"And then they generally do some family interviews between the omegas and the families. It's as much the omega's choice as the family's."
"Hmmm."
I tilted his chin up with my finger. I knew that hmmm. "Why do you ask?"
"Well, hypothetically, if there were a different omega, one we didn't know quite as well as Trevor but we were fairly certain they'd fit in here... could we fast-track another foster?"
I smiled wryly. "It's Stasha, isn't it?" Stasha was a small omega girl from the big bust who had stolen the hearts of most of us at the House. She was six years old and none of us had heard her speak a single word.
"Maaay-be." His fingers circled my arms lightly, goosebumps following his touch.
I hid my grin and flattened the tone of my voice. We fit together so well. "What if I told you the application papers were already in my bag, and I was hoping to ask you how you felt about it in the morning? They just need your signature."
Jace's lips captured mine in a bruising kiss and he rolled over me, his belly pressing against my abs. And then something kicked me in the ribs.
I broke the kiss, laughing. "Someone is less than pleased about our attempt to get frisky."
"If I didn’t already know otherwise, I would’ve said she's an alpha," Jace agreed ruefully. "She certainly has the force of will like someone else I know."
"Or she's an uppity omega, like someone else I know." I touched a finger to his nose.
"I haven't the first clue how to do any of this parenting thing," I admitted.
"Right now, neither of us do," Jace countered. "But we'll manage. One day at a time. For the rest of time."
21
Trevor
Just when I thought things couldn’t get any better, my family was about to get even bigger. We were sitting in the waiting room at the hospital with Robert. He leaned over and whispered, “Jace will be fine.”
“I know,” I told him.
He was still frowning, a little crease between his eyebrows. He leaned over again. “Omegas have babies all the time. It’s perfectly natural.”
“I know,” I told him again, this time with a smile.
He’d been reassuring me that everything would be fine for the past two hours. I think Robert was more nervous than I was. I reached over and ruffled his hair, just like Naveed and Jace--my new dads!--always did to me. I figured if it made me feel better, then maybe it would make Robert feel better too.
He gave me a weird look, though, so maybe it wasn’t quite the same.
Stasha was sitting on the other side of me, swinging her legs. She didn’t say much, usually, except when we were alone. She was happy enough to just watch people, keep an eye on what was going on around her. I didn’t know what had happened to her at the omega breeding ring, but it had to be worse than anything I could imagine. And after my parents, my imagination could think up some pretty nasty stuff. Knowing all that, I didn’t mind if she didn’t want to talk. I figured she would talk when she was ready.
Stasha’s eyes were darting around the waiting room. She didn’t like to be out in public, I could tell. She much preferred her room at home, but when Jace went into labor, we decided we wanted to be here instead of waiting at home. Because babies make everything better.
“Are you okay?” I whispered to her.
She nodded, but I took her small hand in mine anyway. Naheed told me it was my job to take care of her, to protect my new little sister, and I intended to be the best big brother ever.
Robert jumped to his feet and I looked up to see Naveed coming down the hall toward us, a big smile on his face. Stasha and I darted forward, wrapping our arms around our new dad. He scooped up both up as if we didn’t weigh a thing.
“Well?” I squealed.
“Well what?” Naveed asked innocently. He was trying to tease me but Stasha and I were too excited to tolerate teasing right now.
“The babies!” Stasha squeaked out.
“Brothers or sisters?” I asked impatiently, giving Naveed a shake, though he barely budged for all my effort.
He plunked us both back down on our feet. Then, instead of telling us anything, he exchanged a little hug with Robert, I swear just to make us wait even longer.
“Dad!” I finally burst out, surprising us both. The shock on his face quickly morphed into a huge smile. It was the first time I’d called him that, but it felt right.
“Why don’t you guys come in to meet your new brother and sister,” my dad said, beaming, clearly proud of himself for keeping the secret for so long.
Stasha started hopping up and down in her excitement. She was already dashing down the hallway, completely forgetting to be nervous of her surroundings. In that moment, I was absolutely certain that she was going to be just fine.
My dad ruffled my hair, leading me down the hall to Jace’s room. I turned to Robert and said, “See? I told you everything was going to be okay.”
Robert rolled his eyes and chuckled at me. “Yes, you’re very wise.”
When we entered the room, Stasha had already claimed a spot on the bed beside Jace. He looked exhausted but the smile lighting up his face let me know that everything was great. Perfect, even.
Jace shone his tired smile my way and nodded for me to climb up on the other side. I didn’t want to crowd them but perched on the edge of the bed and peeked over at the two bundles in his lap. “They’re so tiny,” I said.
“Do you want to hold them?” Jace asked me, and my insides quivered.
“Really?”
“Of course. You’re the big brother, I trust you.”
I felt my eyebrows go up. Trust was something hard-earned. Could I trust myself with these itty bitty babies?
Naveed came over and pulled up a chair for me to sit in. He layered pillows in my lap and then brought the babies over one at a time, propping them up in my arms. I tried to relax but I honestly felt like I was going to drop them. “Like this?”
And then Naveed said, “You’re a natural,” and he sounded like he meant it. I looked up at my new dad, and around at my family, all smiles and quiet confidence. It was easy to put my trust in them. They believed in me and it made me feel like I was worth their confidence.
I turned my attention to the two bundles in my lap. “They’re heavier than I thought they’d be.”
“Then it’s a good thing you’re so strong,” Jace said, and I looked up at him in time to catch his wink.
Naveed crouched down in front of me. “I’ve been watching you take care of Stasha. You’ve really got this big brother thing down. Do you think you can handle two more little siblings to take watch over?”
I studied the babies, two tiny noses and pursed lips, wrinkly fingers. I gave a little nod, determination spreading through me. “I’ve got this,” I said.
“That’s my boy,” Naveed said, wrapping all three of us into a hug.
This, this right here, was exactly what I wanted. What I needed. “I love you, Dad.”
Naveed pulled back, tears of joy streaming down his cheeks. “I love you too, son.”
We were officially a family.
Epilogue
Jace
Today was the day. Naheed didn’t know it yet, although I was pretty darn sure he suspected it. I was the one who always wanted Trevor, Stasha and the twins with me at all times. My omega had taken a while to blossom, but now they were always in protection mode and in order to satisfy them, I liked to be in control. That was probably the real reason I grew up thinking I was an alpha. I liked control.
And tonight I was taking it. The kids were with my fathers for the night, my omega dad beyond gleeful I finally took them up on their offer, double gleeful when they found out why. It was time for Naheed and I to finally complete our bond.
Getting pregnant right away had worked for us, but it had prevented us from bonding. Being unbonded and pregnant was looked down on in society and after having gone through it, I discovered why. It was hard. Your hormones were all over the place fro
m carrying a baby, or in our case babies, and you had this edge of insecurity because part of you felt incomplete. Biology can be a B like that.
“Naheed, I’m home,” I called from the door as I dropped my keys and kicked off my shoes.
“How were the kids?” Naheed walked in, his hair still dripping, a towel around his waist. The man was trying to kill me. He had even trimmed his beard to my favorite length. It had just enough stubble to let you know it was there, but not sharp enough that I ended up with a beard burn, which was especially important when he was hanging out below my belt line.
“Excited to be with their grandfathers.” I tried not to drool, but my alpha was sex on a stick and the way he was puffing out his chest, his intention was to catch my attention in this very way. I began to slowly unbutton my shirt. Those poor reservations I waited a month for would have to be wasted. There were more pressing matters at hand.
“You mean to be spoiled rotten.” He leaned on the doorframe watching my every move, his towel tenting in the front already. Tonight was going to be fun.
“Yeah, that.” It took me a moment to remember where our conversation was going. I worked the fourth button, my fingers not working as well as they should and my pants suddenly very tight.
His eyes ran purposefully down my body. “I was thinking that since they are out of the house… for the night…”
“Don’t you dare steal my thunder, you brute.” I wagged my finger at him. Leave it to my alpha to torment me in such a way. Good thing I loved him… and liked his antics.
“Such a pushy omega.” He took three steps closer, closing the distance between us as he took over my attempt to open my shirt. Looked like I could cross strip tease off my to-do list for the night. “My omega.” The possessiveness in his voice was heady and I was already ready for him, my aching hole needing to be filled. There went my original plan to take him while we bonded. I needed him now.
“Yours,” I vowed as his teeth grazed my neck and the last button fell open. “So tonight then?”
“What?” he gruffed. My alpha thought he was oh so funny and since I was laughing along with him, I guess it was fair to say I agreed with him. “Tonight what?”
“Wiseass.” I faux smacked his arm as I allowed my teeth to graze him just where I planned to complete our bonding. I felt the shiver run through him. Oh yeah, he liked that spot.
“Your wiseass and yes…” Another nip. “Tonight. I have wanted this since our first night together.”
I had too. I was a scared mess that night, but if he had sunk his teeth into me, there would’ve been zero chances that I would’ve done anything but reciprocate, even back then. Just the idea of our scents swirling together and becoming the same had me just about coming in my pants, which were beyond uncomfortable already. I needed them off.
“Yeah well, if you hadn’t knocked me up, we could’ve been all over that.” It had become a running joke. Neither of us regretted getting pregnant when we did. Not for a moment. My body had known we were ready for it before either of our brains did, pushing me into that early heat. My omega dad swears it was because we were true mates or some other such romantic drivel from one of his romance novels, but I was more pragmatic. Sometimes you just know.
“Says the man with the beta condoms.”
I reached between us and instead of removing his towel, which I fiercely wanted to do, I started to work on my belt because I just couldn’t with the pressure of the zipper against my engorged cock anymore.
“It was pretty much one of the best things I ever did.”
He slapped my hand away as I spoke, taking over my disrobing and “accidentally” caressing my cock as he did, chuckling as I hissed in response. At this rate, tonight was going to be over far too soon.
“Agreed.” As my pants fell to the floor, he slid his hand down the front of my boxer briefs, giving me a few good strokes with his hand before moving further and finding my weeping hole and giving it a good tease as I tried to form words.
“So... I had big plans to woo… you tonight… with a nice… dinner out and a romantic walk…”
He was making it nearly impossible for me to talk.
“Yeah, let’s skip all that.” He removed his finger at that and scooped me into his arms, the pants staying on the floor.
“You, my alpha, are brilliant.”
As he carried me into our bedroom, I helped divest him of his towel. It was only fair since I was down to my underwear. He kicked the door shut out of habit and gently laid me on the bed.
“So how do you want to do this?” he asked as he helped alleviate me of my boxer briefs, kissing my thighs gently along the way.
“When an alpha and an omega love each other…”
“You know what I mean.” He pulled me up to a seated position so that we looked at each other eye to eye. He did this from time to time. I asked him why once, and he told me he never wanted me to feel like less than an equal, and eye to eye did that. Naheed was an alpha like no other. And he was all mine.
“I need to be sure what you are asking.” I crossed my mental fingers that he was entertaining the idea that we switch roles in the bonding. Not because I had to to feel good about it, I would gladly take his knot right this very second. It was more what it represented. His willingness to accept me as the omega I was, even before I had accepted myself in the role.
“Face to face is a given. We are equals in everything.” Sometimes going at it from behind was the best thing ever, but he was right, it had no place in our bonding. I had already decided that and it was great he was on the same page.
“Agreed.” My hand “accidentally” found itself in his lap. Oops.
“But who claims whose ass?” My blunt, sexy alpha.
“It’s always the alpha.” At least I’d never heard of it being otherwise anywhere but in my very creative fantasy life.
“Says who?” His voice cracked at “who” and he reached down to still my hand as it traced the vein on his throbbing erection. He was as ready to blow as I was.
“Says school?” It came out as a question, but it was sex-ed one-oh-one. The alpha enters the omega, consummating their relationship, and at the time of the alpha’s ejaculation he bites into the neck of the omega signaling the omega to do the same. It was all very technical and sounded nothing like what Naheed and I were about to experience.
“Does it look like we’re getting graded?” He flicked my nose. “So what do you want?”
“Originally… I have fantasized about taking you when we bonded.” He wasn’t asking to be kind. He wanted to know and I owed it to him to be honest even if it had me blushing.
“Originally?”
“Before you made me want your knot so badly.”
“We have all night.” He stroked me once, grabbing the drop of precum off me with his finger and bringing it to his lips with a mmmm sound. “We could… do both.”
“You mean?” Naheed nodded enthusiastically at my question. “You would?”
“Does this answer your question?” He reached under his pillow, pulling out a small tube of his favorite lube. My alpha had planned it all along. I wasn’t taking anything from him by bonding this way. He wanted it too. Life was so freaking good.
“Alpha, one day I fear I’m going to wake up and this will all be a dream.” I pushed him onto the bed, his head thumping lightly on the pillow.
“Best dream ever,” he mumbled as I kissed my way up his body, stopping at a few key spots along the way. This was going to be fast and furious, but after we bonded, round two was going to require a lot more exploring, kissing, sucking, nipping, making sure no part of my alpha went unworshipped.
“Indeed,” I agreed as I popped open the lube, warming a few drops on my fingers, slowly, allowing him to watch and anticipate.
“Now do me, omega mine.” Anticipation could freaking wait.
I took his mouth. I was laying claim to this sexy man now beside me. My fingers found his waiting hole far quicker than normal fore
play protocol would allow, but tonight was not a night for lingering. We needed this. Now.
One finger, two fingers, three fingers. He was ready so quickly for me, his moans of ecstasy telling me all I needed to know. He was ready. Breaking our kiss, I climbed between his legs, popping the lid of the lube open and liberally applying it to my weeping cock. His hooded eyes held more than lust, they shined with love. His love for me. I could see him biting the inside of his mouth, working so hard not to command me, to give me this moment. I didn’t want that. Didn’t need that. Not tonight.
“Speak, alpha mine. I want to hear your sexy voice as you tell me the things you desire.”
“Take me, now. I need you, I need this.” His words were choppy, yet no less sexy, and I aligned myself with his eager hole, entering him in one swift motion, no longer being able to wait. “Yes,” he hissed. “Now move, omega. Do me like you mean it.”
This was not going to be sweet love making. This was a claiming in the most primal sense. I began to move with deep, hard strokes as I took his cock in my still slick hand and began to tease him to the brink before letting go. It was too soon.
“Come with me, omega.”
Or not too soon. I gave up holding back my orgasm and three strokes later we were both coming as I leaned forward, gave Naheed a quick kiss and then sunk my teeth into his shoulder as he did mine. It was raw. Animalistic, even. It was perfect.
Our teeth weren’t fully disengaged before I sensed our scents begin their change. We were a spicy cinnamon blend reminding me of warm fires, hot drinks, home.
I collapsed on top of him and enjoyed the sensation of us finally becoming one. Any alpha and omega we met would immediately know we were spoken for, and that suited me quite nicely.
“That was…” I panted against his chest as I idly played with his nipple and tried to ward off sleep.
“It was…” His eyes were struggling as much as mine. It was a sign of a good time when both alpha and omega needed a nap, I always said.
Embracing His Omega: Cafe Om Love #1 Page 9
