Chapter 10 Perry
PERRY
I fluff my hair one last time. It’s Wednesday and I get to see my guys again.
I agreed to meet Buckle in the library parking lot so we can come as a united front to greet our Beta.
Hopefully, we don’t scare Abel too much.
I took our time away to research both hawks and chipmunks and created a pamphlet for my mates about squirrel shifters.
I’m not saying I’m needy or anything, we’re just resourceful and I can get anxious if I don’t feel safe.
That’s why I like my little box on the Rising property.
They let me put it up a couple years ago after a bad breakup.
Bradley was never going to work out because I knew he wasn’t my Fated.
I just wanted to have some fun before I let Fate take over.
I ironed my shirt and dress slacks last night.
Gotta make a good impression. I dress quickly and hope I don’t crease anything too much by the time I get to the library, but it’s a gamble since I have to drive there if I want to arrive with clothes on.
That’s the one downside of being a shifter.
Clothes don’t shift with you. At least not us squirrels, and I doubt hawks and chipmunks either.
My stomach growls. Buckle said we’d all eat something together for lunch. He said he has a plan and I’m going to trust him.
My alarm goes off and I swipe at my hair again.
I really need a damn haircut, but I’ve always liked it on the longer side.
I take a few cleansing breaths before I race out the door.
I took the day off because I’m not sure how everything’s gonna go and I wanted to be mentally prepared and have down time before class tonight.
Because what if this goes badly? What if Abel decides he doesn’t want us?
I’m not sure my heart can take it right now.
My car purrs to life and I back her out of the garage. The road’s quiet today and I blast my music to get out of my own head.
Everything is going to be fine. There’s nothing to worry about.
My eyes go wide. What the hell is going on at the library? The parking lot is packed and I have to drive around three times before I spot Buckle, who waves me over to an empty spot. He’s still sexy as sin, but I feel silly for ironing my clothes when he’s in his uniform from the garage.
I park and take another deep breath. Everything is still fine. “Do you know what’s going on?” I ask.
“Not a clue.” There’s a grease smudge on Buckle’s cheek. I grab a tissue from my car before getting out.
“You got a little something.” I lift my tissue and wipe at the grease. It doesn’t come off as easily as I’d hoped.
“Thanks.” Buckle takes my hand and rubs his jaw against it. He’s respectful of my desire to hold off anything more intimate until we’ve convinced our mate to be with us.
“Soon,” I say.
He nods before ducking back into his truck to pull out an honest-to-goodness picnic basket. “I booked us one of the conference rooms. I have a feeling Abel won’t want to leave, but I wanted to have lunch with my mates.”
“Sounds perfect. Let’s go woo our guy.” I take his free hand in mine.
Buckle’s breath hitches. He must be as affected as I am by our connection. I just know it’s going to be even better when we get Abel on board.
“There are so many people here,” Buckle says.
“Are you okay?” I ask.
“Yeah, just wondering how Abel is going to be once we get in. His supervisor said he’d make sure Abel could take lunch when we get here, but…”
“It looks like we might have to wait.” I squeeze his hand, hoping I bring him comfort. “You look handsome, by the way.”
Buckle snorts. “I’m a dumbass. I was going to dress up, but I forgot my bag at home because I was so excited about lunch.” He lifts the picnic basket. “But I remembered the food, so all’s not lost. And I’ll wash up before we eat.”
“I still think you look handsome.”
“Well, you look downright delectable,” Buckle says. “I’d like to peel that crisp shirt off and kiss down your pretty chest.”
I swallow as my dick perks to life. “Fuck. Yes.”
“You’ve got a dirty mouth on you, sweet Omega.”
“You should hear me when I come.”
He smirks and we look both ways before we cross the street. The library is huge and historical. It’s one of my favorite places in Mink Hollow. There’s an air of festivities around, with lots of pink and red.
When we’re at the door, there’s a sign that reads: SIGN UP FOR VALENTINE’S DAY FESTIVAL AND DANCE. Just below that, there’s another sign that reads: DRAG QUEEN STORY HOUR 11am-12am MEET MISS BUTTERCUP.
I turn to Buckle. “Oh! I missed the sign for drag queen story hour the other day. How fun! And I don’t remember a Valentine’s Day festival or dance last year, or any year since.” I think through the last seven years and nothing comes to mind.
“Maybe it’s new? Aaron does love coming up with fun things for the town. And Valentine’s Day is the Aaron and his siblings’ birthday.” Buckle opens the door to a bunch of screaming children and a line looping around the main room.
We both clock Abel at the same time. He’s squatting by the main desk chatting with a child clutching a stuffie. It melts my heart to see him so… calm. At least compared to the last time we saw him.
Buckle tugs my hand and I lean in. He whispers, “Goddess, he looks so good. I wonder what he’d look like on his knees.”
I playfully swat at him. “You’re such an Alpha. We can’t scare him by saying sexy things like that. But I agree. He’d look damn fine on his knees begging to suck our cocks.”
Buckle groans and moves the picnic basket in front of him. “Okay, maybe we should keep our inside thoughts inside.”
I laugh, a little too loudly admittedly, and smash my hand to my mouth.
That’s when Abel finds us watching him. He blushes, and it’s so endearing I want to just plant a kiss on his sweet face.
Buckle grabs my hand, and slowly we walk towards our Beta.
The child must be done talking because Abel pats them on the head and helps walk them towards the drag queen story hour.
Abel hesitates on his way back to the desk. It’s as if he can’t decide if he wants to greet us where we are or if he wants us to come to him. I don’t mind.
Abel doesn’t hesitate for long before walking towards us. My breath hitches at the same time Buckle’s does. Abel’s choosing us.
“Hi,” he gives us a tiny wave. His gaze goes to our joined hands, then to the picnic basket in Buckle’s free hand.
“Hey, babe,” Buckle says, making Abel’s cheeks go adorably pink.
“Hello, sweetness,” I say, and Abel goes pinker as if that’s possible.
He takes the smallest step closer. “Riley—” He waves to someone behind us. “My boss, said I can take lunch whenever. But there are a ton of people here. And I don’t think he realized how busy we’d get.” Abel nibbles his bottom lip as he looks around at the crowd.
“Go to lunch,” someone, I assume, is Riley, says behind us before he’s in our line of sight. “We’ll be fine Abel. Enjoy.”
“But—”
Riley holds up his hand. “In fact, if you’re back before one, I’ll be cross. You always get here early and stay late. Take a long lunch today. You deserve it.”
Abel ducks his head and nods.
“I’ve got you in the nice conference room.” Riley gives us a wink before he’s back out on the floor directing new people to the story hour.
“Come on, babe, let’s settle in. I’ve got a lot of food.” Buckle lifts the basket. “I’m starving.”
My and Abel’s stomachs rumble together.
Abel’s eyes go wide. “I forgot to eat breakfast. I was so into a book on the history of Mink Hollow I couldn’t take my eyes off it.” He leads us down a small hallway. “I do that a lot.” He’s chewing on his bottom lip again when he turns to us after opening the door.
The conference room is bright. The far wall is red, the table blue, and all the chairs are yellow. The carpet can only be described as neon green. Which is miles better than the puke green it could have been.
“Whoa,” Buckle says. “I like all the color.”
Abel bobs his head. “Riley doesn’t like dull things.
I like the other conference room better, but this one is bigger.
” He looks around and waves us to follow him.
He presses a finger to his lips as if we’re sneaking around.
Abel opens another door. This room has a pastel pink carpet, and all the accents are shades of pink and purple.
“It’s like Valentine’s Day threw up. I love it. ”
Buckle gives him a cute little smile and my heart does a happy dance.
“I think I like this one better too,” I say.
“You’re just saying that,” Abel mumbles.
“Sweetness, you’ll find out real quick I don’t say shit I don’t mean.”
He flinches and shakes his head. “Sorry.”
“There’s nothing to be sorry about.”
Buckle gives me a look. I can’t exactly tell what it means yet, but I know in no time we’ll all learn each other’s expressions.
Buckle pulls out a seat and motions for Abel to take it. I grab the back of a free chair and Buckle practically growls. So I take my hand back. If my Alpha wants to pull out a chair for me, I’ll let him. No one’s ever done that for me before.
He gets Abel settled and pushed in before pulling a chair out for me. His gaze lingers on my lips and there’s obvious need in his eyes. Not yet, I mouth to him. We need to show Abel we’re here for the long haul. Forever. Eternity. He’s ours and we’re his.
Buckle starts unloading his picnic basket. He really did bring a load of food.
“If I brought anything you don’t like, let me know.”
Abel’s eyes seem to light up as Buckle continues to empty the basket.
“I brought a little bit of a lot of stuff. I should have asked what y’all like.”
Abel shakes his head. “I eat most anything. I’m not picky.” He licks his lips and his stomach rumbles again.
“That’s fine for now, but I want to know your favorites. Both of you. I’m an easy guy. Pizza is the best.” And he pulls out a storage container with slices of cheese pizza.
“I’d have it every day if I could.”
That makes me and Abel both chuckle.
But now that the basket is empty, Abel’s anxious again. His leg bounces and he looks over all the offerings. When he swallows over and over, Buckle passes him a water bottle. He also passes me one, and I take a few gulps.
“What’s wrong?” I ask as I hover a hand over Abel’s knee.
“I don’t know.” He looks up at me, his big brown eyes full of questions. “It’s a lot. No one’s really—” he waves at the food.
I push my Omega pheromones at the same time Buckle does his Alpha ones. Not sexual. Not commanding. I just want to calm our man.
A sweet smile forms on Abel’s face. “That’s nice.”
I’m so focused on the peace washed over his face, I don’t realize he’s falling until his head drops to the table, making a loud bang. The chair rolls back, and he’s falling to the floor passed out.
Buckle’s eyes go wide. “That’s never happened to me before.” We both stop our pheromones.
I fall to my knees. “Sweetness. Hey. Can you wake up for us?” I cradle his head in my lap. He still has the adorable smile on his face.
Buckle’s at my side, smoothing Abel’s hair down. “Babe, wake up, please.”
Abel blinks his eyes open. His brows scrunch. “What happened? Why am I on the floor?” He pushes from my hold and scuttles away from us.
He’s breaking my heart. “Abel, did your parents or anyone ever share their pheromones to help your anxiety?”
He drops his face to his knees and shakes his head.
Buckle looks horrified. My chest aches.
“Shit,” I say under my breath, but he still flinches. “I’m sorry. We should have asked, but we wanted to help and...” Shit. Just shit.
“Can I hold you?” Buckle asks.
Abel shakes his head again. “Why?”
“I think it’d help,” Buckle says.
“I don’t know,” Abel whispers.
There’s a question pressing on my mind. “How old are you?” I ask. Obviously he’s younger, but I’m not sure by how much.
The question only makes Abel hug himself more. He’d been kicked out of his Kettle a decade ago. My stomach sours. He had to be a teenager when that had happened.
I want to pull him back into my lap. “We’re not going to abandon you. We’re not going to throw you away.” I fight my anger towards his Kettle. I don’t want to scare him with how much I want to throat punch his family.
“Never,” Buckle agrees. “I don’t know what the fuck your family did to you, but we’re going to cherish you.” He takes my hand and squeezes.
“Exactly,” I choke out.
“I don’t trust Fate,” Abel says, barely above a whisper.
“You’re both so sure, and I’m not. My parents are Fated, but they’re not good for each other.
All they do is fight. Maybe I broke them.
Maybe they’re happy since I’m not around.
I don’t want to break you.” Finally, he looks up meeting mine then Buckle’s eyes.
A sob escapes my lips. Buckle trembles and I press a hand to his bicep hoping I can calm at least one of my mates.
“Let us prove to you Fate is right about us,” I say.
“Why? There’s nothing special about me. No reason for anyone to love me.”
A growl rumbles from Buckle. Abel scoots back again, eyes wide.
“Remember when we met?” Buckle asks.
Abel tries to hide his face again, but Buckle catches his chin before he can dip it against his knees. “Don’t hide. Please, don’t hide.”
Abel swallows and closes his eyes for a few breaths before nodding.
The three of us relax.
Buckle releases Abel’s chin. “I was lost in the stacks in my new home. Stubborn because I didn’t want to ask for help, but I wanted my romance fix.”
Abel snorts and nods. “You were muttering under your breath. Riley sent me over to ask if I could help.”
“The moment I heard your voice, my frazzle chipmunk calmed down.” Buckle chuckles.
“Okay, I calmed down too. You were so sweet and led me to the right area. Even suggested a few books. I grabbed a huge stack, but I knew I’d make this a weekly thing.
I had to see you. For us, touch is the only way to know our Fated. It’s why I had no idea until...”
Abel presses his hands to his face. “I was gonna eat you.”
“I think your hawk already trusts us,” I say.
“He does.”
I smile. “You were dressed as a fairy when we met,” I say.
Abel nibbles his bottom lip. “Riley likes us to dress up for all of October for Halloween. You were dressed...” He looks away and swallows.
I give him a cheeky grin. “You liked the outfit?”
He nods.
Buckle gives me a look and I lean into him. “I was in a crop top and shorts.”
Abel sighs as his shoulders sag. “I wish I had that type of courage.”
“Babe, you can wear whatever you want. Well, at least around us. I don’t know your work dress code.”
“Sweetness, how about we eat and talk about random shit?” I hold out my hand, hoping he doesn’t shy away.
He takes my offering and my eyes flutter closed at the electric zing. A soft whimper comes from him.
“Can I hug you? Both of you?” Buckle asks.
Surprising me, Abel nods, then launches himself into Buckle’s arms. I follow suit, loving both of my mates in my arms.