Chapter Twenty-Five

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

Now Playing: Run- Bring Me the Horizon

“Mornin’ firefly,” Titan greets as soon as I open the door. It’s entirely too early for me to be awake, or at least it feels like it.

Glancing at the clock I realize it’s nearly noon. Bea’s already gone since she had to work today. I don’t even think I woke up when she left this morning. Feeling so drained all the time sucks.

“Up for a ride today?” he asks, holding up a leather jacket.

A burst of excitement skitters over my skin when I see it. Going out on his motorcycle has quickly become one of my favorite things to do. “Yeah, just let me get dressed.”

He passes me the jacket and heads back toward the kitchen.

I quickly change from my cozy pajamas into skinny jeans and a long-sleeve band tee. The leather jacket smells new, and when I spread it out I realize it’s much smaller than the one I’d borrowed last time. Did he buy me my own riding jacket?

A small piece of me insists this is too much–these things aren’t cheap–but the bigger piece of me is too thrilled about the feel of the buttery soft material on my skin to care how worthy I am of a gift this extravagant. Slipping the jacket on, I sigh when its weight settles on my shoulders. It fits perfectly.

Titan waits in the kitchen with a cup of tea and a breakfast burrito, making sure I eat something before we begin whatever adventure he’s chosen for us today. I bounce on my heels as he starts the bike, turning to offer me a hand to help me climb on behind him. Snuggling against his back, I feel him laugh at the excited energy vibrating through my sore body.

I may regret this outing later when the pain in my limbs returns, but for now, I’m going to pretend like everything is okay and I’m still not slowly falling apart.

A few hours after we leave, Titan turns up a long driveway. I’m curious to see where we are going. My eyes roam over the surrounding woods, grinning when I see a river in the distance. This place is so peaceful and wondrous.

At first, I think it may be a park or nature reserve of some sort, but then a huge modern house comes into view ahead of us. The multiple story home is covered in floor-to-ceiling windows, letting natural light shine into the interior. I don’t think I could ever live in a house so bright, especially close to or during my heat.

Titan parks his bike by the front entrance and helps me climb off. As I’m passing him my helmet, the door flies open. A short, dark haired woman smiles widely at both of us. “Has my favorite nephew finally decided to introduce me to his omega?” she calls cheerfully.

My eyes widen when I realize he brought me to meet his family. This must be his Aunt Abigail. The female alpha who was disowned by her family and ran out of Nashville when he was in his early teens.

“I’m your only nephew, Aunt Abby,” Titan replies with a grin. It lights up his face and I swoon. He’s so fucking handsome when he smiles, as rare as it is.

His warm palm slips beneath my jacket to press against the small of my back so he can guide me up the short steps to where his Aunt stands. She offers me her hand as soon as I’m within reach, gripping mine with two of hers as she studies me. “Abby, this is our Fate matched omega, Omen Powell.”

“It’s so wonderful to meet you,” she gushes. Her slightly burnt cinnamon sugar scent is warm and welcoming. The reddish brown color of her eyes is unique and matches the spiciness perfectly. “I hope my nephew and his mates have finally gotten their heads on straight.”

“Uh, they’re working on it?”

“If they give you trouble, let me know. My mates and I will set them straight for you.”

“Who’s here today?” Tee asks, shifting on his feet and glancing into the house behind her.

“Canyon’s at work and Juny had an appointment in town, but they both should be back this afternoon!” She squeezes my hand gently before stepping back to let us into their home.

The minimalist interior is broken up by loud pops of color. My favorites are the pop-style animal paintings hung on the wall behind their huge, fluffy white sofa.

The two of them chat casually as she leads us to a kitchen worthy of a professional chef. Seeing it reminds me she is a professional. I’ll have to convince the guys to come visit her restaurant for dinner one night. The food has to be amazing if the scents wafting from her kitchen are from her cooking.

Sitting at the large island is a slender but athletic man with messy white-blonde hair. His neon, tie-dye t-shirt tells me he is the one who chose the colorful pieces of their decor. He turns as we approach, startling me with his blue eyes. They’re so light they’re nearly white.

“Decided to stop in for another surprise visit, Titan?” He grins at him before turning to me with a much softer smile. “You must be the mystery Fate matched mate we’ve heard so much about. I’m Kipp, Abby’s omega mate and resident chaos creator.”

“It’s nice to meet you both,” I reply with a small smile. I am so under-prepared for a meet-the-family event. I didn’t even put on foundation to cover the dark circles beneath my eyes! They don’t seem to notice, or if they do they’re polite enough to not point them out.

Titan guides me to a stool several spots down from Kipp and I’m grateful to be able to sink onto the high-backed wood and get off of my feet. Despite riding on the bike for the past several hours, walking through the huge house has left me winded. I’d hoped the bond with Nebula would help a little with the effects of the chemical rejection, but so far it has not done much.

“So, Omen, Titan tells us you’re a photographer?” Kipp asks. He’s an exuberant person, but not in a sunshiney way. More like moonlight. Which matches the mischievous glint in his light eyes.

“I am yeah. That’s how we met, actually. I was their tour photographer.”

“Was it hard being on the road without a nest?”

“I had a mini-nest on my tour bus,” I tell him. “My adoptive parents got it for me and my best friend as a graduation gift. She’s an assistant band manager at the guy’s label now, and she was working with the band opening for them during the tour.”

“That sounds lovely! A mini-nest and working with your friends. What got you into photography?”

Abby pulls Titan to the other side of the island and sets him to work peeling and dicing potatoes.

I watch with a smile as he diligently works alongside her. The soft jokes they share and the easy conversation between them show how close they are. I’m glad Tee has someone like her in his life—both of them really—especially after growing up with his parents as role models.

“It was one of my dad’s ideas. He got me a camera for Christmas the year they adopted me. I think he only thought I would use it to document my new life, but it quickly turned into so much more. I fell in love with the feeling I get behind the lens. Capturing other’s emotions. When one of my friends at the DAU suggested I cover one of their protests, I decided I could see myself making the hobby a side job, but after my first Candy Courage concert I knew I wanted to make it a full career.”

Abby slides glasses of sweet tea across the counter to both of us before offering me a plate of fruits and cheeses. I gratefully accept, nibbling on the snacks as I talk to Kipp. I tell him about the wide variety of shoots I’ve done but mention my focus is mostly protests and concerts.

“What about you?” I ask after a few minutes, ready to take some of the attention off of me. “Do you work?”

Kipp beams, patting the stool he’s sitting on. “I have my own woodworking business.”

Surprise covers my face as I glance down at the empty seats between us. “You made these?” They’re crafted from a light wood with intricate rattan patterns woven onto the back. “They’re beautiful.”

He waves off my compliment, his cheeks turning bright pink. “They were something I did for fun. It helps me focus my energy when my alphas are away for work. Abby’s restaurant is across the river in Trenton, but my other alpha mates–Canyon and Bowie–own a shipping company. They sometimes have to travel away from home for short periods.”

“It’s nice you found a creative outlet to help manage your stress! It has to be difficult being so far apart.”

“Oh, it is,” a new voice jumps in. Looking over my shoulder, I see a tall dark-haired alpha leaning in the doorway. “Don’t let his nonchalance fool you, he’s a bear when either of us is gone for longer than a day or two. Poor Abby and Juny–our beta mate–have their hands full managing his tantrums.”

“Bowie, don’t tattle,” Kipp pouts. He slips off of his stool and crosses the room to wrap himself around his alpha.

It’s bittersweet watching the two of them look so in love, but I shake the feeling off. My own unhappiness shouldn’t taint my ability to be happy for others.

“I’m an omega. We aren’t built to be away from our mates. Right Omen?” He tracks over the dark circles beneath my eyes as he gives me a knowing look. I guess he did notice the signs of my rejection after all.

“Right,” I agree with a tight smile. The situations are completely different, but I’m not going to try to argue with him. I’m a guest in his house, it would be rude.

“Up for a race?” Bowie asks Titan suddenly. My head tilts in confusion as I glance between the two of them. Race like on his bike? “Maybe you can finally beat me with your mate cheering you on.”

“You’re on old man,” Titan grunts. He offers me a hand and pulls me into his side. To my surprise, we head out back where their pack has a huge patio and a cute little garden. The biggest feature of the space though is their pool.

As Bowie and Titan both strip off their shirts, I realize they must be talking about swimming.

“Here, we can sit at the table, well away from the splash zone.” Abby points out a large rectangular table with matching chairs. Given the light wood and sturdy, imperfect craftsmanship I can tell Kipp made this set too. I wonder if he does commissions. The back patio at the guy’s house could use a personal touch like this…

My thoughts are derailed when Titan shimmies out of his jeans leaving the huge alpha in only a pair of black compression shorts. The sight of his well-defined abs and tattoo-covered body has drool pooling in my mouth. I trail my gaze lower and nearly choke when I spot the bulge along his thigh.

In my fantasies I always imagined his package matched his build, but seeing a hint of it in person–

I’m glad I decided to sit a few spots away from Kipp and Abby when a burst of my perfume leaks into the air. My cheeks burn as I force myself to look away. No need to drown Titan’s family in my perfume because I can see him nearly naked.

My embarrassment fades a little bit when Kipp has a similar reaction to a nearly naked Bowie. Physical omega responses still catch me off guard sometimes, despite presenting several years ago. Being raised to believe perfuming was a sign of evil made it difficult to accept the completely natural reaction my body has when aroused.

Abby counts down and Titan and Bowie both slice through the water. I watch as my alpha keeps pace with the older man, but on their final lap, Bowie bursts ahead. He wins by several seconds, earning cheers from his mates beside me.

Titan claps him on the back as they climb out of the water. “One day I’ll succeed,” he promises.

“Bowie used to swim professionally,” Abby whispers.

“Makes sense,” I laugh. “He did seem fluid in the water!”

“He and Titan have been racing every summer since Titan joined the Alpha Academy. My nephew’s gotten better over the years, but he hasn’t been able to beat our mate yet.” Abby runs her fingers through Kipp’s hair, stirring his purr into action as he leans back against her.

Her expression suddenly turns somber as we watch Titan and Bowie dry off. “I know their pack messed up. Anyone who looks at you can see as much, but he’s never regretted anything more. Hurting you broke him. Broke them all in some way. I’m not saying you should forgive them, they have to earn your trust back, but don’t push them away when they’re trying.”

“I’m trying not to,” I admit. “But it’s hard to win a battle against my instincts when they’re being overridden by the rejection.”

She pats my hand gently. “You and I both know what it’s like to grow up somewhere you don’t belong. Where you aren’t wanted. We need packs to help stabilize those early feelings of inadequacy. They can be that foundation for you, like my pack is for me.”

Titan joins us, his dark eyes roaming over my face, silently asking if I’m okay. I offer him a tentative smile and he relaxes. Abby is right, they are trying. I’ve already decided to accept Nebula’s bond, and to take Nexus’. I just have to work up the courage to admit that to them too.

After a long day of socializing and eating delicious food with Titan’s aunt and her pack, I’m glad to be back in the pack house. The rest of the guys were excited to hear about our adventure, and jealous we got to enjoy Abby’s cooking without them. I promised we would go check out her restaurant one day soon.

Collapsing onto my pile of blankets, my omega protests the lack of our mate’s scents. I should be used to it by now, but after riding on Titan’s motorcycle and surrounding myself in his spicy pink pepper and leather scent I find myself missing it.

Being alone eats away at me in a way I never could have imagined before being rejected. I used to love my solitude, using my independence to keep everyone at arm's length so my family couldn’t endanger them. Now it’s a reminder of the many times I’ve been abandoned in my life.

Curling on my side, I watch the dark sky outside of the window and wonder what will happen next. After I accept Nexus’ bond will the others want an immediate connection to me too? Am I ready to be bound to all four of them?

A sigh slips through my lips. There are so many questions and not enough answers. The fog of loneliness makes thinking things through a difficult process.

Warm, comforting energy spreads through my arm, settling over me like a weighted blanket. Peering down at my skin I watch as a message from Nexus scrawls across my arm.

‘I left you a gift outside of your room.’

I wait a few seconds but he doesn’t send anything else. Chewing my lip, I debate pushing myself long enough to get up and see what it is. Curiosity wins out and I stumble to my feet.

Beyond my bedroom door is a basket. The distinct scents of my mates fill the room as I carefully tip it onto my bed. Joy swells in my heart when I realize he collected one of each of their shirts for me.

While I am carefully arranging them into my makeshift bed-nest, my phone dings with an incoming alert. I grab it, assuming it is Bea checking in, but it’s an email instead. From Primordial Covenant. Frowning, I open it.

Hey Gorgeous,

I hope this makes you feel a little better.

-Nexus

Attached to the email is an audio file. I grab a pair of in-ear headphones and press play once it has loaded.

“The sun dips below the horizon…”

I listen as he starts to read, my eyes filling with tears. They slip down my cheeks as I let the sound of his voice soothe the ache in my soul. He recorded himself reading an audiobook so we could read together even when he isn’t here with me. This is easily the sweetest, most romantic thing anyone has ever done for me.

The longer I listen the more my decision solidifies. Tomorrow, after dinner, I’m going to ask Nexus to bond me. I want to survive. To have the chance to try to make this messed-up relationship between the five of us work.

It won’t be easy. My fear of rejection won’t magically go away as soon as I’m bonded, but I think facing my fear will be worth it. Especially if it means I get to enjoy other moments like this.