Chapter 7Gavin
CHAPTER
SEVEN
GAVIN
Around dusk, drunk on s’mores, Jules falls asleep against my side. His nose twitches now and then as he wiggles closer, looking for a better source of heat than the dying fire.
The ground, despite the blankets, can’t be comfortable, but he doesn’t seem to mind in the slightest as he tucks his hands under his head and continues to sleep. I don’t want to wake him, not since I don’t know the last time he actually slept, and slept so peacefully at that, so I sit with him in silence as the night grows darker.
The flutter of wings drags my attention away from the sleepy young man next to me and to the one transforming on the landing pad. Altair shakes himself out and stands. Even in the fading light, his eyesight is sharp, and he zeros in on Jules and me.
Busted. I have no proper explanation either.
“The Devil works fast, but Father works faster.” Laughter laces his tone.
“Hush.” I roll my eyes as I ease out of the blanket nest. “He’s had a rough go of it. I’m only doing what anyone should do.”
“I’m not judging you.” Altair pulls a robe off a hook by the door and drags it over his shoulders before tying it. “He’s cute, even covered in filth.”
“It’s not like that. He’s twenty-three.” Not a child. Not one of my children. He made that clear, but he’s still too young for me. It doesn’t matter that he’s cute. More so flushed pink from a warm shower and with a soft smile pulling at his lush mouth. He’s still young and homeless . Depending on me for food and a place to stay. I’d be a monster to come at him in any other way than friendly after all he’s been through.
“When was the last time you got any, Father?” Altair lowers his voice further as he comes closer.
I lift an eyebrow and ignore the fact my middle son is questioning me about my sex life, of which he needs absolutely zero knowledge. There are some things parents don’t need to know about their children, and some things children don’t need to know about their parents. “Are you suggesting I seduce a young, vulnerable omega?”
If he is, we’re going to have a long talk. Nineteen or not, I’ll ground him depending on how that conversation goes.
“Of course not.” He scoffs as he pulls his hair into a ponytail. “That would make you a pig and you’re a hawk. I’m suggesting that if your new friendship naturally blossoms, you shouldn’t deny yourself the happiness you’re always offering to others.”
“The last thing either of us is thinking about is romance.” Maybe not the last thing—even though Jules is young, he’s cute as hell, and one of the sweetest people I’ve had the pleasure of meeting in recent memory—but it’s still pretty far down on my list of concerns right now. I’m more worried about him getting a proper meal every day and having a warm, safe place to sleep at night.
Altair sighs. If I didn’t know better, I’d say he’s disappointed. “I’ll tell Baz his dreams of a new stepdaddy are dead on arrival.”
I huff. “Sometimes I really wonder if I should’ve raised you less mouthy. Think how much easier my life would be if you were docile and obedient.” And how very boring. Because of all my children, Altair is the one who will go toe to toe with me if he thinks I’m out of line.
If something needs to be said, you can count on Altair to say it.
“You know I’m your favorite.” The laughter in his voice is bright and warm. It does my heart good to know that he’s... himself. I wouldn’t have him any other way, even if he is a pain in the ass some days. “The others aren’t around. You can admit it.”
“I’m going to have another child just so I can tell them they’re my favorite and watch the three of you sob about it,” I threaten, but it’s an empty threat at best. I’m way past the age to add another child to my collection.
Altair holds up his hands and backs away. “You can’t have a baby. Everyone will think it’s mine.”
I hum. “Food for thought. Be a good boy and I won’t have to take drastic action.”
He knows I’m fucking with him.
“Ha! I’m always a good boy.” He crosses his arms over his chest and lifts his chin.
I can see so much of his mother in him as he looks down his nose at me. So fucking strong and sure of his place in the world, unafraid to be who he is, take what he wants and demand the things he can’t take for himself. I’m so proud of him and maybe I don’t tell him that enough, but I hope he knows anyway. I hope all my children know how proud I am of the men they are becoming.
“Today’s not tomorrow,” I remind him because, proud or not, I’m not going to let him get away with the last word. Tomorrow, he could decide being a good boy is for chumps, leapfrog over the diner counter and tackle a mouthy alpha.
“What are you going to do about him in the long run?” Altair tips his head to Jules.
I glance back at the sleeping young man. He’s burrowed into the blankets and looks happy to be nested in.
“There’s nothing to be done. He’ll decide on his own path. In the meantime, I’m letting him use Baz’s old room. He might have a coyote problem that needs dealing with.”
He won’t be the first shifter that showed up with a problem Pine Glen handled.
“Gross.” Altair’s mouth turns down as his nose scrunches. “I hate coyotes.”
“Is there anyone you actually like?” I cross my arms over my chest as I inspect him.
Baz likes everyone one night at a time so long as they pay for his services. Callum likes Silo. Altair, though, as far as I know, doesn’t like anyone. Not in any kind of way that will lead to grandchildren from him. I’m okay if Altair never gets married and has children, if that’s what he wants for himself, but I worry about him. At the end of the day, he’s an omega, and an omega is always safer when claimed by a good alpha.
“You.” He shrugs, mostly playing dumb because he knows what I mean. “Fifty percent of the time, Baz. Twenty percent, Callum. And ten percent, Silo. I guess your new friend is growing on me too.”
I clear my throat and glance at the fire. “You want a s’more?”
“Yeah.” He sits down in the chair by the fire as I stoke it. Somewhere in the distance an owl hoots. A second passes and another answers. “Also, I’m going to need the week off. It’s that annoying time of the month again.”
That annoying time of the month comes for him more frequently than others because he presented so late. His body is trying to make up for lost time, but at least he’s gotten better at recognizing the signs of an upcoming heat. The first couple of times we’d all been caught unaware and that was a special kind of hell I never want to relive.
“I’ll go shopping tomorrow. Anything in particular you want?” The basics are a given.
He pulls his legs to his chest and rests his chin on his knees. “I already ordered my new boyfriend last week. He should be here tomorrow or the day after.”
I groan and slap a piece of chocolate on a graham cracker. “Yeah, yeah. Payback is a bitch.”
“On a serious note.” Altair’s gaze slips to the nest of blankets as I pass him the s’more. “Is he on suppressants? I don’t want my heat to send him into one. I gave Silo my emergency pack so he’ll have to go to the clinic to get his own if he’s not.”
I glance at Jules, who is still passed out with one of the blankets pulled over his shoulders now. “I don’t know. I didn’t think it was my place to ask. Maybe you can talk to him about it.”
“Should I?” Altair frowns, mostly to himself as he nibbles on the corner of his s’more. “He’s twenty-three, you said. An adult should know how to take care of themselves. Even if he was homeless, you still keep up with shit like that, right?”
I sit in the chair beside him and cross my ankles. “It’s not always that simple when you’re just trying to survive. And who can say how he was raised?”
Jules said he grew up in a small mountain town. They may have handled an omega’s heat differently than Altair and others.
Altair sighs as he licks chocolate off his fingers. “I can’t have the heat talk with every omega we know, Father. But I’ll take him tomorrow.”
I reach over and tug on his ponytail. “You are a good boy, and my favorite. Just don’t tell your brothers.”
Altair is my favorite. Or, I suppose more accurately, he’s the one I’m more protective over. He gets spoiled in ways Baz and Callum aren’t. Neither of them begrudges Altair the care he receives, though. They understand—even spoil him and care for him in their own separate ways. Of us, with my wife gone, he’s the only omega. We circle him like the predators we are to keep him safe, even if he’s a predator himself.
He grins after he finishes his s’more and stands up. “I’m headed in; night, Father.”
I lift my head for the kiss he drops on my cheek. “Love you lots, Altair.”
“Love you more.” He slips into the house, and I sit in the dark for a while, soaking in the sounds of the night as the moon climbs higher in the sky. Eventually, the fire goes out and I look at Jules. I hate to bother him when he’s sleeping so peacefully, but he’s slept on the ground enough. One more night might not hurt but it’s also unnecessary.
I put the s’mores supplies away before fishing into the blanket nest and pulling him out. He’s awake in an instant, stiff as a board in my arms, panting as his gaze snaps from place to place before settling on me. But I’m not sure he recognizes me.
The scent of his fear is strong—sharp and rotten.
“Easy,” I whisper as I cradle him against my chest so he won’t hit the ground as he starts to struggle. “It’s just me—Gavin. I’m putting you to bed.”
He gasps before relaxing and tucking his face into my neck. “You startled me.” Each breath he takes as he calms down is hot on my throat. “Sorry.”
“No, I’m sorry. I should’ve known better.” He’s been living in survival mode for so long, of course someone reaching into his nest and pulling him out would frighten him. I should’ve shaken him awake, but he’s already relaxing in my arms as I turn toward the sliding glass door Altair left open. “You okay for bed, or do you need a moment?”
He slips his arm around my neck. “I’m okay. I didn’t mean to fall asleep on you.”
“You need rest. I’m glad you felt safe enough to get it with me there.”
I carry him through the living room and down the hall. The shower is on and Altair is humming as I pass the second door on the right and pause in front of Baz’s old room. It takes a little maneuvering to get the door open with my arms full, but Jules isn’t the first boy I’ve carried to bed.
Stopping beside the mattress, I ease him to his feet before pulling down the blanket. Jules climbs inside and I tuck him in. “You want me to lock the door on my way out?”
“I... umm... if you don’t mind.” He sinks deeper into the blankets and draws them up so all I can see are his worried eyes.
“Not at all.” I reach out and push the hair off his forehead. “Get some sleep. I’ll see you in the morning.” If he wants the door locked so he can feel safe and sleep easily, I’ll lock it. When Altair finishes showering, I’ll lock the connecting door so Jules doesn’t have to worry about that one either.
“Good night, Gavin.” He tucks his face into the blanket to hide a yawn.
“Good night, Jules.”