Ben pulled his shirt off and Adam’s thoughts fell away, leaving nothing but his wonderment at how gorgeous his mate looked. Broad shoulders, firm muscles, every inch of him giving the impression of strength. He turned and Adam stepped forward, reaching out a hand and letting it rest over Ben’s heart.
His Alpha was right. It would be sex that brought them together again. From their first kiss to that last gasp of breath before they came.
When Ben reached for the hem of his shirt, he raised his arms and helped the Alpha tug it up and off. Ben drew him closer, his hands on Adam’s back, one sliding down along his spine as the other found that spot at the back of his neck and kneaded it gently. Adam moaned as the first wave of sensation washed over him, crowding closer to Ben, reaching for the waistband of his jeans.
“Slower, Adam, there's no rush.”
“Maybe not for you, some of us are on a timetable here,” he joked back.
Ben captured his chin in one hand, tipping his head up until his mate's dark eyes met Adam's blue.
"You want to go hard and fast?" he asked.
Adam nodded eagerly. Later there'd be time for the slow, sensual joining of their bodies. Right then, he just wanted Ben inside him, wanted to feel his body stretched around the Alpha as Ben gave as good as he got. It was the work of moments to discard the rest of their clothes then Ben was lifting Adam, urging him to wrap his legs around Ben's waist. Ben carried him from the bedroom into the bathroom, setting him down on the floor. The tiles were cool beneath his feet as the Alpha urged his head up again, their lips meeting.
Adam pressed closer, standing on his tiptoes and deepening the kiss until they were both breathless.
Ben spun him around so he was facing the counter, the mirror, and it took him right back to the moment they’d bonded. How fast the years had flown since, how much had changed. But not this.
He let Ben lean him forward to press his upper body against the cool surface, propped up by his elbows, his eyes watching his Alpha through the mirror. Of all the ways they’d had sex, this position was still his favorite.
Ben’s body bent over him, his chest to Adam’s back, and he kissed Adam’s neck, sucking the skin hard enough to have Adam gasping.
When he let go, he straightened, his hands going to Adam’s hips, urging his legs wider.
“I remember the first time I saw your eyes,” Ben said. “My heart started to race and my senses sharpened, all of them focused on you. My wolf knew you were mine.”
The Alpha held his gaze through the mirror as he pushed inside in one smooth thrust. Hard and fast, just like he’d promised. Ben rocked out and in again, pacing himself and not giving Adam more than he could handle. His hands held Adam’s hips steady as he thrust.
Adam’s body sang at the feel of the Alpha within him. His heat washed over him, taking him to heights he’d never imagined until he met Ben.
The Alpha grunted with effort as he quickened his pace, but his eyes never left Adam’s. Pleasure was building within him, gathering like a storm in the distance.
“Ben,” he gasped out and the Alpha reached a hand forward, lacing their fingers together.
His thrusts became erratic, his fingers tightening against Adam’s and he pushed forward, pressing his mouth against Adam’s neck.
Adam realized what he was about to do a moment before it he did it, Ben stilling inside him as he came, carrying Adam over the edge with him. As pleasure crashed over him in waves, the Alpha bit down on the soft skin of his neck. He cried out, the pain only serving to heighten the pleasure, wringing every last drop of ecstasy from him. He sank against the counter, watching Ben lazily through the mirror, the Alpha’s hands soothing along his body as he trembled with little aftershocks of pleasure.
Ben eased out of him before helping him up, turning him so they were face to face.
“Okay?”
A slow smile spread across his face at the question that, on the surface, was so simple.
“Okay,” he replied and they kissed again, slow and sensual, lips pressed together before Adam yielded, parting his and letting Ben’s tongue taste his.
He hummed with satisfaction and they slowly pulled apart, Ben’s arms holding up his suddenly weary body.
The Alpha picked him up with ease and carried him into the bedroom, laying him down on the bed before settling himself right next to him. They drifted to sleep with Adam’s head on Ben’s chest. He knew it wouldn’t be for long, could already feel the insistent need of his heat building again, but he no longer feared it.
Afterward they lay together, paying no heed to the time passing. Adam drew a criss-cross pattern on Ben’s chest, above his heart.
“I think we should visit Gray Valley.”
Though he knew it would seem out of the blue to Ben, it wasn’t. He’d had it on his mind since they’d rescued Noah.
“They don’t need me there, Adam.”
“A stable Pack needs an Alpha line. With Terrance and his family gone, they don’t have one.”
“That doesn’t mean it should be ours.”
“I know and that isn’t why I want us there. I think we should go and visit. Show them our family.”
Though Ben’s reply was soft, his voice was strained. “Why Adam, why dig up the past like that?”
“It’s not about the past. It’s about the future. Show them who and what you are now. An Alpha, who has left the past behind. Who has a mate and children. After years of living under the Porter’s rule, they need to see what life in other Packs looks like. They’re looking for choice now, for strength, for stability. You are all those things. We just need to show them.”
Before Ben could reply, Adam pressed ahead with what he wanted to say.
“I don’t mean that we should just up sticks and move there. I think we should start to form connections with them. With your family, with old friends. They were your family’s Pack. They were your Pack until they kicked you out. Build bridges and maybe, in the future, there will come a time when it’s right for us to go and live there.”
“The time may never be right.”
“Then we’ll always have each other, our children, and Glenoak. You can’t heal from the past by ignoring it. I think we’ve both learned that.”
“Hell of a way to learn that lesson,” Ben said, and Adam knew he was thinking of Noah and their confrontation with Tobias. “Sometimes it feels like we learn all our lessons the hard way. But we can make it easier for the boys, they won’t have to go through what we went through.”
“And we did that, we saved them from that. By finding each other. By coming here, to Glenoak. We’ve made mistakes, but we’ve made a lot of good choices, too,” Adam spoke in earnest, wanting to chase away every last shadow on Ben’s face.
“You were the best choice I have ever made,” Ben replied, cupping Adam’s cheek and kissing him. Adam melted into his embrace, knowing no more words were needed between them.
Epilogue
The drive to Glenoak seemed to take much longer this time around. It was the near-constant roiling of his stomach that had nothing to do with the motion of the car. So far, there wasn’t much Jay liked about being pregnant. Except the little patter of a heartbeat he could just about hear under his own. And the way Byron looked at him, like he’d done something just a little amazing.
The Alpha in question reached over and squeezed his hand.
“We’re almost there. How are you holding up?”
“Why call it such a stupid name? Why not all-day sickness or when-you-least-expect-it sickness.”
“I know it’s rough right now. But it’ll get better.”
Jay grumbled under his breath. Byron wouldn’t be saying that if he was the one whose stomach was flip-flopping every minute.
“Your parents were delighted to hear our news.”
That put a smile on his face. They had been pleased. And the girls, his sisters, were so excited. His mother was already knitting a blanket. And booties. Jay had had to get Odin to
show him a picture before he knew what booties were. Babies needed a lot of stuff.
He gave an audible sigh of relief when they arrived. There was already a line of cars parked along the driveway. Odin and Scott parked behind them. They all got out and ambled towards the house. In the near distance, they could hear the sounds of people and music.
Byron slowed down and Jay matched his pace.
“There are going to be a lot of people here, Jay. If you need a break, some time out, just let one of us know and we’ll make it happen, okay?”
“Thanks, Byron,” he said, linking their arms. While he was looking forward to seeing their friends again and making some new ones, he wasn’t the biggest fan of crowds.
They didn’t go into the house, but skirted around the side. Martin was already rounding the side of the house to meet them, shaking each of their hands in turn.
“We’re glad you could make it. Seb plans to make an announcement later.”
“What about?” Byron asked.
“Well, that would be telling, wouldn’t it?” the man said, grinning.
They came around the corner to find the garden a hive of activity.
“Look, there’s Ro,” Jay said, making a beeline for the Omega, Byron right behind him.
He and Ro hugged, and spent a minute comparing bumps.
“How’s that morning sickness?” Ro asked. Jay made a face and the Omega nodded sympathetically.
There were children running riot around the garden, playing a chasing game that looked like lots of fun.
Seb arrived, having a quick work in Byron’s ear.
“Jay?” Byron called a minute later. “Let’s head inside for a few minutes.”
Curious, Jay followed his Alpha through the back door into the kitchen. They found Ben and Adam there, and Jay let Byron handle the greetings.
“We wanted to thank you both, in person, for what you did to help find Noah. You especially, Jay. It can’t have been easy taking that journey,” Ben said.
“I’m really glad you got Noah back,” Jay said.
“Speaking of,” Adam said, as their boys ran into the kitchen. He picked Noah up and the smiling toddler waved shyly at Jay. Jay waved back.
“Alicia is upstairs, you should head up,” Ben said, while wrestling with a giggling Xander.
“Come on,” Byron said, taking him by the hand and leading him out through the living room and to the stairs. Jay was part-mystified, part-fearful
“Isn’t she the doctor?” he whispered to Byron as they reached the foot of the stairs.
“She is a doctor, with a lot of experience taking care of pregnant Omegas. She has a little surprise for us.”
Jay wasn’t sure he wanted a surprise and dawdled on the stairs.
“It’s nothing bad, Jay. She was seeing Adam and Ro, and had all the equipment laid out anyway.”
Jay didn’t like the sound of that.
“Hey.” Byron caught his hand. “Trust me. You’ll enjoy this.”
Holding tight to his mate’s hand, he followed him up and into one of the bedrooms. Alicia stood as they came in.
“There you are. I thought we might as well offer you a scan seeing as we’ve everything ready.”
“A scan?”
“An ultrasound scan. A picture of your baby.”
Oh. He’d seen some of those in the baby books Byron had got them.
“We can see our baby?”
“That’s right. Why don’t you hop up on the bed.”
Byron helped him get settled, pulling up his t-shirt before Alicia tucked a large piece of tissues into the waistband of his pants. “Just so the gel doesn’t get on your clothes. Now, this will be cold.”
It was cold and a little strange but with Byron holding his hand, he didn’t mind.
“Now, let’s see if we can’t get you a good picture. You’re about ten weeks along?”
“Ten and a half,” Byron replied.
“Pregnant on your first heat?”
Jay nodded, smiling to himself. Those were good memories. They’d been making lots of good memories recently.
“And there we go.”
She angled the screen towards them. “There’s the head, and that’s a hand there. And the feet.”
Jay was lost, watching the tiny image on the screen.
“That’s our baby?”
“Uh-huh,” she said. “That’s him. Or her.”
He turned to Byron. “Our baby.”
His Alpha was staring at the screen in amazement.
Alicia turned the screen back towards her and Jay let out a little whine of disappointment.
“I just need to check a few measurements and I’ll print you some pictures.”
She shifted the probe and frowned.
“What’s wrong?”
“Nothing’s wrong,” she said quickly, moving the probe over and back across Jay’s stomach, intent on the screen.
Byron squeezed his hand but Jay could see he was nervous too.
She angled the screen back towards them a little.
“There,” she said and Jay relaxed as he saw their baby again but the picture was different. “He’s moved.”
“Not exactly,” she said. “Watch closely.”
She angled the probe carefully. Byron stood and leaned across the bed to see better and Jay craned his neck to see the screen fully.
“There’s two heads.”
“There’s two babies,” Alicia said gently. “Were you expecting twins?”
Byron sat down heavily beside him.
“No, we… twins?”
“I’m two for two this morning,” Alicia said distractedly. “At this rate, you Omegas will be out-populating the rest of us.”
“Twins like Noah and Xander?” Jay asked no one in particular.
“Exactly like that.”
Jay wasn’t sure what to say, especially when Byron had gone so quiet beside him. Two didn’t seem so bad. He had two hands. Two hands for two babies. And between them they had four hands. Adam and Ben managed, so they would too. And Odin would help, Jay was sure of it.
Alicia printed out pictures of each baby and one with both of them. Then she tidied up and gave them a few minutes to themselves.
Byron was holding two of the pictures, with baby A and baby B written across the top.
“Is two too many?” Jay asked.
Byron stretched out on the bed next to him, resting a hand on his stomach.
“Oh, no. Two is a perfect number. You are full of surprises.”
As if on cue, his stomach grumbled.
“I’m not full of anything right now, except babies.”
Laughing, Byron leaned in and kissed him before helping him up.
“Let’s get that sorted, then. Can’t have you going hungry with two babies in your belly.”
Hand in hand, they rejoined the party.
Adam and Ben brought the twins back outside to join the festivities.
Luke and James were sitting at a table, James rubbing a hand across Luke’s back. It wouldn’t be much longer before they welcomed their little one into the world. Matthew and Zack were sitting on a picnic blanket with theirs and Alicia’s kids, and Duncan was chattering away to Casey, Seb, and Ro while Nathan napped nearby.
There were others there too; Andrew and Etta, Sam and Lianna, Matt’s sister and her mate. Even Yellow Rock’s Omega had joined them. The Pack had kept his existence under wraps until a few weeks before. He wasn’t bonded yet but was almost at mating age. His older Alpha brother had come too, to keep an eye on him, and seemed bemused at being accosted by a different child every few minutes.
Noah squirmed in his arms and Adam let him go, watching as he ran to join Duncan while Xander made a beeline for Chloe. Ben was making his way over to James. Adam followed more slowly, soaking up the atmosphere.
This was more than he had ever hoped for. A community of Omegas. Before, he’d been alone, separated from Luke. And then there’d been Ro. He too had thought he was alone
, until Adam. But now they were many and growing in number. It was such a joy to see the happy faces of the adults and children. These weren’t people living in fear. They lived with hope, determined to make their children’s future the best they could. He prayed they’d never know the dark days their parents lived through.
He sank into a seat next to Ben.
“Penny for your thoughts?” his mate asked.
“It’s just so great to see everyone here. Like one big family.”
“Speaking of family,” James said. “How did your visit to Gray Valley go?”
Adam let Ben answer.
“It was good. I got to catch up with lots of people, and Adam and the boys got to meet my aunt and cousins and old friends. The Pack are forming a council to manage the day to day running.”
“And an Alpha line?”
“They’ve asked us to consider it. We said that we’d visit more; get to know them, let them get to know us, and see if we’re a good fit for each other. I don’t want to uproot everyone if we’re not sure things will work out. Gray Valley needs time to settle.”
Adam could see Ben was at ease with their decision, happy to let what would be, be. His own feelings were that they’d move to Gray Valley eventually but it might be another two or three years before that happened.
“How did it go with Alicia? Is everything okay?” Luke asked him.
“Everything’s great,” he said, patting his stomach. Ben raised his eyebrows but didn’t speak as James looked from one to the other.
“What are we missing?” he asked.
Ben held up a finger as if to silence him, then held up a second.
“Oh, wow. Again?”
“Again.”
“We should be so lucky,” Adam joked, throwing Ben’s words back at him.
“We are lucky. I mean, we’ll never have a good night’s sleep ever again, but there’s no denying how lucky we are,” Ben said, as James laughed and shook his head.
“I hope we’re not all as fertile as you two.”
They lapsed into silence, distracted by Noah and Duncan playing airplanes across the grass.
“We’re still looking for Duncan and Casey’s parents,” James said. “And for any family that gave up an Omega child. No luck yet but they may come forward now that Tobias is dead.”
The Alpha's Kiss: Lost Omegas Book Six: A M/M Shifter Romance Page 16
