23. Niall’s Body Changes

23

NIALL’S BODY CHANGES

The morning after, Niall woke to find his alpha wrapped around him, deep in slumber, his cock still buried inside.

It was... nice.

Nice to feel so desired, nice to be so claimed: Jag had full access to Niall’s body, whenever he wanted.

After everything he’d been through, Niall knew he should be more wary about giving someone this much control over him. But Jag made him feel so utterly safe.

So safe that he pecked a text message to Jag, for Jag to find when he woke.

Niall

If you wake up and see this while I’m still asleep, could you wake me up with your cock? I need it for research.

Niall fell back asleep, a smile on his face.

He didn’t feel Jag stir behind him some time later. He didn’t see Jag checking his phone, huffing.

“You sure about this, sweetheart?” Jag murmured into his ear.

Niall didn’t answer; he was sleeping.

Jag petted him. Large hands smoothing up and down Niall’s body, slow and easy, going over his nipples and cock. Jag teased Niall until he grew wet, his own cock swelling in Niall’s ass. He began thrusting slowly.

Niall kept sleeping. Only for the thrusts to lengthen, smooth, deep strokes that went all the way in.

His body grew heavy, need gathering in his veins.

His alpha turned him onto his stomach.

Niall woke abruptly to intense pleasure between his legs, the feeling of being filled roughly, the scent of mahogany in his nose.

“Sweetheart,” an alpha growled in his ear. “You take my cock so well.”

Niall panicked for a split second. Then he recognized Jag, recognized his bed and the scents around him.

All his anxiety vanished.

“Awake now?” Jag murmured, slamming his cock in and jerking Niall forward with the force of his thrusts. “Want me to stop?”

Had Jag been inside him this whole time?

“Fuck,” Niall moaned, his cock growing harder. “This is so hot.”

“You’re one kinky little omega,” Jag growled, hiking Niall’s hips up. He fitted his entire cock inside. “You grew hard and wet when I touched you. Your ass was sucking me inside, so eager to be mine.”

“Please, please.” Niall reached behind to clumsily spread his cheeks.

“So beautiful,” Jag whispered against his neck. He cradled Niall’s cock gently in his hand. “I’ve been trying to breed you ever since I woke up.”

Those words alone were enough to make Niall come hard. Then he pushed his hips at Jag, begging, “More.”

Jag pinned him against the bed and fucked him ‘til he sobbed, multiple loads of come shooting across the sheets under him.

When Jag finally came, Niall lay in his arms, panting.

“Did you learn anything from that research?” Jag asked in his ear.

“So good,” Niall slurred. “I think I need more of this research every morning.”

Jag huffed. “As you wish, Prince Hardcox.”

“Oh, gods. You make me sound more important than I really am.”

“Nope. You sound just as important as you really are.” Jag kissed his ear gently. “Would you like some breakfast?”

“Don’t you have to go on your run?”

Jag hummed. “I want to feed you if you’re hungry. Besides, I can’t run with you like this.” He rolled his hips and pushed his knot against Niall’s prostate.

Niall moaned. “Yes, you can. I’ll just be coming a lot.”

Jag laughed, a full-belly guffaw that made Niall grin into his pillow. “Maybe another day. I think it’d be a health risk to run with you on my knot. Don’t want to accidentally pull something.”

“Boo. I’ll eat when you get back.” Immediately after, Niall froze; he’d assumed that Jag would come back to his house.

Instead of denying him, Jag nodded. “Of course.”

It felt so strange that an alpha like Jag would cede so easily to him. But it also gave Niall the courage to be a little more like himself.

When their bodies finally separated, Jag cleaned them up and went home to change into his running attire.

Niall started up his computer and recorded everything he’d learned, to be used in his future books. He was so absorbed that he didn’t realize how much time had passed, until Jag was suddenly in his kitchen, setting down a coffee machine and a large bag of groceries.

“Did you bring your frying pan? ” Niall asked, shocked.

“Yes.” Jag set out his things and began to make breakfast: fried eggs, pancakes, and a carafe of freshly-brewed coffee.

Over breakfast, they talked about their plans for the day. Jag told Niall about the renovations he would do, and Niall told Jag the changes he’d have to make to his book, so Konan wouldn’t break up with Neo.

It was presumptuous, thinking everything would be smooth-sailing between Jag and himself.

But Jag smiled, a hint of pride in his eyes. It made Niall’s heart trip.

When Jag left to resume his renovations, he left his appliances and groceries behind—as though implying that he’d come back to cook again.

And he did.

In fact, he came back to make lunch, then dinner, and he stayed with Niall until the next morning, when he left to go on his run again.

The days slipped by like pearls on a string—until something changed, a week later.

“I’m heading down to the Wine Shack again,” Jag said at breakfast. “Want to come along?”

Niall stared at his mug of coffee, wondering if it had always been this bitter. Or if Jag had always spoken this loudly. “Could you lower your voice a little? My ears hurt.”

Jag frowned in concern, but he spoke more quietly. “Did something happen?”

Niall shrugged, sipping his too-bitter coffee from a straw. “Just feels loud.”

“Okay, I’ll be quiet. Do you want to come along with me to the Wine Shack?”

“You’ll be training Rex, right? Can I watch?”

“Of course. Is this research for another book?”

Niall nodded. “I was thinking, I might title the next book Ex-Con Alpha Daddy.”

He ducked his head.

Jag’s eyebrows jumped. His grin was all sharp teeth. He slid Niall’s chair over—with Niall on it—and wrapped his arm around Niall’s hips, squeezing him lightly. “Would this be about an ex-con who rescues his hurt omega?”

Niall blushed. “How did you guess?”

“I happened to slip Prince Hardcox a few... tips.”

“I should put that in the next book,” Niall spluttered.

“You should write in your newsletter that you’ve made progress with your alpha neighbor.” Jag grinned. “And maybe tease Bred By His Alpha Neighbor by telling the story about us.”

Us.

That sounded so... official.

“We’ve only known each other for a little over a week,” Niall said.

“Do you think we should show them a few pictures?”

“What if they think you’re too old for me?”

Jag raised an eyebrow. “Sweetheart, strangers on the internet are not going to come between you and me.”

Niall chewed his lip. “That’s true. Remember that author I told you about? Anna Wineheart? Her husband’s thirty years older than her. They seem really happy together, too. She shares pictures of them on her newsletter.”

Jag seemed surprised. “In that case, you and I are golden.”

Niall hoped so.

Two hours later, they were in Jag’s truck, heading downtown. Jag’s phone buzzed.

“Here,” he said, placing it on Niall’s lap. “Tell me if it’s something urgent.”

He told Niall the passcode.

Niall’s eyes almost popped out of his head—Jag trusted him with his phone! He used a fingertip to gingerly unlock it.

Jag’s phone wallpaper was an old photograph of his family; what had to be his dads, his brother, and him, all four of them at the beach.

“Who texted?” Jag asked.

“Hades. He says Storm is running late so you just have to beat Storm there, and you won’t have to pay for drinks.”

Jag snorted. Then cursed when he saw the orange construction cones on the street up ahead. “I think we might’ve found the reason why he’s late.”

He flipped his turn signal, taking a smaller road to the bar.

Halfway there, they approached a hunched-over figure hurrying down the sidewalk.

Niall frowned. It was an omega, going by his small, thin body, but the man had his arms wrapped around himself, his head bowed.

An alpha trailed after him, just a few yards away.

Niall tensed in alarm. “Jag?”

“Yeah?” Jag glanced over and cursed, hitting the brakes. “That’s Linus Bentham. Call Storm.”

Niall opened Jag’s contact list with some difficulty, hitting Storm’s Call button.

“Put it on speaker,” Jag said.

Storm answered in two rings, his tinny voice filling the truck cabin. “Jag? Little busy here.”

“Where are you? Bentham’s being harassed.”

“Fuck! Where? I’ve been trying to find him!” Storm sounded anxious.

“Side street to the Wine Shack, just off 2nd and Halloway. He’s here with one alpha on his heels.”

Storm swore colorfully. “I’m one street down. Be right there.”

An engine revved in the background, and the line cut off.

As they drew closer, Linus Bentham glanced worriedly at Jag’s truck. Then his gaze went sideways like he was tracking the alpha behind him.

Moments later, an engine roared. A black motorcycle closed in on them; Linus ran.

The alpha made to follow him. The motorcycle slid between Jag’s truck and the alpha, and its leather-clad rider slammed the alpha to the ground in seconds .

Niall watched with his face pressed to the window as the biker cut his engine. He was also an alpha, going by his broad, muscular shoulders. The biker leaped off his motorcycle and followed the alpha down, drawing his gloved fist back.

Niall looked away from the punch. It felt violent.

“That’s one less stalker Bentham has to worry about,” Jag said.

“He has more than one?” Niall asked with great sympathy.

Jag snorted. “Storm will only let his omega have one stalker. Himself.”

“Um,” Niall said. “Linus doesn’t mind?”

“He doesn’t know about Storm, apparently. Storm calls himself Bentham’s secret guardian.”

When Niall looked back, he found the biker with his helmet visor flipped up. Niall recognized that face—Storm. He couldn’t see much through the helmet opening, but he thought he remembered Storm to be young, in his mid-twenties, with bright eyes and a cheerful grin.

Storm gave them a two-fingered salute.

Jag stuck his hand out of the window and waved. Then he pulled his truck forward, catching up with Linus Bentham further along the sidewalk.

Linus was still hurrying, but he was losing speed, shoes dragging against the concrete.

Niall scrambled to roll down his window. “Hey!”

Linus looked over, stumbling. Niall held his hands up and tried to gesture for the omega to slow down. This close, he realized that Linus was an older omega in his late thirties, haggard-looking, his face tense with unease.

“Go to the Wine Shack,” Niall yelled, pointing clumsily with his hand in a cast. “You’ll be safe there.”

Linus’ eyebrows shot up. Then he nodded and scrambled away.

Jag slowed the truck down so it wouldn’t seem like they were following Linus, even though they totally were. They watched the omega cross the road and slip through the bar’s back entrance.

Only then did Niall release his breath.

“Talk to him when we get there,” Jag said, before hesitating. “I mean, if you don’t mind not working.”

Niall chewed his lip. “Do you want me to try and keep him there?”

Jag made a face. “I’d prefer that he sticks around until someone can make sure he gets home safe. Storm will do that, but he’s helping with Rex’s training.”

Niall wasn’t in the habit of making friends, or setting aside his work. But Linus seemed to need a friend.

“I’ll do it.”

Jag smiled. “Thanks, sweetheart.”

“You don’t have to thank me.” Niall paused. “Can we trust Storm?”

“Yes. He’s been playing guardian angel to Bentham for a while. Bentham doesn’t know about him, though.”

“Why doesn’t Storm just ask him out?”

Jag shrugged. “Ask him yourself. Who knows? You might get a book idea out of it.”

Actually, a vague idea was already starting to take shape in Niall’s head. He fumbled out his phone to record it.

Working title: Omega’s Secret Guardian.

They pulled into the parking lot behind the Wine Shack. Jag helped Niall out of the truck. Then he wrapped his arm around Niall, walking him past a row of mats laid out over the asphalt.

Hades, Fury, and Rex were already there. They watched Jag and Niall like curious hawks.

“Staked your claim?” Hades asked, smirking. He was an older alpha about Jag’s age, with shrewd eyes and scars on his face.

“Several times,” Jag replied with a sharp smile. “Hands off.”

“None of us would dream of poaching him,” Fury said dryly.

Niall blushed.

Jag opened the bar’s back door and dropped a kiss on top of Niall’s head.

“Wow,” Hades said.

“You’ve gotten real soft,” Fury said.

Jag rolled his eyes. “You’ve just never seen me with my omega before.”

That was enough to make Niall’s heart trip.

Rex grinned. “Jag good.”

“Jag is very good,” Niall agreed.

Jag rumbled, and tipped Niall’s face up to kiss him on the lips.

Niall was still tingling all over when Jag nudged him into the bar. “See you later, sweetheart.”

“See you,” Niall whispered.

Inside, the Wine Shack was cool and pleasant, soft music playing in the background. Niall bobbed his head when he saw Olson standing up from one of the bar stools. Olson smiled and squeezed his companion around the shoulders—only then did Niall realize that Olson had been sitting with Linus Bentham.

Linus was hunched over on the very last stool, his hands wrapped around a mug. He looked so miserable.

Niall approached him from the side to give Linus as much warning as he could. “Hey.”

The omega startled anyway. His eyes snapped to Niall, his glasses askew. “Oh. H-hi. It’s you.”

“Are you okay?” Niall clutched his bag to his chest and leaned in. “That alpha didn’t hurt you, did he?”

Linus shook his head. “I shouldn’t have taken the shortcut. He found me in the alley and I couldn’t shake him off. I’m glad you showed up. Thank you.”

Niall winced. “That sounds horrible. I’m glad you’re safe.”

“Same here.” Linus fiddled with his mug.

“Would you like to sit with me?” Niall offered. “I feel better when I’m not alone in my booth. You don’t have to say anything. I just... It’s better when there’s someone between me and the rest of the bar.”

“Won’t your... friend be joining you?”

Niall shook his head. “My alpha. He dropped me off.”

Belatedly, Niall realized that this was the first time he’d told someone that Jag was his alpha.

That he had an alpha.

It was an amazing feeling.

Linus blinked slowly. “Okay.”

He followed Niall to his usual booth, hesitating when Niall slid in. Carefully, the older omega joined him on the same side of the table. “What happened to your hands?”

Niall winced, fumbling with the laptop in its bag. Maybe he should’ve worn his mittens; the casts didn’t cover all of his shriveled fingers. “I broke them. They’re fragile to begin with, and I fell down.”

“Ouch.” Linus watched him struggle with the bag for a while longer before reaching out. “Would you like some help?”

Niall sighed and leaned back. After a solid week of Jag helping him with almost everything, he was starting to become spoiled. “I would appreciate it. Thank you.”

Linus got the laptop out so easily, Niall was envious. He set up his mic and turned on the laptop, smiling hesitantly when he found Linus watching him.

“How are you going to do anything when your hands are injured?”

“I have voice commands enabled,” Niall said. “Watch.”

He showed Linus the speech recognition controls on his laptop. Then he opened his manuscript and dictated a few paragraphs, the words magically appearing on the screen.

Linus’ mouth fell open. “That’s amazing. And... you’re a writer?”

“An author. I’m writing a book inspired by how my alpha and I met,” Niall said excitedly. “It began with me spying on him. He’s my neighbor. And he accidentally saw my sex toy ad.”

Linus laughed; it made him seem so much younger. Then he sobered. “Is your alpha treating you okay?”

Niall nodded. “He’s amazing.”

“I’m glad.” Linus’ gaze turned faraway. “I wish I had a good alpha. But that just seems so impossible.”

“I know what you mean,” Niall said quietly. “I didn’t think I’d ever have an alpha, until Jag showed up. Maybe yours is just around the corner.”

Quite literally.

Linus shrugged, looking at the table.

“Big O’s BFF!” Emmy showed up at their booth with a tray of drinks, his baby strapped into his chest carrier. Chubby Aaren was with him, holding a large plate of snacks. “Mind if we sit with you? Did Niall tell you about his big waving flagpoles?”

Linus glanced at Niall, caught off-guard.

Niall shrugged. “Sure, come sit with us. I just told Linus about the book I’m writing.”

It wasn’t as though he could get much written, between Linus’ presence, and Emmy and Aaren eager to hear about his book.

Linus blinked. “How did you know my name?”

Niall froze, a flush rising up his cheeks. Did Linus know Jag, or was Jag knowing Linus supposed to be a secret, like how Storm’s ‘protecting’ was a secret?

“Is it the college?” Emmy asked eagerly. “Did you go there for your research on big alpha tentacles, only to find Linus teaching all the half-naked alpha students waving their sausages?”

Linus choked. “They’re not half-naked!”

Niall nodded quickly. “I overheard someone saying Linus’ name,” he said, amazed that he was telling the truth. “But let me write down all these ideas. I’ve never written about a classroom full of naked students.”

“Oh, gods,” Linus breathed.

Emmy cackled. “Maybe there’ll be a naked alpha student dancing on your desk,” he said to Linus. “And he will wave his love muscle at you. It will blow you kisses!”

Linus buried his face in his hands.

“Emmy,” Olson said, drifting over. “Don’t torture Linus with your ideas.”

“I wish I had a better alpha,” Aaren said wistfully.

Niall opened up his idea document, frantically talking into his microphone because these were all books that he really wanted to write. Professor omegas. Half-naked college students. Good alphas that appeared when omegas made wishes.

Jag would be so amused when Niall told him about this later.

It wasn’t until Niall took a sip of his iced lemon tea, and his eyes watered at the lemon, that he realized it wasn’t just Jag talking too loudly; it was everyone.

“I think I might be falling sick,” Niall said. “The lights are... kind of bright.”

Olson frowned and leaned over the table, pressing the back of his hand to Niall’s forehead. “You feel fine.” Then he flared his nostrils, and his gaze snapped back to Niall. “Ask Jag to check your scent later.”

Emmy’s eyes widened. He beamed and scooped his baby out of his carrier, leaning over Niall’s laptop to set the child in Niall’s lap. “Here. Hold Hunter!”

Niall flailed. He’d never held a baby before. “What am I supposed to do with him?! My hands are broken!”

And the baby was so tiny, his large eyes so innocent.

Niall hurriedly circled the little boy with his arms so he wouldn’t fall off. The baby patted Niall’s arms and kicked his legs; he was heavier than Niall expected.

Niall ached to hold his own child. He swallowed hard and carefully held his broken hands away from the boy, wondering if Jag was right. Could he be a good dad, after all?

The back door opened. Jag stepped in right then, his gaze sweeping through the bar to land on Niall.

Jag froze. His eyes bounced between Niall’s face, and the baby in his lap. And he growled, prowling forward.

Linus squawked and fled. Jag took his place promptly, bouncing Niall on the leather seat as he sat.

“Sweetheart,” Jag growled.

“I feel weird,” Niall blurted. “Everything is too strong. Sight, sound, smell, you name it. Olson said you might want to check my scent.”

Jag leaned in, tucking his nose against the crook of Niall’s neck.

His entire body grew tense. He pulled back and sniffed at Niall again, before lifting Niall’s wrist to sniff at the scent gland there. “Sweetheart,” he said, his voice strangled. “You smell sweet. Like honey.”

Niall stared. Honey scents only came from pregnant omegas, layered over their original scent.

“Oh,” Niall whispered, his heart pounding. I’m pregnant.

Jag cradled his face and kissed him firmly on the lips. “Mine,” he murmured, pulling back to gaze into Niall’s eyes.

Niall blushed. “I guess it worked.”

“Yeah.” Jag kissed him again. He released Niall’s hand, slipping his fingers between Hunter and Niall to touch Niall’s belly. He breathed out. “I want to take you home to celebrate, but not yet. I have to wrap up Rex’s training.”

“That’s fine,” Niall said breathlessly. “It’s not like I’m busy right now.”

Jag grinned, all fierce and handsome. Niall’s heart slipped. “Alright. I’ll be back, sweetheart.”

He kissed Niall again, touched his hand to Hunter’s shoulder, then slid out of the booth and left through the back door.

Niall only realized then that all his omega friends had been watching them.

“I’m so jealous,” Aaren moaned.

“He’s perfect for you,” Emmy said brightly.

“I approve,” Olson said.

Linus carefully approached the booth, wringing his hands. “That was your alpha?”

Niall blushed. “Yeah.”

“He’s... not bad,” Linus said, glancing again at the back door, before carefully reclaiming his spot next to Niall.

“He’s more perfect than I could’ve dreamed,” Niall admitted.

At the back of his mind, a voice whispered, How can this possibly last? Jag is too good to be true.

“We’ll make sure he stays around,” Emmy said with utmost conviction.

“How?” Niall asked, only to realize he shouldn’t have when Emmy’s smile grew manic. Olson sighed.

“We’ll give you all the butt blessings,” Emmy declared, puffing up his chest. “With enough butt blessings, you can make any dream come true.”

“Not on the clock,” Olson said sternly.

Emmy made an aggrieved sound. “I will teach everyone to make butt blessings. I will make a Youtube video! It will spread around the world! It will spread beyond this world!”

Hunter babbled excitedly and kicked, sharing his dad’s enthusiasm even though he had no idea what Emmy was saying.

“I doubt that,” Olson said.

But if there was one person who could make the ridiculously impossible happen, it was Emmy.