different. Shaw was making an enterprise out of it. He put thought and time into what he wanted this place to do for him. A true businessman in that fact. 

Valentine wasn't pulled from his job again until the crowd started to shift in the room. He turned to look down at the ring. Zac laid out in the center, on his back. The other alpha moved in fast, catching Zac as he was halfway up, kneeing him hard in the chest. Everyone went silent at that moment. 

Valentine didn't even have to look up; he could already feel Shaw's gaze burning a hole into his skull. Zac just lost the fight.  

* * * * * 

Valentine called into Shaw's office the following morning. He knew this wasn't going to be a friendly encounter. He held his breath the entire walk up to his office. 

Shaw slammed his fist down on the desk as soon as Valentine walked in, growling. His blue eyes flared with anger as he looked in his direction. 

Valentine knew better than to show fear to alpha, but that didn't mean he wasn't scared at times. The scent in the room alone caused him to be frightened, but he held a hard look and kept his scent in check. 

"I'm not pleased." Commented Shaw as he cracked his neck. 

Papers showing the numbers from last night's fight laid before him on his desk. Zac was a crowd favorite. He's losing the fight meant he also lost a lot of money. 

It was the first fight Zac had lost since coming to fight for him. 

"I hired you to make sure shit like this didn't happen to him," Shaw spoke. He stood up in anger, moved around to the front of his desk. 

Valentine shifted in his seat a little, "I've done everything you've told me to do." 

"No." Snapped Shaw as he lunged towards Valentine, snatching him up by the collar of his shirt. "This doesn't fall back on me. You were hired to make sure he didn't slip this far and look. . . " Shaw yelled.

He dropped Valentine with a hard push back into the chair and threw the papers at him. 

Valentine took a deep breath. The past month had already been enough for him. "He lost the fight because he's a fucking airhead. Zac is nothing but an entitled prick. So he won a few fights, letting the title rush to his head, and now he doesn't think he has to work as hard." 

Valentine huffed, raising his voice to Shaw wasn't a smart idea, and he knew that. Watching as his hands clenched the edge of his desk to the point he was white-knuckling it. Valentine knew there was a thin line in which he had to walk while he was working here, and he might have just crossed it. But everything he had said was true. Zac was entitled and honestly a dick. No one cared for his attitude. All the betas and omegas did their best to steer clear of him now. That being the only reason Shaw came looking for him because no one else wanted to bother with him. 

"That's his problem. He's gotten to the point that either he doesn't think he has to work for it or that it should be handed to him. Or he simply doesn't care." Valentine added, lowering his tone. 

Shaw sat back in his chair, closing his eyes as he thought for a moment. Maybe trying to replace Asher wasn't the way to go. Maybe Asher wasn't his true motivation? 

"So, far he doesn't care about me," Valentine stated honestly. "I catch him looking at me at times, but his mind is elsewhere." He leaned back in the chair, running his hand over the smooth leather seat. 

Feeling the concern started to grow within himself as he felt Shaw staring at him. This wasn't what he wanted to hear either. He knew that, but it's what was happening. Valentine didn't want to be the one to be blamed for things not happening, but he knew he would be the one to take the fall. He needed to try harder. He had to try harder. 

"Is there something missing?" Asked Valentine. "I mean, I've acted shy. I act scared around you. I show fear when alphas are around. I'm doing everything you told me to do." Valentine looked down at himself, "I'm even wearing this stupid shit too." 

Valentine wasn't a fan of the attire that omega's were expected to wear on the fighting floor. The short shorts were far too feminine for his liking. The fabric pulled tight at his hips and ass. It drew more attention than he preferred to have his way at one time. 

"Maybe you're too old." Commented Shaw out loud as if Valentine wasn't sitting right there. 

"Too old?" 

"Asher was barely a fucking pup." Shaw rubbed his chin as he pondered the thought. 

Valentine averted his golden eyes to the floor. He knew he wasn't as young as what most alpha's seemed to be interested in. He had been around longer than most, seen too many things in his lifetime. But he didn't see himself as old-looking. He was still very much young. 

"Maybe Asher isn't what he's into anymore." Stated Shaw, glancing over at him. 

Maybe Zac changed his mind after what happened that night. Shaw had too big of an ego to even think that his hand in that night was the reason Zac started to go downhill.