Chapter Eighteen
Indy
“Seth, I think we should tell your parents first.” Seth and I sat on the hotel balcony discussing the end of our trip.
Bram was at work. We hadn’t asked him to quit his job quite yet. But truthfully he didn’t need it. Seth and I would be loaded once, or if, we inherited the role of alphas of both my herd and his shimmer.
But would Bram even consider moving away from San Diego to live in an area of mostly unicorn shifters?
“If both of us do still qualify to inherit the alpha titles, how would that work?” Seth asked.
“I guess we could get a big house between our towns.”
“That’s assuming our fathers don’t find replacements for us after they find out we’re a triad.”
“I don’t care.” I had a trust. I had a college degree and could work. I wasn’t going to hurt for money. “What I do care about is creating a new life with my mates.”
“That’s number one priority for sure,” Seth agreed. “So, why do you think we should tell my parents first?”
“I don’t know.” I looked up at him with my best pleading face. “Because I’m a coward?”
“You’re the least cowardly person I know. Are you afraid your dad won’t react well?”
“No. I’m afraid of letting him down, of thinking he’ll be disappointed in me. He would never criticize me for being with you and Bram. Or stop loving me. Papa, too. But I might feel it inside that I let them down.”
“It’s all good, baby.” I patted my shoulder. “We’ll go to my shimmer first and get that out of the way before announcing our arrangement to your herd.”
My shoulders relaxed. I hadn’t realized how stiffly I’d been holding myself.
Seth and I stayed up late waiting for Bram to come home. We both did take short naps. We had spent our first night together at his Animals apartment, but after that, the three of us spent most of our time at our hotel.
Bram arrived at two thirty in the morning. Once he’d showered, we all got into bed. Bram seemed wired from work, a little unsettled, and wanted to talk, which was fine with us. I wanted us all to make love, of course, but we had all day tomorrow to accomplish that.
“I had a lot of time to think at work. So…um…”
“It’s okay. We’ve talked a lot. You can tell us anything. Does this have to do with your pack again?” I asked.
“No. It’s, well, when do I meet your families? Is it too soon to ask?”
“Not at all.” Seth caught my gaze and grinned. “The bond is working well. You must’ve sensed Indy and me talking about this subject earlier.”
“You were?”
I nodded. “We’ve decided to go to Seth’s shimmer first and announce our mating.”
Silence.
“What are you thinking, Bram?” I asked.
“When?”
“Well,” Seth began, “we have this room until the end of next week.”
“Then you’re leaving, right?” Bram asked.
“Right.” I watched Bram’s face go tight. I’d spoken too quickly without context.
“And will I go with you?”
“Wait.” I put my hand on his arm. “Let me finish. Of course we aren’t leaving you, sweetheart.”
Bram let out a relieved sigh.
Seth continued for me. “It’s not something we want to inform our families about through text or over the phone.”
“I know, but…”
“But what?” I asked.
“You haven’t actually—officially—invited me.”
Seth and I both let out sounds of surprise.
“We haven’t?” I reached across Bram and smacked Seth’s chest. “I thought we had.”
He looked pained. “Me, too.”
“You’re cordially, personally, and lovingly invited,” I finished.
Bram leaned into me. “You’re funny.”
“Not funny. We mean it.”
“What do I do about my job? What I mean is, right now.”
Seth leaned back and rested his arm across Bram’s shoulders. “What do you want, Bram?”
“I can give notice. But I don’t have any savings.”
“Is that what has you worried? Money?” Seth asked.
I added, “Because you don’t have to worry about that with us around.”
“I left my pack so I could be independent. Be who I want to be.”
“We understand,” I began.
Bram kept talking over me. “I was just getting used to being on my own.”
Seth pulled Bram closer to his body. “I’ll do anything for you. It’s our alpha nature to take care of you and each other. We can’t help it. But if you’re uncomfortable—”
“I’m not,” Bram interrupted. “I am comfortable. This is the best thing that’s ever happened to me.
But if we’re going to see your families, is it just a trip?
Or what? Because I love you both. And I love being taken care of.
” He pointed to himself. “Omega here. Through and through. I respond to that alpha caregiving like it’s candy. ”
“You’re permanently in our lives now,” I assured him.
“Are you asking us, then, if it’s safe to quit your job?” Seth asked.
“I am.” Bram lifted his head and glanced from Seth to me. “But I don’t want to be seen as taking advantage in any way.”
Through our bond, Bram’s emotions washed over me. He was happy. Content. In love. I felt no deception, no pressure. “We love you, Bram. You wouldn’t be taking advantage. You’d be our omega as Fate decided it. We want you.”
“And as I said before,” Seth continued, “we’ll do anything for you. Including move to this city. But it would be a hell of a tangled mess to do it that way.”
“No, I love you both so much. I don’t want any mess.
” Bram wiggled a bit between us. “I’m not married to this city.
I was just saying I’d finally gotten on my own and it was a new experience.
Then this happened with all of us. And it’s another fantastic experience I never would have had if I hadn’t left my pack.
I want to be with both of you. Forever. And it can be anywhere you want. ”
“Are you sure?” I asked.
“More sure than I’ve ever been about anything,” Bram replied.
“We want you with us when we go home,” Seth said softly.
“Then I’ll quit tomorrow,” Bram said. “I love Animals, but if I’m going to leave San Diego to go with you two, it’s a done deal.”
No more words needed to be spoken. We joined in a three-way kiss that had us writhing together on the bed for the next hour.