He looked at his alpha, “The Luna gave me this gift for a reason. I’d be a fool to throw it away, no matter how it scares me. As my mate, you have no right to tell me who I can be friends with, how I live my life. You are supposed to be my partner in all things. My best friend and support system. I shouldn’t be terrified to tell you I’m unsure about being pregnant. It shouldn’t be up to our pack Alpha to step in to protect me from you. This is your last chance, Ash. Your lion needs to be under control. Get over Roan’s place as my friend and family. Get over yourself.” His words broke off as tears splashed to the ground.
Blake took the omega into his arms, passing on the comfort that I couldn’t give him without fear. “Thank you, Alpha,” I heard Tate say. “I’m going to keep the baby. Will you help us?”
“Of course.”
Asher sagged to the ground. Grief and regret written all over his face. “I swear it, Tate, by the time our baby is here, I’ll be better. For you.”
Adjustments
Hiroshi
Ourhomewasatense place to be after we got Tate home from the clinic. None of us wanted to address the elephant in the room, and I found it hard to be my usual cheerful self. Tate needed me to be his Sunshine, to make him feel less scared and alone, but I was so... sad.
When I’d first met Tate and Asher, they had been newly bonded. Still in that honeymoon phase of their relationship until they had slowly felt like something was missing in their lives. I’d thought that had been me.
Then we started our relationship. It was convenient at first, to have two betas that knew my body so well for my heats. Then I just wanted to spend more and more time with them. Since they were always around in the pride, it was easy to strike up a friendship with them. Then it became more.
I loved them. Perhaps not in the same ways. Asher was family, one of my closest friends, but Tate was my heart in the way that Roan was my soul. They were the missing jigsaw pieces of me. They helped form the complete picture of Hiroshi.
With Tate hurting and my fear for his baby, I had to push my feelings aside and just concentrate on me. A dark part of me felt anger at losing this moment where I got to celebrate my babies. I was bitter that I didn’t get to share my joy with Roan, just the two of us.
My tiger was quick to make a chuffing noise of disgust at me.I know,I told them.Just give me a minute, okay?My tiger wasn’t a hard-ass. We had a genial relationship. A true partnership, though I had been neglecting them with the bonding and the aftermath with Asher. They seemed to understand the predicament I’d been in. I sent love down our bond in thanks.
“Tate?” I finally broke the silence of the room.
“Yeah?” His voice was broken, the stain of his tears still on his beautiful face. His hair curled in wisps over his forehead. It needed to be cut. Maybe I could do that for him. Pamper him a little.
“I know you said to everyone that you want to keep the baby, but you know you can change your mind, right? If it’s not what you want, then I can help you. I just want you to know, either way, I’m not leaving and I won’t judge you.”
Fresh tears flowed down his crumpled face. He leaned into me, and I pulled him closer, trying to give him some of my strength. “I want it. I’m just scared.” He sobbed. “The baby is a gift. It would be wrong to throw it away. I just don’t know how I’m going to do this!”
“Hey,” I soothed. “You aren’t alone. I’m here. Every step of the way, I’ll be with you. I have faith that Asher will do as he promised —“
“What if he doesn’t? What if Alpha Blake ends our bond?”
“Then you have us. You also have the pack behind you. Blake won’t let you down.” I rubbed his back and ran a hand through his curls. “We’ll have our new house by then. Then we can share childcare duties. We can let the babies play here in the omega area with the other children.” I smiled at him, trying to reassure him by sending my hope and happiness down our bond. “You are not alone. Blake won’t cast you out for not having an alpha mate,” I said firmly. My faith was absolute in our alpha. There was no way he’d let Tate down.
“I know you’re right, I do. I just worry.”
While I understood his worry and confusion, it really hurt that he didn’t consider our bond in his thoughts. Did he think that I’d just ignore his child because it wasn’t biologically mine? That baby inside him belonged to us all. To this strange, messed up family we were creating. I considered him a parent to my babies. Why didn’t he think of me as a parent to his?
“And that’s fine. It’ll take time and action, not words to make you believe. I’ll be with you every step of the way.” I cupped his face and pressed a kiss to his chapped lips. “Now, how about some pampering?”
A tiny smile flickered along his face before taking root. “I’d love that. Thank you, Sunshine.”
It took a little time, but I soon had everything set up; a silly romantic comedy on the TV, some snacks, a bowl of warm water infused with some baby safe oils to soak his feet in, and some face masks.
First, I trimmed his hair, gave his head and face a massage, before giving him a manicure. A pedicure would follow his soak.
Tate sat and enjoyed the movie with me, laughing at some of the ridiculous things the pair on screen got themselves into. I finally felt that he was relaxed and happy when Roan came home, having had to go into the office to put reports into the council.
I felt Tate’s sadness as Roan kissed me hello.Do you miss him?I asked him privately over our bond.
Yeah,he answered sadly.I love Asher, but Roan is a good man. A great mate. He’s like Alpha Blake, a gentle alpha male. I just wish it had worked out with the four of us.
Me too, but there wasn’t enough love there. We rushed it.The sadness was crippling for a second. It stole my breath. It was all my fault.That’s on me. I didn’t want to wait for Roan any longer and never realized that Asher never really wanted me as a mate. He loves me, he just was never in love with me.
“I’m going to let you bond. I think you need it. It’ll give me time to make us all some dinner.” Roan left the room.