Chapter 18 - Craig
~October~
“There he is!” Spencer declared as I walked in.
I grinned. “Hey, guys.”
“I was starting to wonder if you’d forgotten your friends now that you’ve got your omega,” Nate teased.
I pulled out a chair and took a seat. “Sorry. Didn’t mean to ignore you all.”
Aaron walked up behind me and squeezed my shoulder as he set a bottle of beer in front of me. “Good to see ya, man. So, how is everything with your new man?”
I smiled as he rounded the table and took his own seat. “Slow, but good. There are times when it feels like his walls are trying to come back up, but I can see him fighting that urge.”
“It’ll be a process, I’m sure,” Robbie said. “It’s not a small thing to let somebody in after that long.”
I nodded. “I know. And I know the best thing I can do is be there for him. Show him that he doesn’t need to build a wall, because he can lean on me if he needs to.”
“So when are you going to bring him around so everybody else can meet him?” Joey asked.
I shrugged. “That’s up to him. He was ok with me telling you all and the guys at work. But I think he still wants to be fairly quiet about it.”
“Sounds like he wants to make sure it’s going to stick before everybody gets excited,” Aaron said.
I nodded. “That’s what I think, too.”
“Do you know what made him decide to be single for so long?” Nate asked.
I shook my head. “I have some ideas, but he hasn’t said anything directly. I don’t want to dredge up old wounds when our relationship is still so new, so I’m waiting for him to be ready to talk about it.”
“Some ideas?” Robbie asked.
I nodded. “Just things he’s said that make it feel like past relationships have gone disastrously sideways. At one point, he told me he’s not the kind of man alphas keep around. That… hurt to hear.”
“Oof,” Joey said. “That’s a heavy phrase.”
“Yeah,” I agreed.
“Makes sense why you’re waiting for him to be ready to open up,” Robbie said.
“And why he might not be ready to meet us,” Nate added. “It’s better to not bring in a bunch of extra people when he thinks things won’t last.”
I nodded. “I think once he starts to realize that I’m serious about him…” I blew out a long breath. “That’s when he’ll be ready to let others in.”
“Well, the invitation is open whenever he’s ready,” Aaron said.
I smiled. “I hope you all get to meet him soon.”
∞∞∞
Randy was nestled in my arms again, bathed in golden light, while birds outside announced a new day. His face was relaxed in his sleep, and I couldn’t help but smile at the way he’d occasionally nuzzle against me—seeking my scent.
I held him until my body protested at having been in the bed too long, then slipped from under the sheets.
I smiled as Randy shifted to press his face against the pillow I’d vacated.
I pulled on the pajama pants I’d left at his place, and slid my feet into some slippers, then I left the bedroom—Russy on my heels.
The cabin was chill, but not cold enough to start a fire. Though I expected that to change in a week or two. I made my way downstairs and to the kitchen to start a pot of coffee.
I started looking for breakfast ingredients as the coffee brewed. Some sausage stood out, along with another tube of biscuits.
Biscuits and gravy sounded perfect, though I’d wait for Randy to wake so that I wouldn’t have to worry about it getting cold.
“Ready for breakfast, Spud?” I asked as I made my way to his bowl.
His ears were alert as he trotted over, nails clicking on the floor.
I chuckled as I poured a scoop of kibble into his bowl—which he immediately dug into. Then I changed his water as he ate.
I’d just sat at the table with my coffee when I heard tires on the gravel outside.
It seemed early for somebody lost on the way to their rental, but I didn’t want their knocking to wake my sleeping omega.
Car doors as they got out, and Russy was at my heels as I made my way to the door.
Footsteps up the stairs to the porch.
I opened the door to see an alpha woman reaching for the handle.
She blinked at me in shock, then her demeanor shifted, and she started growling—deep and threatening.
I took half a step back in shock, confused at the sudden aggression. Then my alpha side reminded me that my omega was asleep upstairs. I firmed my stance as an answering growl bubbled up from my throat.
I would protect my intended mate and his space.
Her growl deepened in response.
I didn’t tear my gaze from the woman, but I had to figure out what had set her off. Children were talking. Did she think I was a threat to them?
“Russy!” yelled a little boy right before he ran between the woman and me.
She broke eye contact as she reached for him. “Marco! Wait!”
“Tio Randy!” called a girl as she made her way around her mother.
“Michelle!”
I blinked. “Wait… Are you Randy’s sister?”
Her gaze snapped back to me as the kids evaded her and ran inside. “And who are you?”
“I’m…” I started.
“Jessie?” Randy asked from where he stood in the bedroom door in only his boxers.
“Randy!” the woman—Jessie—cried, turning to him. “Are you ok?”
He let out a single chuckle. “I… ummm… I’m fine. Let me put on some clothes.”
She nodded, then focused on me again, low growl still in her throat.
I held up my hands as I started to understand. We were both protecting the same man, but for different reasons.
“Do… do you want some coffee?” I asked, attempting to de-escalate the situation.
She blinked, then slowly nodded—though the growl was still there.
“How do you take it?”
“Black, two sugars,” she responded, eyes narrow.
“I’m going to turn my back,” I said. “Please don’t attack me.”
She nodded slowly. “Michelle? Marco?”
“Yes?” the girl replied.
“Take Russy and go collect eggs. Then play outside until I call you back in.”
“Ok!”
The sound of scrambling, then both kids chanting, “Butt-nuggets! Butt-nuggets!”
She relaxed slightly as the kids exited.
I turned, strode to the kitchen, grabbed a mug, and prepared her coffee. Even with my back turned, I felt her eyes on me.
Coffee done, I carried it over and set it on the table. It felt like the safer option, rather than getting into her space enough to hand it to her.
Pounding as Randy rushed downstairs. “Sorry,” he mumbled as he stopped between his sister and me.
She reached out and set her hand on his shoulder, which made my alpha side want to protect him again.
“Are you ok?” she asked.
His cheeks turned pink as he nodded. “I… we’re fine.”
“We’re?”
“This… this is Craig. He’s… courting me.”
She scowled and glared at me. “You. Stay here.”
I nodded and took a seat at the table.
She studied me for several seconds, then guided Randy to the living room.
I couldn’t hear their conversation, but I didn’t need to. She was animated, expressing herself with her hands.
Randy—sweet Randy—didn’t look pleased. But he also stood up for himself. I could see it in the way he set his jaw or crossed his arms.
They spoke for a few minutes before returning.
“Craig,” Randy started. “This is my sister, Jessie. Jessie, this is Craig.”
“Nice to meet you,” I tried.
She nodded at me. “Same.”
I racked my brain, trying to figure out a way to break the tension. “Have you and the kids eaten?”
She blinked. “Umm… not yet?”
“I was going to make biscuits and gravy,” I replied. “I think there should be enough for everybody if I also make eggs.”
She glanced over at Randy, who shrugged.
“He’s a good cook,” my sweet omega said.
She turned back to me. “Ok.”
“Scrambled ok? That way I can make a big pan rather than make people wait on frying them two-at-a-time.”
“That’s fine,” she answered. “The kids prefer scrambled.”
“Ok.”
“Randy?” I asked.
He smiled. “Scrambled is fine.”
“Ok,” I stood and started around the table. I leaned in to kiss Randy’s cheek, then wondered if that was safe. I turned to Jessie. “Am I going to set off your alpha side if I kiss him?”
She studied me, then shook her head.
I smiled and brushed my lips across Randy’s cheek, then I continued to the fridge to retrieve the sausage and biscuits.
“How many eggs for the kids?” I asked as I turned on the oven to preheat.
“Make three, and I’ll plate for them,” she replied.
“Ok. How many for you?”
“Two.”
“Two for you Randy?”
“Yes, please,” he replied.
I gathered eggs from Randy’s keep basket and took them to the sink to wash as he spoke to his sister.
“Why are you here?” he asked. “Aren’t you supposed to be preparing for the party this afternoon?”
She sighed. “Mom and Papa had barely made it through the door when the kids got excited. They and Yazzy’s mama couldn’t do anything without one of them underfoot.
We’d tell them to stop and go play, but you know how they are.
They’d go play for a few minutes, then want to know what was going on again.
I decided getting them out of the house and out of the way was the best idea.
I was hoping you’d watch them and just bring them when you came in… but…”
I didn’t need to be facing her to understand that she was trying to decide if she wanted to leave her kids with Randy and I. Specifically me.
I racked my brain. Was there some middle ground I could offer where she’d feel safe with me around until she got to know me?
Unfortunately, I didn’t know of anything open early enough on a Saturday morning.
“We could take them to the park or something,” I offered.
It was public, if nothing else.
A low growl let me know that she wasn’t fond of the idea. At least it wasn’t threatening.
“Sorry,” I replied. “I’ll mind my own business.”
Their voices quieted, but I could still get a flavor of the conversation from the tones. She wasn’t angry, but she was short and demanding. Randy alternated between annoyed and defensive.
The meal came together quickly, and I decided I had to interrupt their discussion when I was ready to pour the eggs into the pan.
“Sorry,” I said, turning to the table. “I’m about to drop the eggs. Do you want the kids to wash their hands or anything before we eat? It’ll only be a minute or two.”