CHAPTER SIX

Time had always been Mir’s enemy. They’d spend their entire life either wanting the clock to speed up or slow down or, like right now, stop completely. The last few weeks of being here with Tav had been the most tranquil they’d ever known, apart from whatever they could remember before Ma had been taken. Mir’s memory of their birth parent had faded to almost nothing over the years. Living in this bubble, feeling the babies move inside, knowing that they were all safe here, was perfect. Although, like every other time, changes were being imposed on Mir by outside forces.

It wouldn’t be for long, or that was what Mir was praying for, not that praying ever did them any good. If the Three-Faced God existed, they’d given up on Mir a long time ago. Once the visit to Tav’s family was over, and they had that all-important paperwork, they’d come back here, the babies would arrive, and the new life would take all their focus.

Dealing with two toddlers and a farm had been a hell of a lot of work, and newborn triplets had to be worse. Although this time, Mir would have Tav to help. It still made sense to get as much ready before the babies arrived as possible.

Tav had been right. The small area of the property they were currently using would soon be far too small when their household expanded from two to five, and maybe more.

It was also ridiculous that a quality alpha like Tav didn’t have an affiliated beta. This property had clearly housed a far higher population at one point.

Two minutes after he’d left on Cole to speak to his neighbors, Mir had checked that every door and window was locked. Then they armed themself with a broom, cleaning rags, and a bucket of soapy water. Gritting their teeth, Mir re-entered the disused wing of the house. The first thing they did, even though their hands were shaking, was open every window in the living room and throw back the shutters. Several of the previously white, and now gray shutters sagged as Mir pushed them open, and one fell off its hinges.

Resisting going outside and starting on the woodwork task they’d prefer to cleaning, took every ounce of courage they possessed. Mir could almost feel Tav behind them, tutting at the thought of Mir being outside and performing a heavy task when he wasn’t there. At least Mir knew that his disapproval wouldn’t be because he didn’t think Mir could handle the job or that carpentry wasn’t an ‘omega-appropriate’ task. Tav just wouldn’t want Mir using a ladder and carrying heavy things when they was six weeks from delivering triplets.

Besides, there would be many months before winter set in and the shutters became essential again. Mir pictured being in the barn in the evening, working with the wood while Tav stayed in the house, putting the babies to bed, maybe giving them a bottle or telling them a story.

Unhappy at being disturbed, dust that had lain for possibly decades swirled and attacked Mir’s nose. They sneezed, once, twice, three times. Tav said he’s caught the scent of others here, but all Mir smelled right now was dust.

“Damn it,” Mir exclaimed as they wiped their nose on their sleeve. Seeing the stripe of slivery snot on their dark blue sleeve produced a grin. “Yeah, never gonna be a refined omega, and if Tav’s family don’t like it, they can sit on it and swivel.” The more they thought about it, the more shocking Tav’s refined family appealed to them.

But Mir’s attitude and behavior were what had made them so popular in Hell, particularly in the chase room, because they always ‘played the game’. Now the shutters were open, and the midday light seeped into the room through the dirty windows, it was a little easier. The chase room had been completely underground and always dark during the game. Alphas liked the additional thrill of hunting by scent and sound rather than just with their eyes.

The shadows lurking in the corners and behind furniture kept dragging the past into the present and the means to banish them lay with the windows caked with years of grime. Mir abandoned the broom in favor of a bucket of hot water. A light, bright home filled with happiness and laughter was what Tavish and the pups deserved, and Mir would do their damnedest to give it to them.

Mir became lost in the task, concentrating on removing the years of grime, making this place feel safe, making it feel like theirs. The longer they spent working in here, the more their scent, their normal scent rather than one reeking of fear or heat, pervaded the room. They’d reached the last window in the four that stretched across the front of the huge room when a door creaked open.

Mir froze, then glanced toward the door. It was barely visible in the dusk swallowed room. Somehow, the sun had slipped below the horizon as they worked. Between heartbeats, golden light outlined a big alpha body in the doorway.

“Come out, come out, wherever you are.” A cheerful voice called out.

Fear crashed into Mir’s soul, washing their body in cold sweat. Eyes strained for clarity, but poor omega vision was never a match for an alpha, as the booming, mocking tone took root in their mind.

Dropping the scrubbing brush, Mir almost fell off the chair they’d been standing on and crouched awkwardly behind one of the dustsheet-covered sofas. No matter how many times this happened, there was always the slight hope that this time, the game would go in their favor.

When the alphas played the chase game, they always left the door behind them open. A chance, just a small one, that their victim could elude them if they were fast and clever enough, and this one was no different. His features remained shadowed, not that his identity mattered. He was an alpha coming to play the hunting game and when, no, if they was caught, the alpha would roughly mate them. When Mir assumed there was no hope, they might as well curl up and die.

A rough mating, maybe accompanied by a beating, would endanger the babies. Mir frowned. They’d never been in the chase room when this heavily pregnant before. That must be it. They wanted the babies gone, wanted to torture Mir by forcing an early labor. The babies might even live for a little while, but that doctor would take them as if they were medical waste, while Mir screamed and fought and—

“Where are you? I know you’re in here somewhere.” A new, underlying note of stress roughened the alpha’s voice. The real reason for his stress assaulted Mir’s nose. Alpha arousal.

Like I’d answer, stupid alpha. He must be a new one, but he smells as horny as the rest.

As if their body heard their thoughts, slick dampened their channel. The bastard probably thought the smell meant Mir loved this game as much as he did, but it was merely self-preservation. Getting fucked dry, especially in the ass, hurt like hell. And this pregnant… no, they couldn’t let this happen.

Memories shifted, collided, and bounced off each other. There was a door that they both did and didn’t remember a few feet away. The chase room only had one entrance, but perhaps they’d updated it to make it more interesting. Eyeing the distance to the door, Mir knew they’d be exposed if they went for it, and there was no guarantee it was open or even a real door. A vague memory that the door led to other rooms, even an exit to the outside, hovered just out of reach. The evil fuckers probably put in false doors, hoping the stupid omegas would waste time trying to open them. That was a logical explanation, but muscles still tensed, and heart kept racing with the urge to run rather than wait for the monsters to drag them kicking and screaming into the light.

It made sense, even heavily pregnant, Mir was the ‘best’ in the chase room. If Mir fell for the ruse, the alphas would know that other omegas would too. Perhaps they didn’t want to hurt the babies. Although, when had an alpha resisted the temptation of mating after a chase?

Mir peeked out at the alpha. He hadn’t seen them yet, but he would if they made a break for the fake door. It didn’t mean he wasn’t hunting. As if to prove Mir’s theory, the rasp of air pulled in to rush over his Jacobson organ rent the air like a thunderclap, although the volume was barely above a whisper.

This belly didn’t exactly make running easy. For some reason, the scent of this alpha, even though he was aroused and testing the air like a horny hound, didn’t produce the usual levels of clawing fear and anger. Mir shook their head, chasing the dangerous thought away. Trust always led to pain.

“Mir?” He cleared his throat. “You’re starting to worry me. I can smell you’re upset.”

Upset? Hell, yeah, Mir was upset, and if they could manage it, this alpha would soon be upset too, and in a lot of pain. Honeyed words were traps Mir had fallen for only a few times, but it always ended in pain or humiliation. Alphas lied, even ones who smelled safe, like this one.

“Shit, it must be my scent.” The alpha lifted an arm, sniffed his pit. “Wow, that’s… Fuck, Mir, you know I’m not a threat to you. I’m just reacting to your pheromones. If we both try to calm down, we’ll stop triggering each other.” He paused clearly waiting for a reply Mir had no intention of giving, but they had to admit, no alpha had ever tried this approach in the chase room before. “Please? You know I wouldn’t hurt you, right?”

Pull the other one, asshole. Why do they always assume I’m stupid?Mir drew in a breath, held it for a few seconds, and then let it out as quietly as possible, trying to calm their heartbeat and breathing. In this fear-drenched silence, the fucker could locate Mir just by listening.

Alphas weren’t the only ones who played games in here. Keeping low, Mir crawled on their elbows, belly almost sweeping the floor, toward another sofa that had an abandoned shoe tucked underneath it. Picking up the teen-sized, battered brown leather shoe, they moved to the other side of the sofa, senses straining to locate the enemy. Their fledgling plan was throwing the shoe to the other corner of the room and hope that the alpha would head there, leaving the exit unguarded.

Perhaps this would finally be escape day.

Maybe these babies would be the ones who survived.

The ghost of the Owner’s voice shoved into Mir’s head. “Always with the maybes and perhaps, Four. Omegas are all stupid, but you’re top of the tree. When are you going to finally realize there is no hope? No way out? This is all there is until you die. You know we want you to fight, right? You’re playing right into our hands. I’m starting to think you do it on purpose to stay popular. You love the attention, don’t you, Beastie? Go on, run for me.”

“Don’t worry, I’m alone,” the alpha called. Mir’s chest tightened. Why say that unless to cover someone else? From the direction of his voice, he remained by the exit, but neither his words nor his location meant he told the truth. Right now, there could be another alpha creeping up on Mir while they focused on the chatty one. Their own fear stunk, and their pounding heart could cover his approach. Mir swallowed, tried again to control their unruly body. Hearing and scent were their weapons, but all alpha senses were better than an omega’s.

“Do you want to hear about my trip?” He paused, shifted back a pace, hand rubbing at his almost beardless chin. Mir didn’t believe the act.

Did he really think omegas were that stupid? Well, this one wasn’t, and they wouldn’t give in without a fight. They was strong now, as strong as they’d been in the early days. How had that happened? Memories swirled, but before Mir could catch them, the alpha spoke again.

“The neighbor is happy to farm sit again,” he took a breath, “but they will be bringing one or two family members to keep them company. They are only nineteen and the youngest in the family.” The longer he spoke, the more the hesitations faded between words, as did the stink of his arousal. Something was odd here, but Mir couldn’t work out why the alpha was trying to talk himself down. Unless there is someone else here. Distraction is his game. Mir strained their senses, trying to pick out the other chaser, without worrying about what this alpha said. It was all lies anyway.

“They are even going to run us down to the station on Sixday in their family carriage. I think we’re going to get on well with everyone over there. They are really nice people, not traditional at all.” The voice held concern, but the air still reeked of alpha arousal and adrenaline.

“Mir? Did you hear me? Are you alright?” No one ever called me Mir in Hell.

Tav… Tavish?Mir sniffed, looked around, and then down at their clothed body. The past relaxed its stranglehold on their mind, finger by finger.

“Mir, I can smell you’re really upset, and I don’t want to make it worse, but if you don’t answer, or show me you’re ok, I’ll have to come in to check on you and the babies. I can’t smell any wounds or other people, so I’m guessing something triggered a panic attack, probably the thing that disturbed you about this side of the house in the first place. Just as a heads up, I might smell of other people. I was visiting the Blackwells, remember? So, am I coming in, or are you coming out?” His calm, matter-of-fact voice cast a spell on Mir’s violently beating heart, reining it in like a panicked, runaway horse. The past drained away, leaving the heat of embarrassment in its wake.

Such a damn idiot.

“I’m proud of you for tackling your fear on your own.” Patronizing know-it-all. Mir’s chest warmed with affection. “But maybe we should take things a little easier? I don’t think my heart can stand it, never mind yours.” Affection swung full tilt into shame. What the fuck was I doing?

Reaching up, Mir used the back of the sofa to slowly stand up, muscles shaking as the adrenaline drained away. Looking at Tavish was impossible. They’d fucked up again.

Stupid, stupid, broken omega. Tavish likes me feisty, not a quivering, hallucinating mess. How is this going to prove to this highly educated, compassionate alpha that I can be an effective Ma, let alone his partner?

As soon as Mir emerged, he took a tentative step forward as if stalking a deer about to take flight, which, until a minute ago, was a pretty fair description. The shortened distance brought Tav’s face into near focus, and the familiar features, despite the shadows, continued to melt the icy knot of fear in Mir’s belly.

“I’m just going to—” he waved toward the window, and keeping his movements slow and deliberate, he moved over and opened the nearest window. Tav leaned on the windowsill, mouth hanging open, chasing the fresh air with shuddering slow inhales and exhales. A fresh breeze snuck through the sagging shutters, diluting the pungent scent of arousal and fear.

Mir swallowed, fumbling for some sort of explanation, but there was no way on earth they could tell the whole truth. “I’m… erm… Sorry for worrying you. The room, the dark, and you coming in reminded me of... something.” So fucking lame. Can’t you think of anything less pathetic? Something? Really?

Tav straightened up, turned, and opened his arms. His voice was even more hoarse as he suggested, “Hug?”

No pursuit, no pressure, no judgement, just an offer of something Mir needed more than their next breath. They found themself in his arms, scenting his shoulder where he’d got a little sweaty riding to his neighbor. His arousal was there too, but that happened all the time. Mir didn’t blame him for what his body did, just like he didn’t blame Mir for their neuroses. Underneath Tav strong alpha scent and Cole, hints of others lingered on his shirt. An older omega and… an odd, less dominant, alpha scent. Nothing at all alarming, but it did pique Mir’s curiosity and took their mind further from the panic.

They was fully back in the present, but Mir lingered in Tav’s embrace, breathing in his scent and absorbing the comfort it provided.

Seeming to know exactly what they wanted, Tav just held them, rubbing their back gently as their breathing calmed. Between one heartbeat and the next, the silence no longer felt as comfortable, and a compulsion to speak, to apologize for their idiotic, crazy behavior bubble through their serenity.

“Thanks for not searching for me.”

Gentle pressure on their shoulder sent them back a half step. When Mir didn’t look up, calloused fingers that smelled like leather and horse gripped their chin lightly and imposed eye contact. Tav’s face was a little red, and this close, Mir could see veins swelling around his eyes. The oil glint in his dark eyes made his gaze penetrating and heavy, just like his scent.

“I’ll always… search for you. To keep you safe, not to hurt or scare. Did that happen to you in a room like this?” His voice hardened, the animalistic growl raised tiny hairs on Mir’s nape as he continued, “Someone chased you while you tried to hide?”

They couldn’t refuse the instinct to answer an alpha’s direct question. “It was a game they liked to play.” Mir immediately kicked themselves, heart pumping hard again. Fuck, they’d said they. Tavish thought it’d just been one alpha, not that there had been dozens, but maybe he’d think Mir referred to a beta or betas instead?

“Chamomile tea?” The growl had lessened in his voice, although it remained as a background note. That Tavish also struggled with his emotions and instincts, made Mir feel like they were in this together.

Mir nodded. Tavish turned toward the door and extended his elbow to give Mir a choice about having physical contact with him or not. Mir bypassed his arm and wrapped an arm around his waist leaning their head on his shoulder. “Not a fancy omega.” Their voice sounded horribly weak, but at least they’d managed to talk.

“Never thought you were.” The compliment, because that’s what it was from Tavish, calmed Mir further.

Being away from Tavish let the old demons take hold, and it wouldn’t happen again if they could help it. Mir’s previous laughable claim that they would be fine on their own here, for possibly a week or more, was as ridiculous as Cole being a small child’s pony. Staying here with unknown betas would probably be worse than being alone, even if Tavish had certified them as ‘nice people.’

For the next ten minutes, Tav’s lips moved as he prepared the tea. Mir couldn’t work out what he was saying to himself, but every now and again, his jaw dropped open and he scented the air, snapping his mouth shut, and gritting his teeth.

As soon as the tea was made, he began making dinner, movements tight and sharp, as if trying to contain boundless energy or anger. Guilt bubbled. They was the reason Tavish was struggling. In contrast, Mir’s energy level had flatlined.

Half an hour later, after finishing half his plate of chicken stir-fry Tavish got up and walked over to the front door where their boots sat side by side. “Better go put the animals away before it gets too late.”

Distress punched through Mir’s contented post-meal lethargy, and they swallowed the pathetic squeak of protest trying to force its way out of their throat at the thought of being alone. Wordlessly, Mir followed him and reached for their own boots.

Tav half turned, staring at the wall, rather than at Mir. “I’ll do it. You’ve been working hard today. I’ll be straight back.” Mir knew why Tavish wanted to go out alone, he’d often used the excuse of seeing to the animals to deal with arousal he didn’t want to share with Mir. But tonight, the creeping fingers of panic were too sharp to provide Tav with an ounce of privacy.

“It’s no bother; it’ll be quicker with two,” Mir blurted and sat on the bench by the door. Taking a breath, because breathing while bending over didn’t happen these days, they stuck their foot in the fantastic unomegalike boot.

Despite putting his boots on the floor, Tavish didn’t put them on. “I’m not going to vanish. I’m only going to put the chickens and the mares with foals away. Cole and the rest of the herd are already bedded down.”

Busted.Mir stopped doing up their boots, even though it was getting increasingly awkward to even reach them. For weeks, the nightmares had only come at night, and usually when Tavish came to bed late or got up early. This afternoon, Mir had been wide awake. Enduring that again wasn’t on their ‘to-do’ list, and the babies must have been terrified. Stupid, broken omega. What if something like that happened after they arrived? Would Mir freeze then, too? Would they put the pups in danger because they was so fucking broken and downright crazy?

As soon as they’re born, I need to leave, need to—

“Mir?” Tav was crouching down in front of them. Mir hadn’t even seen him move.

“Does being alone frighten you that much?”

Mir shrugged, noting that their boots were dusty. Again.

His finger raised their chin until Mir gazed into his concerned dark eyes. Tav still smelled of arousal and woods, horse and leather. He smelled strong, powerful, and just what Mir needed. Mir wanted that smell on them so much, that not rubbing their cheek on that rough palm took every ounce of control they possessed.

“Much as I wish I was, I’m not a mind reader, but I can smell your distress. Nothing you can say will make me think any less of you.” Tav proved he couldn’t hear Mir’s thoughts as their mental “Yeah, right” would have certainly made Tav comment rather than carry on with his gentle chiding.

After casting a longing glance at the door, Tav inhaled deeply and held his breath for a few heartbeats. “I’ve heard some truly awful stories from abused omegas, and I’ve seen injuries worse than the ones you had when we first met, not many I’m glad to say, but I have. What I do know is that letting fear fester away inside just continues to give your abuser power over you. Give those memories the right hook they deserve.”

Tav’s naivety and gentle smile made Mir feel years older. The wish to wrap him up and protect him from the harshness Mir had experienced clogged their throat with emotion.

Like a pup boasting about their abilities to an adult, Tavish continued, oblivious to Mir’s tilting emotions. “We can tag team them until we knock them out. Trust me, I’ve got a mean right hook too.”

Mir couldn’t help smiling while raising their eyebrows. Yes, Tavish was big, but he was about as aggressive as a marshmallow. Faced with an angry bull, he’d probably try to negotiate with it and find out why it was upset instead of running or trying to scare it off.

Tavish put on puppy dog eyes at Mir’s incredulous expression. “What? Don’t you believe me? Just point me in the direction of trouble, and I’ll show you what I’m made of.” He flexed his biceps while putting on a comical ‘mean’ scowl. Mir burst out laughing, and he joined in.

“You really are the most un-alpha-ish alpha I’ve ever met,” Mir chuckled.

“That’s because I’m a beta wrapped up in an alpha shell, just as you’re an alpha in an omega skin.”

The laughter drained away as the truth hung in the room like a third person.

“We really are a pair of oddballs, aren’t we?” Mir said and touched the side of his face, feeling the stubble they’d always considered their right to develop but had never grown, and Tavish seemed to hate with a passion. Until now. Now he seemed content to let it grow.

Tav bent to finish doing up Mir’s laces. “We certainly are, and we fit like puzzle pieces. Now can you please tell this poor confused former beta-medic why you want to come out into the dark and cold when you are dead on your feet?”

“Don’t worry about it. It’s pathetic anyway,” Mir mumbled, not wanting to bring the light mood down, and offered Tav their hand for him to help them up. There had been very little levity in Mir’s life, and they would hang on to every happy thought and experience. Unfortunately, Tavish was like a dog with a bone.

“Pathetic would be keeping something to yourself that upsets you if I can do something about it. Put yourself in my shoes for a minute, my courageous alpha-omega. Would you want to stop someone dear to you from hurting if you could?”

“I’m dear to you?” Mir said as Tav pulled them to their feet.

“Stop trying to change the subject. Don’t forget, I grew up with Clay, so I know every little manipulation trick going.” Tav turned to get their coats, but he didn’t immediately lift them off the hooks next to the door. “But yes, you are very dear to me, dear enough that I want to spend the rest of my life with you, here in the back of beyond. Now that’s my awkward confession done, it’s your turn. Why are you coming out into the dark and cold when you could be warming up the bed for me?”

Doing their best not to hunch over and knowing that Tavish was purposefully keeping his back turned so as to not add further pressure, Mir answered, trying to sound matter-of-fact. “It’s a bit pathetic, but being alone makes me a bit… panicky.” Mir huffed out a laugh. “As if you haven’t noticed.”

Tav passed his old beta coat over to Mir and then opened the door on the chilly spring night. Mir trailed behind him across the yard to the chicken coop.

Most of the hens were already inside, but a couple still scratched about. The calm, domestic scene lulled Mir further. Exhaustion built like a wave, threatening to engulf them as their limbs became heavy, and their senses dulled, shrinking the world around Mir to a few feet in any direction. As long as that space included Tavish, they had nothing to fear. They’d slept hanging from manacles several times, and if they stopped moving, falling asleep, even standing up, was a definite possibility right now.

“Being alone is a common fear, we’re a social species, but I think it’s more than that for you.”

In their trance-like state, Mir didn’t even think about not answering Tav’s matter-of-fact comment.

“It’s not being alone really; it’s what comes after it. They always shoved me into the chase room alone and made me wait in the dark for the start of the game. Sometimes it was minutes, but other times, it had to be hours, even a whole day once. And I only knew it’d been that long because my belly rumbled so much. Getting surprised when I’d fallen asleep was the worst.”

At the edge of their peripheral vision, Mir registered Tav stopping. Without thought, they halted too, as if they were tethered together, but there was no anxiety, no stress, just… rightness.

“Did this room look a bit like the disused part of the house?”

“Yeah, but it was always dark.”

“The curtains were always shut, or did it only happen at night?”

“There weren’t any windows down there. I’m sure that no one had ever lived in that room, not like your house. It was just for games.”

“So, what other rooms and games do you remember?” Tav hadn’t been able to keep the growl out of his voice as he said “games.”

Adrenaline spiked at an alpha’s displeasure. Mir snapped out of their stupor, sweat breaking out on their back as their heart leaped into their throat. They’d already said far too much because they wasn’t paying attention.

As if to give Mir time to calm down, or maybe to get away from fear stink hovering around their stupid omega body like a cloud, Tav opened the door and escaped into the coop. He had to dip his head as he went into the wired area of the chicken enclosure, but Mir didn’t follow him in or reply, hoping Tav would drop this line of questioning. The sympathy, the well-meaning helpful therapy, had switched into a dangerous, trap-ridded interrogation that had anxiety flooding back.

When he came out after enticing the last few birds into the coop with some grain and shutting them in, he headed across the yard to the gap between the barns that led to the paddock where the cow grazed with the two mares with foals. The animals came trotting over as if Tav was their Pied Piper. He certainly was for Mir. Wherever Tav went, Mir wanted to follow.

The scents of the animals tried to compete with the heady aroma of alpha arousal and sweat, but it was always going to be a losing battle. Not even the brightest of the stars above or the chilly gust of moisture-laden air that promised rain before morning could steal Mir’s focus.

“If you don’t want to tell me the details, that’s fine.” Tav said, but his curiosity itched at Mir, almost as much as his scent. Resisting the impulse to satisfy both his mental and physical needs got more difficult every moment, but Tav had made it clear that even though his body reacted to them, he didn’t want an intimate relationship. And, on edge, as he was, telling him details about Hell could send him off on a one-alpha crusade into the night that would get him killed. No, silence was by far the safer option for both of them.

“But if you can tell me what really scares you, hopefully, we can avoid things like today. Now that I’ve checked the Blackwells out, I’d have no qualms at all about taking you with me for a visit. We can definitely cross our neighbors off the ‘avoid’ list.”

Mir didn’t comment. Fitting in with a nice ordinary comfortable family, even if they weren’t traditional, would probably be tricker than Tav imagined, for Mir anyway. But it might be nice for the pups, when they were old enough, to have someone other than their ma and step-pa to socialize with.

Oblivious, Tav carried on, “So far, the list includes needles, being alone, trains, strangers, talking about yourself, and big, dusty, unused rooms. Things that don’t frighten you, but probably should, include vicious, unstable horses, working yourself into exhaustion, and my horrible family. How am I doing so far?”

Being treated like an experiment to be examined and cataloged pissed Mir off, but it was a little endearing too. Tavish was too damn serious for his own good, but it seemed doctor mode calmed him as the heavy oppressive atmosphere that had smothered them moments ago had lightened. Mir wanted it banished back to the past where it belonged.

“Puppies and kittens scare the shit out of me too.”

Tav’s eyes widened. “Really?”

A snort of laughter broke free. “No, you great soppy bookworm, of course they don’t.” Mir decided they might as well throw Tav a bone. “But you can add being pulled, pushed, restrained, or chased to your list. Someone who tries anything like that will either get a shivering mess,” Mir swallowed down the lump in their throat at the thought and plowed on, “the sight of my backside disappearing into the distance, or I’ll try to beat the crap out of them, no matter their gender or status. Is that enough for a start?” The last part came out almost as a growl, but rather than getting angry at being spoken to harshly by an omega, Tav’s smile lit up his face.

“It certainly is. Just tell me if you want to add something to the list. I’ll always pay attention, even if we’re in company. You don’t have to actually say what it is if anyone else is around. Just say ‘list,’ and I’ll find a way to speak privately as soon as possible. Hopefully, that’ll stave off either of your three options, none of which sounds like a lot of fun, except the last one. I could go for that, depending on the victim.”

Mir shook their head, a smile tugging at their lips. “You really do think of everything, don’t you?”

“Not by a long shot,” his words didn’t match the way his chest puffed out at the praise, “but I always try, just like you do. Now, how do you fancy hurrying this up so we can get warm again? I’m not enough of an alpha to pretend it’s not bloody cold out here.”

“Wimp,” Mir accused with an affectionate smile.

“You’d better believe it. Not all of us grew up beating the snot out of all the neighborhood kids. I spent my time with my nose in a book in a cozy schoolroom and avoiding my proto-alpha brothers.” He hesitated, then carried on quickly. “I expect you to defend me when my stepmother starts picking on me; that omega gives me the shivers. She’s all sequins, make-up, and long painted fingernails.” He visibly shuddered at the thought.

Mir held out their hand for him to shake. “As long as you keep the alphas away from me, you have a deal.”