Chapter 48 Adam
ADAM
It was official—Sky had been with us for a full year now. A year of ups and downs, highs and lows, of smiles and tears and laughter as we formed our pack of three and navigated the rocky waters of a polyamorous relationship with an Omega whose energies were, at times, unstable.
Looking back, though? I’d do it all over again.
It’d been a wild ride, and it was about to get a little wilder.
Once our daughter came into this world, our lives would be filled with sleepless nights and dirty diapers and taking turns bottle-feeding.
It would be a team endeavor, and I couldn’t wait.
“Good morning, baby.” I leaned in and stole a kiss from Fletcher, who giggled and set his book down.
Sky sat beside him on the couch and pouted, as if to say, “Where’s mine?” so I swooped in and planted a dramatic, noisy kiss upon his lips until he laughed as well.
“What do you say we go out for a little coffee shop date?” I mused, raising my eyebrows. “It is Valentine’s Day, after all.”
Fletcher smiled. “The day of romance. Is this your attempt at being romantic, Adam?” he teased. “Because if you think coffee is gonna cut it…”
I chuckled. “Oh, darling. Coffee is only the beginning.”
“Can we go to the bookstore after?” Sky chimed in. “The Crooked Bookshelf has a nice sitting area where you can relax and enjoy your coffee while reading a good book.”
“Whatever you’d like,” I replied with an easy smile. “I want to make today all about my mates.”
I didn’t miss the pink that flushed Sky’s cheeks, or the way his smile grew another two sizes, but I was only stating facts. He was my mate, just as much as Fletcher was. Just because I hadn’t officially claimed him didn’t make him any less mine.
Ours, my wolf rumbled softly in agreement, giving his fluffy tail a swish in my mind’s eye.
After breakfast, we bundled up and braved the cold for some coffee, then headed down the street, foam cups in tow, to the local bookstore.
The Crooked Bookshelf was a locally owned shop that’d put down its roots here in Greymercy many years ago, according to Gracie.
Located right on Main Street, it was easy access and always seemed to have cars in the lot.
The electronic doorbell chimed out the Westminster bells as we went inside to escape the cold.
It smelled of old books and cinnamon, with traces of clove and pine. The scent of winter, apparently. It was cozy in here, though, not too cold but not hot enough to make me feel like I was melting beneath my winter coat. Classical music spilled quietly from the stereo system. It felt welcoming.
I took a sip of my caramel macchiato and followed along after my Omegas, who blazed the way. Mmm. Delicious. Hot and strong and a little sweet, the baristas at the coffee shop always knew exactly how I liked it, somehow.
A large orange fluff-ball came strutting between the bookshelves with a loud “Purr-aow?” and Fletcher gave a little squeal. He dropped to his knees on the floor and petted the cat, absolutely melting over how cute and fluffy she was.
Sky knelt down beside him and scratched behind the feline’s ear. “Wonder what her name is?”
He no sooner mused this aloud when a woman with mousy gray hair tucked into a neat bun came around the corner, a stack of books towering in her arms, almost past her wire-frame glasses.
She tutted softly. “That is Miss Pippi Long-stockings,” she said, matter-of-fact.
“Pippi for short. She’s the official mascot of The Crooked Bookshelf.
She keeps the mice from nibbling on the pages. ”
“She’s lovely,” Fletcher said.
“She knows it too,” the woman replied with a wink. “Now she’s got you wrapped around her little paw. You won’t be leaving without giving her plenty of love.”
“Gladly.” He stroked down the cat’s back. Pippi arched into it, her tail flicking lazily back and forth. She circled around and rubbed her face against his hand, hopping up so that her front paws came off the floor for a second. Fletcher laughed. “Patience, Miss Long-stockings, geez.”
Sky looked at me. “Maybe once the baby’s born, we could get a kitten?”
I smiled. “Just one? I think we’d need to get a pair, one for each of you, so you don’t have to share. Plus, they’d be able to play together and keep one another company that way.”
Fletcher stood and dusted off the knees of his jeans, shaking his head with a laugh. “Cats choose their owners, Adam; everyone knows that. My luck, both cats would be curled up on Sky’s lap, sound asleep, and I would be kitten-less.”
“That’s a risk I’m willing to take,” Sky joked back, but his expression fast turned serious. He shrugged, tucking his hands into his hoodie pockets. “Nah, probably not. Animals have never really liked me much. I always assumed it was because of my haywire Alpha-Omega energy.”
“We’ll be sure to pick out the ones that like you,” Fletcher assured him. “Besides, once we claim you as ours, your energies should stabilize, right, Adam?”
I hummed. “An Alpha’s mark should calm the wildness in your soul and balance your emotions. I haven’t done the proper research yet, specifically, on Alpha-Omega twins and claiming, but it seemed to work for your brother and Gracie’s son just fine.”
Sky made a face, like he didn’t want to think about that, and nodded. He sipped his coffee, then looked around the bookstore with its shelves full of titles, both new and old. “Can I get a book?”
It surprised me, though I supposed it shouldn’t have. Just because I hadn’t seen Sky read a physical book didn’t mean he didn’t have an app on his phone or something.
“Sure,” I said. “What kind of books do you like to read?”
“Well, I wanna learn how to write, so I want a book on writing,” he told me.
“Coming up with stories in my head was the only way I kept myself sane back then, and I still play with storylines sometimes when I’m in the shower or lying in bed, or when you guys are at work and I’m alone.
I figured, might as well put pen to paper and write something original? ”
Pride swelled in my chest because my little Omega had come so damn far in only a year. He was a far cry from the frantic, angry young man who had gotten drunk and tried to jump off a water tower.
“I think that’s a wonderful idea,” I said. “By all means, pick something out. Whatever calls to you. I’m going to go sit down on the couch over here and enjoy my coffee. Go browse.”
I waved him off and meandered back through the bookshelves until I got to one of the plush leather sofas in the middle of the store.
Fletcher was already lounging there, the cat in his lap, purring like her life depended on it.
I had to admit, she was quite cute. I reached over and scratched the top of her head.
She ate it up like she was starved for attention.
Weren’t cats supposed to be the independent ones?
The two of us drank our coffee and doted on the cat while Sky wandered through the bookshop. He returned after a little while with three books—two on writing and one on creativity. “I think I wanna get these,” he said, holding them up.
“Perfect. Consider them an anniversary-slash-Valentine’s Day present.”
He blinked, looking confused. “What?”
“You’ve been with us exactly a year now. We took you in on Valentine’s Day last year, and now it’s Valentine’s Day this year. So…” I raised my eyebrows. “I’d like to buy them for you as a gift.”
“Adam…”
“Sky.” I held up my hand. “I know you have money and I know you’re an independent young Omega, but as your Alpha? Let me do this.” I flashed him an ornery grin. “You can pay me back later tonight, if you wish.”
Fletcher laughed from his spot on the couch.
Sky handed me the books. “Thank you, Adam. You guys mean the world to me, you know that, right?”
“I know, love,” I murmured, pressing a gentle kiss to his forehead before heading towards the checkout.
It wasn’t the older lady from before, but this time, a young woman with braces and glasses.
She beamed when we approached, and when I set the books on the counter, she immediately rang them up and placed them in a bag.
“What do I owe you?” I asked.
“Thirty-one twenty-seven,” she said. “We take cash or card.”
“It’ll be card.” I flashed her my credit card before swiping it.
The machine beeped, accepting my card, and then asked me if I wanted any cashback.
I selected twenty-five and after hitting enter, the cashier’s register sprang open.
She handed me several worn five-dollar bills, which I then offered to Fletcher with a flourish.
“Happy Valentine’s Day to you too, kitten. Not nearly as flashy as a couple of books, but I think you’ll put it to good use.” I winked at him.
He smiled impishly and leaned up on his tip-toes to kiss me. “Thanks, babe. Love you.” There was a soft purr in his voice that told me he appreciated it, but that he expected a little more of a Valentine’s Day treat tonight, wink-nudge.
I chuckled. “Alright, alright. Let’s go home.”
When we got home, I started dinner. Coffee could only sustain a man for so long, and I’d heard Fletcher’s stomach rumbling while we were petting the cat.
Although it might’ve been all the purring, I couldn’t say for sure.
Either way, we needed to eat, so I picked an easy pasta meal from my mental cookbook and began prepping, but I checked in on my Omegas every so often.
Sky curled up on the couch with a blanket and one of his new books, while Fletcher played the Switch. The TV was off, for once. The two of them were cozied in to the sound of fantasy music playing from the handheld’s speakers and the occasional “Hy-yah!”
“So what kind of books do you wanna write?” Fletcher asked Sky, which had me tuning into the conversation. I couldn’t help it; I was curious as well.
“I dunno,” Sky said, but he said it too quickly, which told me he did know, he just didn’t want to say. He was quiet for a little while, then, softer, “I mean… I sort of do, but it’s lame.”
“Why is it lame?” Fletcher set the Switch down on the couch and turned his full attention to our partner.
Sky shifted, nibbling on his bottom lip.
“Well, you remember at Christmas, when Adam said I should write a Hallmark movie? What if I wrote romance books? Like, love stories, but gay? Like us? People love a good rom-com, and it’s basically what I used to daydream about anyway, in a weird, fucked-up way. ”
“Aww, Sky. I think it’s a wonderful idea.
” Fletcher hugged him close. “But don’t just pick romances because that’s what Adam said you should write, okay?
Write whatever your heart desires. If that’s romance, cool, but if that’s swashbuckling pirate adventures or super sci-fi with robots and stuff, that’s awesome too.
Don’t worry about what anyone else thinks. Just write for you.”
Another lapse of silence. Sky seemed to think about it for a long time before he finally nodded. “Yeah. Yeah, you’re right.”
“Of course I’m right. I’m your mate,” Fletcher said knowingly, and Sky laughed.
Quiet filled the room once more, and then…
“You know, if you come up with a couple of character ideas and start a novel, I’d totally draw concept art for you.
Give you a visual for your book. I haven’t picked up a pencil in awhile, so I’m sure I’m rusty, but skill never goes away.
It’s simply hidden beneath layers of dust.”
Sky brightened. “Wow, that would be really cool. Your art is beautiful.”
“Thanks. Lots of practice. In time, your books will be just as amazing,” Fletcher promised.
“Thank you, Fletcher.”
“Of course, darling. Love you.”
“Love you too.”
Sky went back to his book and Fletcher picked up the Switch again, leaving me standing in the kitchen, my chest feeling tight. How I could love someone so much, I wasn’t sure. I placed a hand over my heart, feeling it beat as if it beat for them and only them.
My lovers. My mates. My everything.