Chapter Text
Bradley’s heart was in his throat. The room around him was silent but the tension in it was thick enough to cut with a knife. He could feel a hole burning into his head from a pair of blue eyes from across the table. But he didn’t look, he just stared down at the plate infront of him, too scared to meet his father’s gaze.
He knew this was a horrible idea. Why did he believe this would ever end well. He should’ve just kept his mouth shut, but he insisted that his father knew the truth. He flinched as a deep voice doomed from the other side of the table.
“What do you mean that Tank left you.” He demanded. Bradley’s mouth opened to answer but was interrupted by a fist pounding the table. “Look at me, boy!”
Bradley took a deep breath as he finally took his eyes away from the table. But his eyes met his moms before anyone else. She sat next to her husband, frowning. Her face was full of pity, and fear. His sister stared at her plate of food as well, only glancing at her poor brother. Then, he looked at his father. His face was red with anger and shriveled in disgusted looking at his only son.
“I’m sorry father.” Bradley began, “some… things happened and-“
“Excuses are for the weak! We give you the privilege to join your mate to get an education and this is how you repay us?!” He boomed, “I knew it was a mistake.”
“Father, I didn’t mean-“ Bradley stood, his voice starting to raise.
“You dare talk back to me?!” His father shouted, also getting up from his chair. Bradley’s mom stood to try to stop him, but was pushed away. “You were supposed to marry him! Do you have any understanding how much you threw away! A pure bred alpha and heir to his family’s fortune!”
“We’re still friends father, there’s a chance we could get back together!” Bradley shouted back. They got closer together, his father getting in his face.
“What makes you think he ever try to get back together with a worthless omega like you.” His father growled.
“I’m not a useless-!” Bradley shouted back before a loud slap rang throughout the room. His mother let out a gasp, covering her face. The room fell silence once again, aside from the quiet sobs from his mother.
“You’re a useless omega and a useless son. It was a shame on the family the day you presented. It was gods cruel joke on me to make my only son the only omega in my offspring.” He growled. Bradley caressed his face from where the slap made contact, looking at the floor. “You have left me no other choice.”
“Dad, no.” Bradley’s sister try to interject but he shot her a glare, silencing her.
“We’re pulling you out of school. We’re going to arrange you an alpha to marry. No more of this gamma bull shit, no more skating or X games.” Bradley’s eyes widened at his words, looking at his dad. “You’ll finally stop acting like someone you’re not and do your duties as an omega. This is your final year at-“
“W-wait!” Bradley interrupted, earning a glare from his father. “I’m…. I already have another alpha.”
His father raised an eyebrow as the words, crossing his arms. “Oh?”
“Yeah.” Bradley muttered, “we met after… Tank left and…. He wants me to stay at school.”
An awkward silence fell between the two before his dad chuckled. “Fine.” He turned to sit back into his seat, “as long as you have an alpha I don’t care what else you do. As long as it guarantees a marriage and a child that will continue the family line. Summer break is in two weeks, yes?”
Bradley gulped, “yes sir.”
“Then you two are to stay here for the duration of the break.” He sat back down.
“No, father, it’s still new and I wouldn’t want to-“
“You want to keep your funding for your education?”
“Yes father….”
“Then I’m meeting this alpha.”
-
“Holy shit, he did this just with one slap?” Tank frowned as he handed Bradley an ice pack. Bradley pressed it to his swollen face.
“Yeah…. He really doesn’t hold back.” He muttered. He had just gotten back from his visit with his parents, wishing he had just stayed home.
“He shouldn’t be hitting you like that, baby.” Tank frowned and sat in the chair across from Bradley’s bed.
“Yeah he shouldn’t, but he does.” He flinched as the pain in his face, “but now I have a new problem.”
“What’s that?”
“I have to find a new alpha to date in just two weeks.” He groaned, “or else he’s gonna pull me out of school and put me in this creepy arranged marriage.”
Tank cringed at the words, “oh god….”
“Yeah. He said as long as I had an alpha, I would be still allowed to attend. If I didn’t know any better, I would bring home the epitome of evil right into his house. Force him to realize that’s what he’ll be stuck with the rest of his life. What the father of my children will be.”
Tank laughed, “I thought you didn’t want kids.”
“I don’t.” Bradley huffed, “but he wants me to be just be a fertile little rabbit and pump out a bunch of Uppercrust pups.”
“Do why don’t you?” Tank leaned back in his chair, smirking. Bradley rolled his eyes.
“Cause, I just don’t like ki-“ he tried to answer but Tank put up a hand.
“No. Scare him. Bring home the ‘epitome of evil’.” Tank laughed, “force him to spend the whole summer with an alpha he despises.”
Bradley laughed at the ridiculous suggestion. “Come on Tank, seriously? It’s already an impossible task to find any man willing to date me on a college campus full of people who hate me. But now, you want me to narrow that search? Fat chance.”
“Who said they have to actually date you?”
“Like… hire someone to fake date me just to make daddy mad?” Bradley raised his eyebrows, “you really think someone would go that low?”
“It’s worth a shot. Better than getting pulled from your classes into an arrangement marriage.” Tank stood and sat next to Bradley.
“Wouldn’t it just be easier for us to get back together?” Bradley looked up at his ex who chuckled.
“Hey, you’re lucky I even took you back as a friend.” Bradley groaned and shook his head, falling back onto his head, “so let’s start thinking fast. What kind of guy would your dad hate?”
“Probably someone with a lot of tattoos, piercings, pot head….” Bradley mumbled out, “definetly a mutt of some sort.”
“Sounds like….” Tank put on an evil smile, glancing back at Bradley who met his eyes instantly. “I think I know a guuuuyyyy.”
Bradley squinted his eyes before sitting up fast. “No, tank no.”
“He fits the criteria AND needs the money.” Tank stood and laughed.
“Tank, anyone but him.” Bradley begged, standing up and following him.
“AND he’s an alpha.” Tank continued to laugh evily.
“Tank, don’t you dare say-“
-
The door infront of Bradley swung open fast, catching Bradley off guard as he was about to knock again. The smell of weed trying being masked over with air freshener hit him instantly right as he made eye contact with Max Goof.
“Heyyyyy.” He laughed nervously, pulling his fist away, “you busy right now?”
“Yes.” Max answered coldly before slamming the door shut in front of him. Bradley groaned and knocked again, making him open it again.
“I’ll buy you food.” He said quickly, making the other man stop, squinting his eyes at him.
“…. Fine. But it has to be real food, not the gross shit they have at the cafeteria.” Max mumbled. Bradley nodded in compliance. Max turned and yelled back to PJ and Bobby who sat on their phones, not paying any mind. “Hey, I’m heading out!”
Bobby held up a thumbs up as Max walked out of the apartment, shutting the door behind him. They agreed on a nearby sandwich shop and silently began to walk there. Brad tried his best to formulate in his head how he could ask this impossible question to Max. He barely has talked to him since the X games, only sharing casual greetings when they would cross paths at the gamma house or different frat parties. But never a full conversation.
They ordered their food and sat down, Max immediately digging in as Bradley sighed, taking a sip of his water. “Okay, why’d you ask me out to lunch Brad.” Max said through a mouth full of food, making Bradley cringe.
“Brad-LEY, Freshman.” Bradley corrected.
“Sophomore, Brad.” Max corrected back, making Bradley roll his eyes.
“Look there’s no simple way of asking this. You hate me and I hate you.” Bradley played this the straw on his drink, looking at the table.
“Obviously.” Max chuckled, “or else you wouldn’t be death glaring me every time I’m within your gracious presence.”
Bradley groaned, “Anyways, I just have to ask.” Bradley stopped. He really didn’t want to say it, but it needed to be done.
“Asssskkk???” Max drew the word out impatiently.
“Willyoubemyboyfriend.” Bradley finally spat out.
“Fat chance.” Max laughed and stood, “well, see ya.”
“Wait!” Bradley reached out his hand, ushering him to sit back down. Max narrowed his eyes but did as he was told.
“Look, I don’t mean actually be my boyfriend.” Bradley coughed. “Considering you probably don’t even swing that way. But because if I don’t bring an alpha home to my father, he’s gonna pull me out of school and into a loveless marriage with some dickhead alpha from a rich, fucked up family just so I can squeeze babies out of me for the rest of my life and continue the family name.”
Maxs eyebrows raised, his ear twitching. “That’s…. Fucked up.” He didn’t even know Bradley was an omega. He never really got a good whiff of his scent before.
“Yeah. But, the only way I can finish up my degree is if I have an alpha. But I want him to feel so uncomfortable around him that he won’t check in on me until I graduate and get a good job.”
“Ooooohhh.” A stern but disappointed look came across his face, “so you just want me to make daddy mad huh?”
“Yes, exactly.” Bradley laughed nervously. “Just for the summer then you’re let off the hook.”
“Look Brad, I’ve been this whole ‘bad boy boyfriend gets used to make daddy angry’ thing before and it was only cool to me cause I at least I got to stick my dick into someone. But I don’t see any reason this’ll benefit me.” Max sighed and leaned back, “so it’s gonna have to still be a no from me.”
“Not even if I pay you?” Bradley smirked.
“Not even if was a $1,000 a month.” Max hummed, taking a sip of his drink.
“What about $1,000 a week?”
Max nearly spit across the counter stuttering. “I-…. I’m sorry what?”
“1k a week for 12 weeks. It’s not much but-“
“Bradley, WHAT. That’s not much?” Max stuttered, “that’s like… a lot more than I make usually.”
“So?” Bradley hummed, “be my boyfriend?”
Max looked down at the table, his mind racing as he tried to think through and weight all the options.
“…. Fine.” He laughed, “why not? I will be your boyfriend.”
“Great!” Bradley smiled and stood, “training starts tomorrow.”
“Training?” Max stood as well, grabbing all of his stuff.
“Yes, you can’t just be my boyfriend and not know anything about me. So I’m gonna educate you.” Bradley threw away his trash, Max following close behind.
“…. Is it a paid training?” He joked.
“I’ll buy you lunch.”
“You’ve gotta deal.”