Chapter 3

RAY

Ray was tired. But his shift was almost over, and that was keeping him going as he loaded plates up on a big tray and headed out to deliver an order to one of his tables. The table was filled with the worst kind of clientele he had to deal with in his job as a waiter. Drunk frat guys… ugh. Ray put his customer service face on and smiled as he weaved through tables, stopping next to the 6 big alphas that were laughing and throwing packets of sugar and making a mess and f*ck*ng their girls right in front of other people.

He suppressed the urge to roll his eyes. These Alpha guys were all the same, and he was the one who would have to clean up after their b*llsh*t. Ray just forced a smile as he sat their plates of food in front of them. As he reached for the last plate on the tray, he jumped and almost dropped the tray and food as he felt someone pinch his *ss. He turned a look at the alpha closest to him, and scowled at the smirk on the *ssh*l*'s face.

He sat the last plate down with a loud 'thunk' in front of him.

"Please keep your hands to yourself sir, or I will have to ask you to leave." Ray said coldly, before turning to the rest of the table.

"Is there anything else I can get you?" "A blowjob?" One of the guys at the end said, causing a round of guffaws from his fellows and breaking down Ray's determination not to roll his eyes.

"I'm gonna take that as a no twink." He turned and fled back into the kitchen. "Tough crowd?" One of the other waiters, Alex asked as Ray leaned against the counter and sighed

"These frat boy idiots think they can do whatever they want with any omega because all the sororities are all over them at their stupid weekend parties. But if one more of them pinch my *ss, I swear to god someone's getting a glass of whiskey in their face." Alex was biting his lips trying not to laugh but failing miserably. His laughter brought out Ray's own and they cracked up together. "I would pay good money to see that!" Ray pushed him and scoffed, trying to get his own laughter under control. "You don't get it because you're an alpha. But these frat guys are the worst." Ray whined, pouting. "Do you want me to take that table, we can switch one?" Alex offered. "And let them win? Hell no." Alex laughed and gave him a pat on the back before they both headed back out onto the floor to work.

Ray hated his job okay, outside of his late-night weekend shifts. It was just a job but the fact that it is a s*x club made it worse but he had to take it that way because the pay was high and he was in need of urgent money to buy his heat pills. It was close to his apartment and to campus, which was about as good as it was going to get. As a broke college student, he was happy he got the job as it would pay his bills and put food on the table for both him and his younger sister. Unsurprisingly, the table of frat guys left a giant mess when they left and a tip of $3.25. Ray sighed as he started to clean the table, gathering the plates in the bussing tub and carrying it to the back before going back out to finish up. However, as he was about to start cleaning again, the owner stopped him and took over, patting his cheek.

"Why don't you cash out and head home early so that you can have an extra shift in the night ? I know you're tired, I can tell." Ray began to protest, but his boss shooed him away. He turned around and gave him a tight hug but his boss gave him a kiss on the cheek before dashing off to count up his tips and cash out for the night. "Thanks sir" Ray gathered his inadequate winter coat tighter around him as he walked to the bus stop. It was freezing and his hands were like ice as he blew on them and stomped his feet, trying to warm up. Winter was in full swing, Christmas just under two months away. Ray hated this time of year, because it meant that he will have to freeze his butt off every day on his way to and from part time school and work. He will have to manage the heater and the hot water so that his younger sister Tania will be able to sleep on the bed comfortably and she will be able to use the hot water to take her bath.

Ray immediately hopped on the bus when it stopped in front of him, jumping up the steps into the warm air and taking a seat. He was lon the bus at 2:00 AM, so he waved at the driver with a smile and received a nod in turn. It took about fifteen minutes to get to the stop closest to his apartment, but was still a ten minute walk from there to the shabby building where his tiny studio apartment was located.

It took all of Remi's willpower not to fall asleep as he waited for his stop. The bus was so warm compared to his little apartment, where he didn't dare turn on the heater in fear of running up his electric bill. It made getting up in the mornings very difficult when he had to crawl out of the warmth of his ramshackle little nest and into the cold dawn light. The omega died a little inside every time he had to put his warm foot on the freezing tile floor.

Despite its many flaws, he loved his tiny apartment. It was the first place he was able to get and afford, and the first place he'd found independence. Of course, he'd love to live in a big, fancy apartment that was warm and didn't have ancient peeling wallpaper and cracked floors. He hoped that once he graduated from his part-time schooling and found work as an historian,he'd be able to find something better. But for now, the place worked well enough.