Chapter Three Finn
Finn
“How bad can it be?”
Finn is worried that this might indeed be harder for his omega to handle than hearing he is part of a secret supernatural species. Why, he doesn’t know exactly, because that your species had changed should probably be more difficult to accept than the idea that you were now capable of bearing children. When he tries to put himself in those shoes, he finds he can’t.
It is hardly comparable to the moment he learned he would be an alpha at eleven. Both his mother and father were beta, as were his grandparents before them. But the more he lived with the idea, the more he allowed it to settle. He began to see that some of his traits were distinctly alpha—not the aggressive, relentless drive to dominate that some alphas, especially enigmas, displayed. Instead, it was the quieter desire to lead, to protect, and to possess—qualities betas often lacked.
Explaining all of this to Nix is mind-boggling. It is something born Weres know their whole lives. He’d contacted the Transition Committee about any information they might be able to contribute, and they’d pointed him to variations of the texts he’d already pulled from his extensive library and a few articles in Were journals about beta transitions. But as far as getting started with Nix from scratch?
He genuinely doesn’t know where to begin.
“Thank you for trusting us with this, Nix.”
Nix rolls his eyes at Rowan’s cautious sincerity, and Finn has to smile. Rowan rarely wears a subdued expression, even during serious times, and can always be relied on to be sarcastic, ironic, and–more often than not–hilarious. That Nix has already caught on seems to be a sign he is settling into their pack life.
“What? I’m serious. This is serious shit, and I am not going to fuck it up. You guys suck. I don’t get any respect.”
Nix gives him a quick peck on the cheek, and that seems to shut him up.
They find spots on the couch while Finn retrieves those two books from the table in case he needs them. He also grabs the file from Dr. Spencer containing Nix’s scans and medical data from his library. He’d emailed her yesterday, actually, and they’d spoken in a weird “code” to keep Nix’s identity and their topic of conversation safe. Finn hopes he won’t need to prove what he’s about to share, but he wants to be prepared.
Adjusting the collar of his shirt and pushing his glasses up, he sits on the coffee table/ottoman so he can better see his mates’ faces and gauge Nix’s reaction, ready to adjust accordingly. “I think a bit of history is going to be a good start. Ready, students?”
Luca giggles behind his hand, and Nix’s mouth drops open slightly, his scent blooming. Finn, unashamed of his own aroused response, smirks. “Really? For science, what’s doing it for you? Is it the professor thing or…?”
“The professor thing,” both Rowan and Nix reply simultaneously.
“Noted.”
“It’s the glasses for me, Finnie.” Luca’s little hand pops up and makes a kitty-cat claw while he mouths rawr.
“Okay, enough of that, you three. Behave.” Three heads nod in perfect sync, and Finn finds himself wishing he had a camera.
Finn begins with a brief history of the Weres, including their creation by the Goddess. It’s a story typically shared with middle-schoolers, so it leans a bit on the dramatic side, but he’s still fond of the tale told just like this. Opening the page in question, he reads:
“At the dawn of time, after the world was formed and the land and sea were settled and the age of the large beasts was finished, the sun god created humans. They were proud of the creatures They had made: resilient, intelligent, and loving to their communities and families. But the humans were also selfish, prone to shortsightedness and violence in their greed, as well as in their pursuit of pleasure and power.
“War covered the land, and death and sickness became more prevalent. As it did, the Earth began to fall. Plants and animals became extinct, the climate devolved, and the natural resources failed to recover. Bored with Their failing creation when it no longer amused or thrived, The Sun God removed himself from this plane, leaving the Earth to settle even further into decline.
“But The Moon Goddess was fond of the Earth. Found it beautiful, even if its occupants no longer thought so. To save her, They devised a plan to balance out the humans’ impact. They created their own creatures, better in tune with themselves, with each other, and with the Earth. They made them in the image of her beloved nocturnal wolves. The creatures who would sing to her each night, who lived in packs, and who always followed the ways of the moon cycle.
“They made the Were-wolf stronger, faster, and in many ways smarter than the humans, and they had longevity that humans did not. But the balance had to go both ways, so there were fewer born. the Goddess also mimicked her beloved wolves and created alpha, beta, and omega, each with their strengths.
“They decreed that the Weres would live in packs as families so that they may experience the joys of family and increase the probability that more offspring might be born because the humans continued to out-reproduce them, and the balance was incredibly delicate.”
“So. Cool,” Luca mutters, gnawing on two of Rowan’s fingers again, and it sounds like tho coowah. He is entranced with the romance of the Goddess stories, and this isn’t the first time he’s heard Finn tell it.
Nix has a tiny frown on his brow—it looks like he is having trouble processing the new information. Maybe even skeptical. “That sounds like a fairy tale, and I do love a romantic story, but where does that leave us– me– now ? I was assigned male at birth, and what? Now I’m alpha, beta, omega? What?”
“I’m an alpha, as are Jay, Gideon, Grayson, and Rowan. Leo and Luca are betas. ”
“And I’m an omega? Okay, but what does it mean ? When are you getting to the oh shit parts from earlier? This can’t be it. Why are you stalling?”
He’s fidgety and suddenly jumps up to start pacing. Both Luca and Rowan are doing remarkably well at keeping their scents controlled, but Finn can feel the tension rising in their little bubble.
It’s remarkable. Typically, only enigmas can emit enough pheromones to influence the mood of a group of Weres. Finn should have noticed it earlier—at the hospital, when Nix’s sexual energy filled the room, or this morning when his anger had been palpable enough that, coupled with the retelling of Nix’s near death, had been enough to send Gideon to the gym in a rage.
“Fascinating,” he murmurs but has to feel chastened at his omega’s less-than-impressed look. “Sorry. How about a tiny biology lesson next? I promise I’m not stalling, Nix. I’ll finish this up, and we can move on. I believe that will answer some further questions”
Nix narrows his eyes before giving him a single nod as he perches on the edge of the table beside him.
“Alphas, betas, and omegas lived in packs, and they each had their strengths and weaknesses. Alphas, both female and male, are usually stronger, faster, more durable, and less inclined to injury—but they are also more aggressive, highly sexual, and less inclined to harmony. They’re dominant by nature, too.
“Betas, on the other hand, are peacemakers—still with all the enhanced senses of a Were, but more likely to cooperate than instigate. They’re less controlled by their Were instincts, with clearer heads, so to speak.”
Nix’s next question was a surprise. “But gender is a fluid concept. I get that historically, alphas were running around banging heads and dragging their mates around by the hair, but Jamie isn’t like that, and you’re really not. So, time has surely caused some evolution, right?”
Impressed, Finn feels a swell of pride in his intelligent mate—a decidedly alpha characteristic that embarrasses him, given that it’s an old-fashioned view. “You’re right, Nix. Modernity has changed how Weres perceive these characteristics, and until recently, it was believed that time had diluted them genetically as well.
“But in the past fifty years, there’s been a resurgence of the original genome structures. Most people think enigma alphas are disappearing, but recent studies show that they’re actually becoming more common. A colleague of mine estimates that the American Were Registry now contains almost ten thousand enigmas—double the number from twenty-five years ago. Our pack has an unprecedented three: Jay, Grayson, and our newest, Rowan. ”
“Quit telling everyone how new I am, asshole.”
Finn can’t help himself from poking the wolf because Rowan rises so beautifully to the bait every time, like clockwork. He thinks he might still enjoy doing it forty years from now because it’s so satisfying.
“But you are! So fresh and new, like a baby.” It feels good to chuckle when the topic is heavy and even more so when Rowan gives him the finger.
Nix’s eyes are wide. “That sounds like a big deal, right? Like, statistically? What makes enigmas such a rare thing?”
“The verdict is still out about why we’re seeing more born, but they’re a bit more alpha than the usual kind. They’re more aggressive, territorial, and sexual, with senses developed beyond the usual. As I mentioned earlier, Were science says it’s a sharp evolutionary turn, and they believe there’s evidence that it’s tied primarily to fertility. You’ve heard that the world is experiencing a general population decline?”
His mates nod. “Well, imagine the Were crisis is a hundred times worse. Weres are having a hard time conceiving. Most packs are struggling to have one or two newborns in a generation. Every member of our pack, except Leo, is an only child. Both his biological parents are alphas, too, which is even more impressive.”
“Still, statistically, the exceptions are usually packs with an enigma alpha, where fertility has shifted to a more ‘normal’ curve. Enigma alphas influence fertility rates at an almost recovery rate.”
“The enigma is all about babies?” This is news to Rowan, too, and not entirely unwelcome, judging by the burst of intoxicating spiced rum scent.
“It would seem that way. Fertility rates may be declining overall, but if the theory is correct and the current pattern holds, the human population will outstrip us and destroy the balance in less than four generations.”
“And that’s bad for the world—wars, famine, climate change. It’s already getting bad, isn’t it?” Nix is thoughtful.
“It is.” Finn closes the blue book and grabs the second biology one. Now for the hard part.
“Why not just turn humans into Weres like Jamie did for me and get back the balance that way?”
“That’s a brilliant question. When humans are turned, they become betas. Transitioned betas can’t reproduce, and while they may shift the balance for a single generation, large numbers of turned humans would disrupt the alliance we maintain under the Human-Were Accord without significantly affecting the long-term fecundity needed to improve the total fertility rate.”
Luca snorts, “Say what now?”
“Sorry, what I mean is that we can’t turn humans without breaking the Alliance, and it wouldn’t make any real difference in the end. The source of the fertility decline remains the same.”
“That makes sense. But if mates are chosen by the Goddess, like Gideon said this morning, and you have three enigmas in your pack, shouldn’t you guys be overrun with toddlers in various stages of cuteness?”
Well. That’s the crux of the matter, isn’t it?
The problem seems to occur to Nix only a second after he asks the question.
“Oh, you don’t have any female mates. Unless you are waiting for one or two like you were waiting for me…?”
Finn cannot tell him enough how that would not be happening. Every single one of the Rhodes pack is gay. Really, really gay.
“No girl parts, Nixie. They’re great—boss-babes for the win, etcetera, etcetera, blah blah blah. But not in my nest.”
Rowan nods vehemently. “So, so gay. We all are.”
Clearing his throat and trying not to join in on Rowan’s enthusiastic head bobbing, Finn says, “How about a bit of biology?”
“Oooh, this is the good part,” Luca says, rubbing his hands together.
“There are no pictures, Luc. Calm down.” Rowan pokes him in the side. “Right?”
Luca’s face falls dramatically. “Boo, hiss. I’m leaving a bad teacher evaluation, Dr. Merritt.”
Nix giggles, and Luca springs to his feet, grinning as he moves to tickle him.
“No, no, no tickling! Luc! Nooooooooo.”
Nix’s laughter rings out, his joy radiant, and Finn is captivated. His omega is breathtaking in his happiness—and maybe that’s why Finn misses the signs.
He’s a second too late.
Nix jumps up and makes a break for it—lightning-fast, intent on escaping Luca’s devilish fingers—all the while letting out a high-pitched, joyous wail. Rowan’s eyes flash red, and he’s off the couch in an instant. Taking Nix to the ground, he pins their omega’s hands above his head and holds his hips down with his pelvis.
Rowan’s pre-rut gives way to a full-blown rut with barely a pause in between, the shift as sudden as it is intense. The scent of spiced rum explodes in the large space, pumping out in thick, heady waves as Rowan tries to lure their omega.
Nix’s eyes flash blue, and his fangs drop as he flings Rowan off, laughing, before making a break for the back hallway—all the while trailing a lush, sex-vanilla scent in his wake.
Rowan shakes off his surprise and sprints after Nix with a growl.
Finn isn’t as fast as Rowan or Nix, but he manages to reach the hallway just in time to see Nix power straight through the heavy fire door, fall flat on his belly, and then present himself on his hands and knees in front of the entire room—laughing maniacally the whole time.
Jay will later say that it was the exploding door—and the sight of their omega laid out, ass-up—that allowed Gideon to knock him out cold.