CHAPTER TWO

RAIN

Evening came, and I went to the kitchen to prepare a late dinner for myself. When Adam noticed I was making tuna salad with onions, pickles, and celery, he mentioned that Kay always loved this salad and asked if I would be willing to share it. Of course, I was willing, and since it was already close to 9:00 PM, Adam suggested I take it to Kay's room again and stay there for his evening wave. I was horny, but I wasn't sure if Kay would be, especially after today's extra sex.

While I was preparing the meal, I shared the news about Storm with Adam, who knew him a bit from college. Storm was two years behind and in a different major, but Adam still cautiously expressed sympathy. Even he seemed a little apprehensive when talking about my purple alpha brother. I guess everyone was a little wary of his type. From my own family, the only exception was probably Nathaniel, who never seemed to mind Storm's overbearing personality and attitude.

When I had the food plated, I went upstairs, walking into Kay's room with a bit of uncertainty.

He was fresh from the shower, finishing braiding his hair when I entered. He was sitting on the edge of the bed, and his eyes met mine as soon as I walked in. His face remained perfectly impassive, so I put the tray on the desk in the corner and hesitated. He ignored me, continuing to braid his hair. Low-key, I expected him to comment on what he had overheard, but he didn't, which put me at ease. Perhaps he just didn't care? I was a nobody, a useful dildo, and my family affairs didn't concern him.

After some deliberation, I decided to stand against the wall, leaning on it. Our eyes met, and the silence was almost ominous.

Kay was wearing a thin white t-shirt, the hard tips of his nipples peeking through it. He also had on small black boxer briefs, his long legs and slender feet were on full display.

Slowly, he lowered his gaze to my bulge. Yeah, it was there again. He took the bed tray and sat on the bed with it, starting to eat. From time to time, he glanced toward me, but of course, there was silence. I just waited, standing against the wall. Obviously, he was in no hurry, but it looked like he enjoyed the tuna salad very much, as he ate the whole portion and even cleared the plate with a piece of bread. Only then did he reach for his tablet.

Staring at him, I grew more and more horny, but he seemed unmoved by my presence.

The only thing I could focus on was his slender neck, with the visible hickeys and pink bite marks I had left there, and his slim hand playing absentmindedly with his braid, which seemed strangely erotic and provocative. His fingers moved smoothly, stroking the length of the braid up and down. My goodness, I wanted him so much. And the smell—it was just too enticing; I had trouble taking deeper breaths. At one point, he lifted his digital pen to his lips and slid it inside. Then, he slowly slid it back out. Gaping, I couldn't tear my eyes from the alluring sight. His pink tongue played a bit over the top of it.

Was he doing it on purpose? Or just not fully aware of how suggestive it looked? Every minute was pure torture, and after some time, I just didn't care what he would think of me.

I had to do it—I pulled down my pants and took out my dick!

Kay froze as I started jerking off and looked at me intently. His eyes were glued to my erection, and his intense gaze made me even more aroused. I didn't need much, literally just a few strokes. Soon I was unloading on the floor. Then I hid my dick, crossed my arms over my chest and leaned back against the wall as if nothing had happened.

Apparently, it hadn't. Kay went back to his tablet, his face completely impassive as he began to draw something, ignoring me. And here I was, absolutely sure he would regard me as a disgusting lewd, but I sensed nothing like that from him. If I had to bet on it, he even felt some kind of strange triumph, but maybe I was just mixing it all up.

Because I was patient, as we had already established, I laid my head back on the wall, and closed my eyes. I could stay like that for half the night, waiting for his mercy, his invitation, his… grace. It was a sick and rewarding feeling at the same time. I was put in my place, waiting like a dog, so masochistically bittersweet.

Minutes passed, turning into quarters of an hour. My mind floated over the room, in a weird kind of mental state—half asleep, half awake, half dreaming, half brooding. Suddenly, some change in the energy filling the room happened, and soon after, I caught his quick gaze on me. It was brief, but I felt a small jolt of energy, like we were connected by a thin wire. Over the next ten minutes, the glances kept coming back. Every so often, he looked at me from under lowered eyelashes. I knew it was coming, but as he made me wait, I could repay him in kind. A cat-and-mouse game, with our roles unclear.

So I still stood impassively. Moments later, he put his tablet aside and looked at me openly. I answered with a blank glance but didn't make any move. He stared at me for a couple of seconds. I could see the already familiar pink color on his cheeks. And the sweet smell; the wave was just beginning.

But I simply waited. He didn't move. After a couple of minutes, he slowly slid from the pillows and lay down flat. I was still standing, taking my sweet time. He was in no hurry before; now I wasn't in a hurry either.

Finally, he threw the blanket aside in a clear invitation. He radiated a warm scent, his skin flushed and ready to be touched, tasted and kissed. The young omega offered me his body, with his legs slightly parted, in an almost obscene yet hungry pose that seemed strangely pure at the same time. What a mixture! I sighed. Of course, I could prolong the impasse of our game, but to be honest, I wanted to join the sweet game.

But not without some teasing first! Something easy and very basic, even cheap?

My lips twitched as my gaze raked down Kay's body. "Does your pretty hole need some attention?"

Kay loudly huffed and rolled his eyes. "Stop with the cheesy dirty talk!"

"Does it, Kay?"

What was that muffled sound he just made? It reminded me a bit of chuckling!

"Gosh, you're so corny."

With a smirk on my lips, I just waited. We were locked in a staredown. Kay squinted his eyes, muttering, "I don't want to talk! You're breaking the rule!"

Unfazed, I crossed my arms over my chest.

"Dirty talk is part of sex, so that's not forbidden."

The silence that followed wasn't at all unpleasant; on the contrary, it almost seemed filled with champagne bubbles, making me feel strangely excited.

Kay blinked a few times, then pursed his lips.

"Fine, be it your way. It does. Happy?"

"It does—what?"

Kay's patience seemed to be at its limit, but on the other hand, I could sense his energy slightly changing, becoming a bit lighter? Was he somewhat amused?

"Say it aloud," I breathed out.

"My pretty hole needs your attention," he whispered, and I was surprised by the way he said it. It was low, raspy, and somehow seductive. And the way he looked at me from under his lashes…

That was enough for me. I strode toward the bed and sat down beside him.

"Sit for a moment, please," I said quietly.

Kay looked suddenly unsure, but he obeyed. Intensely staring at him, I pulled his t-shirt over his head, but when he started to lie down again, I stopped him. Slowly, I moved a bit closer and hugged him.

For some reason, I could somehow read his energy the way I never could with any of my exes. My corny sexy talk didn't bother him in the least, but showing him affection did. He was suddenly so very stiff and tense in my arms, his arms falling loosely down, not touching me.

Unfazed, I tilted my head and kissed his jaw and neck, gently, slowly. My hands roamed down his side, then I stroked his swollen nipple. He made a small gasp when I pinched one of them lightly. "Mmm… such a pretty nipple," I murmured, lowering my lips to the junction of his neck and shoulder and beginning to suck on his gland. Kay moaned, the temptation to bite him rising in me, but I managed to stop myself and just nip at him a little. He shivered and let out such a sweet sound that I almost came in my pants untouched.

Waiting was no longer an option, my dick was about to start a rebellion, so I pushed Kay onto the bed and pulled down his pants. Of course, he was fully hard.

"Mmm, such a horny little omega," I murmured, kissing the tip of his dick.

"I'm not little," he grumbled, pouting a bit.

"Okay, correction. Such a horny tall omega!"

Kay didn't comment on it, but he made a little huffing sound, which sounded almost cute.

My eyes lingered on his body for a few more seconds before I lay on top of him with my full weight, again latching on to his glands, my elbows propped up, angled a bit to the side, but my palms still on his nipples. And after maybe two minutes, he came just from that caress, the warm semen splashing on my side. He let out a little cry and tilted his head back.

So the counting began. We had the first orgasm.

Afterward I sucked him off, trying again at deepthroating, determined to get better at it. I was quickly rewarded with his sweet release, which tasted so delicious—I gobbled it all down while Kay watched me intently, his dick just refusing to go limp as I slurped around his dickhead. Finally, it was time for penetration, already on the verge of exploding in my pants, I chose a position where my dick would rub over his prostate with every thrust, as that was the easiest way to make him come.

After his third orgasm, I put his legs on my shoulders and pounded into him, going so deep that he grunted loudly, my eyes glued to his flushed pink face. It was a perfect position, and it set the stage for even more of his sweet moans and a lot of his cummy eruptions.

What was kind of wonderful was that while he was deep in abandon, he was finally getting rid of his stiffness and fear. He had his eyes closed and wasn't interacting with me in any way, but he was certainly enjoying himself, not worrying about holding back, being enthusiastic with moans and groans, his body covered in a glossy layer of sweat and his arms thrown behind his head, his expression submissive and hungry.

When we finished, it was close to 11:30 PM. I was so tired I could barely move, and I desperately needed a shower. As I lifted my head from his shoulder to catch my breath, I intended to roll onto my side. But in doing so, I accidentally nudged the side of his nest, causing it to fall to the floor.

"Oh, fuck, I'm sorry, I accidentally damaged the side of your nest," I muttered apologetically, staring at the pillows and scarves now lying on the carpet. I knew I shouldn't touch it or try to repair it myself; that would be highly inappropriate. Alphas should not be involved in nesting—that was a well-known rule in the Alpha-Beta-Omega society.

But what came next was even more shocking. My body trembled slightly, feeling a strange wave of energy expanding in the room—its source was Kay. There was so much pain and anger saturating it. Kay didn't even glance at the damaged part. Instead, he kicked the lower part of the nest, further disarraying it, and growled, "Fuck this useless nest!"

Those words, uttered with such enmity and underlying hurt, felt like an icicle stabbing me in the chest. My alpha nature shivered and I blinked in disbelief. Nesting was sacred and incredibly intimate for omegas. Seeing any omega in such a mindset that he would hate his own nest was very concerning, suggesting serious psychological turmoil.

As I sat there frozen, staring at him, he only grimaced and turned to the side, clearly not wanting to discuss it. Swallowing hard, I remained in place for a while, feeling trapped. Alphas were forbidden from discussing nests with omegas; it was considered a violation. The possibility of an honest conversation would only exist between mated partners who loved each other, or if the omega trusted his friend completely. So I couldn't comment on it, even though it hurt me to see him like that—severed from his primal instincts and deep needs, so closely tied to omega nature itself.

There was one more thing I needed to touch on, so I cleared my throat, choosing my words carefully. "I need to take a shower, but before I go, there's something Adam mentioned that we should discuss. He said you have night cramps and that I should sleep with you to help if needed. I know you don't want to talk to me, but I would appreciate some information, so I can better respond to your needs. Can you explain what you expect me to do if that happens?"

Kay slowly rolled over onto his back. I could see some blush on his cheek.

"Yes, I have painful cramps a couple of times during the night. It sometimes happens to widowed or lonely omegas in pregnancy." I was surprised he actually elaborated on some extra details.

Deciding to continue with a more official tone, I inquired, "So I stay here for the night, but how should I proceed to assist you?"

"The solution is usually just—" he interrupted and pursed his lips.

"To do what?"

"To put the penis there and stay like that for a while. Moving is not even necessary."

"But it is not forbidden," I lowered my voice.

"No. Not forbidden." Kay's cheeks were still pink.

"How often does this happen?"

"Sometimes two, sometimes four times a night."

"That often? How did you manage?"

Again, there was a hint of annoyance in his face. "Dildos. Can we… stop talking? I think the most important things are clear now," he added dryly.

"Yes. I'll take a shower and come back."

Kay looked at the ceiling as I stood up, but the moment I turned away, I sensed his quick gaze on my naked body as I walked toward my clothes on the armchair. How was it even possible that I just knew what he felt? He was definitely appreciative of my looks.

Wearing only my boxers, I left the room and rushed to shower.

Under the warm streams of water, I kept thinking about the moment Kay kicked his own nest. It was wrong, horribly wrong. His behaviors were becoming self-destructive, and I started to worry about his mental health. Kay seemed to swing from anger and hostility to coldness and impassivity, and at times he even seemed provocative and seductive. It was clear he was in a turbulent state—well, I suppose we both were—but what I observed with the nest seemed like just the tip of the iceberg.

Why did his brothers ignore it? Did they know? Maybe, as betas, it was even more taboo for them to discuss. But they should have at least gotten him some help, like a therapist.

I decided to touch on that subject later, but for now, our first night together lay ahead, and I needed to be mentally and physically prepared. When I returned to his room, he was engrossed in something on his tablet, the pieces of his nest scattered beside the bed.

For a moment, I hesitated, unsure of what to do. Since he didn't acknowledge me and remained focused on the screen, I slowly settled onto the free part of his bed. Feeling a bit awkward, I lay on my side, facing away from him, and covered myself with a blanket. Well, he didn't want to talk, so what should I do?

Strangely, in this void, where no words were allowed, something new emerged—something unusual. We didn't communicate with words but with energy. I had this enveloping sense of him, like I was a satellite dish receiving signals from his body. Why was I so in tune with a stranger?

Pondering, I lay like that for about half an hour until I heard some rustling. He turned off the light and joined me on the bed. Soon the room was quiet again. I must have dozed off soon after, but was awakened by some movement near my back. My dick was hard as a rock, which was also surprising. Why was I so deeply in sexual sync with Kay without even being in a rut?

There was no light in the room, not even a small lamp on the bedside stand, so I couldn't see much. But somehow I knew he wasn't asleep. I slowly reached out and found him in the dark, warm and trembling. Was he curled up? There was no room or time for play.

"Kay, do you need me?" I whispered, deciding not to tease him this time.

After a short pause, I heard a slightly choked voice, "Yes."

I could tell his cramps were painful. "You should have woken me earlier, I'm here for you, Kay."

The omega remained silent, lying on his side with his back to me. I moved closer, spooning him and pulling down his pajama pants. I was aroused from the start, but why? Such a state was typical for alphas assisting omegas during the fertile heat. But Kay was pregnant, not in heat, so my readiness for sex was a bit suspicious.

Not wanting to prolong it, I lowered my hand between his ass cheeks and found his pucker, open, wet, and pulsing slightly. My fingers made small circles around it, caressing it gently, and Kay moaned sweetly.

"Please…" Did he whisper it? It was so soft, so shy, but it made my blood boil with desire. I pressed my body closer to his buttocks and sank my dick into his hot passage. He moaned loudly and—immediately came! His body convulsed and my hand, wrapped around his dick, was soon wet with his cum.

It took me only a few strokes to join him, filling his body with my seed in long, intense spasms. But I stayed inside him. I don't know why. Somehow I felt that's what he wanted.

Soon I dozed off again, immersed in his narrow channel. A few hours later, I could feel his movements again. He dislodged himself from my dick and went to the bathroom, while I stayed in the same position, still hard. I waited, lying motionless. After a minute, he came back. I could hardly see him in the dark, the blinds were down, and the room was almost pitch black.

Kay got back into bed and I felt his slender hand somehow feeling me in the dark. He found my erect dick, his fingers gently exploring it. And he did something even more incredible. He positioned himself exactly as he had before he went to the bathroom. And he… impaled himself on my dick. By his own will.

I pretended to be awakened by the sudden movement and wrapped my hand around his chest, brushing against his erect nipples. They were hard as pebbles. I began to squeeze them slowly, rolling and pulling, straining a bit. He moaned softly. Encouraged, I began to move inside him, somehow getting caught up in it. Soon I quickened my pace.

"You feel so good, Kay," I murmured. "I love being inside you." I kissed his neck, licked over it, and began to suck on his gland again. It was a strange obsession of mine. A minute later, we both came at the same time, and it was so damn good that I mumbled some incoherent words to him, not even fully aware of what I was spouting out. Only after the divine wave had passed did I realize what I had been repeating: "So good inside you, baby."

Endearment!

Kay emphasized in his list of conditions—he didn't want to be called with endearments.

Because my few attempts to talk to him were already annoying him, and I would rather not add to the list ofbroken rules, so I swallowed and whispered apologetically,

"I'm sorry, Kay. I didn't mean to use that word. It just came out by accident. I apologize."

He remained silent, so I decided to use my newly acquired ability to read Kay's energy. Another surprise: no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't catch a glimpse of his annoyance. There was no annoyance at all. Simple as that. It was more like resignation, surrendering to the situation and just letting it go.

I stayed inside him, as my erection just wouldn't go away—so we remained locked like that until we both fell asleep. The next time, I only felt some movement on my dick as the pale light of the early morning came through the blinds. Hungry, yet subtle movements of his hips encouraged me to thrust. So I slid my hand to his dick and found it hard as steel. I wrapped my fingers around it and began to pound into him, pumping his shaft at the same time. It didn't take much. Soon we both orgasmed and went back to sleep almost immediately.

It was already 7:30 when I woke up and looked at the clock. What was surprising was that despite the many interruptions to my sleep, I felt full of energy. Kay and I were still locked by our genitals in that strange, warm, all-night connection, with my hard erection (seemingly magically permanent) filling him tightly. I slowly pulled my dick out of his ass, and while he was still asleep, I got up.

For what felt like an uncomfortably long time, I crept around his bed and watched him sleep.

His long black hair was slightly disheveled, strands escaping his braid, which was coiled on the pillow behind him. His arms and shoulders bore my hickeys, his neck was bare, and his glands were pink and slightly swollen. The curve of his back was elegant, leading down to his supple, perky, and round ass. Kay was a temptation personified, so I grabbed a blanket and quickly covered him, not wanting to get too worked up over his alluring figure.

Besides, he looked so vulnerable now, his face relaxed, his lips slightly pouting in a sweet, heartwarming expression. Creeping over him seemed just inappropriate, but I couldn't deny that his defenselessness stirred strong emotions in me.

The need to leave his bedroom arose; being so close to him was becoming strangely overwhelming.

Back in my room, I changed into sportswear, feeling the urge to move and release some tension. The logical step was to head out for a jog. Jogging daily was my thing for staying fit, a regular habit of mine. So, ambitiously, I decided to circle the entire lake. Pretty soon, though, I started to regret that decision. The lake turned out to be larger than expected, with its long, winding bays stretching its perimeter. After an hour and a half, I began to feel worn out, prompting me to slow down and switch to a regular walk.

While enjoying the lake's picturesque views, I decided it was a good time to talk with Storm. The whole time, his situation lingered in the back of my mind, refusing to fade away—the unease, the guilt. We've always had our differences, but should I hold onto that pettiness, especially when he was dealing with such a dramatic situation? Robbed of his beloved job, with his reputation tarnished, his marriage falling apart? Was he guilty? I found it hard to believe. We all knew our dad's horrible past, and we were raised to be respectful and caring toward omegas.

Sighing, I took out my phone. After five rings, he picked up.

"Storm?"

"Oh. Wow. Rain."

A moment of awkward silence. Yeah, he was no less surprised than I was. If not for Dad, I never would have called.

Loudly clearing my throat, I pondered what to say. I've rarely found it easy to initiate conversations, especially with him. Finally, I managed to blurt out, "I heard what happened. I'm calling to see if there's any way I… err… can help you?"

No way I could ever land a job in a theater. My acting skills were terrible.

As expected, I heard his bitter laugh. My offer must have sounded painfully unconvincing to him.

"Dad told you to call?" His voice was low and raspy.

Yeah, it was hard for us to ever make peace.

"I won't lie, Dad did tell me what happened and suggested I should call."

Since Storm remained silent, I coughed slightly, forcing myself to add something a bit kinder. "Err… I just figured it felt wrong not to say anything to my own brother, especially when you're dealing with something of this caliber."

I was almost proud of myself for saying that last part without much sarcasm, which usually dominated our conversations.

Storm didn't reply for a moment. I could only hear his heavy breathing. Was he surprised by my seemingly genuine concern, or was he just not buying it and thinking of some innovative jab?

For now, I forced myself to ask another question. "Are you out yet?"

"Yeah, for a few hours."

"At your apartment?"

"No, c'mon. Tom's there. It's not a good idea for me to go near him right now. I'm staying with Nathaniel for the time being."

I had to ask… it was hanging on the tip of my tongue.

"Can you tell me what happened, Storm? But please, the whole truth."

Another moment of silence, and then I heard his bitter scoff. "The whole truth? Do you think I did it?"

"Did you?"

"You're such an asshole, Rain. Do you really have the nerve to ask that?"

"I want to believe you didn't do anything like that. It's just, sometimes things happen that can be interpreted differently by each person. Maybe you did something that he took the wrong way?"

"Yeah, like not wanting him to fuck around with other people. My bad!"

So my initial suspicion was correct. I swallowed hard. All that sunny, flirtatious energy from Tom—maybe it wasn't so innocent after all? People thought he was charming, but I always saw something treacherous and selfish in him.

"What a bastard! Did you get mad at him?"

"You could say that, but I didn't touch him."

"Uhh… What did you touch?"

A quiet grunt. "Things that don't really matter."

"To you. But to him?"

"Some clothes and pillows."

A moment of silence as the realization of what he just told me sank into my brain like the stench of smoke.

"You trashed his nest."

"Yep, and a few other things including his laptop, phone, and maybe I messed up his car a bit too."

"Damn. That's intense, Storm. Messing with his nest won't help you in court, emotional damage and abuse charges are on the way."

"It's also intense to come home early and find your husband stuffed on another man's dick."

"Can't argue with that. How's the other guy?"

"From what I know, he just sprained his ankle. He jumped out the window when he saw me, and it's the second floor. I didn't chase him, perhaps for the better."

"I hate to say, 'I told you so', but I will." I couldn't stop myself from gloating a bit, as I kinda predicted it. "Remember when you first brought Tom home? I said, 'he smells like a narcissist'. You got mad and called me names. Guys like him don't care about anyone else's feelings. They'll go after what they want, no matter who gets hurt."

Storm made a low snarl and snapped, "Oh, great! I'm so lucky to have you, dear brother! You're such a brilliant psychologist and clairvoyant on top of that. I should have listened to you, and my life would be perfect," he scoffed, but I heard anger and frustration in his voice. So I decided to shut my mouth because maybe he was right. I shouldn't have kicked him while he was down. I could have spared him the lecture.

"Well, anyway, it's too late to change anything now, but I'm sure Tom's going to make a big deal out of the nest thing and property damage."

"And I make a big deal out of my husband impaling himself on strangers' dicks, especially since we did not have an open relationship. Period. It was straight-up infidelity."

"Yeah, but the judges usually side with omegas, remember? So, you're in a tough spot."

Storm didn't answer. I could only hear his quickened breathing. I added, "Listen, I get it, even better than you think. Remember when Brian left for this guy? At least he did me a favor by telling me he met someone. He didn't have to cheat; he just said goodbye. But it hurt like hell anyway."

"Tom didn't find his high mate, Rain. There was no biological compulsion or better mateship excuse. He's just a plain cheater."

"How was your relationship otherwise? Did you have… problems?"

Another short pause.

"Okay," Storm sighed. "You're not about to lecture me that I didn't give him enough emotional attention and support, so his cheating was justified, or at least not that bad? Or maybe I wasn't good in bed? Or that maybe it's all my fault, and I should look in the mirror and not judge the sweet innocent omega so harshly? Cut the crap before it happens!"

Letting out a huff, I growled, "I wasn't going to say that, crank! Believe me, I have a strict view on cheating. You're either 100% in or not at all, unless people agree on something else. Open relationships do exist, though that's not for me."

"Nor for me. You're either in or out. Period."

At least we agreed on that one thing. It was something, right?

"So, what now?"

Storm sighed. "A lawyer and a court case. What else can I do? Tom plans to zero my bank accounts. He already said he wants the apartment and compensation for his emotional distress."

"What's the deal with the bruises? I heard he had a medical exam."

"He got those from his rough sex. Apparently, that's his preferred style, which he never bothered to tell me. But he didn't hesitate to use it and report it to the police, claiming I did it."

"Being a purple alpha probably doesn't help."

"Did it ever?" Storm asked bitterly.

"Yeah! While you beat my ass!"

But he only snorted in response. "I've been the freak all my life. I know how you all looked at me, like a ticking time bomb. I'm not an idiot, Rain. I know my place in this family."

I felt somewhat stupid for being part of the system that so relentlessly excluded him. But I couldn't fix everything with one conversation, and he definitely wasn't without guilt either.

"Sorry you feel that way, but you surely have to know, you're not completely innocent in this."

Storm responded with a sour growl. Well, he definitely had a temper and never hesitated to show his physical dominance, establishing his position as the second alpha after only our father, despite having three older alpha brothers. Purple alphas were known for their very dominant traits, and if my father wasn't in a True Mate relationship with my dad, which greatly powered his energy, even he would have trouble taming Storm's aggressive dominant tendencies.

"Having a united front against me throughout my childhood wasn't an optimal situation. It would bring out the beast in many people."

Well, my truce with Storm extended only as far as this conversation went. I doubted we could ever be perfect examples of brotherly love. Too much history, too much bad blood. On top of that, I had my own problems, which were currently taking all my mental energy.

"Keep a cool head, Storm. There's no point dwelling on the past. Focus on getting through this in one piece. If they bring in the Omega Red Line Agency, you'll be totally screwed. Maybe even jail time."

I heard his heavy sigh. "Yeah, that's what I'm afraid of. I'll probably have to give in to Tom's demands. And I worked my ass off for that apartment."

"It's that or your freedom. You have to be ready to compromise. Forget about the apartment! You'll earn enough for another one!"

A moment of silence.

"Thanks, Rain. I appreciate the call, but I really need to go. I have another call coming in. It's probably Skye," he answered tersely.

"Good. Maybe it'll take his mind off his own problems. I heard Martin dumped him."

"Yeah, our family's been pretty gloomy lately. Thanks again for calling. Take care, bro."

He hung up. I stood for a moment at the edge of the lake, the tips of my shoes in the cool water, staring mindlessly at the tiny schools of colorful fish just below the surface, a whole other world—so innocent and simple. And in the meantime, flashes of my childhood were passing before my eyes.

I sighed heavily, hoping Storm would get through this without too much damage, for my parents' sake if nothing else. They didn't deserve more problems with another child.

Ever since River cut ties with our family, Dad carried a sense of guilt for almost everything related to our failures and struggles. Personally, I thought he took on too much, but I also knew how much he loved us and how deeply he was engaged in our lives. So I clenched my fists and whispered, "Please, Fate, let our family's fortune change. Let there be a rising tide, not an ebb. Let all my brothers find happiness, and let my dad stop worrying."

I felt silly saying that prayer, like a naive little boy, standing alone by the lake. I looked up at the sky, light and blue, seeming almost indifferent but also surrounding me, embracing me like gentle, light arms.

My heart felt heavy, but I forced myself to focus on the present.

Now, I needed to get back home; Kay could be waiting for me. I shouldn't be late, no matter how many problems my family had. I had promised to help with his situation.

So I quickened my pace, heading toward Adam's land.

***

I reached the house around 9:40 AM, eager to check on Kay, but feeling way too sweaty to do so comfortably. I would rather not be stinky while Kay smelled like fresh-cut jasmine flowers and vanilla dessert, so once inside, I headed straight for the shower. The moment I emerged from the bathroom, I noticed Adam waiting for me, his eyes big, again looking puppy-like.

"Uh… Rain, Kay needs you now," he said, clear embarrassment on his face.

"Oh." That was awkward. His own brothers acting as guardians of Kay's sexual needs seemed vaguely inappropriate. Clearing my throat, I added, "I still haven't eaten, so I may not perform well."

"Can you grab something quickly? He really needs you." Adam was obviously flustered. Huffing, I bit my lip and went to the kitchen. I drank two yogurts, and a glass of orange juice. Passing by Adam, who stared at me expectantly, I made a face. Then I went upstairs and walked into Kay's room without knocking.

It was filled with the scent of jasmine and vanilla. The wave was now in full force.

Kay was naked and curled up on a bed. His buttocks were facing the door. I could see his pucker, swollen, already slightly open.

As soon as he heard me, he turned and looked at me. His face was sweaty and red.

"I'm sorry. I was jogging around the lake, I didn't know it was such a long loop."

He didn't answer me anyway, so I didn't wait. I pushed him onto his stomach and placed my mouth on his pulsating orifice. Kay moaned as he felt my tongue swirl inside him, rubbing against his inner walls. I literally slurped his sweet slick, making sounds of pleasure.

"Please…" there it was again—the sweet, needy pleading that boiled my blood.

But it also made me want to tease him again, so I straightened up a bit and leaned over to whisper in his ear, "Did you use a dildo, Kay, while you were waiting for me? Did you slide it up your pretty hole? Did you cheat on me with a soulless piece of rubber?"

"No," he whispered breathlessly, I teased his entrance, rubbing my dick over it, pushing it in just an inch and pulling out, sliding it over his wet crease.

"Did this pink beauty wait for my dick like a sweet, good hole should?"

"God, you suck at dirty talk!"

"Do I suck your dick better?"

A small sound, so close to a chuckle, but not there yet…

"Much better," he murmured, and the appreciative tone in his voice made me preen. Maybe my attempts at deepthroating weren't so bad after all?

As a reward, I pushed my dickhead in a little more, but soon pulled it out again, and Kay groaned angrily, "Stop torturing me!"

"I can feel your hole clenching. So, Kay, are you willing to put up with my cheesy dirty talk for the sake of being filled?"

A low snort. "Looks like I have to!"

"Is it really that hard to bear?"

A moment of silence, and Kay let out a small breath. "No."

"Good."

And I plunged into him in one motion.

Kay climaxed—instantly!

Seeing red, overwhelmed by my own desire, I began to fuck him quickly and intensely. Pounding into his hot hole was such a perfect feeling. I succumbed and came way too fast with a wild, loud growl. But again, I stayed hard! It was strange how much in sync we were, more and more, hour by hour. I was adapting to his needs, quickly—still not being in a rut. I couldn't understand it.

After an hour of relentless fucking, nipple sucking, gland sucking, and blowing his dick, I was exhausted, but he was finally satiated. But the last time I came, instead of lying down on him to rest, I sat up and yawned.

"I need to rest a bit. I've been jogging a lot longer than I expected, and on top of that, I had a chat with my brother while circling the lake, so I'm kind of fried on all fronts. I'm going to crash in my room."

As soon as I stood up, I saw it. He opened his mouth as if wanting to say something, then closed it and lowered his head as if giving up.

"You wanted to say something, Kay? Say it."

A short pause. "Sorry about your brother. I hope it clears up quickly."

I stared at him, gaping, noticing a strong blush on his cheeks. Honestly, he was as red as a freshly cut beet! Did it really cost him that much to say it?

Wow. A strangely warm wave swept over me.

"Tha… thank you, Kay. I appreciate your words."

He averted his gaze. "You can also stay here, if you want." The omega's voice was so quiet, it was barely audible. His hand made a small gesture toward the bed.

What did that mean? I hesitated. Did he want me to stay with him in the same room, even if I would be useless to him? Just peacefully sleeping?

What happened to the rule of coming here only for sex?

What happened to the rude attitude?

I doubted my great skills at sex caused it, so what else could it be, fucking magic?!

Or maybe, just maybe—he felt similarly about me? The same confusion, the waves of unwarranted emotions?

Nah, probably not. He likely just wanted to be civil with me.

In any case, it was better not to ask too much. I was going to take what he offered, for sure. So I nodded and lay on the bed, covering myself with a blanket.

He went to shower.

Soon, I fell into a deep slumber.

***

When I woke up later that same day, around noon, Kay wasn't in the room. I was starving, so I decided to head down to the kitchen, but halfway down the stairs, I heard voices in the living room. I couldn't figure out who was speaking, so I hesitated. I started to listen more attentively, feeling a bit foolish since someone might come to the stairs and catch me eavesdropping.

After a moment, I recognized Kay's voice. "This wasn't a decision I made lightly. Dr. Johnson said the placenta was deteriorating, and the baby wasn't developing as it should. This was the best alternative."

A stranger's voice responded rather nervously, "Why didn't you tell us about this? We could have looked for better specialists than a small-town quack. What you did is just controversial!"

Another, lower voice joined in, "You should have told us how much you were suffering, Kay. You know we would have done everything we could to find the best solution!"

"I know, and I appreciate that," Kay replied wearily. "But this was a decision I had to make on my own because it concerns not just the baby but my body and my well-being."

"And do you feel like your condition has improved?" asked the first voice with a probing tone.

Kay answered tensely, "It's only been two days, but I haven't had a single cramp. I spent the night peacefully, without any pain. Psychologically, yes… I don't feel comfortable at the moment, but it's something I needed to do for the sake of the baby."

I heard someone gasp. "Kay, I can't imagine how it got to the point where you just invited a stranger into your home—"

Suddenly, Adam spoke up, apparently also there with them. "Rain isn't a stranger. I knew him throughout college. He's someone we can trust. He gave us his health records, he's young—twenty-six to be exact—fit, healthy, and works remotely, so he can be here without risking his job. Believe us, we really thought this through. This wasn't a decision we made overnight; we've been struggling with it for weeks."

One of the other voices raised slightly, "Why are we only finding out about this now? We were worried, but your updates over the phone sounded vague. We felt something was wrong, but never suspected you'd resort to this!"

Kay's voice grew more irritated, "I respect your opinion, but I had to make this decision with my and my baby's health in mind. This is my body, and only I can decide about it!"

A moment of silence followed. I could only imagine how uncomfortable this conversation was for everyone in the living room. Even I felt second-hand embarrassment, while they were openly discussing (and undermining!) Kay's decisions regarding his sexual, pregnancy-related cravings, which were strongly linked to his health problems.

Finally, Marco joined the conversation, "I'll admit, I have my doubts too, although for other reasons. I tried to convince Adam it might not be the best idea, but I know Rain as well, and in the end, I can vouch for him too. He's a good guy."

"Marco! He's an alpha; they're always a liability!" One of the voices spoke, evidently an older omega with strong opinions about alphas.

The second voice grunted, "Danny, give it a rest," he murmured.

"No 'give it a rest'! Most violence against children comes from stepfathers, not biological fathers. Bringing a stranger into your life is a danger to the child!"

"Wait a minute!" Kay's voice interrupted. "Who said anything about bringing him into my child's life? We've known each other for literally two days; making such plans is a bit of a stretch. The original intent was for him to help me through the worst months until the placenta stabilizes, and then we'll see what happens—"

"Kay, forgive me for saying this, but you're a bit naive. It's due to your inexperience; you don't realize how binding sex during pregnancy is between an alpha and an omega. I remember when I was pregnant with Maurice, John and I grew even closer than during heat. Few omegas realize this, but it's an extremely emotional period, and the bond formed isn't easily broken… If you think it'll be easy to just send him away like a paid worker, you really don't know what you're talking about!"

I could almost physically feel the rising tension in the living room. Of course, I already guessed who these people were; Kay's in-laws, who had apparently grown tired of being fed snippets of information or vague answers over the phone and had opted to come in person.

On a strange impulse, I decided to enter the living room. Maybe it was a stupid idea, but my alpha nature awakened in me and demanded that I mark my territory. Of course, I knew I was treading on thin ice here; this could easily backfire, perhaps even antagonize Kay and drive him away from me. However, something inside me just felt compelled to take part in this conversation.

To make my approach known, I stomped loudly down the stairs and entered the living room.

The sight that greeted me was quite memorable. Marco and Adam were sitting on chairs by the table, somewhat distanced from the rest, as if they didn't feel like equal participants in this conversation.

Kay was alone on the sofa, with two older men in chairs facing him, almost like an interview. He looked very unhappy—pale, with his lips tight and his brows furrowed. I felt an odd, but very intense wave of protectiveness. It was completely unjustified because I had no claim on him, but I just couldn't control my alpha nature.

I was sure that when Kay saw me, he would react negatively. To my surprise, when he looked up and his navy-blue eyes met mine, I saw a small flash of relief there. This only strengthened my conviction that coming down was a good idea.

"Hello," I said with an overly broad smile.

Adam abruptly stood up, biting his lip slightly, and walked over to me. "Rain, these are Kay's in-laws, Danny and John Sanders. We're having, um… a conversation."

Glancing at the guests, I gave a slight bow. "Nice to meet you. I'm sorry it's under such sad circumstances. My condolences for what happened," I tried to keep my voice polite yet confident.

Kay's in-laws stared at me with a hint of shock on their faces. Here stood the man who had taken their late son's place… yesterday. My entrance might have seemed exceptionally tactless, if not downright audacious. My heart sped up slightly, as if preparing for some confrontation.

I was surprised by how much older they looked than I expected, considering their deceased son was 23, the same age as Kay. The alpha appeared about 70, and the omega perhaps 60. They were attractive, well-groomed people; it was clear their son had inherited their looks, judging by the only photo I had ever seen—a wedding photo of Kay and Maurice. Both had short, graying hair and wore elegant, tailored suits, looking stiff and formal.

"Yeah, so we're having this conversation, you know, about all these circumstances—" Adam fumbled with his words, clearly embarrassed that the subject matter essentially concerned my presence here, connected to Kay's problems.

"Is everything alright?" I asked, glancing at Kay.

"Yes," Adam answered instead. "We just have to share some information and, well—"

"I hope I'm not intruding?"

"I'd say you are," the older alpha unexpectedly spoke up, his voice dropping into the range reserved for communication between alphas. There was a slight threat in his tone—not of physical violence, but a clear attempt to assert dominance.

Oh, no! No alpha would challenge me when the omega I considered mine (what?!) was watching me. I broadened my lips in a too wide smile—showing my canines. "My only reason for being here is concern for how Kay is feeling, nothing more."

"I understand that, son," he said patronizingly, "but this conversation doesn't involve you. Kay is our son-in-law, and what we want to discuss with him should remain between us."

Now that was the moment to assert myself. I focused, trying to sound composed and mature. "I don't intend to interfere with your matters. My sole purpose is to ensure that when Kay expresses a wish or an opinion, it is not challenged but respected. That's my duty here, to guarantee a safe space for him."

A tense silence followed. John Sanders and I were locked in a short staredown. Meanwhile, Adam looked out the window, and Marco gazed at the wall. So awkward! Only Kay stared at the floor, but a strangely intense blush blossomed on his cheeks, and his heartbeat quickened! Through this mysterious connection we had, I felt he was surprisingly content with my statement.

"And who are you to speak for Kay?" Danny furrowed his eyebrows.

"I'm his self-appointed protector, and I take my mission seriously," I said with bitter irony, bordering on amusement. I was pretty sure Kay would scold me for my insolence, for unauthorizedly establishing myself as his 'champion', which was almost bordering on claiming him, but… he just passively allowed me to play the scene as I saw fit, which was very revealing on its own.

Kay's in-laws glared at me, and suddenly the old alpha's throat emitted a low, warning growl. AO warning sounds are in many cases involuntary, so my reaction was instinctual; I couldn't control it either. A deep, thundering growl came from my throat in response, a clear message to another alpha, signaling that this was my territory and I intended to defend it accordingly. I was a much younger alpha in my prime, he posed no threat to me, and he likely realized this as his growling subsided.

I didn't even know if Adam and Marco could hear this exchange, as it was on a very low spectrum of sounds, perhaps at the edge of the range beta ears could detect. But Kay certainly heard it, and his eyes lifted to my face.

There was a flicker of something instinctive, something I had never seen there before, accompanied by a small burst of addictively sweet energy. These types of sounds often have an indirect effect on omegas, triggering submissive reactions. Now, I saw a shadow of such a reaction in Kay's aura. I also sensed very clearly—that he didn't want to continue the conversation with Sanders, that he was silently pleading for me to somehow usher them out. In his weakened state, he lacked the energy to confront an alpha, especially one he had known and respected for years as his in-law and the father of the person he loved.

But the irony was, my goal wasn't to dominate this situation or even to simply impress Kay! My reactions were purely instinctive. What I consciously wanted was to empower him—to strengthen his position in front of Sanders, even if it didn't seem obvious.

So, I decided to speak, adopting again a very pompous, official tone, "My hearing was my ally today. Your conversation was quite loud, and I couldn't help but notice a lack of regard for Kay's opinions and decisions. He holds sovereignty over his body, and his decisions are final. Kay has already endured enough stress. My presence here is solely to help him alleviate the discomfort he's facing. I'm not here to replace anyone, only to support my friend's family through this difficult and challenging time," I stated, surprising even myself with how eloquently I expressed it.

But then, the gray-haired omega spoke up, obviously unimpressed, his tone quite sharp and curt. "Young man, you clearly have no idea what the bond formed during pregnancy entails, so maybe your claim that you're not here to take anyone's place is sincere, but it's as naive as what Kay was saying earlier. You don't realize the strength of what's happening between you two!"

"Whatever is happening between us is exactly as you said: it is BETWEEN us," I emphasized the last phrase. "I assure you that I'm here only at Kay's request, and I'll follow his wishes. If he asks me to leave this house, I'll do it. If he asks me to stay, I'll do that too. But as long as I'm here, my duties and role as an alpha are clear, and they are to ensure Kay is safe, calm, and that the stress affecting him is minimized."

My gaze shifted to the young omega, who was quite pink on his face now. In all other circumstances, I was sure he would scold me for inserting myself like this, but I knew he just wanted them to go as quickly as possible, and I was the ideal means to end this.

Danny Sanders curled his lips slightly. "That's noble, and indeed it's a wonderful trait in any alpha that activates around pregnant omegas." His voice had a slightly mocking tone. "But it all sounds very idealistic. Forgive our skepticism, but we don't know you, and it's hard for us to accept that two months after our only son's death, you appear in Kay's life when he's carrying our grandchild. I hope you understand it's difficult for us to trust you and accept how this situation has developed." It was almost amusing, he also adopted a similar, somewhat pompous and official style, as if wanting to match my assertiveness.

I took a deep breath, noticing that Kay had hunched his shoulders; his whole demeanor radiated stress. I didn't want to escalate the confrontational atmosphere, so I decided to show some understanding and empathize with their perspective.

"Alright, I understand where you're coming from, and I want to be clear that I didn't show up here to start any trouble or create tension between us. I truly sympathize with what you're going through, and I share your concerns about Kay's situation with the child. But Kay's actions are all about protecting that child. He's putting the baby's well-being above everything else, even his own comfort. That's something admirable, something he should really be commended for. I know from Adam, it took a lot of courage for Kay to reach out for help in such a vulnerable time. He shouldn't have to explain himself because he's not doing anything wrong. What he needs right now is support, not judgment."

I felt Kay's gaze on me again, but I was too focused on making sure Kay's in-laws understood me to analyze his face. His energy was slightly different now, almost like he was amazed.

The old alpha frowned. "We never said Kay did something wrong, just controversial. I know he's acting in the best interest of the child. We're just not sure all other alternatives have been tried. We have the financial resources; we could help him find other ways, specialists who deal with widowed pregnant omegas."

Adam chimed in immediately, "We really did a thorough search, John. For weeks, Marco and I did nothing but go through all possible articles and information on the subject, both online and in libraries, and this was really the most sensible decision, supported by Dr. Johnson. It's the natural way, and Nature knows best. Artificial means, hormones, and stimulants that Kay could receive instead of Rain's presence would never be the most optimal solution."

"For his body. But what about his psyche? Kay lost his husband two months ago. I can't imagine such a sudden change would benefit his emotional state. It can be very intense to bond with a stranger, so many unknowns. You all insist you don't want him to stress, but forgive me, I doubt you shielded him from it as well as you may hope," Danny said, nervously twiddling his fingers.

This time, Marco joined the conversation. "I've been worried about that too, especially since I know that both Kay and Rain are not the type that approach relationships casually. And I still am uneasy, but we have to trust that Nature's got Kay's back and that getting him healthier will also boost his spirits and lower his stress. Believe me, this decision wasn't rushed. We left no stone unturned. We called several specialists, and they all gave us the same answer, recommending this therapy. That's why Rain was invited here, as our friend who can be trusted in such a sensitive matter. If there were a better alternative, we assure you, we would have taken it."

Silence fell. Kay's in-laws looked at Adam and Marco, still with doubts in their eyes, but it seemed they understood we were firmly behind Kay's decision and wouldn't change our minds, nor would Kay.

Finally, Danny slowly stood up. "Well, we have no choice but to wait for the results of this… therapy, as you called it. We hope it all turns out well, but we'd appreciate it if you kept us informed about Kay's health in a more detailed manner. We care deeply about his well-being."

Adam nodded. "Of course. We apologize for being so vague, but we were really stuck in a tough situation and just needed to hash out all our options. Now that things are starting to clear up a bit, we'll make sure to keep you in the loop about what's going on."

Danny approached Kay, sat beside him, and wrapped his arm around him. "Kay, take care of yourself, and don't hesitate to call us if anything happens. We're really on your side, and everything we said today was out of concern for you."

"I understand and appreciate that," Kay responded tersely.

John also stood up and approached Kay, but at that moment, I took a single step toward him. I didn't do anything more; it was a very small step, and quite irrational, to be honest, but it made John stop and only reach out his hand toward Kay under my watchful gaze.

"I wish you the best health. Hopefully, all this will end well, and we will owe you an apology."

Kay just nodded.

A minute later, the Sanders said their goodbyes and left the house, accompanied to the driveway by Marco.

Adam, Kay, and I stayed in the living room. I immediately went to the omega, taking advantage of the moment, and sat next to him on the sofa. I didn't touch him, even though I was tempted, but I wanted him to instinctively feel my supportive energy.

He was hunched over and seemed unhappy. Closing my eyes for a second, I did an even more bizarre thing, trying to… send him a positive wave of energy.

"Are you okay?" I asked softly.

Kay just nodded briefly; his gaze fixed on the carpet. Did he feel my 'transmission'? Probably I was just delusional with this idea of energetic connection.

Adam sighed and spread his arms. "Well, unfortunately, this conversation had to happen sooner or later. We can't hide your presence here forever. Danny is very socially involved, soon half the town will be talking about it."

"It's no one else's business," I said firmly.

Adam sighed. "Yes, but White Cliffs is a small town, you know how it is. People live for these kinds of little scandals, and the Sanders family is one of the most prominent here. Unfortunately, they also have their enemies. The hotels they own attract more visitors than the local ones, so there are plenty of people who would like to spread nasty rumors about them."

I glanced at Kay and saw that Adam's words made him hunch over even more and wrap his arms around himself, which evoked in me that wave of protectiveness again.

"If you feel uncomfortable, remember, I have my own house in the town where my parents live. I can offer you a safe place there. Brian took over my city apartment, but I have a small house I bought before our marriage. As for the situation here—"

Adam's face suddenly looked uneasy. "Let's not get ahead of ourselves. Maybe Danny won't spread it around; after all, it concerns his grandchild."

I nodded. "Right, there's no point in talking about it now and stressing Kay even more."

Adam nodded. There was a moment of pretty tense silence. "Have you had lunch yet?" I asked to change the subject.

"No, I was just about to prepare it when the Sanders arrived."

"Let me make it for you all. I doubt you're in the mood to stay in the kitchen."

Adam looked at Kay. "Kay, would you like to lie down now? You look pale. Rain will bring your lunch upstairs."

Kay muttered something in agreement and headed straight for the stairs. I so wanted to hug him, but for now, there wasn't too much space between us for that kind of intimacy.

After he left, Adam shook his head disapprovingly. "We tried to shield him from his in-laws because they're quite intense people. Kay's child is their only grandchild. They had Maurice quite late in life, and this whole situation has hit them hard. I sympathize with them, but right now, we all need to focus on Kay."

"I feel for them too. Losing a child is just unimaginable. But they could definitely be a bit more understanding and, you know, respectful. Kay was overwhelmed, and that's why I decided to come in here in the first place. Normally, I wouldn't have, but I could sense he was way too stressed out."

Adam stared at me for a moment. "You sensed his stress? Without even being in the room with us?"

I winced slightly at his ironic tone. "Laugh all you want, but you're no alpha," I added darkly. There was no need to mention the 'connection' that was behind it. I could pin it to the AO 'magic'.

Adam waved his hands dismissively. "Yes, yes, that special thing between alphas and omegas that we poor betas will never understand, sure!" He laughed mockingly.

"This is valid." I smirked.

Adam narrowed his eyes. "Am I imagining things, or did you and Mr. John Sanders exchange some of your alpha grunts?"

I burst out laughing. "Yes, we exchanged our alpha grunts, which are just incomprehensible to your little beta ears."

"Asshole!"

"What can I say? You're missing out on the juiciest part of our vocal range, the one that's all about scandals and controversies!" I said as I started preparing lunch.

"Okay, okay, at least we're not animals like you; we have this whole emotional balance and all!"

I shrugged and winked. "I remember what your emotional balance was like when you broke up with Dominic sophomore year."

Adam immediately turned red. "Uh, so not fair. I don't want to talk about it. But point for you!"

Meanwhile, Marco returned from the driveway and glanced in my direction. Seeing me slicing vegetables, he approached the table.

"Kay enjoyed the meals you prepared yesterday," he muttered, in a seemingly light tone.

"That's nice. I didn't know he liked them. Although I did notice he devoured the tuna salad with a great appetite."

"He also loved the frittata; seems like you're hitting his taste right."

I felt a traitorous blush on my cheeks; for some reason, that compliment meant a lot to me. "Well, I'm glad to hear that."

Marco didn't comment on the Sanders' visit in any way, for which I was grateful because I didn't want to think about them anymore. My thoughts were with Kay; I wanted to be in his room now, holding him in my arms, as irrational and excessive as it might seem. So, I focused on preparing lunch as efficiently as possible.

When it was ready, I separated out two portions for Adam, Marco, and myself, quickly ate—almost on the run—and took the rest upstairs to Kay.

I knocked on the door and entered when I heard his quiet voice.

Kay sat hunched on the bed, with his knees pulled up to his chin, looking small and less like the prickly hedgehog he usually tried to be in our interactions. I was sure at this point, it was just a facade and under it, Kay wasn't that off-putting as he presented himself then.

I approached him with the bed tray. He silently lowered his knees, allowing me to place the tray over them.

KAY

My mood was already bad after the in-laws' visit, and it just got worse. I knew what was behind their reaction—the unspoken, never-discussed feelings. They saw Rain as my quick replacement for their son. A swift fix. Two months—I'd been in mourning for that long—and then I found someone else to fuck me. I saw the looks they gave Rain, analyzing him, comparing…

Rain was even taller than Maurice and just as handsome. It was funny how much they resembled each other; they could be brothers, except Maurice's hair was a rich brown, while Rain's, when the light hit it, gleamed deep chestnut with reddish highlights.

Yeah, I had noticed those details already. I had also noticed that his eyes were silvery-gray, with tiny platinum-colored specks in them, and the iris rims were graphite, creating a beautiful contrast. Maurice's eyes were similar, but maybe more steel-blue.

I bet many people from afar wouldn't be able to tell Maurice and Rain apart. I was convinced that his appearance only reinforced the Sanders' belief that I had traded one luxury model for another—equally shiny thing.

Slut.

Longing to be filled with dicks, brimming with dirty pregnancy cravings, spreading my legs for just the first handsome guy who came close. Surely, that vision must have crossed their minds.

And John's sour face? They probably thought I never loved Maurice enough if I could jump into bed with another man after such a short time!

The Sanders were always very formal in our interactions. Their fondness for me—quite superficial. I didn't feel their support, especially after the death of my own parents, when I would have appreciated the warmth and sympathy of more mature fatherly figures, but they failed to provide that.

They were also wary of my looks. During college, there were a few situations where some frat boys or drunk partygoers tried to take advantage of me, and Maurice had to defend me. The Sanders openly expressed their concern: "Too much beauty, too much trouble." According to them, my looks were literally a danger to their son's safety.

One particularly bad incident took place during senior year when we were cornered after a party, and Maurice ended up in the hospital as a result of fighting three alphas. Danny didn't hesitate to show his frustration and made me feel guilty for attending the party in the first place: "What a great idea to go where there are dozens of drunk alphas! You should know how your beauty provokes them!"

But things only escalated when I tried my hand at modeling. They criticized it right away, thinking it was a dangerous profession. Young omegas were often subject to stalking by admirers. The whole job required diets, training regimes, constant travel, and had a short career span. One time John said, "If you want to be harassed by horny photographers, it's the way to go."

It hurt, even though I partially agreed with them. I wasn't blind; I knew how the industry worked, but I took it personally at the time.

When they looked at my pictures, which I was proud of, they didn't praise them at all; their faces twisted, showing a hint of disgust. When I started getting contracts as a runway model for famous companies, they took Maurice aside and started demonizing the situation, saying, "If Kay succeeds in the business, he'll make a cuckold of you."

The pressure had some effect on Maurice, and while he never forbade me to model, he wasn't as enthusiastic about my new gigs as before. He was worried and stressed, and spent all his free time practicing martial arts and accompanying me wherever I went for photo shoots. He stopped doing the hotel management chores he used to do for his parents, and his general mood worsened. Still, he never said a word, never criticized me, but deep down I knew he was overwhelmed by the situation.

Finally, I decided to quit the job a few months later. Well, it wasn't the only reason, but perhaps the main one. I felt sad that when I was enthusiastic about my first successes, his parents grimaced and tried to clip my wings, ruining those fresh and innocent moments of joy for me. Maurice once let slip that they saw a modeling career as a 'sign of vanity' and focusing on physical assets over spiritual merits.

I pointed out at the time that perhaps they should be more virtuous themselves, starting with greater acceptance of my choices and at least a little emotional support.

My choices?

Well… inviting Rain was certainly another BAD on my part, as far as they saw it.

I just added another thing to their list of negative judgments about me.

Was I possibly reading too much into their current opinion about me? Some of their concerns were valid, that's for sure. But I was steeped deep in gloomy brooding, unable to shake off the mood and analyze the situation with a clear head.

When Rain entered the guest room, his presence noticeably shifted their attitudes. I couldn't deny feeling relieved when he asserted himself, making his presence known, causing them to start backing off from their positions.

Eventually, they even showed a feeble kind of support and superficial acceptance of my choice, albeit rather forced. I was grateful to him for injecting new energy into the room and shifting the balance of power.

His exchange of growls with John also gave me a strange, quiet satisfaction. John, always so overbearing with his strong alpha energy as the successful owner of a hotel chain, liked to make judgments with ease, typically harsh. However, Rain's presence provided a slight counterbalance that I found strangely gratifying.

On one hand, it wasn't his business; Rain wasn't family, and theoretically, I could have been annoyed by his involvement. Yet, I was way too pragmatic to approach it that way. The only thing that mattered to me was the end result of the situation. Thanks to Rain, the Sanders finally got up and left, which was exactly what I had hoped for. Dragging out that agonizing conversation was giving me a headache.

I heard a knock; it was him.

Rain.

Today, for the first time, I called him by that name in my head. I don't know why; maybe it was just easier that way. He established his presence, stopped being so anonymous.

Rain entered the room with a tray. The expression on his face when he looked at me always brought about a certain kind of embarrassed irritation in me. It was the kind of look you give to something beautiful but irreparably damaged—with a certain melancholy, tenderness, sadness. And I didn't want him to look at me like that; he shouldn't look at me at all, and if he did, he should pretend that I'm just an assignment, a simple, emotionless duty he undertook to fulfill. I didn't want stupid tenderness. It overshadowed Maurice's memories for me.

He brought me food. I couldn't deny—it looked delicious; Rain was quite a good cook. Maurice couldn't cook for the life of him, and I didn't like doing it either. We always ordered food, and it was a bit tiresome, so this was a nice change.

"I made this for you. Spinach salad with olives, tomatoes, boiled eggs, and… hot bacon. I hope you like it."

Ignoring his smile, I nodded, not having the strength to respond in any other way. I felt like it would give him more power over me if I said it out loud. And I just wanted to be left alone.

While I started eating, he sat in the armchair in the corner, watching me with that look of his, full of sympathy and melancholy, which irritated me so much. This man's energy was something else. It was strange how intensely I felt it, almost like I could read his mind or his aura. It was so annoying, this odd 'penetration' of my mental space by his very palpable presence.

When I finished (it was indeed delicious!), he stood up to take the tray. I hoped he would leave, but he hesitated, then suddenly sat next to me, his body sinking into the mattress.

"Kay, how are you feeling? I noticed that visit shook you."

"I don't want to talk about it," I snapped through clenched teeth, avoiding his gaze.

He was silent for a moment, biting his lip. Yeah, I kept putting him in a constant dilemma of how to react, how to respond. I knew he tried to tiptoe around me, carefully avoiding all the spikes I directed at him. I kept throwing him more challenges, obstacles to overcome. In a way, they were strange tests; that's how I began to see them—tests of his character for the purpose… unknown.

"Would you like me to hug you?"

And again, that shy, respectful, polite question. And in it, space for me to refuse, to choose.

So, I growled—it just came out of me.

"For what purpose? Sexual?"

A slight blush on his cheeks.

"Not necessarily. I just thought maybe you need a hug. I don't know how it is for you, but in my family, we often hugged each other. My omega dad was one of those people who believed that every person should hug someone else at least 12 times a day, that it helps improve mood and gets through the day… It's healthy for the nervous system."

His caring-alpha aura was so infuriating. Maybe somebody would even call it sweet?

I didn't look at him; I don't know why, but I had to fight back tears for a moment. Since Maurice's death, so few people had hugged me; my brothers weren't the types for whom hugs were the first choice. They were always very cautious and almost fearful when it came to approaching me.

Rain was a stranger, and a very annoying one at that; I didn't want him here. But maybe that's why, if he hugged me, it would be easier, more anonymous, less engaging?

But my mouth responded faster than my head thought. "I don't need it from you!"

Rain remained silent for a while, looking pensive. Sending him a cautious glance, I noticed his long eyelashes fanning his perfectly chiseled cheekbones as he stared at the floor. An alpha should not have such long lashes; it was ridiculous. And kinda adorable.

He still sat there; I somewhat hoped he would finally leave, but he stayed. His strong energy filled the room like a powerful magnetic force that I had to resist. Suddenly, I noticed that his hand was somehow closer… closer to mine. It had those sexy, distracting veins running over the top of his palms and forearms.

I stared at it as if a snake were slithering across the sheets. Slowly, his fingers moved, inch by inch, toward mine. Finally, they were about a quarter inch away from my pinky. He just held his hand there, and I felt the warmth emanating from his skin.

Why did my heart beat faster? I could already catch his scent, unfortunately not the allure as he was on blockers, but the soap and a hint of sea breeze.

Still, his hand was there. Rain was giving me a second chance; I could still take him up on his offer. He didn't buy my bullshit that I didn't need a hug.

"Fine. If you want," I grumbled as if I were doing him a favor.

He smiled softly. His warm, firm arms enveloped me, and his fresh scent surrounded me as my head rested against his neck, near his left gland. Up close, I could see the faded bite mark left by his ex-husband, a year and a half earlier. It appeared to be almost gone. I was sure it would look better without this trace, although it wasn't my business, of course. My cheek was now against his neck. Rain had such warm skin—incredibly warm. Alphas were always warm like that; their skin was enticing, their touch, their embrace instilled a sense of security and grounding. I could lie to myself all I wanted, but his touch wasn't unpleasant to me. It made me turn into a puddle of… physical need.

I realized that my body seemed to melt into him, leaning onto him, putting more and more weight on his chest. Rain's hands gently stroked my back. It was… soothing, comforting, relaxing. For a brief moment, nothing mattered. I felt so calm—almost weightless—as if I had closed my eyes—I could imagine I was on a warm beach, the sun shining, the ocean murmuring, and there were no tragedies surrounding me, no problems, no judgmental people.

In his arms, I could forget.

Rain turned his head, his lips brushing against my cheek, kissing me very lightly. On one hand, I knew I should push him away and tell him he was crossing a line, that I wasn't ready for this kind of intimacy. But on the other hand, it felt like deep breaths for an exhausted sprinter—giving me small sips of life.

A pleasant wave expanded throughout my body, or maybe it was a pink bubble, like a gigantic balloon, lifting me up on a warm breeze of hydrogen.

But I shouldn't allow myself! To sink carelessly into this pleasure and bliss? It wasn't for me. This part of life had to be forgotten for now; I had other responsibilities and needs. Business, we should bring this down to business!

So, I mumbled it to his ear, "Fuck me."

I saw him hesitate for a moment.

"Are you sure? If you need to be alone, or if their visit has upset you—"

"No, I want to have my needs met because it helps with my well-being," I said sharply.

"Okay," he murmured, his lips moving to my neck.

I automatically turned my head to the side to give him better access to my gland. I loved it when he took care of it; it was like I could forget everything else and just drift away.

This time his kisses and touches were different from yesterday. They were more tender and gentler, which annoyed me, but on some level, it was exactly what I needed right now. I didn't want him to just fuck me. I wanted to be satisfied, not a hole for him to shoot his load into.

Rain seemed to be super-tuned to my expectations, and he responded exactly as I needed him to—sliding into me, thrusting slowly and gently, all the while holding me in his arms; his lips gently kissing my cheek, my forehead, my temples. His tenderness made me feel like dying—dying from anger that he wasn't Maurice, and dying from happiness.

When I closed my eyes, I felt almost as I did when I made love to Maurice. I felt like I was precious, wanted, cherished, maybe even loved. This illusion only lasted when I had my eyes tightly closed, so I was very careful not to open them. From the very beginning to the very end.

RAIN

That evening, after I had sex with Kay, he let me lie on top of him with my head resting on his neck. We were silent, of course. The no casual chitchat rule was still on. But just being there—was nice. My face was so close to his smooth skin, I couldn't stop myself from leaving small kisses on his cheek now and then, and he seemed to put up with it patiently. I was also drawing small circles on his chest absentmindedly, and he let me. This strange kind of silent intimacy was all we had for now, but it wasn't terrible.

Kay's state of mind, as far as I could tell, seemed to be a mix of sleepy haze and purposefully muffled emotions, almost like he had decided: no thinking!

Finally, my half-hour was up, so I untangled myself from his arms and slipped out of the room to take a shower. Half an hour later, I came back with a little snack for him. It was a funny dessert my omega dad used to make for me when I was a kid. This dessert had fruits: tangerines and bananas, very thinly and precisely sliced, and drizzled with a bit of honey. As a kid, I loved it, although my brothers would roll their eyes at it. In some sentimental impulse, I prepared it for Kay.

When I entered, he was just coming out of the shower, with only a towel around his hips. I rarely saw him standing, and I was surprised again by how tall he was! His body was so lean and chiseled, reminding me of his modeling past.

"I made a little snack for you. Something my dad used to make for me when I wanted something healthy but sweet."

His eyes lowered to the tray, to the orange shapeless mass lying there. It surely didn't look very appetizing. But he took the tray and muttered, "Thanks."

I had no idea what to do, so I sat on the floor next to his bed, just staring at him. Well, repeating that he was beautiful was kinda silly at this point; his beauty was just like the blue sky and the golden sun—ever-present.

Kay started eating, and I could see he enjoyed it, quickly wolfing it down. When I stood up and took the tray from his hands, he opened his mouth, then closed it, and opened it again.

"Thanks. I appreciate it."

I could see how much saying this cost him, almost like a string was taut inside him, ready to snap, but he was trying to hold himself back.

"I'm glad I can be useful to you. I love cooking for you."

And… he snapped!

"Stop! Stop it, Rain!"

His eyes were darker now, and his fists clenched. Waves of almost painful, infuriated energy radiated from his body.

"We are not in a relationship! You are not obligated to do anything for me."

"But I want to," I said casually, like it was no biggie.

But Kay wasn't easily dismissed.

"That makes me uncomfortable, do you understand?"

Swallowing hard, I hesitated on how to answer. On one hand, I was glad we were talking at all, even if it was in such a nervous manner, but on the other, I was aware his patience was at its limit, and it wouldn't be smart to make my behavior into something even vaguely romantic, I just had to downplay it.

"It shouldn't. I'm an alpha. It's in my nature to protect and care for pregnant omegas. It's deeply ingrained."

"Good, if it's only instinct, as I don't want to feel obligated to you, pressured into something I'm not ready for." His voice was so bitter and angry… it felt like we had regressed again.

Maybe I was just too optimistic before—or delusional. But maybe, just maybe… I shouldn't be so afraid of saying it out loud?

"If you want, I can call it just instinct. But it could be more; I'm open to more."

Well, I finally admitted it. Was it too much?

Kay snorted in amusement—at the same time, very palpable anger boiled inside him. "More? A good fuck blinds most alphas. And my looks. It always works. Don't try to make it more than it is, okay?"

Blinking blankly, I stared at him for a while.

"I won't mention it if that's what you want, Kay."

"Yes. So, enough talking. Just… don't talk to me, okay? Please. Don't talk."

It sounded almost pleading. Was he afraid of what would happen if we talked?

What else could I do? Not much. I nodded, took the tray, and left his room. A regression, but well… I wasn't easily discouraged. It was only the end of our second day—patience and time were required—and I had plenty of both. Like I said, I had my eyes set on him and didn't want to look away.

***

Marco was already in his room, and only Adam was in the kitchen, cleaning.

As I approached him, he turned toward me, glancing at the tray. "Did Kay eat it?"

"Yep, he liked it." I hesitated to tell him about the other, less pleasant part of our interaction, but I refused to make a big deal out of it. I was on my destined course anyway, determined to see where our path will lead us. I could as well enjoy the journey, right?

But Adam had something on his mind, obviously being two steps ahead of me. Tilting his head, he fixed his eyes on me.

"What?" I grumbled, feeling uneasy under such scrutiny.

"What's going on?"

"What do you mean?!"

"This alpha marking territory show with the Sanders. This cooking and running to his room. This protectiveness… I'm pretty surprised! You scolded me for suggesting you could court him and today, ta-da! You are sooo doing it!"

Flustered, I leaned on the kitchen counter. "Fuck off, Adam. I'm just being kind, he's in a vulnerable situation, and I want to help, what's wrong with that?"

Adam eyed me for a while and bit his lip. "Nothing, you'll surely hear no protest from me." The fucker had a mischievous spark in his eyes.

"What I do is pure instinct. He's an omega in need, and I'm an alpha, but—" I suddenly interrupted myself. Lying to myself was almost painful, and honestly, it was silly. Lying to Adam? Knowing I had him on my side, even more—he anticipated it, it was just wrong.

"But? All the interesting things always come after 'but'," Adam pointed out.

"Fuck. Okay. But it's so early. It's ridiculous to even talk about it. However, maybe what you said earlier, maybe it will go in that direction?" After a short pause, I added almost in a whisper, "If he allows it. I wouldn't be opposed to exploring more options for our… interactions."

Adam gaped, staring at me.

"Wow. He's kinda rude to you, but you still wouldn't mind? Maybe it really is just instinct. You can't possibly be that masochistic, to put up with him."

Rolling my eyes, I punched him jokingly in the arm. "I'm not a masochist! I just think you described him well before, underneath it all, the bitterness, the anger, Kay is sad and lonely."

Adam had a triumphant smirk, which I hated.

"Yeah. Kay was a great brother and a great husband. How he is now, it's not his real self. I'm sure he'd benefit from being around you more, or 'interactions' with you, as you put it… so cautiously."

I made a face, but didn't comment. It was far too early to talk about the nature of these possible future 'interactions'.

We both fell silent, staring at the dark glass, beyond which lay the terrace. I felt the need to share my observations, even though I knew the topic was very delicate. But it had to be addressed at some point.

"Why doesn't he attend therapy? I feel like he may need it."

Adam frowned. "He denied it. We tried, but he was stubborn. Kay is very proud and doesn't want some stranger to dig into his head. To bare himself in front of somebody he doesn't trust."

"Well, trust shouldn't be an issue, it can be assumed the therapist is to be trusted in his professional capability. I really think he—" I interrupted, rubbing my chin. "I shouldn't say this to you, as it's private. But the nest thing seems to be a problem."

Adam quivered, as if I would put a giant spider on his naked neck. "No, Marco and I don't discuss it! We are betas, we have no right! And you barely have any!"

Yeah, that was it. The social taboo surrounding nesting, heavily imprinted on all of us, but also so limiting in situations like this. We should be able to discuss it like adults, for Kay's sake.

"Adam, stop. That's childish. He's your family."

He pressed his hands to his eyes, looking frantic. "Childish? What the fuck? We can't intervene! It would be a violation, he went through enough, we can't—"

I stepped toward him and put my hand on his shoulder. "Stop, just stop. Breathe deep, you look like you're panicking."

Suddenly, it seemed weirdly inappropriate. So I quickly removed my hands from Adam's shoulder. But the sheer power of feeling uncomfortable touching another man beyond Kay shook me. Was I already kind of imprinting on Kay—bonding? After just two days? This kind of vague repulsion to touching other people would be natural for mated couples, but Kay and I still weren't. So why did I react like this?

Adam, unaware of my thoughts, rubbed his red face and sighed. "Gosh, sorry, but I really can't talk about it. You wouldn't understand."

Blinking slowly, I straightened up and forced myself to focus. "We should. It's for his good."

He cursed and went silent. For a couple of minutes, we both stared at the terrace before he finally relented.

"Uh, fuck. What I can tell you is… Kay was with Maurice since he was fifteen. He went through gland maturation at seventeen, already in a stable and loving relationship. He never nested much because of that; he only had those small structures, very modest. I read somewhere that might be the reason. He just doesn't know how to do it. Some omegas have only mild nesting needs when they feel safe in relationships."

"Adam, my omega dad feels safe in his relationship, and he builds beautiful nests."

"But was your father with your dad since they were teens?"

"No."

"So that might be the answer. Kay's system is in shock. His nature is awakening, and he's trying to nest, but the instincts aren't well-developed. It needs time to mature."

Something didn't fit. I frowned, saying, "I don't believe it."

"Whatever." Adam pouted. "That's my theory, and I think it's accurate."

"There are many omegas who were in relationships during their teenage years. One of my high school friends was with an alpha and went through maturation while they were together. They split up two years later, and he nests just fine. I've seen his nests. No problem with it."

Adam crossed his arms over his chest and lifted his chin challengingly. "Do you think you understand nesting more than I do?"

I mockingly mimicked his gesture. "I sure do!"

"I doubt that. You, alphas, have no business in this." His lips curled in contempt, and it was becoming quite annoying. Many betas had this kind of reaction to the alpha-omega bond, saturated with instinctive jealousy. I heard this a lot from Winter. Because they had no allure scent, didn't participate in mating games, and couldn't bear children, they always seemed to carry a vague feeling of envy.

But I had no patience for his insecurities now, so I kinda snapped, "We do, Adam! It's betas who have no idea what they're talking about! Omegas are our life! We feel them, we crave them, we pursue them! Even the first day when I noticed his disheveled nest, it felt like… a stab in my heart! We're protectors by nature, Adam! We want omegas to be thriving. Not kicking their own nests!"

We were both getting a bit too heated. I noticed I was standing just in front of him, leaning down as if dominating him, and he stared at me, his eyes wide, instinctively showing submissiveness. Quickly, I took a step back and let out a breath. It was stupid, we were so riled up, but we were both on the same side; we wanted Kay to be healthy and happy.

Adam's brows were furrowed. "You feel that intensely about it, huh? So ask him about the nesting thing, suggest a therapist, be the big brave alpha savior."

My gaze went toward the garden again as my irritation subsided. We both felt trapped and overreacted. But he was right, I was being a hothead, yet I had nothing. I couldn't help Kay without breaking the sacred, unspoken rules of our messed-up society.

Sighing, I fixed my eyes on him. I knew he felt helpless, and was just jabbing out of frustration and powerlessness. He had even fewer means to help Kay than me, as an alpha, and it had to bother him.

"Don't mock me, Adam. We really don't need to be at each other's throats right now."

"So stop being so intense about it, Rain. Just… we should let Nature take its own course!"

"What's going on, guys?"

Marco's voice echoed in the kitchen. We both flinched. Adam quickly cleared his throat. "We were just having a heated discussion about one pressing issue—"

"I can see that. You look like you just challenged an alpha, brother. I can't see how that can end well for you," Marco chuckled.

"I'm no match for his muscles, but for his brain, for sure, yeah. And I just challenged him to convince Kay to see a therapist."

"Oh, here we go again. We've been there, Rain. He was adamant."

"He needs it, Marco. The nesting thing."

Marco frowned and went silent, looking uncomfortable.

"Well, maybe it's not a bad idea if you're the one to try to encourage Kay. As an alpha and his sexual partner, you have more means to do so."

And here we were again. "But I can't mention the elephant in the room, you know that, Marco."

He nodded slowly. "I know, you would offend him. But you can ask about attending therapy in general. As an outsider, your voice offers a different weight. I'm not blind, I'm also worried about the nesting thing."

All three of us fell into a silence, but this time—full of understanding.

The nesting thing. Our mutual dilemma that we just had no idea how to solve.