by Grace, Aria
Epilogue
Seth
I'm doing my best to keep from passing out as another contraction rolls through me. My body feels like every single muscle is pushing toward getting this baby out of me with extreme urgency. The doctor keeps telling me not to push, and I'm doing everything in my power to obey, but the urge to bear down is overwhelming.
We were just going about our normal morning routine when my water broke and soaked through the fabric on the newly reupholstered sofa. I put a lot of effort into trying to bring some unity to the living room furniture, and my very first thought was I really hoped it didn't stain.
From there, everything is a bit of a blur. I remember calling Sean and grabbing the go-bag we had sitting by the front door. Then Zach bundled me into the car and flew across town like a bat out of hell. Somehow, we got from the car to the hospital and then up to the delivery room without me even noticing. That was about the time the contractions really started to hurt.
Then Sean showed up.
Now, all I can focus on is the feeling of my baby pushing his way out into the world.
Zach's holding one of my hands and talking to me sweetly, but I can barely make out what he's saying over the sound of blood rushing in my ears and my own grunts of pain and effort. Sean's holding my other hand, trying to do what he can to coach me through this. As much as my brother cares, he had a C-section to deliver his twins. He doesn't know what this feeling right now is like.
Hell, I couldn't even describe it if I wanted to.
"Okay, now, push, push, push!" the doctor orders.
I clutch Zach and Sean's hands in both of mine and put everything I have into pushing.
All at once, he's out. My baby is out, and his cries fill the room as the doctors begin cleaning him up. They place him in my arms without a second's delay, and before I can even fully process what's happening, I realize that I'm holding my son.
"He's so tiny." Zach is in awe as he gently slides his arms around both of us. "I can't even believe he's finally here…"
"Hey there, my little one…" I’m exhausted and proud and content. "My little Romeo." I know there are people who might think it's a dumb name, but Zach and I like it. Our son is gorgeous, and I think he'll grow into the name well.
"I'm really glad you made me finish the nursery yesterday." Zach winks at me before he presses a kiss to my forehead.
I'm glad too. Something told me it wouldn't be much longer before our little one decided to join us in the world. The rewiring was finished two months ago, and the house is coming along nicely. Along with having to get new drywall in most of the house, we also had to install all new insulation throughout. Those delays took much longer than anticipated and jacked the cost up quite a bit more, but it was worth it in the end though. The interior of the house is nice and cozy…all ready for us to bring our little one home.
I look down at Romeo's face and then look up at Zach. "He's got your nose," I say after a moment of contemplation. "And your chin. I think he's going to look a lot like you when he grows up."
"He's got your hair though." Zach gently strokes our baby's head. "I can already tell that he's going to take after you more. Look how calm he already is."
He was right about that. Romeo was already falling asleep against my chest. Contentment moves through me like a wellspring. I have my alpha by my side, my son in my arms, and a warm, safe home to return to.
* * *
“Be careful, sweetheart. Romeo is just a baby…like you.” Sean holds Lexi’s hand and carefully strokes it down the side of her cousin’s face. Levi is standing on the other side of the crib, desperately trying to climb inside. I’m not sure if it’s to see his baby cousin or to take a nap. “No, no. Levi, don’t crawl up there.”
“He’s fine,” I say, picking up the little one so he can have a closer look. The twins are only a little over a year old now, but they seem absolutely fascinated by the small figure in front of them.
Lexi flashes a huge grin before turning to her daddy and raising her arms. “Up.”
Sean picks her up and we walk toward the bedroom door, leaving Romeo alone to take his nap. “How about some apple sauce for these little ones?” I ask as I tickle at Levi’s tummy.
We take the twins to the kitchen, and I pull out a jar of applesauce along with small bowls and spoons. Sean sits down at the table and waits for me and Levi to sit across from him. “Your place is great, Seth. I’m really proud of you and the life you’ve made for yourself.”
“Thanks.” I’m proud too. I never thought I’d be this happy.
“I mean it. And Zach is such a great dad. I always knew you’d find the right person for you.”
I pop open the lid on a small jar and hand it to Seth along with a spoon before I open another for Levi. Seth is quiet for a moment longer before asking. “How are things between you and Jason?”
“They’re…okay, I guess. We don’t talk much, but at least he doesn’t ignore me anymore. I brought Romeo to Omega House a few days ago, and he made sure to stop by the front and hold the baby.”
“That’s good. I’m sure the two of you will be friends again.”
“Maybe.” I look at Sean and smile weakly. “It’s been a while since we had our fight, but I hope he’ll come around.”
Sean reaches across the table and pats my hand. “Once he finds his mate, I’m sure he’ll realize what an A.S.S. he’s been.”
I laugh at Sean’s attempt to keep it clean by spelling out the ‘naughty’ word. “I hope so. I miss his friendship.”
Our conversation becomes a little more casual as we finish feeding the twins. Then, I help Sean put them in their car seats so he can take them home for their naps. Based on the looks of the two sleepy-eyed children in the back seat, those will probably start in about five seconds.
We say goodbye, and I step back into the house. There’s a tapping sound coming from the room Zach has turned into his office. I go check on it, stopping to lean against the doorjamb so I can watch him work. I’m still not quite sure of what he does, but he’s super smart when it comes to computers and technology. I wasn’t more grateful for that than when he surprised me with a big screen TV, completely set up and connected to the internet so I could stream just about anything. Left to my own devices, I would have fumbled around for days trying to figure out how to get it set up.
“You’re staring.” Zach’s voice wakes me from my happy memory.
I walk over to him and grab his shoulder just as his hand reaches up and clasps around mine. Bending over, I inhale his scent and kiss the top of his head, distracting him from whatever gibberish is scrolling across the computer screen.
He moans and leans against my hip. “Sean gone?”
“Yeah, he just left to take the twins home for their nap.”
“And our little guy?”
“Also napping. Just a lazy Saturday afternoon…”
“Hmmm.” Zach turns in his swiveling chair and tugs me until I fall into his lap. His lips gently caress mine as I melt in his arms.
My eyes drift shut then open for just a second, focused on something on the side of his computer. “What’s that?”
Zach turns to see where I’m pointing and his eyebrows furrow into a look of panic. “Damnit. I didn’t mean for you to see that.”
“Why?” I ask, unable to tear my eyes away from the little box.
Zach sighs then pulls me from his lap. He grabs the box and stands in front of me. “I meant to give this to you a while back, but then the time just wasn’t ever perfect. And I’ve been waiting for the perfect moment, but so much has been going on between the electrical issues and the baby… We just haven’t had a lot of time for ourselves.”
He gets down on one knee, and my whole world stops. He isn’t… Is he?
“Seth, I know you’re my fated mate… The one I’m meant to be with for the rest of my life. But I don’t want you to be mine just in spirit. I want you to be mine through the law as well. I love you so much, baby. Will you marry me?”
Tears spring to my eyes as Zach opens the box and reveals a small gold band hidden within the folds of velvet. I’m not sure when or where he got the ring, but it’s gorgeous.
“Yes!” I throw my arms around him, letting the moisture in my eyes fall freely. “Yes. Yes. Yes!”
Zach stands up and kisses me again, pouring more than just lust into me through his warm breaths and soft lips.
I hold on to him tightly, vowing to make him as happy as he’s made me. Because he’s truly given me everything I could possibly need.
“I love you so much, Seth.”
“I love you too, Zach. More than you know.”
And it’s true. I love him more than I ever imagined it was possible to love someone.
He’s given me everything I need.
And now my life feels complete.
Omegas and Their Alpha
Omega House #7
By Aria Grace
22
Jason
"Dude, lighten up. You look like you've got a permanent rain cloud floating over your head." Dante doesn't even look up from his phone. Based on his pouty expression, he's probably browsing that hook-up app again and isn't thrilled by what he's seeing.
I sink back in my chair but don't say anything to him directly. The coffee shop we're in is empty at the moment. The morning rush has ended and we're pretty much the only people left besides the staff. I inhale sharply, enjoying the acrid scent of coffee that fills the air. Its pungent aroma is something I find myself looking forward to these days. Especially after all the late nights of club hopping that Dante and I have been enjoying recently.
"Not all of us can swap partners as often as you do," I tell him with a bit of a huff. I know I'm being morose and not very fun to be around right now, but thankfully, Dante doesn't care.
"Look, you weren't even with him." Dante sets his phone aside and levels his gaze at me. "It's been months now. Yet you keep turning your nose up at every single omega who looks your way." He shoves his hand through his mop of hair and sighs.
I'm struck again by how beautiful he is. He's an omega like me, with delicate features that make my toes curl in pleasure just looking at him. We originally hooked up after meeting at a club. It was fun, but it was just a fling. My heart belonged to Seth back then, and Dante, as always, didn't want anything serious. After Seth rejected me, I tried to hook up with Dante again for a bit of rebound fun.
Imagine my surprise when the foxy omega turned me down. Instead of taking advantage of the situation, he took me out to see a movie and let me bare my soul to him. We've been pretty good friends ever since then. Our nights are filled with club hopping, and during the day, when we're not working, we bum around coffee shops and shopping malls.
"You need to find yourself someone stable." Dante leans closer, resting his elbows on the table. "You should get out there and start dating. It could be fun."
"I don't have time to date." I shake my head sourly.
"Right, I forgot about your mysterious job hunt. Because, for whatever reason, you can't bear to hang out at Omega House anymore." His tone is sarcastic and there's a mocking grin on his face as he speaks.
I roll my eyes. "I already explained this to you."
Dante waves his hand dismissively and picks up his phone so he can continue perusing dick pics and swiping left.
The two of us just don't see eye to eye on this particular issue. He thinks I should stay at Omega House no matter what. I've got a room that's mostly free and three square meals a day as long as I help out there. I do chores, help them with projects, and try to make myself useful.
And all that was fine when I first moved in.
Back then, I was lost, confused, and in a brand-new city with no friends to speak of. The staff and residents at Omega House really saved me from having to live on the streets…or worse.
Now, however, I'm a lot stronger than I was. I'm more confident, I know my way around, I've got friends, and best of all, I've put the past behind me. Sure, I don't date alphas anymore, but that's more pragmatic than anything else.
If you were bitten by a feral dog, you wouldn't keep putting your hand in the cage, would you?
I feel like I can stand on my own two feet now which means it's time to get out of Omega House and find someplace to call my own.
Plus, if I get a job elsewhere, I won't have to worry about running into Seth on a regular basis and reopening those old wounds. At least, that's the hope.
"I've already told you to come work with me," Dante says as he screws up his face at the picture on his phone. Clearly, something has offended his sensibilities because he completely closes out the app and puts his phone into his pocket.
"And I told you that I don't think it’s a good idea." I shake my head emphatically. "I'm not the kind of omega people would hire."
"It's not just about physical companionship." Dante huffs at my ignorance, especially since we’ve had this conversation a hundred times. "There are plenty of omegas who do work that's a little more down to earth. Wet nurses, nannies, tutors, models, chefs, the list goes on. My boss is great at making sure every omega working for him is able to do something they enjoy. He's also pretty insistent that every omega has a talent they can use to benefit themselves."
"I don't have any useful talents." I hate whining, but it’s true. I barely finished high school, and after that, I chased a string of crappy relationships until the eventual implosion with my last alpha. I shudder at the thought of it. "Besides, aren't your clients mostly alphas? I don't think I can handle something like that."
"A lot of omegas and women hire us out as well." Dante has said most of this before, but I wasn’t ready to listen then. I’m not sure I want to hear it now, but I don’t bother stopping him. "You can specify what kind of client you're looking for, and you'll never have to do something, or work for someone, you're uncomfortable with. It's extremely important to my boss that everyone feels safe and that their needs are being met."
What he’s saying makes sense.
Of course, I'm still not sold on the idea, but I’m not as opposed to it as I’ve been in the past. There are just so many unknown variables in my head that I can't help but wonder if it’s too good to be true.
"I understand your hesitation," Dante continues. "A lot of omegas are worried that we're just some fancy brothel. But Omega for Hire is so much more than that. I know you're not gonna believe me if I just tell you about it though." He flashes a grin at me. "Why don't you come with me? I've got to go by the office to pick up my paycheck for the week. You can come in, meet my boss, meet some of the other omegas, and just get a feel for the place. If you don't like it, you won't have to go back there ever again, okay?"
"I don't—"
"What's the worst that could happen? You either wind up liking the place and get a job, or you don't like it and you go back to moping in coffee shops while letting me pay for your latte every morning."
I look away, slightly ashamed at how I’ve been behaving. I know he's right, but I don't want to admit that I have mixed feelings about going to Omega for Hire. I don't know why, but there's an overwhelming sense of anticipation pounding in my chest at the idea of it. I can't tell if it's nerves or my instincts warning me away from pursuing a job there. Either way, I don't like how vulnerable it makes me feel. I'm almost certain my heartbeat is loud enough for Dante to hear.
The confident smirk on his lips only makes matters worse.
Still, he's made a fair suggestion, and there's no logical reason for me to turn him down. I clench my hands into fists under the table and try to calm my nerves with a deep breath. When I look up at Dante again, I feel a little bit calmer than I did a moment ago.
"Okay, fine." I blow a slow breath out of my cheeks in defeat. "Take me to Omega for Hire. Let's see what this place is all about."
* * *
I’m not really sure what I was expecting, but when we get there, I’m immediately impressed. The building is nestled in the heart o
f downtown. The exterior alone oozes class with its glass doors, sharp lines, shiny chrome, and a soft aesthetic that immediately conjures up images of high society and style.
Honestly, I’m a little intimidated by the place. There’s no way someone like me belongs in a place like this.
“Come on.” Dante holds out his arm to wrangle me as he saunters toward the front door. “You’re going to love it here, I swear.”
23
Farron
Morning is probably my favorite time of day. I love the smell of dew on the grass and the slight chill in the air. The stillness allows me a chance to clear my head and think things through as I drive to the office. I'm not usually introspective, running a business keeps me too busy for that, but it's nice to get my thoughts in order before the cares of the day come crashing in on me.
Omega for Hire is located just a few blocks from the hustle and bustle of the downtown area. It's on one of the most expensive blocks in the city, but the amount of foot traffic we receive more than makes up for the premium rent. We even have a small parking lot of our own that we don't have to share with any of the other local businesses. Though that doesn't stop obnoxious shoppers from trying to use it instead of paying at the street meters.
As I pull into the parking lot, I’m annoyed to discover my spot has been taken by someone else. It doesn't seem to matter that the sign in front of my spot clearly says it's reserved for me. People continue to park here on a daily basis. As I squeeze into a spot at the back of the lot, I make a mental note to get out of the house a little earlier tomorrow. Maybe if I skip breakfast, I can beat everyone else to the punch and secure my spot.
I slam the car door behind me and stifle a yawn. It's so hard for me to get a good night's rest while Garrett is out of town. I've gotten so used to having my alpha next to me at night that I find myself overwhelmed by how empty and cold my bed is when he's gone.
