CHAPTER 9 JARED #2
In normal circumstances I would put them both firmly in their place. I'm very used to unwanted male attention, and I've developed some neat ways of dealing with their pushiness.
So why am I just letting this happen? They're practically competing over me, and somehow I don't stop it.
My eyes focus on Mauro because… well. Because I just want to stare at him, okay? It gives me a strange, tingly pleasure.
Standing out on the patio, the sunlight catches his hair. Indoors it looked almost black, but now the light brings out deep burgundy-red highlights I'd never noticed before. His skin is beautiful too, lightly tanned with a warm golden tone.
I catch myself staring instead of making the call, my eyes lingering on the way his chest fills out his shirt and on how perfectly his biceps stand out beneath the tight black fabric.
Okay… enough of the ogling, Jared!
Time to call Alex.
He picks up after the second ring.
"Veyron? What's going on?" His voice is strained with worry.
"No, it's me. Jared."
A sharp, furious exhale crackles through the speaker.
"Jared, for fuck's sake! I've been losing my mind over here!"
"I'm so, so sorry, Alex! I went into heat, my phone fell into the mud and stopped working, and I was deep in the forest. I waited it out in a small ranger's cabin because I was afraid that going back out around people in that condition could've ended badly if I ran into any alphas."
Alex lets out a long breath.
"Damn… that's one hell of a string of bad luck. Almost like fate had its own plans." He pauses for a moment. "I hope you found your True Mate in that cabin, at least."
I swallow. Yeah, about that.
"No, not really. Someone did live there, but he can't be my True Mate. I'm still searching, I guess."
"Someone…?"
"Yeah. Someone. Let’s leave it at that. But I seriously doubt he's my True Mate."
"Jared, that sounds… concerning. Did he hurt you?"
"No! No, nothing like that. Don't worry. I just still have to keep looking."
Silence settles between us. I hear Alex slowly exhale, and I already know what he's feeling.
"So it didn't work out. Storm was wrong?"
"Looks that way. But there are still a few more places nearby I'd like to check." I close my eyes for a second. "But I'm worried about Tommy, Alex. I miss him so much! I feel like a terrible dad for leaving him."
"Tommy's doing great, Jared. Look!"
Alex switches on his camera, bringing a view of his kitchen into the call.
My Tommy is sitting in his high chair, happily eating little cut pieces of mango, peach, and pear. He looks carefree and completely happy, his little fingers sticky with juice and his light curls framing his face like a cherub's.
My heart floods with relief so sudden and intense that I have to lean back against the couch as my strength seems to leave me. So he’s safe. Phew…
"Everything's fine." Alex's voice softens.
"If you need to stay there a few more days to make sure you've checked every place Storm pointed you toward, then stay without feeling guilty.
Tommy and I have been having a great time together.
We went to the water park, we visited the zoo, and we've still got a few more things planned. Just relax. He's good."
"Alex… are you sure? I’m basically dumping my kid on you; that’s not okay."
"This is one of the most important moments of your life, Jared. If there's still a chance you'll find your fated mate, then you should take it. There may not be another, you know?"
Something in the finality of his voice makes me tremble. He's right. If I leave, that’s it. No fated mate for me.
He’ll stay here, and I’ll be living in safe houses provided by the Omega Red Line Agency, and that’s a miserable prospect.
As if hearing my thought, Alex keeps going, "Really, Tommy's fine.
Focus on building a safe future for both of you.
Just promise me one thing. Keep me updated.
These last few days were unbelievably stressful.
I had no idea what happened to you, whether someone had hurt you, kidnapped you…
" He exhales again. "If Bay hadn't asked his brother Snow, you know, the one with those strange prophetic abilities, and Snow hadn't said he couldn't sense anything bad around you, I think I would've gone insane. "
Feeling horrible, I squeeze my eyes shut. Shame hits me so hard, I gasp. I'd forgotten even the most basic human decency, letting him just hang there, not knowing if I was alive or dead, imagining the worst.
"I'm so sorry, Alex. I just couldn't think straight. This heat got me harder than any I've had before. My head was completely fogged up. Nothing was getting through to me."
Alex sighs.
"Well… all right. I get it. I feel awful during heat too."
"And I'm sorry you had to drag Veyron into all this—"
"Storm came up with the idea, but since he and Veyron don't exactly get along, we sent Bay to convince him instead.
Veyron has a real talent for tracking people down, and we weren't sure whether we should involve the police.
Especially since Snow didn't sense any danger surrounding you, we decided sending Veyron alone would be enough. "
"Turns out he was right. I was never in any immediate danger. Tell you what, as soon as I'm through with heat recovery, I'll make one last sweep of the area. I'll search that whole region again, maybe expand the radius a little. If I still don't find anyone, I'll head home right away."
"Sounds like a good plan. I'll be waiting to hear from you. Please, don't forget to send me an update every day."
We hang up, and almost immediately Renato walks back inside. There's a satisfied look on his face, and he almost radiates: I'll take care of everything.
"For now, let me invite you both to breakfast. Mauro, my dad, Emilio, Gianni, Tony… and I. We were just about to sit down."
I stiffen a little when I realize that a whole new group is about to join us for breakfast. Their names sound familiar, though. I think Davos mentioned them.
Veyron follows Renato, while Emilio disappears somewhere else. Mauro comes in last, and the moment his dark hazel eyes meet mine, warmth rushes straight into my cheeks. Oh, Fate… there's something in his gaze, something fierce, almost feral.
"Thank you so much for offering to let us stay—" I begin, but Renato waves me off.
"Oh, don't mention it. Really, I'm delighted to finally have guests in the house. It's been far too quiet around here. Do you need help getting up?"
Renato starts toward me, but Mauro is faster. He slips past him in one smooth motion and offers me his hand. I take it automatically, even though I'm actually feeling a little better now that I've had a chance to rest. The truth is… I simply want him to touch me.
One of his hands settles around my waist while the other holds my right hand. The closeness feels so… intimate. The warmth of his body, his fresh scent surrounding me, I suddenly want to run my hands across his chest, over his neck.
I raise my head. We're standing so close now, and Mauro is looking straight into my eyes.
Damn, they're beautiful. A perfect blend of grassy green, golden leaves, tree-bark brown, and deep malachite, like hidden forest lakes. I lose myself in them for a moment, realizing they're almost like the green fae's eyes… except those had glowed with something magical, pulsing with living light.
For an instant I feel that strange conflict twisting inside me. Part of me wants to see that mysterious being again, even if he really was some forest folk, keeping his distance from the human race. But still, something connected us during my heat.
So what's wrong with me? How can I already be interested in another man?
Then I become aware of the warmth of Mauro's hand against my back.
Almost absentmindedly, he's stroking me in slow, gentle circles, and it's so soothing that I don't want to move.
I just want to stand here while he keeps touching me like this.
His other hand still holds mine, his fingers giving mine the faintest squeeze.
It feels almost as if he's trying to tell me something without words, to reassure me that everything will be okay.
His hand is warm and dry, wrapped securely around my fingers.
My gaze drops to his mouth. Full lips, beautifully shaped, inviting…
they look so soft. What if I stood on my tiptoes and kissed them?
I can't stop staring. I want him to kiss me so desperately it almost hurts, and somehow he seems to sense exactly what I'm thinking because he slowly begins leaning toward me.
Just as he's barely an inch from my lips, a loud throat-clearing cuts through the silence.
Mauro straightens immediately, pulling his face away from mine.
"You two coming?" Renato asks, sounding faintly amused.
"Yeah," I mumble, only then noticing that Veyron is watching us with raised eyebrows, almost as if he's having some ‘aha’ moment.
So Mauro and I follow Renato, Mauro leads me by my hand, yeah.
My cheeks are burning. What the hell is wrong with me? I almost kissed a man I've known for twenty minutes.
We enter the adjoining room, which flows naturally from the living room and is just as spacious. It's a dining area clearly designed for a large family.
Of course, I end up sitting beside Mauro. Renato takes the seat across from me, while Veyron sits to the right of Renato.
That's when I notice two more people descending from the stairs at the opposite side of the room, the first one is an elderly omega.
His hair is snow white, his face deeply lined with wrinkles.
He carries an air of dignity tempered by warmth.
Just behind him walks another omega, much younger, probably between thirty-five and forty.
Renato introduces the older man as his dad, Silvio.
I immediately remember Davos mentioning him, wondering aloud whether Silvio was even still alive. Apparently, he very much is.
His eyes are bright and alert, and after studying me for a moment with his head tilted slightly to one side, he sits directly across from Mauro and says,