18. MACON

MACON

Ellie being in my home wasn’t on my bingo card this week but I’m all for it, even more so since I know my mother hired a new Beta maid in place of the Omega she tried to shove into my home last week. That shit was beyond disrespectful. I still remember that moment clear as day, the moment when Savin finally accepted that this house was just as much his as it was mine. Being proud of Savin for voicing his desires didn’t even cut it. My disdain for my mother, however, grew tenfold.

Savin giggles as we step inside. His body freezes against mine, his nostrils flaring as his fingers dig into my waist. “There’s an Omega in here.” I don’t doubt it, even if the only thing I scent is a sweeter smell than usual. My mother has been in charge of hiring staff, our only requirement is that it be a Beta so that it doesn’t mess with either of us. Savin isn’t too fond of additional Alpha presences in our home and I am always wary around Omegas because of the few times they’ve tried to shove Savin aside for a chance at me.

We might be mated and married but both of us have had to deal with advances. The least we can do is keep those moments outside our house.

I shed my shoes and set down our takeout, Savin rushing forward as the foyer opens up to the kitchen and living room. He stops when his gaze locks on a woman humming by the stove, dancing to her own melody. My Omega fists his hands at his sides, growling under his breath as I move to stand beside him. The woman looks up and grins, squealing as her gaze locks with mine.

“Goddess, I’ve seen you two in pictures but never up close. So beautiful.”

The faint smell of spaghetti bolognese meets my nose, my suspicions growing. For one thing, we rarely meet the staff that works in the house. They work during the day while Savin and I are out, or come through in the evenings by the time we’ve retired to Savin’s nest. Our privacy comes first and Savin has requested more than once that he wants to completely relax when he comes home—illness and all.

The woman scurries around the counter, throwing out a hand for me to shake as she ignores Savin. “Melinda but most people call me Melli.”

I frown, staring at her hand and then back at her. “I’m confused why you’re here, Melli. Care to explain?”

She giggles, the sound like nails on a chalkboard. Savin is nearly vibrating with anger at my side, an Omega in our house. An Omega we don’t know and who is clearly trying to pull my attention. Unfortunately, if I react the way that I want to, Savin will pay for it. I fold my arms across my chest, masking my confusion and growing rage. There’s only one reason she has access to our kitchen but I need those words to come from her mouth.

Melli drops her hand, still unaware that I’m not going to entertain her advances. She’s adorable, I suppose, but not my type. She’s also not my mate or my husband—I already have one of those. “Your mother mentioned that you might like a nice home-cooked meal.”

And there it is. The reason she’s here. My mother has never shied away from forcing me on blind dates, even trying to continue them after I married Savin. However, she’s never been this brazen. I tamper down my growl but am not quick enough, Melli’s eyes growing wide as she takes a step back. “Melli, you shouldn’t be here. Yes, I am very aware of what my mother probably said to you. I’ll speak to her. Please grab your things and leave.”

Melli whines, about to fight my command when Savin marches to the kitchen. I know what’s going to happen before it does, Savin not exactly lenient when it comes to those who don’t listen. I’ve caught him more than once making sure Betas and Omegas vying for my attention understand that I’m not interested. I could have made the same statement but watching Savin take charge? Goddess, I have never been so hard.

Savin stares into the pot and in the next second, picks up the entire dish and throws it against the wall to his right. Red sauce and meat splatter across the wall as the pan crashes to the ground, flecks spraying back on my Omega. He hisses as some hits his cheek, whirling around to find Melli a few steps from him, looking at the mess in horror. “Why the fuck would you do that? I worked all day on that!”

I’m not sure why the meal would take all day but I let Savin take control. This is his moment. “You come into my house and disrespect my family. You’re not here to work. You’re here for a crack at my husband. My mate.” He angles his head and pushes his hair out of the way, showing off his bondmark. “You fucking knew what you were doing too because it’s not exactly a secret.”

“But…”

Savin then swipes his finger through the sauce on his cheek before sticking it into his mouth. “Your cooking also tastes like shit.” I hold back a chuckle, knowing that my Omega is full of shit. It’s not hard to tell when he likes something, his pupils growing or the way his entire body shivers. His scent also sweetens the slightest bit, however, the way he hasn’t backed down from her is priceless.

Melli screams at his antics, grabbing her purse as she pushes past me and out the door. No doubt she’ll call my mother in a few minutes, sobbing and crying that dinner has been ruined by Savin. I face the kitchen again, unsure of what to say. Savin is staring at the sauced wall, seething, his scent moving between stale and muted.

When I step up behind him, he flinches. “Don’t give me a speech about jealousy. She should have never been in our house, Macon.”

I rest my chin on the top of his head, wrapping my arms around him. “I wasn’t going to, baby. I just knew that you would rather handle it. Besides, I might not have been able to control myself the way you had. Come on, let’s eat all that grease you conned me into buying.” I turn him around in my arms, a tight smile playing on his lips as he scrunches up his nose.

“I’m sorry.”

I shake my head, caressing one of his cheeks in my hand as my thumb rubs over the small mark on his cheek from the sauce. “Don’t apologize. This is your house just as much as it is mine. You have every right to kick someone out as I do and I’m proud of you. Now, go take your greasy mess over to the couch while I go cuss out my mother.”

Savin sags against my chest, angling his chin up so that I can still see his face. “I really don’t like her. Goddess, I know that’s terrible to say but fuck, I do not want her anywhere near us.”

I lower my head to kiss him, savoring his taste and bringing the sweetness of his scent back out. “I’m not that big of a fan either, baby.”

“You gonna tell her? I was willing to let whatever needed to happen, happen. But this…”

Savin isn’t wrong. My mother’s disregard for my relationship isn’t new but shoving someone into our space is and I won’t stand for it. “I will. It’ll be official at brunch next week. I don’t want to leave her with nothing but I can’t have her in our space. Go eat. I need to scream at my mother.” A wild smile spreads across Savin’s face and I sigh, “Yes, I’ll make sure you can hear it.”

He presses a kiss on my lips and then saunters off, grabbing the food by the door and then plopping onto the couch. The stuffed cheesy soft pretzels and loaded nachos are one of many things that Savin enjoys and I couldn’t say no with those puppy dog eyes staring up at me as we left the production company.

Seeing that Savin is settled, I whip out my phone as I swipe a finger through the lingering sauce on the wall. One taste tells me that Melli had a way with food, something that’s always been a sore spot for my mother. Savin doesn’t cook. He has no desire to and I would rather he not. He’s tried a few times and we both decided that having a chef of some kind was best.

“Mom,” I start the moment the dial tone ends. “Seriously?”

“Melli just came crying to me and told me-”

I cut her off immediately. “You sent an Omega to our house.”

There’s a few moments of silence and then a hefty sigh as if she is disappointed with me for not accepting Melli’s advances. “Savin isn’t fit to be your mate, sweetie. I’m not sure if you’re just infatuated with his looks but you need someone to support you in your career and Savin-”

Savin hisses from his place on the couch and as much as I want to take this call into the office, he asked to hear it. He stuffs a rather large section of pretzel into his mouth, glaring at me as his cheeks puff out. Goddess, he’s adorable when he’s angry.

Focusing back on my mother, I tell her the same thing I’ve been telling her for a while. Only this time, there’s a lot more anger to go with my words. “This is disrespectful to me and my mate. You had no right to do that. I asked for your help because some of the tasks fall through the cracks but setting me up on blind dates the same way you did before I was married is disgusting. In sickness and in health is what I promised Savin. Is what I still promise him. Is what I promise him every fucking day. I won’t break that because my mother believes he isn’t good enough for me. I’m barely good enough for that pure soul. I’ve been lenient and maybe too much so that you think you can still spew that kind of hatred.”

“I was just trying,” she pleads. She does this, tries to make me feel bad for my choices and when I berate her for messing with my life, she tries to guilt me into believing that she was just trying to help.

I drag a hand down my face, furiously rubbing my beard to keep from throwing a punch at the wall. Making my way over to the couch, I drag Savin into my lap to give me something to focus on. “Oh, I know what you were trying to do and it won’t work. It didn’t three years ago and it won’t now. If you can’t respect my choices and my house, then you have no business being anywhere near my family.”

“Macon Astor.”

“I might be your son but that doesn’t mean I have to give you access to my family.” I hang up on her, knowing that the monthly brunch we have will end next week. I’m not mad about it but it’s going to be one uncomfortable meal. Savin curls into my chest as I steal a pretzel and stuff it into my mouth. A bit of grease will take some of the anger away. A good hard fuck as I praise my Omega will take away the rest.

My biggest worry is exploding at my mother in a public place. We can’t afford the press but I truly need her to understand that she has made our space unsafe and I won’t just stand by as my Omega suffers in mind and soul because of something I can prevent. I should have done this sooner but I’ve been holding on, hoping that she’ll turn over a new leaf. She hasn’t and it’s time to let her go.

I find a booth in the back of Oasis Eats, a high-end eatery that my mother salivates over. They serve caviar, salmon, and mimosas like they’re going out of style. Neither Savin nor I find much joy in eating out in public, choosing to bring food into our home or asking the chef to prepare something. The few occasions that we have enough time, I prepare us a meal but that’s far and few between.

Savin leans against the wall, his jaw pulling tight as he stares ahead. High-stress situations aren’t good for his health but he wanted to be here and I can’t deny him. If his health takes a turn for the worse, however, I’m carting him out of here regardless of whether my mother is mid-sentence or not.

The snap of a camera makes my head turn. Someone is sitting a few seats away, trying to seem inconspicuous and failing. Of course, my mother has set something up so that this conversation doesn’t go astray. My mother walks around a corner and my heart sinks into my stomach at her attire. She’s dressed for the occasion, wearing a large black hat and a tight velvet dress. A tight smile sits on her face as she slides into the booth across from us, removing her hat and angling her body so that the photographer will capture the best pictures.

A waitress brings us three mimosas in elegant glasses before rattling off a list of menu options, my mother choosing the most expensive entrée. I pick a salmon entrée, Savin ordering bruschetta to the disgust of my mother. With him so close to his heat, his desire to eat changes on a dime. “Mom, I see you brought a friend with you today.”

She waves it off. “They come with the territory.” She takes a gentle sip of her mimosa, licking her lips before, glaring in my direction, vitriol in her words. “If you had chosen that pretty girl I sent you-”

Savin’s scent goes sour and I grab his hand beneath the table to keep him quiet for a little longer. I will absolutely give him his moment to let my mother know how he feels but I need to let her hear this one more time from me. “Choosing a prospect for another mate or someone I should be married to is disgusting. I am already married. You have to accept Savin. He’s my mate and not going anywhere.”

I catch Savin’s expression out of the corner of my eye but when he’s usually curling into himself, this time he’s ready to fight. He wants to spit fire at the woman who thinks she owns a piece of my fame and I can’t blame my mate for wanting to do so.

“I won’t,” she spits, taking another sip of her mimosa.

I nod, knowing how this was going to play out. The only difference is that today I get to walk away and leave her behind. A camera shutters and I grit my teeth, trying to keep my emotions in check and my face as neutral as possible. “Then you don’t accept my choice. These meals and the hand you have in my life are no longer beneficial to either of us.” She gasps at my response, a hand placed over her heart as if this isn’t news to her. A smile spreads across my lips as I squeeze Savin’s hand, leaning over to press a kiss to his temple—a signal to let go.

Savin moves from sweet, innocent Omega to a fury burning in those gorgeous eyes, his face contorted in anger. I lean forward to make sure that the next camera shutter catches my back and not my Omega. “You’ve never cared for me, Aayla, never. Even before I was sick. You thought I was too much or not enough, too proud or too shy. I can’t live up to the expectations that you have for your son’s mate. But here’s the thing you don’t fucking understand,” his breath hitches in his throat but I continue to hold onto him, giving him strength.

An Omega speaking to an Alpha like this? Society would balk and scream and ruin this man’s career but I won’t let that happen. Savin has every right to put my mother in her place.

Savin straightens up, blows out a breath, and keeps going. “You don’t understand that I don’t need your fucking approval. I don’t need you to accept me. I am Macon’s. He is mine. We swore that in an oath when he bonded me, and again on our wedding day.” His jaw pulls tight as he weathers a wave of pain before he continues. “You will not split us up. Macon is mine.” He growls out that last word and if we were back home, I’d fuck him so hard for the way he so easily claims me.

I press another kiss against his temple. “You did so well, baby.” He turns to me, a tight smile on his lips, his face flush from the effort. My mother has been quiet this entire time, cataloging the harsh words we’ve thrown at her, no doubt shocked that I let Savin speak to her that way. “Mom, house key please.”

Her eyebrows shoot up. “What?”

“You can’t have missed how I’ve slowly been taking your control from you, the things you manage and oversee returning to my hands. However, I let you continue to manage the house because it gave me a little more time to spend with my mate. But the disrespect? It’s getting worse.” I hold out my free hand, wiggling my fingers for the key. She also has the code but that can easily be changed.

She swallows carefully, waiting for me to tell her this is a joke. It’s not. “Macon, you’d let your Omega disrespect me like that?”

“That’s the first time you’ve acknowledged that he’s my Omega while also disrespecting me in the same breath. How does it feel to be brought back down? And yes, I would let him speak to you like that because he’s experienced so much worse when you’ve spoken to him. From now on, you aren’t to touch my affairs. You aren’t to talk on my behalf to anyone in the industry. You are not a contact point. For anything other than being my mother, you have no place here.”

“You wouldn’t.”

“I would. I am not part of an agenda, Mom.”

She hisses, leaning forward as she taps the table with manicured nails I’ve never liked. They remind me of claws more than a neat presence. “I made you,” my mother hisses.

I open my mouth to refute that when Savin speaks up. “When?” He spits. I can tell the toll this conversation is taking on him but he doesn’t want to be coddled so until he taps out, he can have the floor. “Tell me when you made my husband, my mate? He paid for his own schooling, worked his ass off, and got to where he was with you riding on his coattails. You have what you have because of him and if I had had my say, you wouldn’t have even been invited to the wedding.” He turns to me, those fierce eyes showing me the mixture of anger and weariness. “Macon, I don’t want to be here anymore.”

“He’s whiny and pushy-”

I cup his cheeks in my hands, nuzzling my nose against his. “No, he’s perfect. Let’s go home.” It’s not a surprise that my mother won’t hand over the keys but locks can easily be changed just as the code can, something I make a point to have happen in the next few hours.

Savin slips out of the booth. “I could go for some pancakes but at home.”

I chuckle, grabbing his hand in mine and leading him out of Oasis Eats. No doubt the photographer will spin my mother’s forlorn expression into something that we’ll have to deal with later. For now, my attention is fully on Savin. He pulls our hands to his chest, bowing his lips to my knuckles as we walk in silence. It isn’t until we’re pulling out of the parking lot that Savin speaks again.

“I think I want to take care of the house.”

My brows raise, intrigued at Savin’s request. He rarely leans into his Omega instincts so I’m surprised he wants to try something so domestic. “This wouldn’t have anything to do with Ellie, would it?” I didn’t manage to ask my mother who the new Beta maid was but I’m pretty sure we were right, that it’s her.

Savin’s scent sweetens as his cheeks flush. “No! Yes. I don’t know. Maybe a little? I just know that I need to do something and right now, this is the easiest to pick up.”

My heart breaks for him. “I don’t expect you to, Savin. We can hire-”

He shakes his head, eyes focused ahead as his hands settle in his lap. “No, it’s not about being an Omega. This is my home too. You’ve been very clear about that and I think I’ve been a little uncomfortable because your mother has been managing our affairs.” Savin leans back in the chair before throwing me a pained glance. “I think for a while I didn’t want to indulge some of my instincts because they made me feel lesser. No, Macon, it wasn’t you. This whole industry wants the sweetness of an Omega but none of the problems that come with being one. I just… I want to try. But fuck, I’m still not cooking.”

I laugh, the sound rumbling through my chest as I grab his hand in mine. “Baby, I’ll be more than happy to let you indulge. As for cooking, that’s an easy thing to pass off.” I know full well that plopping all of the house affairs in Savin”s lap could be a disaster in the making. It”s one reason I passed it off to my mother, the stress of keeping up the place too much to focus on. ”How about this? I”ll speak with Rhonda and see if she can”t shoulder a few more responsibilities until you”re ready, hmm?” Rhonda, a maid that”s been with me since I was a kid, has offered a few times but I”ve never seen the need for it. Savin takes a moment and then nods, a comfortable silence settling between us, however, I”m not sure what we’re returning to with Savin on the cusp of his heat. His scent has evened out, much less potent than last night, but that doesn’t make me worry any less. “Will you be alright if I attend a meeting this afternoon? I can push it if we need to.”

“Yeah, I think there’s still some time before my heat. I’ve got ice cream, heat packs, and a huge fat cock to occupy me while you’re gone.” I raise an eyebrow, wondering what the fuck he’s talking about while trying not to laugh. He grins up at me. “The present you gave me for my birthday last year!”

This time it’s my cheeks feeling hot. I took him to a sex shop for his birthday last year, thinking he’d pick out a flogger or a blindfold. No, Savin was way more interested in the professional cast, one specifically meant to replicate an Alpha’s cock. Being measured was definitely one of the more embarrassing moments of my life but coming home every now and then, seeing that silicon stuffed up my mate’s ass makes it one of my more memorable presents.

“Well, leave some energy for when I get home. I’d hate for you to miss the real thing.”

Savin gifts me with his giggles, squeezing my hand. I nearly forget that he’s weathering his pain and if not for the way his scent fluctuates, I would forget entirely.