Chapter 11 Peyton
PEYTON
The air in Dalton’s small apartment was stale, heavy with the scent of unwashed laundry and now, the sharp, sweet tang of a nervous omega.
We stood in a loose triangle in the living room, none of us willing to make the first move. It felt less like the start of a romance and more like a high-stakes negotiation where one wrong word could blow up the building.
I looked at the two men standing before me. Dalton, my beta, my rock, who was currently looking at me as if I’d suggested we juggle chainsaws. And Theo, the stranger, the catalyst, hugging his chest defensively as if trying to make himself smaller.
I had to lead this. If I faltered, they would bolt.
“One of my great-great-grandfathers was a beta,” I said, breaking the silence. “Did I ever tell you that, Dalton?”
Dalton blinked, pulled from his spiraling thoughts. “No.”
“West Virginia isn’t exactly friendly to non-traditional families these days, but back then?
It was different.” I moved to lean against the back of the sofa, trying to appear more relaxed than I felt.
“Leger, Silas, and Finch. Alpha, Omega, Beta. They weren’t roommate’s. They were a triad. A throuple.”
Theo looked up, curiosity warring with his anxiety. “Like… historically?”
“Like practically,” I corrected individually.
“They lived together for fifty years. They raised children together. And according to the journals they left behind, they didn’t just make it work—they balanced each other.
The alpha provided the drive, the omega provided the heart, and the beta provided the stability that kept them from burning out. ”
I locked eyes with Dalton. “I’m not looking for a fling, Dal. And I’m not looking for a surrogate to breed an heir and then leave. If we do this… if we even try this… it has to be equal. No third wheels. No side pieces.”
Dalton crossed his arms, his jaw set. “That sounds nice in theory, Peyton. But in practice? You and I… we have history. Years of it. And he…” He gestured helplessly at Theo. “He’s a stranger.”
“I am,” Theo agreed, his voice small but surprisingly steady. “I don’t want to be an intruder. If you guys need to work your stuff out, I can go. I should go.”
He turned toward the door, and instinct roared in my chest. No.
“Stay,” I commanded, softer this time. “Please.”
Theo hesitated, his hand on the strap of his messenger bag.
“History isn’t everything,” I said to Dalton, keeping my voice level.
“We have history, yes. But we also have holes. You feel inadequate because you can’t give me a biological legacy.
I feel guilty because I can’t give you the peace you need because I’m too intense.
We love each other, but we’re constantly trying to compensate for what we aren’t. ”
I gestured to Theo. “He isn’t a band-aid. But looking at him… feeling what I feel when he’s in the room… I think he might be the bridge. The balance we’ve been missing.”
Dalton looked at Theo, really looked at him, before turning to me. “You think we’re missing something?”
“I think we could be more,” I said simply.
Silence stretched between us again. Finally, Dalton sighed, the tension in his shoulders dropping an inch. He turned to Theo.
“Okay. If—and that’s a big if—we consider this… we need to know who you are. Not just what you smell like.”
Theo blinked, clearly surprised by the shift. “Who I am?”
“Yeah,” Dalton stepped closer, his beta curiosity finally winning out over his fear. “Jace says you’re a gamer. An introvert.”
Theo bristled slightly, his chin lifting. “I own the Game Hut down the street. I design apps. I’m not just a gamer. And I’m particular about who I hang out with. There’s nothing wrong with that, is there?”
“No, nothing wrong with that. Which apps?” Dalton asked.
“Small ones. Puzzle games mostly.”
“Name one,” I challenged gently.
“Alpha’s Maze Run,” Theo mumbled.
Dalton let out a bark of laughter that startled us all. “You’re kidding. Alpha’s Maze Run? Peyton obsesses over that game. He’s stuck on level four thousand something.”
“Four thousand fifteen,” I corrected with dignity, though a smile tugged at my lips. “And that level cheats.”
“It’s not rigged,” Theo said, a small, genuine smile breaking through his anxiety. “You just have to prioritize the blue gems over the red ones in the second quadrant. Everyone misses that.”
Dalton grinned, the expression transforming his face from worried to radiant. “He’s got you there, Peyton.”
I looked between them, the shared amusement, the sudden ease in the tension. It was a tiny thread, but it was there. Connection. Not biological, not sexual. Just… human.
“Okay,” Dalton said, looking at me. “He made you look stupid. I like him.”
“So,” I said, ignoring my cheeky beta. “We have a connection. We have attraction. And we have about twenty-four hours before biology takes the wheel and drives this car off a cliff.”
Theo flushed a brilliant red. “I… yeah. It’s getting stronger.”
“If we do this,” I said, looking at both of them with deadly seriousness, “If we agree to see this heat through together… there’s no going back. We are tying our scents, our bodies, and our lives together. Are you ready for that?”
Theo took a deep breath, his hands trembling at his sides. He looked from me to Dalton, fear warring with hope. “I’ve been alone a long time. I don’t want to be alone anymore. Yes.”
Dalton nodded slowly, his eyes locked on mine. “I trust you, Peyton. And I think maybe you’re right. Maybe we are stronger with him. Yes.”
“Then it’s settled,” I said, feeling a locking sensation in my chest, like a bolt sliding home. “We’re doing this.”