MARLOW #2
I see relief on his face. "I’ll claim them as mine. I’ll raise them as if they were my own blood, Marlow. I know how badly you wanted children, and they’re innocent. What I feel toward their father doesn’t matter. They’ll be ours."
I nod seriously, and we exchange smiles that feel like promises of the future.
"Listen, I only moved in here yesterday myself. I bought this place completely out of the blue, on impulse! I haven’t even had time to take a closer look. Maybe you’d like to walk around our new property with me?"
"Sure," Fenn smiles broadly. "When I saw all those cherry trees, I had a moment there. Remember how my dad had a cherry orchard? My best childhood memories are tied to it. Well, the only beautiful ones."
"Then let’s go look at the cherries. I think they’re ready to be harvested!" I reach out and pull him to his feet, and together we walk around the house surrounded by dense flower beds.
"Wow, it’s beautiful here…" he sighs. "I can’t believe you found a place like this, straight from a dream."
"All thanks to Blue’s help, he lent me money for the house.
And… of course, Mr. Davos! He’s the elderly omega whose dog I treated when I first got to Rainbow Spring.
He started spreading the word that there was a new veterinarian in town.
Then, when his son decided to sell his house, I was the first person he thought of.
I guess he’s hoping I’ll stick around for the long haul. "
"Wow. That really feels like the hand of Fate. It's hard to believe that after so many setbacks, everything fell into place so perfectly. It's like all the stars aligned for us."
We walk along the rows of cherry trees. Fenn breathes in their scent and says, "I was starting to think Fate hated me. Turns out it had an unexpected plan."
Suddenly, he stops in his tracks.
"Oh, fuck. Listen! There’s something I need to do quickly. I have to drive to Franklin and return that car to the guy who lent it to me. I saw his name on a business card because he never introduced himself. A guy named Mauro. He’s Renato Santoro’s nephew. I think you’ve met him before."
"The quiet alpha?"
"That’s right. Except I didn’t originally meet him in a human alpha form. I met him as something very strange, like some kind of green forest spirit or something."
I burst out laughing. "That’s the form he used when he pulled my car out of a ditch. That’s how I met them!"
I stop and pull the keys from my pocket, waving them in the air.
"Let’s go take care of it right now, so we can have all the loose ends wrapped up! We’ll pick up the car from Franklin and return it to the Santoro family."
Fenn cocks his head. "You know, I already talked to him about work. And he nodded when I mentioned I’m a carpenter."
A pleasant thrill of excitement and hope runs through me. On impulse, I press myself tightly against him.
"Then let’s go. No point wasting time!"
For a second, I hesitate. "But first, let’s take that tasty paté from the porch! I’ve gotten hungry…" I smile innocently, and Fenn chuckles.
A few hours later, driving two cars, we arrive at the impressive Santoro estate.
The house belongs to Renato Santoro, Mauro’s uncle.
The moment we stop in the enormous driveway, Renato steps outside. He must have either spotted us through a window or simply possesses some kind of supernatural awareness as part of his strange nature.
When he sees his nephew’s car, he says,
"Mauro was already convinced the car was lost forever. But I see you’re a man of your word. That’s good to know."
His strange, slightly shimmering eyes settle on Fenn’s face, studying him carefully.
"I always keep my word whenever it’s within my power to do so," Fenn says, straightening slightly as if he can feel that penetrating gaze all the way into his bones.
"I’m glad to hear it."
"I don’t know if your nephew mentioned it, but I’m a carpenter by trade.
I have six years of experience. I’ve built log houses and made wooden furniture.
If you need someone like that, I’ve got two healthy hands and I’m not afraid of hard work.
I can help. But… I’m not suited for customer-facing work.
" Fenn gestures meaningfully toward his face.
Renato smiles. "I think there’s always work for someone with muscles like those," he says with an amused expression, his eyes sweeping over Fenn’s broad frame.
Fenn suddenly blushes slightly.
"There’s also the issue of my strong pheromones. I can’t do much about them. I’m better suited to isolated work, away from AOs."
"There’s plenty of that in the forest! Come tomorrow morning. Mauro and a few other family members will be here. We’ll talk, and I think you’ll get the job. We’ve got several positions you might be perfect for."
"Great!"
"By the way, since we’re speaking openly, Mauro mentioned that you have an interesting… um, alternative form."
Fenn lightly bites his lip. "He has a pretty interesting one too."
"But not nearly as impressive as yours!"
Fenn looks away, slightly embarrassed by the summary.
Very few people have probably seen him like that, and I’m sure, like any shifter, he’d rather people be amazed than recoil in disgust.
"Yeah, well. Also, you need to know I’m probably a national sensation…
once again. There were tons of people at the airport where the police caught me.
Somebody had to record it. The videos are probably already online, so I don’t really have much of a secret anymore.
Working in isolation, in a sawmill or a woodworking shop, would be perfect for me. "
"Don’t worry. We’ll find something for you. People like us need to support each other, because the world doesn’t care. And when it does take an interest, it’s usually just to shoot at us."
Something in his tone, dark and brooding, makes us all grow a little more serious, because there is truth in it.
Fenn nods. "That’s right. I felt it firsthand. Fortunately, being a monster has its advantages." He lifts the edge of his shirt and shows his smooth side. "No scars."
On the way back, our mood lightens again, because it couldn’t be otherwise. Fenn can’t stop smiling.
He watches the town passing by outside the window, bathed in the light of the setting sun. Then he grins at me and says,
"At least you won’t be supporting a freeloader with your salary. Besides the pension I get from Blue Lowen for my participation in the Beta Activation program, I’ll also be getting a carpenter’s paycheck. We’ll be able to pay Blue back pretty quickly."
I chuckle. "I wouldn’t worry about that. I doubt Blue is holding his breath waiting for that money. But it’ll definitely help. Twins always come with a lot of expenses."
When we get home, Fenn heads straight for the shower, while I put on an apron and prepare a large dinner for him since, as he keeps saying, he hasn’t eaten anything except IV fluids for several days.
My new kitchen is actually very pleasant and extremely practical. The previous owner left practically everything behind: appliances, dishes, electronics, household equipment. And since he had excellent taste, I can’t complain. Everything is new and well-maintained.
As I move around the kitchen, discovering its little secrets, opening cabinets, and generally enjoying my new life in my dream house, I notice I have two missed calls from Dr. Lee.
What could that guy possibly want from me? Strange that he even feels like calling, considering he works for Welrun. I doubt he’s impartial, so I decide to ignore his call.
If anything, he may call to tell me he wants something in exchange for keeping my secret. I glance at the pink pen I put on the windowsill in a small porcelain cup as a kind of souvenir and shrug my shoulders. Oh well.
To my surprise, I also notice a missed call from Rupert.
I definitely don’t want to answer anything from that asshole too. What's up with these people?
I decide to ignore everyone today because I have completely different plans for this evening.
New house, new me, and a new relationship.
One I want to seal tonight.
When Fenn comes out of the shower, he gives me a look that immediately tells me he’s on board with my plans.
"You look… interesting in that apron. I wouldn’t mind seeing the version where it’s the only thing you’re wearing."
Smirking, I place dinner on the table. The platter of macaroni and cheese is steaming, creating a cozy atmosphere.
"Wow. You cook too? Alphas like you barely exist."
"But I’m a special alpha," I smile. "With an omega’s soul."
We start eating, and Fenn keeps sending me smiles that suggest things are about to get very interesting.
I put the last spoonful of soup into my mouth and stand up.
"I’ll be right back!"
I disappear into one of the rooms and strip off my clothes, then put on nothing but the apron. I inspect the result in the mirror, toss my long hair forward, and apply a little lip gloss.
Because why not.
When I come back out, Fenn is no longer in the kitchen.
I find him in the main bedroom, sitting at the edge of the bed. He greets me with a sharp intake of breath. His pupils widen as he takes me in.
"Good Fate… gorgeous. Gorgeous… Maybe give me a little spin?"
I turn around for him, biting my lip. I’m almost certain he’s staring at my bare ass visible through the slit in the back of the apron.
And he wants to say something, but he suddenly hesitates. It's as if whatever he wants to say might be too much.
"Say it," I tell him, looking at him almost defiantly. Something is growing between us with every passing second, a kind of hunger, a burning sensation, and I can feel it building toward a breaking point.
"Are you mine, Marlow?"
I furrow my brows.
"Am I, Fenn? Do you want it? I’ve been picked before. But I’ve never been claimed. So you have to be sure."
His expression changes slightly. He tilts his head with a sharp, peculiar motion, as though his mantis nature is surfacing for a moment, accompanied by the unsettling click of vertebrae in his neck that only adds to the wild impression.
"Oh yes, you are mine. So very much."