Taming Todd: Maple Hart, #4

By Fel Fern

Todd

Sometimes being a famous Omega isn't all it's cracked out to be.

 

When a tenacious stalker becomes obsessed with me, I reluctantly agree to hire an Alpha bodyguard. Marco doesn't care I'm the star of a popular soap opera show. He's gruff, rough, and frustratingly devoted to keeping me safe. Marco isn't like anyone I've ever met. He keeps me in check. It's way too easy letting my shields down around him. 

 

I trust him to guard my body. It's my heart I'm afraid he'll wreck.

 

Marco

Todd's the last Omega on earth that needs rescuing.

 

I'd been around my share of celebrities. Dealing with them is hard work, but Todd's unlike the famous clients I've worked for before. Todd's bright, loud, and the life of any party. I can't afford distractions. I need to take my job seriously but Todd's making it hard to do.

 

I'm a commitment-shy Alpha. Todd's not looking for a boyfriend. He's too focused on his career. Where does that leave us?

 

***Taming Todd is book 4 of my non-shifter Omegaverse novella series. Each book in the series features a different couple and ends with a HEA.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Fel Fern
• Release date: Sep 8, 2020
• ISBN: 9781393911968

Book preview

1

Todd

T hat’s a wrap. We’ll continue the rest of the scene next Monday, said Preston Reed, one of the assistant directors of the show. 

Thank God, I mumbled. 

We’ve been filming since 6 am and it was now close to 10 in the evening. All I wanted to do was get a hot shower and collapse on my bed. A good rest would go me some good.

It would’ve been nice if I had someone waiting for me back at my pricey uptown apartment but I didn’t. You would’ve thought a famous soap opera star would never be lonely but I was. 

I left the set and went inside my changing room. Since I was one of the primary stars of Days of our Omegas, I had an entire room to myself.

I shut the door behind me with a sigh. 

Somedays, I loved my work far too much but other times, I wondered if I was better off being a normal guy like my twin brother Aaron.

Aaron seemed content with his job as a freelance yoga teacher. Aaron never seemed to have trouble scoring dates either. It was usually one of his students.

I envied him a little. However, I doubted Aaron would settle down anytime soon. Aaron moved from Alpha to Alpha like he was at the buffet. 

Seeing the white roses, accompanied by a heart-shaped boxed of chocolates on my dressing table, my mood immediately lifted. I no longer felt bone-tired. 

I snatched the roses and inhaled them. Thank God for my devoted fans. Don’t get me wrong. I love my job, but it wasn’t sunshine and daisies all the time. Without my fans, I didn’t think I could get through the gloomy days I had on set.

Sure, I had a few oddball fans, but I didn’t mind them so much. 

Getting stalkers meant I was only becoming more famous. Right?

I picked up the box of chocolates next.

I lifted the cover. My stomach growled, seeing the heart-shaped white and black chocolates on the tray.

My stomach rumbled. I only ate a salad for dinner, because I didn’t want to look bloated on the camera.

Right now, I hungered for a greasy burger, fries, and maybe a strawberry shake. These tiny chocolates could hold my hunger off for a bit.

The door to my room opened. I groaned, seeing who it was. It wasn’t my assistant Gary or anyone I worked with, just my brother.

Don’t give me that look, Todd, Aaron said with a sigh.

Aaron and I looked a tad physically alike so sometimes we had a ball of a time playing practical jokes on the staff.

We weren’t identical exactly but there were a couple of times fans mistook Aaron for me. I knew my brother didn’t like the attention but he put up with it anyway, because he loved me. 

Why are you here? I asked. 

I took off the clothes I wore for that scene—a stuffy suit and tie and put on my usual clothes. I was comfier in a t-shirt and a pair of jeans any other day.

We’re supposed to meet up with Everett and Nestor for drinks, remember? My brother reminded me.

Oh. Was that tonight? I don’t know. I’m kind of beat. I pictured myself lying face-down on my bed. My incredibly soft bed. 

Come on, Todd. You could use a little break. You’ve been working a lot lately. You even missed the last two family barbecues. Aaron pointed out. 

Earlier, all I could think about was getting home but returning to a quiet apartment didn’t sound too appealing. 

My brother, cousins and I were obnoxiously close. 

They were my best friends growing up. I didn’t mind getting hammered. Being drunk made it easy to forget I was going to turn 30 this year. 

30 and still single. Omegas usually mated in their early twenties and had their first kids soon after.

Usually.

Aaron and I were an exception but at least my brother was seeing someone. Becoming famous made it harder to date. 

Most of the men I’ve gone out with over the past few months didn’t care about the real me. They were only attracted to me because of my fame. It sucked big time because I wanted something genuine. 

In my early twenties, I wanted to explore. I didn’t want to settle down. Lately, I kept picturing myself living in a quaint little house in a quiet neighborhood with a loving mate and brood of kids. 

I never pictured myself putting down roots, much less having kids. Would that mean giving up my hard-earned career? 

I didn’t have to worry about that yet.

You know what, you’re right, I told Aaron.

I’ve only thought of work over the past few weeks. I had little time for anything else, including my family.

My family was important to me. 

My brother, parents, numerous aunts, uncles, and cousins all supported me when I announced I wanted to be an actor. 

Everyone applauded me when I landed my first commercial. They even held a big party for me when I got my starring role as Dave Hill on Days of our Omegas. 

I needed to learn how to balance my work and personal life better.

Ooh, who gave you chocolates? Aaron snatched the box from my hands.

Rude, I grumbled. 

Ignoring my comment, Aaron sat on one of the chairs in my dressing room. He picked up one chocolate piece and I frowned.

It looked delicious. Tiny black spots were scattered across its white surface. Cookies and cream?

Aaron knew that was one of my favourite flavours.

Hey, those are mine. Give them back. I pointed out.

Being hungry made me a little grumpy. Perhaps I could convince Aaron and my cousins to stop someplace for a quick bite before we went bar hopping.

Aaron broke the chocolate in half but didn’t eat it immediately. He seemed to stare at it for a long time. Aaron turned a strange greenish, almost sickly color. 

What’s wrong? I asked, frowning. 

Come look at this, bro. Aaron stood up and showed me the two broken pieces. 

I stared at the black strands sticking out of the chocolate. For a second,