Chapter Fourteen

Aziz

"I wonder if I could do that one day," Ryan murmured to himself while he looked over Tyrus' shoulder. The bear was at the new omega house, setting up security and showing everyone how to use it.

Mav was in the backyard, teaching some of the older omegas how to defend themselves. We would be their security but in case someone got past us, we wanted them all to be prepared and empowered. The new security system also had a lockdown method that would lock all the doors and pull down metal bars over the windows. We had messed up before, sending the omegas to a place that wasn't really safe, but this was our method of correcting those mistakes.

"Do what?" I asked and put my hand on Ryan's shoulder.

"All that computer stuff. I don't even know how to get on the internet."

"Tyrus would be willing to show you, I bet."

Tyrus turned and pulled up a chair next to him. "Lessons start now."

The smile on Ryan's face was priceless.

I walked to the kitchen where Jack was peeling potatoes while balancing Bryant on his knee, away from the peeler. He could've put him on the floor, but he preferred the little one as near him as possible. I chalked it up to his trauma, but he claimed he simply loved him that much.

"Should I take Bryant or the peeler?" I asked, chuckling.

Jack sighed and looked up at me. "Bryant, please. He's a squirmer today. I swear, he hasn't stopped kicking since he grew legs in my womb."

"A strong little cub, if you ask me."

Bryant looked up at me with his big blue eyes and extended his arms up, his hands pumping in and out of fists. Grabby hands. For me. I'd only ever seen him do that for his father and Uncle Tyrus. "He…he reached for me, Jack."

Jack turned those lovely eyes to me and nodded. "It's not the first time, Aziz."

I pulled the little one into my arms and gave him a potato peel to play with. He put it right into his mouth but then realized it didn't taste very nice. "What do you mean?" My chest sank.

"He has reached for you before."

My temples pulsed while my heart squeezed inside my chest. "When?" I asked, believing him. My omega was honest to a fault.

"It was a while ago. We walked into the kitchen for breakfast. Your back was turned to him, so there was no way you could've known, but Bryant reached for you."

I hugged Bryant close to me. "I'm sorry, little one. I didn't know."

The pup, who I already thought of as mine, laid his head on my chest. My hyena pulled at his tiny wolf, bonding with him already. There would be a time when our son shifted into a wolf and I would run with him and teach him to hunt.

"I'll make up for it," I said, sitting next to Jack.

"Stop focusing on the past, Aziz. Let's live for now. That's what the counselor told me. We can't change the past. No amount of reliving it is going to undo anything."

"That's good advice, sweet omega."

"About time," Pop-Tart said, coming in to the kitchen. He checked the schedule and began getting veggies out for the salad.

I chuckled, already knowing what he was talking about.

"Shut it, Pop-Tart," Jack said. They had a friendly relationship as he did with me. They bantered more than he and I did though.

We finished prepping for dinner. King arrived a few hours later and had the night shift for guarding.

After dinner, Jack and I went on the back porch where Pop-Tart had put up a swing. There were so many things to do on the house. Projects. Programs. Day-to-day things but, tonight, I wanted to sit still with my omega. Be with him.

Be with our son.

"He has barely left your side all day." Jack reached out for the pup who went to his papa without a fuss.

"We have been bonding," I answered, wrapping my arm around Jack's shoulders.

"I think I want to go for the doula program with the healer," Jack blurted.

"I heard about how you helped Sloan. You are kind and patient. I bet you would make an excellent doula. Midwife. Healer even."

He turned to me, nestling Bryant in between us. The little squirt did a couple of turns, like a wolf making a perfect nest, and then plopped down, his head leaning on me and his feet on Jack. "Do you really think so?"

"Of course. You are capable and intelligent. Honestly, you could do anything you want in this life, omega. I'll support you through anything, I hope you know that."

Gods, I wanted to seal that promise with a kiss.

"I'm going to ask him the next time we see him."

"Good," I agreed. "And if that doesn't work out, we'll find something else for you to study or pursue."

"You believe in me," Jack whispered.

"Of course I do. I always have. Even before I realized you were mine."

We looked down to see Bryant asleep in between us. My hyena could scent my omega, needy and full of lust for me.

Jack pulled out his phone and texted someone and then laughed.

"What?" I asked.

"Pop-Tart said he would watch Bryant if you and I wanted some time to ourselves."

My heart beat against my sternum. "He offered?"

"No. I asked him."

"Jack? You said…we said we wanted to take this slowly."

He sighed. "Fuck slow. I've been waiting so long for you. Unless you…"

"There's nothing I want more in this world than to knot you, mate."