by Fel Fern
“I’m good. There’s no need to babysit me.” Damn. Lucas beginning to sound as grumpy as Logan.
“Can’t have you accidentally mauling one of our guests.”
Lucas glared at his brother and even flashed him some of his sharp teeth. “I’d never hurt one of the guests.”
“I know,” Liam said quickly. His brother sighed. “How about doing a quick patrol around the territory? Logan’s not feeling up to it since Ollie caught the flu.”
“Fine.” Lucas wanted to be on his own anyway.
Liam and he parted ways. He started down the path that would lead to the forest. Lucas left his clothes on a pile next to his favorite pine tree. He reached for his beast. Logan was right. He needed release.
Once he was in his animal form, Lucas broke into a run.
For those first few minutes, he tried to empty mind. He focused on the wind on his face, his paws on the dirt. His thoughts kept meandering back to Milo. To the day they first met. Lucas had never met any other Omega quite like Milo.
Milo had initially been so upright.
The Omega didn’t seem to know the word relax but he eventually mellowed down. Lucas even brought Milo to a family barbecue, hoping that would somehow give Milo another reason to stay. Lucas had given him a glimpse of what their future could be out here on South Pine Mountain.
They’d have their little cabin. A brood of kids. Lucas didn’t want to stop at just one. He remembered the look of longing on Milo’s face when he played with Sophie, Ella, and Ollie. Milo wanted kids as much as he did.
Lucas paused, scenting blood in the air. He soon sighted bloody paw prints on the ground. It could be a trap but then again, Rogues weren’t that bright. Going on this patrol turned out to be a good thing after all.
It might be a lost guest who somehow got injured but Lucas doubted it. Guests seldom strayed far from the lodge. They put up warning signs everywhere that it was dangerous venturing out into the woods alone. He followed the blood trail. It led him to a body in the woods. A dying Rogue.
The mauled werewolf whined piteously at him. Lucas was tempted to end his misery but he stood his ground. He scented another shifter in the vicinity. He eyed the dying Rogue’s injuries. Those were probably caused by the intruder lying in wait for him.
Lucas let out a growl of challenge. A large werewolf with mottled grey fur came at him from behind. Lucas could smell him from a mile away. Rogues always carried the scent of old blood and carrion with them.
He and the werewolf tangled. The Rogue tried for his throat, but Lucas swatted him away with his paw. His enemy didn’t look interested in backing off. They clashed again.
His adrenaline surged. He could go at this for days but he remembered the dying Rogue bleeding out a few feet from them. When the werewolf aimed for his neck with his claws again, Lucas dodged.
Before the werewolf could aim for one of his vital spots again, Lucas went for his throat. He closed his teeth on the Rogue’s neck and tore it out in one swift motion. The werewolf whined, tried to pull away but that only sped up his death.
The Rogue fell with a loud thump on the forest ground. The other one was still alive, but barely. Wild, bloodshot yellow eyes met Lucas as he approached.
One well-aimed swipe to the Rogue’s throat and it was all over. Lucas panted. This unexpected hunt tired him out more than he thought. He circled the woods once more but found no other traces of intruders.
His patrol did lead him to a familiar trail that led to the lake. Lucas stopped in a clearing. This, he decided, was the perfect spot where Milo and he could build their home. His brothers could help them set it up. They’d have a comfortable cabin of their own, one big enough to house a brood of their future kids.
Talking to his brother earlier did provide Lucas some insight. He wasn’t going to take defeat lying down. Initially, he planned to wait it out. For Milo and him to figure shit out but they were never going anywhere like this. By the time Lucas returned to his room, he was in a much better mood.
He took a hot shower, then picked up his phone.
He began to text Milo. Lucas was about to ask him if he could visit, then thought better of it. Lucas didn’t need to ask. He’d just surprise Milo. That would catch the Omega off-guard. Once the Omega spotted him right outside his apartment, he’d have no choice but to invite Lucas in.
He could already imagine how Milo would react. The Omega might act all flustered at first. In the end, he’d be relieved that Lucas drove two thousand miles to see him.
Lucas sat down on his seldom-used desk. With a pen and paper, he drew a rough draft of Milo and his future home. He’d later share these plans with his brothers. See what they’d think.
With the three of them, it wouldn’t take long for them to build this cabin from the ground up. Maybe Lucas could even hold off visiting Milo so he and his brothers could start work on his project.
“Aren’t you being a little presumptuous?” Logan finally asked him the next morning.
Lucas had gathered his brothers for a sit down at the restaurant. It was Monday. Most of the weekend guests had checked out, so the place was relatively empty.
“Explain,” he said, crossing his arms.
Logan scratched his head. “Well, you want us to start work on this cabin but you haven’t even officially mated him yet.”
Liam gave Logan a sharp nudge in the shoulder. “I think it’s a fine plan. Besides, Lucas is a Griffin. He has this in the bag. Milo wouldn’t say no to him. That Omega’s in love with him but he can’t admit it yet.”
“So will you two help me with this?” Lucas asked, tapping on the crude sketch he made last night.
When he woke up that morning, he’d gotten fresh ideas, so he added more rooms to the place.
“Why do you need so many rooms?” Logan asked him, tapping his finger at the left section of the cabin.
“For our future kids of course. There has to be plenty of space so they can run around.”
Logan coughed and looked at Liam. “Listen to him, he’s already planning for kids. I pity that poor Omega.”
Liam snorted. “A month ago, he was saying he’d never find a mate and settle down. Hard to believe he’s our same little brother.”
Lucas snarled and glowered at his two impossible annoying brothers. “Are you guys going to help me or not? I just need a simple yes and no.”
“Of course we’ll pitch in,” Liam said automatically. “When are you going to pay your Omega a visit?”
“None of your business.”
“Well, better do it soon or you’ll lose your nerve,” Logan said.
“Never. He’s mine to keep.”
Now that Lucas managed to get his brothers on board, it was only a matter of building Milo and his future home. His phone beeped and he took it out. A wide grin spread across his face. Milo had sent him an early morning present, a picture of himself stretched out on his bed and holding his dick.
He quickly texted Milo back.
Lucas: Thinking of me?
Milo: I miss you.
Lucas: My dick misses that tight, little ass, too.
Milo: Come on. Don’t be lewd.
Lucas: Look who’s talking. You’re the one who sent me a dick pic.
Milo: Send me one, too.
Lucas: Gimme a few minutes. I’m having breakfast with my brothers.
Milo: Oh my God. I’m sorry. They didn’t see the pic I sent you, did they?
Lucas: Don’t worry your cute little head off, I won’t show your pictures to anyone. They’re for my viewing pleasure only.
Milo: Okay. Good. When can you send me your pic? I need to go to work soon.
“He’s off in his old little world again,” Logan muttered.
“We’ll start work on the cabin this weekend,” Liam said.
“Sure,” he muttered. “That sounds great.”
Lucas hurried back to his room and dropped his pants. He took a video of himself stroking his dick and sent that to his Omega. Things w
ere beginning to look up.
He predicted that in two weeks, he and his brothers would have the basic foundations of the cabin along with the walls and floors down. After that, the next step would be to convince his mate to move in here with him. Lucas knew Milo had his own life in the city but he was hoping his future mate could see the bigger picture.
That their future was right here, on Grizzly Mountain Lodge.
12
Milo
Milo couldn’t believe what he just did. He returned to his cubicle, hands trembling.
“You alright, Milo? You look like you’ve seen a ghost,” remarked Benny, one of his work colleagues. Benny was about to walk past his cubicle.
“Yeah. I never felt better. I just gave Mr. Heinz my two weeks’ notice,” he said.
After texting Lucas good night on Monday, he booted up his laptop. In thirty minutes, he typed out his notice. It was now Friday. It took him an entire week to summon his courage to give the letter to his boss.
His boss accepted it without complaint. Mr. Heinz didn’t even ask him why he was quitting. Milo wasn’t surprised. Heinz and Associates functioned like a well-oiled efficient machine. If one cog went missing, it was easily replaced. Knowing that didn’t make him feel angry or bitter. It was just the way the accounting firm operated.
A reminder Milo made the right decision.
“Oh wow. Let me guess, another firm offered you a better position? Which one?” Benny asked.
“I don’t have a new job lined up. I haven’t even gone for interviews.”
And Milo had no intentions of job hunting, at least not here in the city. His heart raced. Milo was crazy for doing this, for actually considering upheaving his entire life for one Alpha.
“Wow. Extreme. Well, good luck with your plans,” Benny said.
Milo checked his phone. No new texts from Lucas. Lucas mentioned he and his brothers were busy working on a project. When Milo pressed him for details, the Alpha werebear said it was a secret.
Could it be Lucas who had found someone new? Milo dismissed that thought immediately. While it was true Lucas had been a playboy before they met, things were different now.
He looked blankly at his computer. The numbers on his screen didn’t make any sense for a few seconds. Milo was leaving this hateful job. It wasn’t because he was treated differently or unfairly. The working hours were just brutal.
Everyone was expected to work overtime and he barely had any time for his personal life. His long working long hours contributed to his breakup with Harvey to some extent but that wasn’t the real reason they didn’t work out. They were just simply not compatible with each other, not the way Lucas and he were.
“No reason to be complacent or lazy just because you handed in your notice.” Milo reminded himself.
He still had a job to do, at least for two more weeks. He intended to hand in all his reports. Retain a level of professionalism.
By the end of the day, Milo was exhausted. Numbers still lingered in his head by the time he got home. Quitting his job didn’t mean they were giving him fewer reports to do. Milo was starving. He stopped by his favorite pizza place on the way home. Two large boxes again.
Lately, he’d been having intense food cravings. Earlier this morning, he’d thrown up. Milo chalked it up to nervousness but now that he had time to think, maybe it was something else. His body could be undergoing changes because he was pregnant.
“Two large pepperoni pizzas,” the guy behind the counter yelled out.
Milo numbly grabbed his pizzas and left the pizzeria. His heart thumped painfully. Was it possible he was pregnant? Lucas and he didn’t bother with protection. They also had plenty of sex.
The possibility Lucas managed to knock him up was pretty high. Milo stopped by a pharmacy before returning to his apartment. He bought a pregnancy kit, just in case. Milo could still be wrong about his condition. It wouldn’t hurt to take the test and see.
If he was pregnant, what would his next step be?
Milo imagined surprising Lucas at the lodge once he served out his remaining days at the firm. If he suddenly appeared there and announced he was pregnant, what would Lucas think? The Alpha might assume Milo wanted to be with him because they were having a baby together.
“Is that such a bad thing?” He whispered to himself. He stumbled out of the elevator and walked towards his unit. “I have to tell him.”
“You often talk to yourself?” Asked a familiar and smug voice.
Milo had to blink a few times to confirm it was Lucas standing right outside his door. The Alpha looked so fucking sexy too, dressed in boots, worn-blue jeans, and a black flannel shirt.
“Why are you here?” Milo whispered.
“Ooh, is that pizza? And you ordered two large boxes? How thoughtful. I’m starving. It’s like you knew I was coming,” Lucas said, taking the boxes from him.
The key. Right. Milo fumbled for it. He managed to open the door to let the Alpha in.
“Make yourself at home,” Milo said. He turned on the switch. His studio apartment was a mess. Milo began clearing the clothes he’d left on the floor and sofa.
“Hold on, baby. There’s no need to panic,” Lucas said, grabbing his arm.
Milo breathed hard. Lucas’ callused hand felt warm and nice. Then he remembered he was still holding onto the brown paper bag containing the kit. Milo wasn’t ready to confront the Alpha yet. He thought he had two weeks to iron things out.
“I need to go to the bathroom,” he stammered.
Lucas released his arm. The Alpha wore a frown on his face but didn’t say anything else as Milo raced inside the bathroom. It was a cowardly move, but Milo needed to get himself together. Lucas would understand. The Alpha knew Milo didn’t deal well with surprises.
Boy, Milo might have a big one for him later on if the test turned out positive.
“Help yourself to some pizza first. I’ll soon be out,” he yelled.
Milo didn’t want Lucas to suspect anything was wrong. He breathed in and out. Once he managed to calm his nerves, he opened the bag. It was now or never, he thought.
Milo took the test.
13
Lucas
Milo didn’t seem that happy to see him. The Omega looked panicked almost. Maybe Lucas should’ve called ahead after all. Nothing he could do about it now. He took a seat on Milo’s sofa and grabbed a pizza slice. Milo kept clutching at a small paper bag earlier.
What was that all about?
Lucas scarfed down his second pizza. Oops. Maybe he should wait for Milo before he finished it all. Milo didn’t have this much of an appetite the last time they met. Were these two large pizzas just for Milo?
Maybe he’s expecting company, a dark voice inside him whispered. Lucas scoffed. No way Milo would cheat on him during the short time they were apart. His Omega was loyal to a fault.
Milo was taking his sweet time in there. He didn’t hear the water running either. Was the Omega avoiding him? Why? They’d been texting each other frequently. He thought things were going great. Lucas got to his feet. He knocked on the door.
“Milo, are you okay in there?”
Milo let out a gasp. That was it. Lucas placed his shoulder against the door, about to force it open but it swung outwards on its own. His Omega looked back at him, face drained out of color.
“What’s wrong?” He asked, concerned. “Did something happen?”
“Check the sink,” Milo whispered. “And don’t get mad.”
“Why would I be angry?” He asked. He blinked at the pregnancy stick there and picked it up. Two lines. “What does this mean? Baby, you’re pregnant?”
Milo chewed on his bottom lip. “I threw up earlier this morning. I thought I was just nervous about handing my resignation letter to my boss. Turns out it’s morning sickness. I’ve been having odd food cravings as well.”
Lucas tried to process Milo’s words all at once. Then he decided right now, Milo needed him. So Lucas pulled the Omega into his
arms. Milo hugged him back.
“I’m not angry. I’m the exact opposite. You have no idea how happy I am.”
Milo lifted his head to look at him. “You are?”
“Why wouldn’t I be? We’re having a baby.” Lucas could hardly believe it.
Lucas couldn’t wait to see Lucas and Liam’s reactions when he told them his mate was pregnant. His brothers had constantly teased him about wanting kids without discussing things with Milo first.
Yet here they were, on their way to having their first boy or girl. Excitement bloomed in his stomach. Things were finally happening for Milo and him.
Milo blew out a breath. “I should’ve known you’d be supportive.”
Lucas cupped Milo cheek and gave him a sizzling kiss which left the Omega breathless for a few seconds. God. Lucas missed this terribly. The sweet taste of Milo’s mouth. Their bodies rubbing against each other.
He pressed his erection against Milo’s stomach, wanting Milo to feel his need. He wanted to bend the Omega over the counter and fuck him senseless. Lucas withdrew his mouth from Milo’s.
“And you finally quit your job? Congratulations,” Lucas said.
“Yeah. It took me a week to gather my nerves but I did it. I was going to surprise you by turning up at the lodge after I finish serving my notice.”
“Then it’s a good thing I’m here, isn’t it? So you can tell me the great news. Return to the lodge with me, Milo. Stay with me. We’ll figure stuff out. The local accounting firm in town is hiring, if you’re looking for work.”
“You did your research, huh? And you won’t mind if I continue working even after having the baby?” He asked.
“I’ll support whatever you want to do,” Lucas said, beaming at him. Hope lurched in his chest. Lady Luck was certainly on his side today. “So you’ll do it? Move-in with me?”
“How can I say no?” Milo returned his grin. “Will you be able to wait for me?”
Lucas scoffed. “Two weeks is nothing. It gives my brothers and me plenty of time to finish our project.”