by Grace, Aria
“He’s right.” Dallas walks around me in a circle, fully inspecting me before grabbing my wrists to help me fasten my cuffs. “I’m actually really impressed by how amazing you look right now.”
“It’s all thanks to you guys.” I accept the compliment with a smile then finally get a chance to look at myself in the full length mirror.
“No.” Dallas has one elbow resting in his palm and is biting the tip of his finger as he watches me. “It wasn’t us. We just enhanced what was already there.”
“It’s like restoring a piece of antique furniture.” Denver gives me a wink from over my shoulder. “You might reupholster it, give it a fresh coat of paint, or sand it and stain it, but in the end, all you’re doing is just making it look the best it possibly can. You wouldn’t take that gorgeous antique chaise lounge and cover it in chrome, while replacing the cushions with a glaring shade of green that should’ve died in the seventies, right?”
I frown as Denver’s metaphor shifts away from something deep and meaningful into something…strange.
“He’s still upset about a piece of furniture we saw at a client’s house.” Dallas waves off his brother’s digression. “Restoring antique furniture is one of his hobbies, and he gets a little passionate about it.”
“It just looked trashy.” Denver moans, turning away from me and returning to his makeup case. He begins hastily putting away his brushes and makeup palettes.
“I...I want to thank you both for putting so much effort into this. I was worried at first, but now I’m surprised by how natural it feels.” I can’t stop looking at myself in the mirror.
I already know I belong at Marius’s side, but now I look like it as well, and there’s no one who can say otherwise.
“That’s what we like to hear,” Dallas says happily.
A moment later, the bedroom door opens, and Molly peeks her head in. “Are you guys done?”
“Yeah, we are.” Dallas motions for her to come in.
“Oh, Rubin. You look wonderful.” Molly beams with pride as I turn to look at her.
She opens her arms for a hug.
“Thank you, Molly. For everything. You’ve helped me so much.” I bite back the emotion welling in my eyes. I’d hate to cry and spoil my makeup so soon.
“You deserve it.” She keeps a grip on my biceps even as we step apart once more. “Now, I came to get you. Everything’s ready downstairs. Marius is waiting for you.”
I swallow hard. Here it is, the moment I’ve been waiting for. “Let’s go.”
86
Marius
“I want to thank you all for coming out here today,” I begin, standing at the podium. “I know some of you have been waiting to hear this announcement since before I even knew I was giving it.” I smile amicably and a light laugh ripples through the crowd of reporters gathered in front of me.
Jackie really came through in setting all this up. The small platform at the end of the driveway, the podium, the sound system, and a specially designated area for the press to stand so they’re no longer crowded together out on the street are nothing short of miraculous.
A couple police officers are positioned in visible locations to act as a deterrent in case anyone wants to sneak off and slip inside the house.
“I think it’s important to be upfront and address the issue brought up in this morning’s newspaper.” I continue my speech with confidence. I wrote every word of it myself because I knew this had to come from somewhere genuine. Cameras are dotted throughout the crowd so this is my moment to make all that public speaking experience count.
“The fact of the matter is, the entirety of that news article is a fabrication. It is a falsehood that has been constructed as nothing more than an attempt to sell papers.”
Before I even finish that sentence, the crowd erupts into a cacophony of questions. It takes a minute or two for them to quiet down enough for me to continue.
“These falsehoods were extruded from a series of photos obtained through somewhat...unsavory methods of spying on my private residence. Nevertheless, the reporter who obtained these photos came to my assistant for a comment, and we provided him with context for what he saw.
“This morning’s article is not the work of the man I spoke with. As of just a few minutes ago, I’ve actually learned the man I spoke with last night has resigned from his job at the paper in question due to his outrage over their decision not to run his article.” A murmur of discontent runs through the crowd. I know several reporters from the newspaper are in attendance here, and I’m sure they’re not particularly happy with what I’m saying.
“Still, we’re not here to besmirch a newspaper. We’re here to refute their claims. There are, in fact, two truths to the article that was published this morning. The first is that there is an omega who has been living with me for the past two weeks. The second is that we are romantically involved.”
A new series of questions erupts from the crowd. In order to be heard, I have to raise my voice to speak over them until they quiet down once more. “However! This omega, Rubin Smith, originally came to my home to recover from injuries he received when he was attacked at his place of employment.
“I came across him while he was being attacked, and I defended him to the best of my ability. The bandage on his cheek is the only remaining visible evidence of that attack. It is not, in fact, a brand, as the article suggested.
“I will be providing full details of the assault, including Rubin’s statement, medical records, and a log of evidence to prove Rubin has been undergoing treatment for a series of injuries sustained during the attack. I have allowed him to use my home as a place of rest. He is not, nor has he ever been, anyone’s pet. He is free to go whenever he wishes.” I pause and allow them to stew in their questions for a few moments.
“Now...to address the second part of that scenario.” I turn slightly to my left and look back at Rubin. Stretching a hand out toward him, I wait for him to nervously move forward to take it.
Once he’s standing beside me, looking absolutely radiant despite his uncertainty, I continue. “Rubin and I were not involved with one another when he first came to my home. But, over the past few days, he’s won my heart.”
I can’t resist tugging Rubin tighter against my side and dropping a kiss on top of his head.
“After a lifetime of searching for the perfect companion, I do believe I’ve found it in Rubin. He’s opened my eyes to many things I was blind to before. Things I didn’t fully understand because I couldn’t. I’ve never experienced the oppression many omegas face on a daily basis.” My expression is stoic, and the crowd is listening to me with rapt attention. They can already smell the change in the wind. They’re just expecting me to make a statement about the accusations, maybe field some questions.
An announcement is the last thing on their minds. Time to knock their socks off.
“After he was attacked, one of the first things he was worried about was his job. He had two broken ribs, stress fractures in his arms, and half a dozen other injuries, and all he wanted was some painkillers so he could get to work on time. Why? Because he knew his boss would fire him if he was late.
“There is no way for omegas to fight back against unlawful termination of employment. Our current system just isn’t set up for it. Despite my best efforts to improve omega equality within our city, I have failed in this area because I didn’t even realize it was a problem. It wasn’t until I met Rubin that I started to look into it.
“My team and I have been hard at work preparing a new branch of the employment office for our city. The exact details of those changes are still a work in progress, but the overall plan has been finalized and we’ve signed several high-ranking officials who have agreed to lend us their support. You’ll be getting an overview of that as well.”
No sooner do the words leave my mouth than the crowd breaks out in a shouting match that puts all previous eruptions to shame. They want more information, more details, more clarificat
ion. I can only smile. It’s all going according to plan.
“Thank you for your patience in this matter. I will not be taking questions at this time. Please have a safe drive home and enjoy the rest of your day.” I nod my farewell to them and gingerly lead Rubin away from the platform.
The din behind us slowly dwindles into silence when they realize they’re not getting anything more. The police are slowly herding the reporters back off my property. With any luck, they’ll pack up their vehicles and head home.
As soon as we’re safely inside, I turn to Rubin and sweep him up in my arms. Our lips meet in a celebratory kiss.
“Did we do it?” he asks, looking up at me from my side. He’s smiling, but there’s uncertainty in his eyes.
“We did it.” I lean forward and kiss his forehead.
“You certain did,” Jackie says as she approaches us from across the room. “Well done, both of you. There are already some preliminary articles up on a couple websites. A few reporters were live tweeting the event as well. Overall, the reaction so far is positive. I’ll keep tabs on it as the day goes on, but I’d say we handled this situation perfectly.”
“Good.” I finally let my shoulders relax. “Now, Jackie, please get all these people out of my home.”
She laughs and nods her head. “Done. We’ll be out of your hair in no time, Mr. Mayor.”
True to her word, everyone clears out quickly. Soon, it’s just Rubin and I, sitting on the stairs beside one another.
“So...now everyone knows we’re together,” says Rubin after a moment.
I look over at him. He’s staring down at his hands as he picks at his nails. “How do you feel about that?”
“Content.” I don’t even hesitate in my response. “It feels right to me. We belong together.”
“Do you know what fated mates are?” Rubin asks, finally looking up and meeting my eyes.
I shake my head, not familiar with the term. “Is that like a soulmate?”
“Sort of. It applies to alphas and omegas. There are some people out there who believe fate has destined some alphas and omegas for one another, and no matter the circumstances, they’ll eventually find each other.” He gives me a shy grin, as if hoping I see the similarity he’s getting at. “I always assumed it was just a story that omegas who were in shitty situations told themselves so they wouldn’t lose hope. But now...I can’t think of anything else to explain how we wound up together. Or the way I felt drawn to you. Or how sex with you is more satisfying than anyone I’ve been with before.”
I’m silent for several seconds as I think over the series of events leading to this moment. It doesn’t take a degree in rocket science to know he’s right. I shouldn’t have been at that bar that night. I could’ve gone anywhere else in the city, but out of all the bars, I walked into his. From then on, everything that happened felt like it was meant to happen.
We were meant to wind up together. To become alpha and omega.
“I love you.” I tell him as I look into his eyes again.
Rubin’s face fills with excitement and joy. “I love you too!” He throws his arms around my neck.
I wrap him in my arms and allow myself to revel in the closeness for a moment. I love the way he feels when he’s pressed up against me. He fits so perfectly that I can’t imagine holding anyone else...except for maybe our children.
“Oh...um.” I sheepishly withdraw and meet his gaze. “So, last night, when you said you might get pregnant… I know we never really talked about it before, and I kinda ignored your warning last night, but I just thought, now that everything’s pretty much official, I should tell you I’ve always wanted to have kids. It’s part of why I helped Molly pay for her nephews to go to school, I guess.”
A slight smile touches Rubin’s lips. “Last night, my heat was pretty overwhelming. We were both out of our minds, and if this fated mates thing is real, then I don’t think it was helping much. Since I don’t stink to high heaven today, I’m pretty sure I’m no longer in heat…which is a pretty good indicator I might be pregnant.”
My heart skips a beat at those words, but I stay silent, listening to Rubin share his feelings on the matter.
“When I was living at Omega House, I used to look after some of the newcomers who would stop in.” He swallows hard, remembering a time before I knew him. “I was like a big brother to a lot of them. I liked helping them out, giving advice, encouraging them to be their best selves and to follow their dreams. I never took any of that advice for myself though. I’d sit there in the dining room and watch the other omegas with their kids, and it just made me sad. I wanted that. I wanted a family of my own.”
He gives me a quick glance then keeps talking.
“Ever since I was a teenager, one of the only things I’ve wanted is to have children and show them the love and the family environment I never had.”
I can barely contain my excitement as his words sink in. I lay a hand on Rubin’s stomach, holding him gently. “Our baby will be surrounded by love. You, me, Molly, Mason, Wells, Paul...even Jackie and Molly’s nephews are part of this crazy family we’ve got here.”
Rubin’s eyes shine with emotion as he kisses me. “I’ve always wanted a big, happy family with lots of babies. Now we’ve got one on the way.”
I grin at him before kissing him again. “And we can always practice making more.”
“I like the sound of that.”
87
Rubin
Nine months later
I’m beginning to regret the decision to have a home birth. Everything feels so much more complicated, and the bed isn’t very conducive to childbirth.
But it’s too late to go back on that decision now. My water broke, and I’m already dilating. The doctor is scrubbing up and the nurses are prepping everything for the delivery.
For the past nine months, I’ve slept with Marius every single night in his room, now our room, down the hall. It’s strange being back in my old room again, especially seeing the bed stripped down to nothing but white sheets and a stack of pillows. There are mountains of fresh towels and various pieces of medical equipment on standby.
I’m sure it would’ve been more cost effective for me to give birth in the hospital, but Marius was eager to indulge my desire for comfort. But I shouldn’t have fallen in love with the idea so quickly. My nerves are starting to get the better of me, and I’m wishing we lived closer to the hospital just in case something goes wrong.
The only real upside that I can see right now is I won’t have to worry about the press hounding me outside the hospital.
Ever since my first appearance at Marius’s side that day, the press have dogged my every step. There’s always at least one reporter tailing me whenever I go into town. Thankfully, I usually have Molly with me. She’s a bit of an attack dog when it comes to chasing away reporters who get a little too nosy.
The various articles about me have dubbed me everything from Marius’s trophy omega to a gold digger. One thing is definitely certain though, they can’t seem to get enough of speculating about me and my life. Several people who know me from my time at Omega House have been offered thousands, sometimes tens of thousands, of dollars to share what they know about me. I don’t know what I did to inspire their loyalty, but none of them have ever turned on me.
“Okay, Rubin, just try to relax.” The doctor kneels on the foot of the bed and examines me for the umpteenth time. “I think your baby is just about ready to come out and meet his family. What do you say to that?”
“I hope he can hang on long enough for his dad to get here...” I laugh nervously as I glance toward the door. Still no sign of Marius.
The pressure of a contraction runs through me, making me wince in pain. I’m grateful for the painkillers they gave me but they don’t take away the strange pressure inside me. I can’t imagine how bad this would be without them.
“That was a pretty big one,” the doctor says as he checks the readout of one of the monitors nearby.
“I think we’re gonna have to start helping this little guy along.”
I clench my jaw against another contraction. Every muscle in my body is telling me it’s time to move things along. If I fight it and try to wait, I’ll just wind up hurting myself…or my baby.
The last time I talked to Marius, he was rushing out of a meeting and hopping in the car, but it’s rush hour, and given the traffic downtown right now, I’m not surprised he’s running late. I really don’t want to do this without him, but I don’t think I have any other choice.
“Okay.” I force myself to relax against the pillows stacked up behind me. “Let’s bring my baby into the world.”
The doctor quickly nods to his nurses. The three of them get into position for the delivery. I’m barely aware of what they’re doing because now that I’ve stopped trying to hold back, everything feels like it’s speeding up exponentially.
“Alright, remember your breathing,” a nurse tells me as he takes up position near my head and grabs my hand. He’s in the exact spot where Marius should be sitting. “I want you to squeeze my hand as hard as you can when you feel a contraction. Don’t worry about hurting me. Just squeeze and breathe.”
I try to breathe the way they taught us in birthing class, but it’s hard to keep my thoughts on it. There’s too much going on around me, and I’m distracted by the fact that Marius still isn’t here. Instead of the steady breaths I’ve practiced for months, I’m gulping down air between contractions and trying to follow the doctor’s instructions about whether or not to push.
I feel the pressure of my baby moving through me. It’s both amazing and overwhelming.
Holy shit, I’m about to bring a new life into this world.
“Here we go. He’s crowning,” the doctor announces. “We’re just about there. Just a little more, Rubin. You’re doing amazing. The hard part’s almost over.”
A tear runs down my cheek, and that’s when I realize I’m crying. I don’t know if it’s from the excitement, the stress, the discomfort, or the fact that I really don’t want to do this without my alpha, but the tears are running freely now.
