Chapter Seven
Grey filled Meredith, his most trusted beta, in on the situation.
She'd confirmed what he'd already thought - Matthew's scent had already been picked up and the rest of the pack was starting to ask questions.
There had been no contact from Kelvin and Grey was taking that as a bad sign.
Kelvin was an Alpha, and was obviously still hung up on Matthew, and there was no way an Alpha would give up so easily.
Kelvin wouldn't rest until Matthew was driven away completely, but Grey couldn't understand why.
Kelvin had ended things with Matthew, and had even found another mate, but it appeared that the Alpha was still obsessed with Matthew, as though he saw him as some kind of threat.
That didn't make any kind of sense to Grey.
Omegas were way down the food chain, prized only for their breeding abilities to most shifters.
Grey had never really given the matter of omegas a lot of thought, partly because omegas were so rare and he'd never come across one before he'd met Matthew even though his pack was pretty progressive and was largely made up of shifters who society had seen fit to label as outcasts.
He knew that his pack would welcome Matthew as his mate with open arms, regardless of the fact that he couldn't provide them with an heir.
The pack didn't really go in for old fashioned traditions and Grey, for one, was glad of it.
His pack would just be content that their Alpha had finally found his mate, but Grey knew it was going to be difficult to convince Matthew of that fact.
Grey walked back into the kitchen and busied himself opening a bottle of wine whilst he thought things over.
He glanced Matthew's way, but the omega stayed where he was, huddled by the fire, his face turned to the flames.
Grey ached with longing as he watched Matthew, staring into the glowing fire, lost in his own thoughts.
The omega's face was flawless and Matthew was more beautiful than any man he'd ever seen, including Jon.
The familiar feelings of loss rose within Grey when he thought of his former lover, but they weren't as intense, or as painful, and he wondered if that had something to do with the omega sat in his living room.
"I've spoken to Meredith, my beta. She's going to set up a meeting with Kelvin.
The pack is aware of your presence and is keen to meet you but there's no rush.
I'll meet with Kelvin tomorrow and deal with his threats, and afterward, I'd like to spend Christmas with you, just the two of us, so we can get to know one another. "
"And you think Kelvin's going to listen to you?" Matthew turned to face Grey and he could see the streaks of spent tears on the omega's cheeks.
"I'm more powerful than Kelvin will ever be. He's difficult but he's all talk and he'll fall into line or be dealt with." Grey handed Matthew a glass of wine and Matthew stared at him for a long moment before he nodded, a small look of relief crossing his face.
"So, do you have any Christmas decorations?
" Matthew took the wine that Grey offered to him, clutching it in his hands.
He sipped the ruby red liquid, the flickering light of the fire picking out the hard planes of his cheekbones, his small white teeth worrying his pouty, pale pink bottom lip and making Grey ache in longing.
He'd never thought that he would feel that ache again, but this time the ache seemed more pronounced, full of need, and full of such heated want, that he thought he was going to burn alive from the feeling.
He'd thought that if desire ever entered his life again, then he would feel some kind of guilt because of the love he had shared with Jon, but there was nothing.
All he knew was Matthew and the burning desire he felt for the omega sitting in his living room.
"You're miles away."
Matthew's soft voice drifted through Grey's thoughts and he snapped back to the present with a start. "Sorry, just..." The words died on his lips when he saw the robe Matthew was wearing had parted slightly, revealing his long lean thigh. Grey swallowed hard and picked up his glass.
"So, do you?" Matthew asked, tugging at the edge of the robe and regarding Grey through heavy lidded eyes, framed by thick black lashes.
"Do I what?" Grey suddenly felt confused.
"Do you have any decorations, or a tree?" Matthew's soft pink lips tweaked up into a hopeful smile that tugged at Grey's heart.
"Yeah. I got a tree delivered a couple days ago but it's still in the garage, and there's a box of decorations and lights and stuff in there somewhere."
"Well, if I'm going to stay here, maybe we should put it up.
Make it a proper Christmas." Matthew's eyes sparkled and Grey thought that he saw something that looked like hope there.
Grey's need to make Matthew happy was almost painful and mixed with the lonely ache he felt constantly, the feeling seemed to intensify in his gut.
"Sure, why not. We could get them out tomorrow." Grey took another drink of wine.
"I want to do it now." Matthew smiled at him, and it was the first full on smile that Grey had seen from him and Christ, it was adorable and sexy as hell, lighting up his beautiful face leaving Grey powerless in his desire for the omega.
"Okay, but I warn you, it's a big tree."
"Well, it's lucky I've got a big, strong Alpha to bring it inside then, isn't it?" Matthew blushed when Grey looked his way and grinned. The Alpha reached for Matthew's hand and led to the connecting door to the garage, some of the tensions finally easing between them.
Grey flicked on the garage light and they both stood staring at the tree in stunned silence.
It was barely three foot tall and the branches were pitiful.
Grey stood back and looked at it again, as though staring at it would somehow make the tree grow and become the majestic, lush tree he had picked out at the tree place, the tree he'd actually paid for.
"This isn't what I ordered."
Matthew finally let out the laugh that he had been trying to hold in. He pressed his hand to his stomach as laughter bubbled out of him. "Didn't you check when it got delivered?" He wiped his eyes and Grey glared at him, which only served to amuse Matthew more.
"No, I didn't check. I wasn't even in when it was dropped off. I ordered it on a whim and then lost the Christmas spirit immediately after."
"Why?"
Grey turned to Matthew and collided with his searching gaze and immediately felt trapped. "It just felt stupid trying to keep traditions going on my own. A bit pointless really, I guess."
Matthew's gaze softened and he tugged the robe a little tighter around his slim frame. "Sorry, I didn't mean to pry."
"It's okay. It just feels weird to be on my own at Christmas." Grey knew he was sharing too much, but it felt safe with Matthew. The attraction and connection he felt to the omega wasn't just sexual, it was also emotional. Matthew was his mate, there was no doubting it.
"You're not on your own, not anymore."
Grey stared at Matthew and the omega steadily met his eyes. Something was growing between them, some kind of trust and mutual understanding. Grey didn't want to risk it, but he couldn't stop himself reaching out and putting his hand on Matthew's shoulder. Matthew's eyes fluttered closed.
"I'm glad you came here, to me."
"Me too." Matthew glanced up at him, his eyes shining in the low light of the garage.
He pulled a glass bauble out of the box that Grey had placed on the small table.
It was a bright, festive red with a starburst pattern of silver glitter.
It hung from a silken red thread, and twisted in Matthew's fingers, sparkling in the light. Matthew raised his eyes to Grey.
"Isn't it beautiful?" Matthew murmured.
"Yes," Grey said, his eyes never leaving Matthew's face.
Matthew dipped his head, his hair falling over his eyes and Grey saw the blush spread across Matthew's pale cheeks. "Do you feel it?"
"What?" Grey asked, his voice hoarse.
"Do you feel like there's something in the air? Something that's special, something that you can only feel at this time of year. Christmas magic, Christmas hope?"
Grey nodded. Matthew's pink tongue darted out and licked over his lower lip and Grey had to swallow the moan that seemed to draw up from deep in his belly.
His insides felt like molten lava as desire swept through him.
He held his breath as Matthew's fingers gently touched his cheek before withdrawing.
"I feel it, too," Matthew whispered, offering the bauble to Grey.
He took the bauble from Matthew's hand, their fingers brushing against each other.
Electricity charged through Grey and he noticed how Matthew trembled.
The air between them felt scorching hot, charged with the promise of something that would only be realized if they could get escape their pasts and reach out and take it.
Matthew took another step forward and rose up on his tiptoes, to brush his lips over Grey's mouth, the kiss feather light, soft and stroking, teasing Grey's senses.
Grey pressed his lips together, savoring the taste of Matthew on his lips, but that one chaste kiss was never going to be enough.
He wanted the omega, body and soul, wanted him as only an Alpha could.
Matthew's eyes opened slowly, languidly, their hazel color darkened with desire and heavy with lust. Grey saw it there and his heart started to beat a fast, erratic tattoo in his chest, his body tensed and responding rapidly to Matthew's nearness, the heat of his body and the sweet scent that was emanating from him, stirring every one of Grey's senses until he felt almost delirious with his need for the omega.
But it was Matthew who reached for Grey first, his hand snagging in Grey's shirt and tugging until Grey was flush against him, the knot of the robe Matthew was wearing, digging into the Alpha's belly.
Matthew kissed him again, this time the kiss was harder, more insistent, more demanding, and Grey gave into it, gave into the desire burning through him, and kissed Matthew back, tasting him properly, the delicious taste of the omega exploding on his tongue.
He relished the feel of Matthew's full lips on his, and when Matthew opened up for him, Grey sucked on his lush lower lip before exploring the soft, velvet inside of his mouth with his tongue.
Matthew sighed and moaned, his desire and pleasure becoming increasingly vocal, encouraging Grey to greater heights of passion as they kissed, their tongues entwining, mouths wet and hot for each other, their arms and legs entangled as they tried to get close enough to each other.
Matthew broke away, stepping back, his hair tangled from Grey's fingers, and his breath coming in shuddering pants.
His pale pink lips were swollen and flushed, his skin a little red from Grey's beard growth.
His eyes were as dark as the forest with desire, the robe in disarray, revealing more of Matthew's creamy smooth skin, a dark, pouting nipple peaking out and making Grey's cock throb painfully.
Matthew's expression was still a little wary and Grey had to use all of his self control to stop himself from reaching for the omega again. He stepped back, giving Matthew some room, his foot crunching down on something, sending sharp jagged pain sinking into his heel.
"Fuck," he groaned, bringing his foot up sharply. The bauble had fallen to the floor, forgotten, and had shattered into a million pieces, with several of them now embedded in Grey's foot.
"You're bleeding!" Matthew shoved him down onto a chair and went through the connecting door and returned with a towel from the kitchen. "Keep still, you're going to make it worse. I need to get the bits out."
Matthew grasped Grey's ankle in a surprisingly firm grip, and held his foot up to the light, twisting it around so that he could see better.
"Do you have a first aid kit and some tweezers?
" Matthew sank back to rest on his heels and the robe slid off his shoulder.
He yanked it back up but not before Grey had stored the image of Matthew looking so gorgeously disheveled in his memory.
"Grey, try to focus." His kiss swollen lips lifted into a smirk and Grey laughed.
"In the kitchen, bottom drawer, I think. There should be some tweezers in there, too."
Matthew rested Grey's foot carefully on the balled up towel and headed for the kitchen.
Grey's foot throbbed and he closed his eyes, letting the small pain wash over him, allowing it to cool down the heat in the rest of his body.
His wolf whined deep inside him but he felt it settle a little now that he had kissed the omega, now that he had felt Matthew's passion and need match his own.
Matthew came back carrying a small black plastic box and set it down on the floor by Grey's feet. He fussed over Grey, tenderly examining his foot, and gently removing the shards of glass, before cleaning and dressing the wounds.
"You're good at that," Grey said as Matthew tidied away the first aid kit.
"I did a first aid course when I started working for Wendy. I used to want to be a nurse... before Kelvin bought me." Matthew looked up at Grey, his expression a little guarded, as though he expected to be ridiculed.
"You'd make a great nurse." Grey gingerly put his foot down, but already the pain had eased as his body began the process of healing, accelerated by his wolf genes. The next time he shifted the scars would be gone completely. "You shouldn't give up on your dreams."
"I don't think I could afford the fees, so..." Matthew stood up and held his hand out to Grey, helping him up off the chair.
"There's a college in Delta." Grey limped into the kitchen, and poured more wine into both of their glasses.
"Hmm," Matthew said, putting the first aid kit away. Grey winced, wishing that he had kept his mouth shut. He was pushing too hard already and Matthew had only just agreed to spend Christmas with him."Grey?"
"Yeah?" Grey turned back to face Matthew.
"I want to kiss you again."