by L. C. Davis
"I'm offering," he insisted. "I want to. If he wouldn't mind, that is..."
"I'm sure he'd love to see you, if you're up for it."
"I am," Yuri promised, finishing his omelet. Benjamin had long since finished, but he waited to clear the table until Yuri was done. "I'll get those."
"You're not going to lift another finger until I hear from the doctor," Benjamin said in a tone that left no room for argument. Yuri sighed, deciding he'd have to get used to obeying his alpha if he was going to give being an omega a real try this time.
"I'll go get dressed and bring your clothes over from the other house," Benjamin said, looking Yuri over. The omega's heart surged with pride at the way his alpha's eyes glazed with lust at the sight of his mate wearing his T-shirt, but Benjamin covered it up quickly. Yuri decided that once they were both a bit more settled in to the new normal, the first thing he was going to work on was making sure that Benjamin knew there wasn't any reason to hold himself back in that department. Not anymore.
Yuri explored the house while Benjamin was gone. The craftsmanship was all the more impressive knowing Benjamin had built it himself. Before long, the Alpha came through the door, holding a pile of Yuri's clothing. Yuri changed quickly and met Benjamin by the front door, savoring the way the Alpha's hand enveloped his completely as he helped him into the car.
The doctor's office was hardly far enough away to justify driving instead of walking, but Yuri was beginning to realize just how serious Benjamin was about resting. Fortunately, the doctor was on Yuri's side, reminding Benjamin that omegas had been having pups for quite some time and that both Yuri and the baby seemed to be in excellent health. He promised to contact Yuri's doctor at the Central Unit to request his records but sent Yuri off with permission to engage in light housework without concern.
After the checkup, Benjamin drove them to the general store in the village, as promised. Passersby waved when they saw Benjamin's car and craned their necks to get a better look at the omega in the passenger's side. Yuri's heart fluttered nervously. "Word is going to spread fast, isn't it?"
"'Fraid so," Benjamin said, not sounding all that afraid. He came around for Yuri's door and helped him out of the car, waving casually to a few gawkers. "The best way to handle these things is to act like everything is normal. People only get worked up if you act like they have a reason to."
Yuri nodded, tucking that bit of information away for future use. The general store was quiet, at least, save for the clerk who gave them a warm greeting when they first came in. Yuri gathered a few toiletries and other essentials he would need while staying at Benjamin's house and was relieved when the clerk only made casual Smalltalk while they checked out.
"Have a nice day," she called as Benjamin led Yuri out of the store with their purchases in hand.
"Are you sure you're not tired?" Benjamin asked warily, looking down at Yuri. "I can always take you to the hospital another time."
"I'm sure," Yuri said, standing on his toes to kiss Benjamin by the car, well aware that they had an audience. Benjamin seemed surprised at first, but he soon returned the kiss, pulling away with a smile tugging at his lips.
"I guess that's another approach to avoiding gossip."
"Sure is," Yuri said, grinning. "Never underestimate the value of shock."
Chapter 30
BENJAMIN
"Dad?" Benjamin knocked on his father's hospital room door before entering. Heinrich was sitting up, which was a good sign, according to the doctor. His condition had been steadily improving and he had, of course, been staying in a private room. There were a handful of doctors and nurses on staff who were either shifters themselves or aware of the species, but his care still had to be carefully managed. The fact that the paralysis on the left side of his face had improved as quickly as it had would raise enough questions if the wrong human got wind of it.
"Look who it is," Heinrich said, his eyes dancing with more life than Benjamin had seen in them in months. Sue was at his side, and even though Benjamin could tell she was still tired, her spirits seemed vastly improved as well. "I hope you smuggled in some decent food. A man can only live on gelatin and soggy vegetables for so long."
"Sorry, but your warden has specified a strict no outside food policy," Benjamin teased, nodding to his mother. "I hope it's alright, but I brought a visitor."
Heinrich and Sue looked at each other as Benjamin reached for Yuri's hand and gently pulled him into the room. Benjamin was nervous for a moment, not because he feared that his parents would be anything other than welcoming, but because he could feel Yuri's fear as his own. The bond between them had grown even stronger with close proximity, and it had made him all the more attuned to the omega's emotions. Benjamin wished he could spare Yuri the anxiety he was experiencing, but knew that the reunion had to take place sooner rather than later. Besides, there would be no lingering hard feelings as soon as Sue and Heinrich learned they were to be grandparents in a matter of months.
"Yuri," Sue said, giving the other omega a reassuring smile. "Well, this is a pleasant surprise."
"Hi, Mr. and Mrs. Stillwater," he said softly, not quite meeting their eyes. "I hope I'm not intruding."
"Not at all," said Heinrich. "This is your home. Well, not this," he said, glancing around the hospital room. "I hope this means you'll be staying?"
"As long as Benjamin will have me."
Benjamin gave the omega's hand a reassuring squeeze and kissed the top of his head. "Forever, in other words."
Sue crossed the room and gave them both a tight hug. Yuri wheezed a little and Benjamin gently separated them. "Careful, you'll crush your grandchild."
"What?" Sue held Yuri at arm's length, looking him over, then looking up at Benjamin with wide eyes. "You mean...?"
Benjamin couldn't keep the grin off his face. He would have once thought that getting an omega pregnant without being mated first would be a source of shame, but he couldn't feel anything but pride. Yes, he wished he had done things the right way for Yuri's sake, but he also knew they were both stubborn enough that it was entirely possible the Spirits had known that it was the only way they would end up together at all. As far as he was concerned, the life growing inside of his mate was his greatest accomplishment and the entire world could know it.
Sue let out a giddy squeal and hugged Yuri with far more gentleness before placing a kiss on her son's cheek. "A baby? Oh, and here I was starting to think it would never happen."
"Mom," Benjamin groaned.
Heinrich laughed. "My father would roll over in his grave. I feel obligated to remind you of that fact before I offer my congratulations."
Yuri's cheeks turned a rather becoming shade of pink and Benjamin reminded himself that there was still the matter of deciding where the omega would sleep that night. Tradition said one thing, but his wolf had vastly different ideas and he was tired of being at odds with it.
"It's going to take some time to plan a ceremony," Sue murmured. "I suppose we could cut a few corners and bump it up a little... Of course, we have to time it with the full moon."
"We just found out he's pregnant, mom," Benjamin protested.
"Pregnant being the operative word," she said, resting a hand on her hip.
"It's alright," Yuri said softly, looking up at Benjamin. "I'd like to do it as soon as possible."
Benjamin eyed him warily, trying to sort out whether the omega was just saying what he thought his alpha wanted to hear. He would have assumed that was the case if he wasn't able to feel Yuri's emotions so keenly. There was nothing but hope and earnestness emanating from his mate.
"We'll do it next month, if that's the case," said Heinrich.
Benjamin frowned, looking down at Yuri. "Are you sure?"
Yuri held his gaze, a soft smile on his lips. "I've never been more sure of anything in my life."
Chapter 31
YURI
Settling into life in the Cold Water Pack had been easy ever since Yuri had decided to try. T
he stares had died down in the two weeks that had passed since his return from Mountain Ridge and he found the other wolves surprisingly eager to welcome him as one of their own. Heinrich was back in his own home and somehow Sue had found time to fully plan the mating ceremony. Lita was still giving Yuri the cold shoulder, which he couldn't blame her for at all. He only hoped he would have the chance to talk to her before the ceremony.
The only wrinkle left to iron out was the fact that he and Benjamin still fell asleep in separate beds every night. Despite the fact that there was only a wall separating them, in the eyes of Yuri's wolf, it might as well have been an entire continent.
Benjamin got home early that night, but it was still well past dark when he walked through the door. Yuri already had dinner on the table and the Alpha finally seemed convinced that cooking pasta wasn't going to do anything to harm the baby.
"I missed you," Yuri said, leaning up to kiss him. He had never been one to wear his emotions on his sleeve, but in the interest of proving to Benjamin that his love was genuinely returned, he had found the adjustment easier than he thought. Overcoming a bit of awkwardness and his early social training was nothing if it meant reassuring his mate of how he felt. It went against his instincts, but if an alpha could keep his urge to claim and conquer in check, Yuri decided he didn't have much of an excuse.
"That's quite a greeting," Benjamin said with a tired smile, wrapping his arms around Yuri's waist. "I could get used to coming home to this."
"You'll have to," Yuri purred.
"I missed you, too, by the way," Benjamin said, rubbing his cheek against Yuri's. It was a gesture of claim and vulnerability at once, and Yuri took it as the highest honor.
"Come eat," Yuri said, taking Benjamin's hand to lead him to the table.
"It smells as good as it looks," Benjamin mused, pulling out Yuri's chair before taking his own.
Yuri picked at his food, too nervous to eat. He waited until Benjamin was finished and starting on dessert to broach the topic on his mind "I'd like to stay in your room tonight."
Benjamin looked up, a forkful of blueberry pie halfway to his mouth.
"It's just, we're about to be mated," Yuri continued, afraid to allow even a moment of silence to pass between them before he said what he needed to. "I know it's not tradition, but I'm already pregnant and I'm sure everyone already assumes we're sharing a room since I'm staying in your house."
Benjamin set his fork down and stood from the table. Yuri stared at him in confusion as the Alpha took his hand and gently helped him out of his chair. Before Yuri could question him, Benjamin lifted the omega into his arms and started carrying him down the hall.
"Is that a yes?" Yuri asked, afraid to make any assumptions.
Benjamin glanced down at him, heat flaring in his gaze. "Is there any other answer to the omega I love asking to be taken to my bed?"
Yuri's face grew warm, so he buried it in the crook of Benjamin's neck. The room was spacious but warm, and Benjamin's scent was everywhere. The alpha put him down gently on the bed and his heart raced as he realized how close he was to being claimed. The first time, it had been on his terms. This time, there was no denying that Benjamin was the one in control, and as the Alpha's lips found his and he took his time claiming the omega completely and unmistakably, Yuri decided he wouldn't have it any other way.
Chapter 32
BENJAMIN
Benjamin closed his eyes and took a deep breath. There was no moment in his life he had anticipated more, but the evening of his mating ceremony was nothing like he had imagined. He hadn't figured he would be as nervous as he was, for one thing. For another, he hadn't been quite prepared for as many wolves to show up from other packs as there were gathered around the young couple on the hillside just on the outskirts of the Cold Lake village. Friends and family mingled with the Alphas from all over the Council and what Benjamin was fairly certain was every last wolf in Zane's pack. The other alpha's arm was linked with Lita's and they stood up front near the priest and the rest of the family. Heinrich was still using a cane, but he looked better than he had in months and Benjamin's heart swelled with pride and gratitude that his father could be there to see the most important day of his life. It was a gift he had always taken for granted, until it had come so close to not happening.
Then there was Yuri. No amount of fantasy or dreaming could have prepared Benjamin for just how stunning the omega looked in those crisp white robes with his light hair rustling in the breeze and his eyes glowing warm in the light of the full moon. As the couple stood underneath a wooden arch woven with ivy, Benjamin took Yuri's hands in his. The priest read the sacred oath and Benjamin recited his vows, but it was hard to hear anything over the sound of Yuri's pulse fluttering in his ears. Out of instinct more than attentiveness to what the omega in charge of the ceremony was saying, Benjamin knew it was time. He brushed the hair away from Yuri's neck and leaned in, pressing a kiss into his smooth flesh. He took his time to savor the touch, feeling the warmth of the blood rushing beneath the surface. Yuri was limp in his arms, fully relaxed and trusting.
The moment Benjamin's teeth claimed his mate's flesh, his wolf howled victoriously in the back of his mind and a low growl of satisfaction rumbled through him. The crowd cheered their congratulations, but Benjamin was deaf to them, caught up in the sound and scent and taste of his mate, the omega that had become his entire world.
And what a world it was. Yuri moaned softly, his hands resting on Benjamin's shoulders. It was a gentle reminder to pull away, but the instinct to keep his teeth buried there in Yuri's neck was unexpectedly difficult to overcome. There would be time for more later, he reminded himself. When they were alone. As Benjamin pulled away, the love in Yuri's gaze settled any doubts he might have had that the omega was still placating him out of guilt. The bond had been unshakable on Benjamin's end for a long while, but in that moment, as their souls wove together to form a cord stronger than either of them alone, he knew it went both ways.
Benjamin took Yuri's hand and led him away from the crowd that was already beginning to trickle down the hill where Sue had planned a marvelous reception for them all. Yuri looked up with confusion in his eyes, still a bit dazed from the bite. "Aren't we going down there?"
Benjamin smiled. "The reception is for the guests. No one is going to expect us back home for a while."
There was a twinkle in Yuri's eyes as he followed his alpha into the woods. "Now that's one Cold Water tradition I can get behind."
"You say that now," Benjamin said, pulling off his tie and unbuttoning his shirt. "How do you feel about running?"
Yuri turned around, loosing the sash around his waist to let his robe slip down off his shoulders. He turned his head slightly, a seductive little smile playing at his lips as the cloth slipped further down his lithe body. "If you think you can catch me."
Benjamin growled in approval, striding forward to help the omega with the rest of the unveiling. He caught the robe as it fell and Yuri darted just out of reach. In a flash of flesh and fur, he was a small blond wolf, taking off into the forest. Benjamin's wolf took his cue immediately and his paws hit the ground after he lunged to pursue his mate. It was a game as old and sacred as the legends of men becoming wolves themselves, and Benjamin found it worth every second he had waited to play.
Chapter 33
YURI
Yuri moaned, still half asleep as he rolled over only to find himself pinned to a wall of muscular flesh. His hands groped the hard planes of Benjamin's chest and torso before his eyes finally opened. The Alpha was wide awake, staring down at him with an amused glint in his eyes. "You're groping me in your sleep."
"I grope you whenever I have the chance," Yuri said with a yawn, burying his nose in the alpha's neck to breathe in his comforting scent. Ever since he had been pregnant, it was the only guaranteed cure for the bouts of nausea that seemed to come whenever they damn well pleased, but especially in the morning.
Benjamin laughed, stroking Yuri's
neck. His amusement turned to curiosity and he leaned in. "There it is."
"The mark?" Yuri's heart fluttered at the prospect of bearing his mate's mark. Of course, he knew it was inevitable after the ritual had been completed the night before, but the fact that an Alpha like Benjamin had seen him worthy of bearing his mark was nothing short of a miracle in Yuri's mind. The way Benjamin looked at him, he knew the real miracle was that the Alpha felt the same way.
Yuri melted into Benjamin's embrace, finding that his body naturally reacted to the man's lightest touch. He doubted that would ever change and hoped it wouldn't. "We've got so much to do today," Yuri murmured, gasping as Benjamin's teeth scraped against the flesh on his neck that had already healed despite the recent claim that had been placed there. His words were more of obligation than any genuine protest, as evidenced by the fact that he dug his nails into the alpha's back and arched into him encouragingly until their bodies were one as they had been so many times the night before.
"That's why I have betas," Benjamin purred, placing a series of increasingly urgent kisses all along Yuri's neck as he shifted to settle on top of him. "Delegation is a beautiful thing."
Yuri bit his lip, afraid that if he gave in to the urge to cry out in bliss over the way his mate filled him so completely, he would wake up the entire neighborhood. "Now, that doesn't sound like the diligent Benjamin Stillwater who's known all throughout the Council lands for his --ah!" Yuri broke off as the alpha ground against his spot. "Punctuality..."
Benjamin chuckled low, the sound sending a fresh shiver down Yuri's spine, making him arch in such a way that invited the alpha fully inside of him. "It's the day before our honeymoon," he reminded Yuri, nuzzling his neck before placing another kiss there. "Besides, that Benjamin Stillwater didn't have a beautiful omega to distract him."
Chapter 34
