by Leta Blake
“Earlier, when I first saw you,” Vale murmured. “You looked like you’d been crying. Was that because of me?”
Jason shook his head.
“No?” Vale sounded a little disappointed.
“I mean, I did cry because of you. Last night.” He rolled his eyes at Vale’s delighted expression. “Don’t be proud about it.”
“Oh, darling. I’d never be happy that my beautiful baby alpha cried over me. Never.” But he glowed so brightly he was practically on fire with joy.
Jason jabbed Vale in the ribs. “I was done with crying over you by this morning, though. I was going to figure out how to get you back. But then…” He sighed and bit his lip. He didn’t want to talk about this right now, but it couldn’t be helped.
“Then what? Your friend Xan?”
“No, my pater.” He took Vale’s hands and said, “Now’s not a good time to talk about that either. I want to be here with you and not…remembering.”
“Jason, what happened?”
“He’s going to be okay. Urho’s with him.”
“Oh. I see. The pregnancy.” Vale’s mouth turned down at the edges, understanding flashing in his eyes. “I’m sorry.”
Jason gathered Vale close. “Me, too.”
He pictured his future with Vale. This would be their room. He’d add pictures to the walls of his drawings from his favorite microscope slides. He’d go to school and come home to make dinner for Vale. He’d work in the garden, and Vale would write poetry and return to teaching his classes. It would be a regular, normal, everyday life. And it could be theirs.
“I don’t want children,” he said. “You’re perfect for me just the way you are. We’ll be fine on our own. We’ll throw parties and invite our friends, and we’ll grow old—”
“Some of us faster than others.”
“—and we’ll live our lives as happily as anyone can.”
Especially when life clearly didn’t follow the rules Jason had been led to believe existed. They could only do their best to be happy.
“You’ll want children one day,” Vale argued, nuzzling in close.
“After today, I don’t think I ever will.” He shuddered.
“But that wasn’t the way it normally… I should really stop trying to convince you, shouldn’t I? I’m not doing myself any favors here.”
“And you’re not making any progress anyway. I’ve made up my mind. I want you. And you want me.” Jason nodded firmly. “When everything’s said and done with this heat, you’ll sign the contract—stipulating no births required—and I’ll move in here.”
Vale shivered against him. “Just like that? You’re going to make the decisions for me then?”
“Yes. Because I’m your alpha and you apparently don’t know what’s good for you.”
“Oh, I know what’s good for me,” Vale protested. “I was trying not to be a selfish asshole.”
“And yet somehow you failed completely at that,” Jason couldn’t help but point out.
Vale snorted.
“Urho was right. I should have just told you what to do from the beginning.”
Vale laughed, rolling up onto his elbow to gaze down at Jason. “Oh, you’ve been taking lessons from Urho, have you?” He laughed again. “This will be fun. There’s a reason, darling, he never appealed to me enough to consider a contract with him.”
“I thought you were just waiting for me,” Jason teased.
Any jealousy of Urho had evaporated while Vale had sobbed on his knot. He was quite sure Urho had never elicited that reaction or been declared so perfect. Though, if he had, Jason definitely didn’t want to hear about it.
“Of course. Deep down, I knew you were out there.” Vale rolled his eyes again. “No, darling. He’s old fashioned and stuffy, and his ideas about omega-alpha relations are entirely backward.”
“Hmm.” Jason didn’t say anything else, a bubble of amusement filling his chest at the memory of Vale’s utter obedience to his every word during sex.
Urho was more than a little right about Vale, but Jason wouldn’t push it. It wasn’t his style to be bossy outside of the bed, and he didn’t mind letting Vale have his way about, well, nearly everything. As long as Vale was happy, Jason would be, too.
“Oh, wolf-god,” Vale said, shivering and curling up against Jason. “It’s coming again. Did you want to try that thing you mentioned?”
“You’ve really never done it before?”
Vale shook his head. “But I’m curious.”
Jason rolled Vale over and shoved his legs apart. “Get ready then, because I’m going to show you something truly amazing.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
Vale’s heart pattered anxiously as he and Jason waited outside the door for admittance to Miner’s sick room. When they entered, he was relieved to find Miner sitting up in bed.
“Pater,” Jason whispered, and rushed into Miner’s arms.
Vale hung back, watching as the family he’d agreed to be a part of clung to each other. Miner was pale but alive, and that was really all that mattered. Still, the dark circles under his eyes spoke to the trauma he’d suffered, and Yule’s presence by his bed, hand held fast, did as well.
Vale looked around at Miner and Yule’s bedroom. It was luxurious and fastidiously clean. He hoped Jason didn’t think too much about the dusty rooms back at Vale’s house, with the clothes tossed haphazardly on the chair. And on the floor. And in the corner.
Laundry. It was ridiculously annoying. Maybe he really should hire it out. Or not. He didn’t care. He’d do whatever Jason wanted.
It’d been seven days since Vale’s heat had begun and two since it’d ended. Afterward, he’d needed recovery time and Jason had, too. Over the phone, Yule had told them not to rush the aftermath. He’d said Miner was sleeping most of the time and he preferred to be alone with his omega.
But today they’d left for Jason’s house after breakfast. They were both tired and somber, their bond sealed, but their hearts still wary about the future. Miner was doing much better, but there was still a lot of mending ahead before he’d be completely out of the woods.
As the family huddle broke apart, Jason took Miner’s hand and sat on the bed next to him before motioning Vale closer. “Pater, look who came with me.”
“I’m glad to see you here with Jason,” Miner said, smiling and reaching out his free hand to Vale. “You both look exhausted, though.”
“It’s been a long week,” Vale murmured, sitting at the edge of the bed next to Jason.
Miner smiled slowly. “For everyone.”
“How are you?” Vale asked. “Everything is on the mend?”
Miner nodded and Yule spoke up, “Assuming he doesn’t acquire any infection from the surgery, he should be able to go downstairs starting Monday, and Urho thinks he’ll be his old self within the month.”
“They won’t let me smoke in here,” Miner said, frowning. “Something about it being bad for my health.” He shot Yule a glare and then smiled indulgently at him, reaching out to pet his hair. “It’s time I quit that bad habit anyway.”
Jason smiled and kissed his pater’s hand. “I always hated it. It meant you were sad.”
Miner smiled. “Maybe I’ll have less to be sad about now. Dr. Chase removed my womb, did he tell you?”
“What? No!” Jason blinked rapidly. “Isn’t that illegal?”
“Not if there’s indication the womb was necrotic,” Yule said, frowning and touching Miner’s face gently. “Urho found evidence to that effect, or so he said, and once Miner was stabilized, he performed the operation. It was harder on me than on Miner. He was unconscious from Urho’s anesthetics. I, however, watched the whole event.”
“At your insistence,” Pater said. “You refused to leave.”
“I wasn’t going to leave you alone. You might have needed me.”
Vale’s chest tightened as he watched Jason’s parents dote on each other. His had been the same. He knew over time his bond with Ja
son would only strengthen, and, eventually, they’d be like that as well.
Jason’s hand sought his on the coverlet.
Or maybe they were already there.
After they discussed a few more details of Miner’s situation, they turned to the topic of Vale and Jason’s contract.
“I’d like to apologize to you,” Yule said quietly. “I never should have pushed the birth clause or suggested a surrogate. I was wrong.”
Vale inclined his head to accept the apology and said nothing.
But Yule wasn’t done.
“When I thought Miner… Well, when I thought I’d lose him…”
“You don’t have to explain. I understand.”
“I will say it,” Yule said, lifting his chin. “And you will listen. All of you.”
Jason stood up and moved behind Vale, wrapping his arms protectively around his shoulders.
Yule went on, “Jason had gone to be with you when the worst moment happened. Miner’s heart stopped and Dr. Chase almost didn’t get it started again. I was useless. Your friend, Xan, was helpful, though,” Yule said to Jason. “He followed Urho’s orders exactly, breathing into Miner’s mouth while Urho pounded his chest.”
“Wolf-god,” Vale breathed and Jason’s arms tightened around him.
Miner took hold of Yule’s hand again, comforting him.
“And in that moment, I was so grateful that Jason wasn’t here, that he was with you, and that he was, hopefully, happy.”
Jason whimpered softly. Vale knew he’d felt guilty about their shared joy while his father and pater had been suffering so much. And he’d regretted personally that his own thankfully unsuccessful attempt to push Jason away had marred the bliss of their first heat together.
“I knew then how unreasonable and wrong I’d been. He’ll be happiest with his Érosgápe, childless or not. It won’t matter in the long run. Nothing lasts forever. No man, no relationship, no life. Death claims it all. So why try to defy that truth?”
“Love, you’ve gone rather deep and a touch morbid,” Miner murmured, kissing his fingers. “I think a simple ‘I’m sorry’ was likely good enough.”
Vale shook his head. “No, I appreciate your candor. It’s a lesson you’d think I’d have learned after I lost my parents, but I didn’t. Instead, I tried to push Jason away.” He leaned back against Jason’s tall form, happy for the strong, wiry arms around him. “I was afraid he’d find me lacking and resent being Érosgápe.”
Part of him still worried, but Jason was so…Jason. Open, loving, ready to embrace their future together. He could only have faith in him.
Jason kissed the top of his head and murmured, “You’re an idiot.”
“You’re an asshole.”
“We’ve had this conversation before.”
Vale’s cheeks flushed and he rubbed his hand over his beard, looking away.
Miner yawned and Yule rose quickly. “You should go. Miner needs his rest. You two come back tomorrow. We’ll discuss arrangements for signing a contract then.”
“Tomorrow?” Jason asked, confused.
Yule glanced up from helping Miner get comfortable on the giant stack of pillows and said, “Aren’t you planning to stay with Vale?” He blinked in confusion but went on rapidly, “You’re welcome to continue living at home, of course. We love you and want you here if you want to be here. We just hadn’t anticipated you’d want to stay.”
“Oh! No, I…” Jason trailed off, turning to Vale. They hadn’t discussed a timeline outside of Jason’s declaration that they’d live together in Vale’s house. They’d both assumed Jason’s parents would want him to continue living at home until the contract was signed, possibly until Miner was on his feet again. But it was clear Yule had Miner’s care well in hand, and no one seemed too worried about the contract anymore.
“You should pack a bag while we’re here,” Vale said. “You’ve already gone through the bag of clothes Xan dropped by for you. And I’m afraid I’m terrible about doing laundry.”
Jason grinned at him. His blue eyes shone like the sun. “You want me to move in now?”
“Oh, yes. Don’t worry. We can come back with boxes for anything else you need later.”
Miner reached out a hand to Jason and he went over to kiss his pater again. “I’m sorry I scared you,” Miner whispered, touching Jason’s cheek. “I can only imagine what you must have felt seeing me that way, my sweet boy.”
Jason smoothed Miner’s hair off his forehead and kissed him there, too. “Father and Urho handled it. I just paced and prayed.”
“That’s not true,” Father said. “You called Urho here. You arranged for Xan to come. You were a true man in the face of this crisis. We’re proud of you.”
Miner sighed. “And, luckily, we’ll never have to face this sort of ordeal again.”
“Thanks to Urho,” Yule said. “He’s the other hero of the hour.”
“But Jason’s the real hero for summoning him,” Miner said, and yawned again.
“Enough talking for you,” Yule said sternly. “You need to rest.”
Jason hugged his father and kissed Miner one more time before taking Vale’s hand and leading him from the room.
“You’re telling me those smiling faces aren’t drawn on the slides?”
Jason laughed and shoved another shirt into his suitcase. He’d already balled up the t-shirt from the first time he and Vale had mixed their come and shoved it at the bottom of the bag, much to Vale’s amusement, but he wasn’t done with it. He might have Vale all for himself now, but he wasn’t ready to part with such a sentimental item.
“I think you drew these smiles on here, Jason.”
Jason zipped the suitcase and laughed again. “I swear. That’s what sand dune grass looks like under the microscope.”
Vale sounded incredulous. “Like smiling green babies?”
“Yes. But wait…” He crossed to the desk and pulled another prepared square of glass out of his slide box. “This is my favorite slide right now. Let me show you.” Jason removed the sand dune grass slide and attached the other, bending over the microscope long enough to adjust the magnification. “There. Look.”
“Oh! It’s like one of Rosen’s paintings.”
“How so?”
“The colors and the strong lines.” Vale leaned back from the microscope to look up at Jason with happy eyes. “What is it?”
“Dust. Like the stuff all over your house.” He grinned. “Well, our house now, I suppose.”
Vale laughed, his shoulders shaking, as he bent to gaze through the microscope lens again. “Just what are you saying, darling? I should dust more?”
“No, your…our house is a secret masterpiece. Everyone else sees dust, but not us. When we look around? We’ll see this. Times a trillion.”
Vale pushed the microscope away, standing up to capture Jason’s lips in a kiss. “You’re altogether adorable. What am I going to do with you?”
Jason smirked. “Well, I know what I’m going to do with you as soon as we get home and it involves your ass and my tongue.”
Vale’s dark eyes went glossy. “I see.”
Jason waggled his eyebrows, a giddy bubble of joy popping and exploding in his chest. “You want me to demonstrate?” He gestured toward the bed.
Vale cleared his throat and chewed on his bottom lip, ducking his head almost shyly. “And if I said yes?”
“My door has a lock.”
“I have to admit, my ass is very curious about this plan of yours. Will it make me come?”
“It better,” Jason growled, slamming the door to his bedroom and locking it quickly.
Tossing Vale on the bed, he bounded on after him, kissing him hard and fast, rubbing his cheeks on Vale’s soft beard, and nuzzling into his neck. His cock filled with blood and he humped against Vale’s leg.
“Get your pants down,” he ordered, holding onto Vale’s jaw and licking behind his ear. “Now.”
Vale squeaked and undid his pants, sh
oving them down quickly, exposing his hard cock. When he stroked it, Jason batted his hand away and straddled him. “Get your shirt off. I’m going to make a mess of you.”
Vale moaned and shivered. “What if your parents—”
“They know what we did all last week.”
Vale’s fingers were already undoing his buttons, though, and his shirt came off quickly. Jason ran his fingers through Vale’s chest hair, following it down his stomach to the treasure trail below his navel.
“Sexy,” he muttered, bending low to rub his face against it all. “My gorgeous omega.”
Vale let loose the sweet sound of surrender like he always did when Jason called him omega, arching into Jason’s touch. He threw his head back when Jason smoothed his hands up to tease his nipples and then trailed his fingers back down to his cock.
“Tell me about these,” Jason demanded, touching the tattoos on Vale’s arms and running a finger over the line on his ribs. “When did you get them? Why?”
Vale shivered and sighed. “A long time ago. Post-heats. I was angry that I had to let those strange alphas fuck me. I wanted to reclaim my body. Make sure anyone who fucked me knew it was mine, not theirs.”
Jason raised a brow. “And now?”
Vale lifted his brow in return. “Now?”
Jason laughed and kissed Vale’s mouth before pressing kisses to each tattoo. “Now they’re ours. No matter what we do, you’re still Vale.”
Vale reached up and grabbed Jason’s collar, tugging him up to stare into his eyes. “You said something about your tongue and my ass. Don’t be all talk, baby alpha.”
Jason knocked his hand away and placed his own carefully on Vale’s throat. “You’re bossy for an omega.” He squeezed lightly and then kissed Vale’s red mouth. “I like you that way.”
Then he flipped Vale over, shoved his legs apart, and rimmed his hole long and hard, until he came, trembling and gasping Jason’s name.
After the sex, Vale helped pack up the rest of Jason’s things. He sang a little tune under his breath, something he’d heard his pater sing years before. Jason hummed along, providing harmony, and before Vale knew it, they had three stuffed bags worth of belongings to join the mess at Vale’s house.
