Second Chance Mates Box 1

by Rosa Swann

  “It hurts. But it always hurts. Yeah, this is worse, but not being alone helps.”

  “Does he know yet?” Sarah drops her voice.

  “No. And I don’t want him to, at all. You keep your mouth shut.” I’m serious, I don’t want Sterling to know who Logan really was to me.

  “Yeah. Sure.” She nods and then gives me a tight hug. “I’ll see you later then. Or at some other point. I’m going to call my parents now.” She’s babbling a little, nervous.

  “Good idea. I’m going to go get some groceries, and keep Maddy out of Sterling’s hair.” I smile, and that seems to make her believe me that I really am fine. I walk over to the car, and Maddy has already made herself comfortable in the back. “Are you all strapped in?” I look at her, and she nods. I’m not exactly sure how the things work, but she seems to be locked in safe. I turn the car on and look at the front of the house one last time, Sarah is standing in front of the door, making a phone call, and waves at me. I wave back and then back out off the driveway, making my way to the nearest town.

  3. Sterling

  I’m not sure who just came to the house, but the longer they take, the more nervous I’m getting. I can still hear voices downstairs even though I heard one car drive off, the voice is too high to still be Wilder’s, but it’s too far to be able to easily recognise the person. Bummer. Then footsteps come up the stairs, and I hear the distinctive click-clack of heels, so most likely a woman. Which doesn’t make my nerves any better.

  “Sterling?” Sarah calls out before she knocks on the door.

  Relief floods me, but I’m still a little on edge, I don’t want her to figure out what is going on. Did Wilder tell her anything, or is he not as talkative with her either? Sarah and Wilder did seem very close that day of the funeral. “Come on in.” I sit up and pull the top of my shirt up a little, making sure that she won’t be able to see the bandage over the mark that Wilder left.

  Sarah carefully comes into the room and looks around, taking everything in. “I don’t think I’ve ever been in here before.” She smiles and comes over. “You’ve got taste, because this obviously isn’t my little brother’s influence.” Then she leans against the bed. “How are you? Wilder told me you’re in heat?”

  “Yeah.” I pull a face. “Not really the best thing right now.”

  “I can imagine. Are they taking good care of you?”

  I nod. “Though it’s not always easy. Wilder being an Alpha and all.”

  “Yeah. That wasn’t the best timing.” She looks thoughtful. “Do you want me to stay here instead? It’s not like your heat will influence me, at least not much.”

  “No, we’re dealing for now. And I don’t want you to get in trouble with your parents. You can’t use that right now.” And if she starts staying here now... She’d still find out about Wilder and me.

  “True, but I don’t want you to be in a weird situation either, you know?”

  “I’m fine. We’re dealing with it for now. Logan mated me, so there isn’t much that can happen anyway.”

  Sarah looks at me oddly. “Wilder said the same thing.”

  Whoops. “Well then. Nothing to worry about, right?” Quick, change the subject. “Why are you here anyway? Not to try to get you out of here, but you usually call first.”

  “Ah, my parents were coming over here.”

  “Were?” Not are, were.

  “Yeah. Wilder told me you were in heat, and I didn’t think it’d be a good idea to have them here when you’re in that kind of situation. You don’t need the stress. Or their words.” She looks at me and shrugs. “Seemed like the better plan, right?”

  “Right.” So that is why it took her so long to get up here. “When will they be coming over instead?” Because you can’t cancel, just move the date when it comes to my parents-in-law.

  “Next week. Your heat should be over by then.” And there is something else, but she doesn’t say it.

  “How are you doing?” It’s not just me who lost Logan, Sarah too. I know they weren’t on the best of terms, but it can’t be easy, losing a sibling so suddenly.

  She finally sits down, her face falling. “It’s hard to believe that he’s really gone. That he won’t be coming back.” She looks at her hands, the beds of her nails are raw, and this for a woman who I know takes great pride in her appearance. She’s trying to look strong, but I know that she can’t keep doing this forever.

  I reach out, and she takes my hand. “Yeah, I can’t believe it either, it seems so... senseless.” It’s hard to believe that Logan’s gone. You don’t die when you’re in the prime of your life. You don’t. That’s not how the world works.

  We’re quiet for a moment before Sarah’s phone buzzes. She lets out a deep sigh as she looks at it. “Great.”

  “What’s wrong?”

  “My parents... they want me back at the company immediately. Something about them not visiting you so I can return to work too.” She swallows hard and squeezes my hand. I know she wants to stay, and I want to talk to her, no, I need to talk to her. But I can’t believe this family. They’re so emotionless like everything needs to have a financial or other measurable beneficial reason, just letting their child grieve in peace doesn’t even occur to them.

  “It’s okay. I’m okay, and I can handle things here fine, it’s not like I’m all on my own. Wilder is a big help, and so is Maddy. You don’t need to worry about me.”

  I can’t read the look in Sarah’s eyes, but there is something she wants to say, even if she doesn’t. Then she smiles a little. “I can see that. You seem to be well taken care of. I’m glad.”

  We’ve never been close, and I don’t think she’d start today. Even if it’s a little sad. We both loved Logan, so why can’t we share in that? But I know why... She and Logan had issues. I don’t know what they were, but I do know that whatever they were, somehow I was involved in it. “Thanks. Will you be coming over again later?” Maybe I can form a new connection to her, without Logan, because who else is there left for me?

  “I’ll see if I can come by this weekend, yeah? Maybe even bring you some chocolate cake or something.” She winks. “It’s said that chocolate helps a lot when you’re in heat.”

  I can’t help the smile this time either. “Yeah, that sounds good.” Chocolate cake, any chocolate at all sounds good right now.

  Sarah stands up. “Okay. Now, go get some sleep. You look like you haven’t had any for days.” She touches my face, and her eyes go wet. “Take care of yourself, he loved you a lot. You can do this.” She looks like that’s the last of her words.

  “You too, he adored you.” Even with their tense relationship, that was always obvious. They loved each other. And I think that, right now, that is the most important thing in the world.

  “I’ll see you later.” She smiles a little sadly, and then, with a final wave, leaves the room.

  Being alone again... It’s weird. I’ve never liked being alone, Logan worked from home, so there was always someone around the house, even if he was in his office.

  I sit up. The office. It’s right next to the guest room, I haven’t been in there since the accident. It feels like a heavy hand is wrapped around my heart as I swallow. I can’t keep hiding from it, I’ll have to check his office soon. I know that his father took care of some things for now, but soon, I’ll have to take things for the business over, right? Damn.

  I rub my chest, trying to ease the tightness. How will I do this?

  Wilder’s face suddenly appears in my mind. But I know that after this week, I can’t keep depending on him. There just is no way that I can keep doing this. He’s got his own life to get back to. And while I think Maddy would love to have him around longer, it just isn’t possible.

  A sound leaves my mouth, a low whimper. Fuck. How will I move on from here? I know enough about Logan’s business to take over some of it, but at the same time... I’ve got my own work, and I don’t want to have to keep asking other people to support me all the steps alon
g the way. I need to become stronger and do things on my own. I try to hide the sound of my whimpering, pushing my hand to my mouth to stop it, but I don’t know how well it works.

  Two arms surround me, strong and heavy arms. “Shh. Shh.” For a moment I mistake the voice for Logan’s, until I smell an unfamiliar scent, even if it’s becoming more familiar in the last days. Wilder. “It’s okay. I’m here. It’s okay.”

  His words, his strength as he holds me, it only makes things worse. I turn to him, push my face into his chest and let everything out. Everything that has been bottled up inside. I let it all out. Being an adult, or trying to be one, it’s so hard. I’ve never been that good at it anyway, that’s why Omegas have Alphas. That’s why Omegas aren’t alone. There is just no way that we can do everything by ourselves.

  We move, and the next moment Wilder is next to me on the bed, holding me tightly. Keeping me close as he touches me, soothing me. “I’m here. Let it all out.”

  I finally feel like I’m relaxing a little, my body heavy, and before I know it I slip into a dreamless sleep. There isn’t anything that would have woken me up for a while. Sarah was right, apart from that one night with Wilder on the couch, I haven’t slept, at least not enough.

  A sloppy and wet kiss finally wakes me up, like a princess being awakened by a prince. But instead, it’s my own little princess who is waking me up. “Daddy, wakey, wakey.”

  “Hi princess.” I reach up for a hug, and she curls up in my arms for a moment before she sits back up, her little ball of energy not able to be contained.

  “Wilder and I made lasagna. He taught me how to.” She’s so proud, and it’s amazing to see her like this.

  “That’s great! But I guess it’s time for dinner now then, right?” After sleeping for at least a couple of hours, I’m starting to get hungry again.

  “Yeah. Wilder told me to wake you up, ask if you wanted to eat in the kitchen.” She slides off the bed. “He said that it’s important that you eat.”

  “I’ll be right down, okay?”

  Maddy nods and closes the door behind her as she leaves.

  I look up. Apparently, I was so deep asleep that I didn’t realise Wilder left. And that even though I usually wake up every time someone even does something like breathing too hard in their sleep. But I needed the rest, obviously. I get out of bed and look at what I’m wearing. That should be good enough, though I pull on a sweatshirt over it, it’s not that warm in the evenings. The sleep has also made sure that I’m feeling a lot better and I’m no longer feeling too weak to get around the house.

  I walk to the Kitchen, on my way there I pass Logan’s office. The door is closed, and it looks so unassuming, but I know I can’t keep ignoring it for much longer. As I get nearer the kitchen, I can smell the lasagna and hear Wilder and Maddy’s voices. There is something homely about it all, a feeling I didn’t think I’d feel so soon again.

  Wilder opens the door and leans in the doorway, stopping me from looking into the kitchen. “Hey. Did you sleep well?” His voice is soft, and he reaches out. It’s hard to ignore the feeling in my stomach, even if I know that he’s just concerned because he’s supposed to look after me. His fingers touch my cheek, softly caressing it.

  I nod, leaning against his hand just a little, the contact between us relaxing me. “I feel much better.”

  “Good.” His fingers slide along my cheek, then his thumb slides over my lips, and his eyes go dark as he follows his own movements. He blinks, his eyes now focusing on mine as a blush climbs up his neck. “I just wanted to let you know that... ehm...” His breathing deepens, and he fully pulls back his hand.

  I lick my lips, suddenly aware now that the weight of his thumb is gone, my own breathing now also deeper. Fuck. I’m pretty sure this wasn’t what he had in mind. “I’m sorry about the shower. I shouldn’t have touched your mark. I know it’s... It was just such a surprise, a mark on an Alpha.”

  He nods, pulling back slightly. “Yeah, thanks.” He seems to want to shrug it off. “It’s not like I didn’t leave my own on you yesterday anyway. I guessed, you know, the mark’s not something that I actively try to hide.”

  I automatically reach up, my hand covering the bandage that hides Wilder’s mark. I’m hiding his though.

  Wilder steps a little closer. “It’s okay. I didn’t mean it like that. It’s just that I never think about mine. Yours though, that’s a different thing.” He reaches out and covers my hand with his, and suddenly he’s really close.

  I look up at him, and I know he realises the same thing. We’re close enough to kiss. “Wild...” I want to step back, even though my whole being is doing the reverse.

  It seems to break the spell on Wilder though. “I know, your heat. Sorry. I shouldn’t...” He steps back and backs into the kitchen.

  When I follow him, there is a huge lasagna on the table, and the table is all set, even Maddy is already sitting nicely in her chair, all excited. They made lasagna in the biggest dish they could find, and I can’t help but smile. It looks like it’s enough to feed twenty people, not just three. We’ll be eating this for days to come.

  “Sit down. Sit down.” Maddy points to the chair next to her.

  I sit down next to her and Wilder hands me a knife to cut the lasagna. Oh, God. I shake my head, but Wilder insists. Well, I guess it’s fine. It’s not like I’m a danger, but the big knife is heavy, and I don’t want to ruin the beautiful surface of the lasagna. I cut myself and Maddy a piece, before handing the knife back to Wilder.

  After Wilder has taken a slice himself, the whole table goes quiet as we all eat. I didn’t underestimate Wilder, even his lasagna is great. This man can really cook. But I guess that it’s a useful skill when you live on your own. Although Logan was a great cook too, he loved to cook great meals over the weekend.

  When we’re finished, I look at how much of the lasagna there is still left. “And now?”

  “I’ll freeze the rest, you can have it next week when I’ve returned home...” His voice trails off at the end, and the look in his eyes is pained.

  When he goes home. Next week. When it’ll be just Maddy and me.

  Right.

  4. Wilder

  I still laugh to myself when I think about the way Sterling looked as I packed the lasagna into portions. His eyes would almost bulge out of his head. How else does he think I cook? I guess that with Logan around, he never really thought about it. I know I never did when I lived with Logan either.

  But being together with Sterling and Maddy at the dining table, and then cleaning up. It’s getting harder and harder to ignore the way Sterling is making me feel. There’s just no way to ignore his heat. Even though I try my hardest. Why are our bodies made like this? It’s just so annoying. In what part of our evolution did it start to make sense to have over a quarter of your population go insane, one half in heat and the other half that can’t resist them…

  When I finish up the dishes and put the last things away, Sterling isn’t in the kitchen anymore, instead putting Maddy to bed, giving me a moment to myself. Today’s been one big run on of events, and it’s hard to get a breather like this with Maddy around as well as Sterling. I look around the kitchen. The first time I stepped in here, I was so upset by how much Logan had formed this after the idea that we wanted. But being here for a couple of days, I can also see the differences, the ways that Logan has grown, or Sterling has influenced him. And even to a smaller extent, the way the space is different because of Maddy. It’s all in the details, but when I first came in here, those details weren’t what I saw. And so many more things are like that. So many things about their lives, so many things about the way they live. There is only so many that you can change a person, but when you put two people together, you get a whole different mix.

  I can’t keep living in the ‘what could have been’, or what I would have wanted my life to be. Just like Sterling, I need to move on now.

  “Wild.” Sterling pulls me from my thoughts.

>   I turn around, startled, and Sterling is trying to hide a smile. “Yeah?”

  “Do you have any plans?”

  “For now? Why would I have plans? It’s the evening, and it’s too early to go to bed yet. Usually, I just watch some TV. Why? Did you have something in mind?” I’m babbling, dammit.

  He shrugs, his cheeks pinking. That catches my attention.

  “What?” I step closer to him and even though I was able to pull away from him earlier, I know it will be harder right now, his heat has been building all day.

  “Well. Just... Can I sleep with you?” He doesn’t look at me, his neck now also darkening.

  “Sleep with me? In the literal or the figurative sense?” I remember what Sterling said last night about sex being the only way an Alpha can hold an Omega who is in heat.

  “Eh.” He licks his lips, and I can see the thoughts running through his head right now. “Which one would mean just sleep? Although. I don’t know...” He steps back, and as his cheeks flare up, his scent intensifies.

  I grip the table, making sure I stay at a safe distance from him. “Star. Calm down please, this isn’t making it easier.”

  He looks up, and this time his eyes are wet with tears. “I just... need someone. Both ways, I guess.”

  Fuck, there is no use fighting this. Because, apart from his heat messing with my mind, I know exactly how he feels. I reach out, stepping closer, running my fingers over his cheek. “Star...” I close the distance further, taking his face in my hands as I look at him. He’s beautiful, no matter what. “I’m sorry.” I lean in, softly putting my lips to his, a tentative taste as he relaxes in my grip. Then his arms snake around my waist and I feel him pull me tight, his excitement very evident against mine. But, for now, I ignore it as best as I can. We need more than a quick fuck, and the heat makes the ending inevitable anyway. I slide one arm down to his waist, keeping him close, then I angle his head and deepen the kiss.

  Sterling gasps and I use that little moment to advance, sliding my tongue along his, kissing him, making sure he knows I’m right here, and I’ve got him. I explore him, sliding along him, battling as we’re trying to figure out how the other person reacts, how we possibly fit together. After a moment, Sterling pulls back, his breathing hard, his eyes slightly glazed over, but also, there is something in his gaze, a sort of surprise that takes me aback.