From the look on Seungkwan’s face when he’d arrived, Vernon had been certain the omega wouldn’t last one night. But there they were on day five, and he was hanging around like a bad smell. Vernon moved on to trying to wear Seungkwan down with menial tasks. He had him doing every boring, dirty, wearying chore he could think of—mucking out the stalls, washing the floors, cleaning the toilet, and generally treated the omega like Cinderella.
Seungkwan set to every task without so much as a grumble, but the expression on his face said it all. He’d been expecting a walk in the park.
He’d saunter in, take a few photos with some kids, and have a relaxing vacation away from the city. Instead, he got to deal with Vernon’s cooking, blistered hands, and an over-familiarity with horse manure. Any minute now, Vernon knew he’d crack. He’d call his manager or agent or whoever and beg to be rescued. And then he and Vernon would go their separate ways, and all would be well.
Vernon hadn’t watched the videos he knew were all over the internet, but he’d heard enough about it to know exactly what kind of omega he was sharing a house with. He’d done his best to keep his distance since Seungkwan’s arrival, not wanting the omega to get any ideas where he was concerned.
He pushed all thoughts of Seungkwan from his head and focused on his work instead. Ginny was still settling into the stables, and Vernon suspected that he’d have his work cut out for him if she was ever going to be the kind of horse that worked with children.
Grabbing some carrot sticks and a leading rein, he went to her stall to see about making some progress on what they’d tried the day before. He could hear Seungkwan sweeping the stable floor behind him, the rhythmic drag of the brush moving back and forth.
“Hi there, darling,” he murmured in greeting. “Brought you a treat. There’s more where that came from if you’re a good girl today.”
The day before, she’d tolerated the rein but wouldn’t leave her stall with it on. Today? Well, they’d soon see.
He let her munch away on the carrot as he unbolted the stall door and let it swing open.
It all went wrong in a split second. A gust of wind from outside knocked over the bucket holding the main stable door open, and it swung closed with a loud bang. Ginny panicked and bolted. Vernon narrowly avoided being trampled.
Seungkwan, standing between Ginny and the way out, had no such luck. He froze as the horse bore down on him, and Ginny reared back on her hind legs.
Vernon was already moving, racing across the stables. He took Seungkwan at a run, grabbing him, and shoving him out through the stable door. He held it open so that Ginny could escape. She ran straight out into the paddock, slowing to a stop once there was grass beneath her hooves.
“That was close,” Seungkwan croaked.
Vernon had pinned the omega against the stable door in his attempt to shield him from panicking hooves.
Taking a step back, he held onto Seungkwan’s arms and looked the omega up and down.
“Are you okay? Are you hurt?”
Seungkwan tipped his head up and sideways, a slow smile crossing his face.
“I’m fine, thanks to you.”
His hand came up, pressing lightly on Vernon’s arm as his smile turned flirtatious.
“I’ll have to think of some way to say thank you.”
Vernon yanked his hands away.
“Next time, learn to get out of the way.”
The smile fell from Seungkwan’s face, a blank expression taking its place.
“And here I thought all you alphas had hero complexes. Couldn’t wait to take a damsel in distress into your beds?”
“You thought wrong,” Vernon said shortly.
“Did I, now?”
Vernon would have left it alone, but the omega just wouldn’t drop it, his eyes meeting Vernon’s in challenge.
“You think I’d touch you? I know all about you, Seungkwan. Hell, everyone with eyes in their head has seen far more of you than they’d ever want to. Would you be another notch on my bedpost, or would I be one on yours?”
The omega’s face fell, his lower lip trembling. He looked close to tears.
“Don’t give me that,” Vernon growled. “You brought this on yourself. You made your bed, and you filmed yourself lying in it. If you can’t take the heat, don’t set yourself on fire.”
He went to walk away, assuming that would be the end of it, surprised when the omega’s voice followed him.
“I asked for it, is that what you’re saying?”
He glanced back to see that Seungkwan wasn’t looking at him, his eyes trained on the meadow where Ginny was grazing.
“Are you saying you didn’t? Wasn’t it just another career move, just like this ‘volunteer’ gig?”
The omega swallowed, faltering for a moment.
“A career move? Sure. I agreed to sex. I never asked to have my drink spiked with alpha dust, never agreed to be filmed for all the world to see, never asked to still have the bruises three weeks later…”
He choked back a sob, and Vernon stood motionless, trying to get his head around what Seungkwan had just told him.
Before he could get a word out, the omega grabbed the bucket upturned by the door and stormed off.
“I’m going to fill the water troughs,” he called over his shoulder.
“Damn it,” Vernon said softly, watching the omega’s back as he hurried away. He’d really put his foot in it this time.
What was he supposed to say to any of that? And if all of it was true, why the hell was Seungkwan the one out here doing penance?
YOU ARE READING
𝐊𝐞𝐞𝐩𝐞𝐫 || 𝐕𝐞𝐫𝐊𝐰𝐚𝐧
FanfictionEvery pack needs a Keeper, an omega to smooth their rough edges. And Seungkwan definitely isn't it. Forced to babysit some spoiled and disgraced omega actor, Vernon is not a happy alpha. He's determined to send Seungkwan packing, whatever it takes...