by Grace, Aria
I've had it with alphas.
When I got to Omega House, I swore I wasn't going to get in bed with one of them ever again. For the past several years, I've stayed true to that promise. And for the most part, it hasn't been a hard one to keep.
So why am I reacting like this?
At the end of the street, I stop to catch my breath and take a look around. I'm not familiar with this part of town. The fancy houses and winding roads that thread the hills are all completely foreign. As much as I hate to acknowledge how stupid I’ve been, I swallow my pride and dig out my phone for a ride home.
Service isn’t great but after walking a few more blocks, I’m able to open up the ride share app to check the estimated arrival times of a couple drivers. Fuck me. There aren’t any cars nearby. Of course, rich people don't need ride shares, so why would drivers waste their time on this side of town?
After wandering aimlessly for a few minutes, I realize I’m not sure which direction is home. On the drive in, I was so focused on trying to ignore the magnetic attraction I felt toward Farron that I didn’t pay much attention to the route we took to get here.
Continuing to roam the streets, I take several more turns until I'm more lost than I was a few minutes ago and I don’t have any signal on my phone to use my GPS. The cold is finally starting to seep into my bones, and I'm shivering against the chill while I consider my options. The only thing I know for sure is that I’m probably gonna have a cold tomorrow morning.
Sighing to myself, I follow the street signs to a local park. If I get lucky, maybe there’ll be a bus stop nearby. At the edge of the park, I spot a gazebo not far from a playground that looks dry and private. Desperate to get out of the rain, I dart toward it without hesitation.
The shelter of the gazebo is a welcome relief, but I don’t have time to appreciate it before an overwhelming sense of sadness wash over me. I'm completely alone for the first time in weeks.
A rush of emotions from everything that happened today hits me unexpectedly, and I drop to my knees, clutching my hand to my chest. I shouldn't have left Farron's house. I don’t know why but the feeling that I made a huge mistake is unshakable.
I try to fight against it, telling myself I had no other choice. And really, I couldn't allow myself to get in the way of their relationship. More than that, the way my body was acting had me worried I was about to make a mistake of epic proportions if I stayed even a second longer.
Yet, the undeniable attraction I felt toward both of them is almost enough to swallow me whole. Farron was so sweet to me all day. And the way he looked at me with his kind smile, delicate features, and soft voice had me feeling gooey inside. And then there was Garrett. He was exactly like some rich, self-assured Tony Stark wannabe. And he was fucking hot.
I can't get either of them out of my head. Both my heart and my head are telling me I have to go back, but stubborn pride keeps me rooted in place. I'd rather be miserable and alone than go crawling back to Farron and Garrett.
They’re clearly happy together. They obviously don't need a second omega in the mix to disrupt the balance of their relationship. Besides, even if they did want to spice things up by adding a third, do I want to get mixed up in something like that?
Being in a relationship with two other people sounds a bit more complicated than I need to deal with right now. Their preexisting relationship would always take precedence over whatever I brought to table and I just don't think I can handle that kind of heartache.
Slowly climbing to my feet, I steel my resolve to not go back to them. Curious as I am to find out if they felt any of the things I felt, I don’t need them. I can make my own way. The job at Omega for Hire would have been fun and interesting, but I'll find something else. I've survived this long without love or physical companionship, I can keep going a little longer.
Even as I think those thoughts, I feel like my heart is splitting in two. Fuck, this hurts. Stubborn pride be damned, every single part of me wants to be with them. Even though I know next to nothing about those two men, I feel like I need them more than I need to breathe.
That realization terrifies me.
As I stand there, wracked with pain and indecision, a black sedan pulls up alongside the curb. My heart is racing, and I can’t breathe as Garrett climbs out of the driver's side and begins walking across the grass toward me.
Why is he here?
How did he find me?
Is he pissed that I was with Farron?
I cling to one of the gazebo's support beams and try to maintain some measure of dignity as he approaches.
"You look cold." His deep voice is gentle as he draws near. "You could've at least borrowed an umbrella before leaving. Or I could have called a taxi for you." His demeanor is casual and controlled, and the intensity of his gaze makes me weak in the knees.
"I wanted to walk." It's a lame excuse, but it's the first thing that comes to mind that isn’t a full confession of all the crazy thoughts that have been running through my head since I left their house.
He looks at me carefully then glances back at the car. I can't make out anything through the tinted windows, but I get the distinct impression that Farron is waiting inside.
"Farron was worried when you took off like that," Garrett says as he meets my gaze once more. "I told him you're an adult and you're capable of making your own decisions, but…he thinks you might have run off because of me."
“I’m sorry.” I drop my chin to my chest and close my eyes, ashamed of how I behaved today. “I knew he was taken and I should have just walked away.”
Garrett takes a step closer and I can smell his musk even through the wet earth scents surrounding us. “Jason, look at me.”
My breath hitches and I meet his gaze, lost in his commanding stare.
“There’s a reason you were drawn to Farron.” His forefinger skates across my jaw before his thumb closes over my chin. “And why he was drawn to you.”
“What?” I shake my head, unable to follow the conversation with his skin touching mine.
“And why I knew exactly where to find you…” His other hand moved up to my hip, gripping me tightly. “Just like I can always find Farron.”
“Why?” I whisper, terrified by his answer but praying he’s saying what I think he’s saying.
“Jason, all those things I just described mean one thing and one thing only.” He smiles widely, looking me right in the eye. “You’re our fated mate too.”
My heart leaps into my throat as his word sink in, and it takes me a minute to realize I’m shaking my head in denial. “I don’t…I don’t have a fated mate.”
“No, you don’t have a fated mate, Jason.” He takes a step back and holds out a hand toward me. “You have two of them.”
I tentatively take his hand and goosebumps form along my skin. Surprisingly, a sense of calm settles over me and my emotions slowly become a little more discernable. From the depths of my heart, I start to feel like he might be right.
“Is it really true?” I ask, terrified this is all some sick joke even though I know it’s not.
Garrett squeezes my hand gently. “I would never lie to you, Jason.”
And as crazy as it might be, I believe him.
“Are you ready to come home?” He gently hooks a finger beneath my chin and tilts my head back so I’m looking up into his face. The twinkle of adoration in his eyes nearly makes my heart burst through my ribs.
“Yes.”
29
Farron
"Garrett and I met one summer when we were both teenagers," I begin as the three of us drive back toward the house.
I'm relieved that Garrett was able to convince Jason to come back with us. I know he's probably overwhelmed by everything that's happening right now, but I also know there's no better place for him during this confusing time than with us.
"I think we both knew the truth at the time." I glance at Garrett wistfully, fondly remembering those early days. "There was this undeniable, magne
tic attraction that made me want to be closer to him even though I knew almost nothing about him."
"Did you guys start dating right away?" Jason is sitting in the front passenger's seat while Garrett drives. We didn’t want him to be alone in the back and this is as close to “between us” as we could manage.
"Well, no." Saying it now feels so stupid. At the time, there was no doubt in my mind that Garrett and I needed to be together. But I still allowed myself to turn away from him. "We both went our separate ways after talking for less than ten minutes."
Jason says nothing, but I can see him looking out his window at the rainy landscape. He seems thoughtful.
"But I couldn't get him out of my thoughts after that. Every day and every night, I was plagued with images of Garrett. I went back to the fairgrounds every single summer to see if he would be there. Imagine my surprise when that scrawny little alpha working the ring-toss booth turned into this devilish billionaire playboy." I chuckle and wink at Garrett through the rearview mirror. He hates when I call him a playboy, but that's what he was when I found him again.
Looking for love in all the wrong places as it were.
Garrett raises an eyebrow this time, not evening bothering to deny it. "Every relationship I had after meeting Farron ended in complete disaster. Eventually, I just stopped trying to find meaningful relationships. I focused on my career and earning as much money as possible. It was the only thing that brought me any sense of fulfillment." Garrett reaches back, and I know what he wants. I place my hand in his and allow him to hold it against his cheek as he continues. "Until the day I walked into that bar downtown and saw Farron again. That was the happiest day of my life."
"That was my first job after college," I say with a chuckle. "I actually enjoyed being a bartender. You meet a lot of interesting people, and no two nights are the same. But…I was lonely. I pushed pretty much everyone away except for a few casual friends. I avoided dating…hell, I avoided everyone. When I saw Garrett again, I was like a starving man what was just given a steak."
"So, you were miserable without each other?" Jason sounds like he's still trying to figure out how all of this applies to him and our current situation.
I reach for his shoulder with my free hand, grasping him gently but firmly. "Yes, but more importantly, we know what it feels like to see your fated mate. We know the burning, longing, yearning feeling deep in our guts. So, when I saw you this morning in the lobby, I immediately knew what it meant." I shake my head slowly, still confused by the whole thing. "But I didn’t know how to handle it. I've never actually met anyone with two fated mates before, and I never would have believed it was possible. I wanted to wait until I was able to talk to Garrett about how to proceed, but I didn’t want you to leave. That’s why I offered you the job and that’s why I brought you home."
Jason is silent for a long time as he processes my confession. When he finally speaks, it's not what I’m expecting to hear. "I'm nothing special," he says somberly. "I don't have any skills. I have nothing to bring to a relationship. I…I don't even like alphas. My last alpha… Well, I just don’t think I can ever be comfortable with one. That's why I only date omegas."
Garrett exhales slowly, and I can tell that he’s hurt by Jason’s declaration, but he doesn’t give up that easily. "All I want is for you to feel safe and comfortable. I don't want you to do anything that puts you in a position you don't want to be in. And I’d never want you to feel obligated to do anything you'd rather not do."
I sit silently in the back, leaning forward between these men and grateful to be touching them both. I know Jason has a lot of trust issues toward alphas. He hinted at it while we were working together today. But Garrett is the most gently and loving alpha I’ve ever known. I just hope Jason is willing to give him a chance.
"I just…the thing is…" Jason sounds like he's struggling to find the right words to express himself. After a moment of trying, he gives up. "This is so different from everything I know. When I woke up this morning, I wasn't expecting any of this to happen. Now, not only do I apparently have one person I'm fated to be with, I have two. It’s just…"
"Take your time, Jason," I try to reassure him. "We're both here to support you. We're not going anywhere. Whether or not we move forward with any of this is entirely up to you."
"Sean, one of my friends from Omega House, has two alphas." Jason cautiously glances at Garrett from beneath his long lashes. "I was always a little bit jealous that he found two men to love. The way they shower him with affection is completely different from any relationship I've ever been in. They've got kids together now, and their life seems normal." He sighs softly and peeks back at me. "I just wanted a fraction of what they have. I think that's why I tried to force a relationship with my best friend, Seth, and ended up being rejected the way I did."
Garrett and I just listen to Jason open up to us, not having a clue who he's talking about but anxious to hear where his mind is going. The heartbreaking part is that it's clear he’s been lost for a very long time. With no idea of where he belongs in the world, or what he's doing with his life, he’s just been floundering. If we weren’t in the car, I’d pull him into my arms and promise to make it all better from this point forward.
"You know, Garrett and I have been together for a couple years now." I swallow back a lump in my throat. This is hard to say out loud, but I think it’s the right thing in this moment. "Despite how well we fit together, we've both always felt like there was something more that we needed. That's why we've been trying so desperately to have children. My heat cycle has a mind of its own though, and between Garrett's travel for work and my erratic cycle…it just never seems to work out. But now…now that I'm sitting here, with the three of us in the car together…I'm starting to feel like maybe the thing that was missing wasn't a baby at all. Maybe it was you, Jason."
"I feel the same way," says Garrett, kissing the palm of my hand then placing it on Jason’s thigh and holding it there.
"I still want to have kids." I squeeze Jason’s thigh and intertwine my fingers between Garrett’s. "But now I realize I want to have them with both of you. Just being around you two makes my heart swell, and a deep contentment is finally settling over me."
Jason turns in his seat and looks back at me. There's a look in his eyes that I can't quite read.
"The fact is, Jason, I think you need us just as much as we need you. The three of us together can be something more than what we are separately." Tears begin to well in my eyes, but I blink them away as we pull into the driveway. "So, take your time making this decision. Whatever you want to do, we'll support you in it. Just remember, we really do want you in our lives."
30
Garrett
Morning comes far too early for me. I was awake late into the night trying to wrap my head around everything that happened yesterday.
Jason went to bed as soon as we got home. He shut himself in the guest room and didn't come out for dinner. Farron took a plate to him, but I'm not sure he ate anything. I know he's overwhelmed by everything we told him on the drive home from the park, and the honest truth is that I'm more than a little worried about him.
I take a deep breath and make my way into the family room. The house is quiet, and there's a slight chill in the air. It only takes me a few minutes to get a fire going. The flames crackle in the silent room, and the cozy orange glow makes me feel a little more relaxed. Farron and I have spent a lot of happy evenings curled up by the fire while drinking cocoa and laughing together. Now, my thoughts drift toward the possibility of adding Jason to those contented moments.
The thought puts a smile on my lips, and I turn gleefully toward the kitchen. A good breakfast will put everyone at ease. Pancakes, sausage, eggs, sourdough toast, and hash browns sound like the perfect spread. It might be overkill, but cooking will be a good distraction for me. Farron hates it when I cook too much food, but I have a feeling a feast like this will come in handy.
As I set about my work,
I hear the sound of a bedroom door squeaking open. I try to stay focused on what I'm doing, but I can't help casting a sidelong glance toward the hallway.
Jason emerges from the shadows with his dinner plate in his hands. He looks around the kitchen cautiously as if checking for any wild beasts that might jump out and attack him. And before I can prepare myself for it, his scent hits me like a freight train.
He's in heat.
It's so obvious that I couldn't ignore it if I wanted to. My body immediately reacts, preparing to take him like he needs to be taken. My cock hardens in my pajama bottoms, and I've got to press myself against the stove to try and hide it from him.
I can control myself.
I'm not going to give him a reason to fear me.
"You can just put that in the sink." I nod toward the sink behind me as I crack an egg into the frying pan that's been heating up. "I'll have breakfast on the table in a little bit. Is there anything in particular you'd like to eat?"
Jason crosses the kitchen to the sink and doesn't answer me immediately. I briefly wonder if he's giving me the silent treatment. I've never been able to handle it when people do that. I don't know how to properly address someone's complaints when they refuse to engage in conversation.
"I, um, I really like pancakes," he says as he passes behind me and moves toward the table.
My eyes fall closed, and a shiver runs down my spine as he brushes up against me. It's a fleeting touch, and the yearning in the pit of my stomach is begging for more contact. The need to knot him has only gotten worse as the seconds tick by, and that scent of his is driving me wild.
"And French toast." He pulls out a chair and sits with the table between us. I think he's warming up to me a little, but he’s still keeping some distance, even though he must know what the scent of his heat is doing to me.
