Chapter Fourteen
Gabe
We needed to visit my pack. I wanted Temple to have a chance to see it and decide if it was what he wanted too for his life.
We’d talked through so many parts of our lives before we came together, and Temple did know what it meant to be mated.
He had not said anything about mating me, specifically, but he did not say he didn’t want to, and he’d been willing to meet my people.
After all, I’d met his. His brothers had been very hard on him, and while I did not approve, I suspected it was a habit of long history.
Growing up, they’d been told that Temple ruined their lives.
If not for him, they’d still be at their old pack, living happily together.
Weirdly, they thought they’d been taking care of him on some level, and they had been.
True, they had bullied him as well, but he’d never been on the street, which their alpha father had suggested.
But they needed a real attitude adjustment before they were suitable for polite company.
We had a long drive to the pack lands, and a chance for Temple and I to talk more. I felt as if we could talk for our whole lives and never run out of things to say.
“My fathers are very anxious to meet you,” I warned him as we turned into the long drive to the lands. “They may be a little overwhelming.”
“That sounds kind of nice, actually, if you mean in a good way.”
“Oh, I think so. They certainly wouldn’t be unkind, and they have been wanting me to settle down and take on the alpha position for a while. But that means I will be needing an alpha omega, who would be my mate.”
“So you’re going to be looking for another wolf?” His voice sounded so tiny, I cursed myself for having been unclear.
“No, omega. I only want the person I love to be my alpha omega. I couldn’t just grab anyone because they can turn into a wolf.
Fate doesn’t work that way.” I stopped a short distance away from the alpha house so we could finish this conversation.
If Dad saw us, he’d be out the door and right on top of us in greeting.
“What I am saying is that if you like it here, and if you like me, you would be my choice. If you do not, we will have other decisions to make because the only way you are going to get rid of me is if you tell me to go away.”
He blinked rapidly, eyes shining in the moonlight that filtered into the car. “I don’t even know what to say. I never fit in anywhere before, except maybe at the diner. So it makes me just a little nervous to be here. My last pack didn’t like me much.”
“They blamed you for being born. Something I think your brothers are just starting to recognize.”
“I guess we’d better go see your family.” Temple pointed to the house ahead of us. “There are about fifty of them on the porch.”
“Holy…” I hadn’t expected the whole pack to show up, but we no sooner parked than we were swept out of the car and into the house where Dad had cooked enough food for five packs. When he learned that Temple was a cook at a diner, he dragged him off into a corner to talk food.
I was still trying to tell people that nothing was settled, when I noticed my mate missing. Ducking away from the others, I searched until I ended up in the kitchen where I found Temple and Dad digging through the refrigerator.
“I cannot make a good hamburger,” insisted Dad. “And I want your secrets.”
Dad, for the record, made a very good burger, but he was always trying to improve and I left them there, discussing thickness and temperature and all the other details of a perfect hamburger.
The party went on long into the night, welcoming me home, welcoming Temple into the family, and when Father finally called the event over and closed the door behind the pack members with their paper plates of leftovers, the sun was about to rise.
“You young people are staying in Gabe’s room.” Dad shooed us toward the stairs. “Sleep in as late as you like and breakfast will be ready when you are.”
We were too tired to argue, even if we had wanted to, but when we were in my room, I was amazed at the transformation. From the time I became an adult, I had been coming and going and so I’d never taken the time to change anything. “Oh my goodness.”
“What? The room is so nice. I thought we’d be ending up in your high school bedroom.”
“We would have a few days ago, but apparently Dad decided to fix it up while I was away. Likely today with the help of some of the pack members.” Instead of a twin bed, I had a king.
All the posters and banners and things were off the walls, replaced by a couple of pieces of nice art.
It looked like a guest room done in shades of blue, without much personality, but if we stayed here, that would take care of itself.
New comforter, curtains…everything. I had to look in the closet to find a single thing that belonged to me.
They’d gone a little over the top, but done it with love.
“Also, I might not have been the neatest.”
Reaching for my omega, I pulled him into my arms and kissed him. “Why don’t we try out the new bed? I assure you, the twin that was here would not have been easy to fit both of us on.”
“As long as we’re together.” He rested his forehead on my chest and sighed. “I’ve never felt so comfortable with people as I did tonight. They really respect you, and they want you to be their alpha. I can see why. You’re kind and smart and you put other people first.”
“Does that mean you’d consider being my alpha omega?”
“I am your mate. My brothers always said that humans didn’t get a fated, but they were so wrong. Can we make love again—and will you mark me this time?”
“Omega mine, you’ve made me the happiest alpha in the world. And my parents the happiest in-laws.”
“I can’t wait to learn to take care of the pack. Your dad said he’d help me. And your father—”
I cut it off with a kiss. “Can we not talk about my parents when we’re about to make love?”
“Agreed.” He winced. “Do we have to be quiet? I don’t want to disturb them.”
“They’re in the other wing. They moved me in here when I got into music as a teen.”
“Then, alpha, why are we still dressed?”
“Good question.”