Forbidden Omega

by Caitlin Ricci

  He had no idea how he was going to convince Logan and Sebastian to come move to Allen’s pack. There was no reason for them to want to, and Connor would have much rather gone to live in their pack. At least there was room to run there. Sure, he had empty streets and he could walk around as a wolf on the sidewalks since it was a gated community here, but a sidewalk wasn’t the same as acres of woods and fields to run through.

  Connor decided to just go for honest and open communication with the two of them. He wrote out a text to both of them so he could talk to them at once. Would you two want to move up here to Allen’s pack? He’s asking. He says he has a need for a new beta. I said I’d ask you.

  It didn’t take more than a few minutes before Logan texted him back. We’re not really suburb kind of wolves. You saw our property. Would you trade what we have for a tiny backyard and neighbors everywhere?

  Not ever, Connor answered him honestly. All that land to run in. Those fields. The woods. He shook his head. If he could, he would move there. At least he might be able to visit them once in a while. Can I come spend the weekend with you two soon? He wasn’t trying to be an imposition, and if either of them hadn’t wanted him around again he would have agreed. He would have been sad, but he wouldn’t have made a big deal about it.

  Logan texted him back first. Of course.

  But Connor hadn’t expected him to say no to him. He was much more concerned with Sebastian’s answer, and it took almost ten minutes to get to him.

  You’re welcome here with us, Sebastian texted him, and it was more than Connor could have hoped that he would say.

  “Thank you,” he whispered. He didn’t know why he wanted to see them so badly, but he definitely did. He was almost desperate to. It didn’t make any sense. He just knew that he had to be back there in the open fields and well away from these suburbs. Just for a little while anyhow. He’d been going from pack to pack, and city to city, for so long that nowhere felt like home anymore. He was just shuffled around between other wolves, and he wanted a place to settle in for a bit. Just a week or two, maybe.

  He was too good at his job. That had to be it. He could have taken a month to help Logan and Sebastian, but he’d been able to get them talking to each other again within a weekend. No one was a struggle for him anymore. There was nothing new or exciting in his life as an omega. Now it was just about getting people to talk to each other and then he was shipped back to whatever pack he was currently staying in.

  Connor was tired of it, but as an omega he didn’t really get to stay in one place for long. He belonged to Allen, but he was loaned out all the time. He knew that. He’d always known that. And yes, maybe at first it was fun to go meet new people and spend time in other packs. But he was older now. He was nearly thirty, for crying out loud. He was ready to settle down, relax, and be loyal to one pack.

  Even if it wasn’t the destiny he was supposed to have as an omega, he wanted that life for himself. He just had no idea how he was supposed to get it.

  * * * *

  The following Saturday it was hot, humid, and so muggy it was hard for him to draw a breath, but Sebastian still had a smile for Connor when he pulled up in his rental car. Logan had offered to go get him, but Connor had wanted to drive.

  “You look good in it,” Sebastian called out to him as Connor got out of the sleek muscle car.

  Connor smirked. Then he came over to them both with open arms. “It was fun to drive. I never get to.”

  They hugged, and though Sebastian had meant to keep their hug brief, just something quick between friends, he couldn’t help hanging onto Connor for a little while longer. Just long enough for Logan to have to clear his throat, actually.

  Sebastian stepped back, embarrassed and upset at himself for acting like that. He didn’t get attached to people. Well, people who weren’t Logan anyway.

  “I’m glad you didn’t have to work this weekend,” Connor told Logan as he hugged him as well.

  “You said I needed to work less and have Alyssa pick up some slack, and I have been,” Logan said. Sebastian hoped he didn’t actually mean to sound as defensive as he had. “Honestly, it’s been good. I didn’t need to work as much as I did. And I was actually needed at home. I wasn’t making my mating a priority and I needed to do that.”

  Connor gave them both big smiles as he stepped back again. “I’m glad to hear something that I said got through to you both. I didn’t bring much, but can I go put it into the guest room?”

  “Sure. Of course. You know the way,” Sebastian said. He stepped back to give Connor some more room before turning his attention back to Logan. He had been comfortable with the idea of Connor staying with them, and just for fun this time, but now that he was actually there, Sebastian wasn’t quite sure what to do with him. “We haven’t really had a guest over before, not like this.”

  Logan came forward and placed his hands loosely on Sebastian’s hips. “I know, but it’ll be fun. And if you’re not okay with him being here after all, then he’ll go. This is our house, he’s a guest. We can tell him to leave if you’re not okay.”

  That wasn’t what Sebastian wanted though. He wanted to be fine with having a friend over. He wanted to be able to have friends in general. When they were living within the pack, before they were mated, he’d had friends. He used to go out all the time. But now, he had no one but Logan. And as much as he cared about him, Logan wasn’t always enough. Sebastian didn’t want to put that all on him either. He needed to have people besides his mate. He just wanted to be okay with them, too.

  “I changed a lot in the last year since we’ve been mated,” he quietly mused.

  “How so?”

  Sebastian had only been talking to himself but now he was looking up at Logan, who clearly expected him to give an answer. “It’s just...” Sebastian took a breath. “Remember when we used to go out for food or something? Or those times we drove into town to see movies? And it was always a big group of us and it was good?”

  Logan scrunched up his nose. “Yeah. Kind of. I was never big on crowds, even werewolf crowds. And there was never really time to talk one on one to anyone, not just you. I go to work and I’m surrounded by people and all I want is to be back here with you in the fields stretched out beside you in the sun. I’m constantly looking at the clock until I get to see you again and to get back home.”

  Sebastian didn’t know what to say to that, so he simply said nothing and stepped into Logan’s arms, because he wanted that too. He hated being alone all the time, but with Logan working less maybe things would be better. He knew that Logan couldn’t cut back too much though. They needed his income. And now Sebastian was working a little too, but that would never be enough to support both of them.

  When Connor came back out, Sebastian was still in Logan’s arms. Sebastian expected Connor to say something to interrupt them, but instead he simply stood there, quietly waiting for them to finish, which Sebastian greatly appreciated.

  It wasn’t until Logan let Sebastian go that Connor stepped toward them. “I’m all put away. Did you two have any plans while I’m here? You have me for the whole weekend.”

  Going back to what Logan had said, Sebastian offered an idea. “We could go for a run.” No sooner were the words out of his mouth though that he instantly wanted to take them back because running with just Logan was a far different idea from running with Connor too. He’d been naked with Logan plenty of times. He didn’t know how to relax and be naked with Connor too, even if it didn’t mean anything.

  But Connor was already smiling at him. “I’d love that.” He instantly pulled off his shirt and kicked off his shoes.

  Sebastian’s attention caught on the tight muscles of Connor’s back and the freckles over his shoulders. He had to look away, and then he touched Logan’s nose, interrupting his staring at Connor too. He wasn’t mad though. He didn’t mind that Logan had been watching Connor. They’d talked about this. Logan began stripping his clothes off as
well, and then it was just Sebastian standing there, fully dressed while his mate and their friend were naked and staring at him.

  “Aren’t your coming with us?” Connor asked.

  Sebastian gave a hasty nod and forced himself through the process of taking his clothes off in front of a friend, while silently berating himself for being at all uncomfortable with the situation since he was a werewolf and they were supposed to be fine with this. Only Sebastian wasn’t fine. He wasn’t someone who loved being naked around strangers. He couldn’t help that, and he was pretty sure it wasn’t ever going to change.

  “Are you okay?” Connor asked him. Then he stepped closer, and Sebastian covered himself as quickly as he could. “Hey. What’s wrong?”

  “I’m not great with being naked around other people,” Sebastian grumbled.

  Surprisingly Connor didn’t laugh. He didn’t tease him. He simply nodded. “That’s okay. Next time I’ll turn my back. It’s not a big deal. I need you to tell me what you need from me, though. Both of you. I can’t read your minds, as much as I want to sometimes.”

  His matter-of-fact way of looking at things made Sebastian smile. “Thanks.”

  Connor gave him a quick nod, then turned away from him to start his shift. Sebastian looked to Logan, who smiled at him, and then he began his shift as well. With both of them distracted, Sebastian dropped his hands and completed his own shift.

  Life was easier for him as a wolf. He instantly went up and bumped along Logan’s side. But Connor was there too, and Sebastian didn’t want to ignore him either, so he bumped him as well. Connor smelled like smooth leather seats and sunshine. Sebastian knew he spent too much time with his nose deep in Connor’s fluffy fur, but he couldn’t quite pull himself away either. Not until Logan came over and nipped at his ear. It didn’t hurt Sebastian at all, but it did distract him from Connor’s sweet scent long enough to get him to pay attention again.

  He bowed his head, lowering himself before Logan in an effort to show him that he was sorry. What he’d done was inappropriate. But Logan just licked his nose, playing with him again, where Sebastian had expected a harder bite as a reprimand.

  Logan took off at a steady lope through the tall grass, and Sebastian followed after him with Connor keeping up beside him nicely. Connor was smaller than Logan, but close to the same size as Sebastian. He bounded and leapt with them, matching Sebastian stride for stride. It was only as Sebastian started to get winded that he realized that Connor had been deliberately keeping up with him instead of running ahead to be closer to Logan a few yards ahead of them.

  Sebastian liked having the company, though he didn’t understand why Connor would want to be close to him. Logan was the attractive one. He was the higher-ranking beta. He was strong and fast and the one everyone wanted to be around. But there Connor was, slowing down when Sebastian could no longer run as fast as them. When Sebastian stopped completely, Connor let out a sharp yip, bringing Logan’s attention back to them. Sebastian watched as his mate slowed and then turned back to look at them. He shifted without any apparent concern for his own modesty as he walked through the tall grass back to where Sebastian had stopped and laid down to rest with Connor beside him.

  Logan knelt between them and ran his hands over Sebastian’s furry face. “I need you to shift. I need to know if you’re hurt.”

  Sebastian took a deep breath and let go of his wolf. He was winded, but otherwise fine, and having Logan fuss over him was embarrassing when they were with Connor. “I’m fine,” he grumbled as he sat up, quickly putting his hands over himself to hide himself from Connor’s gaze.

  Logan didn’t look convinced. “You didn’t twist an ankle? Didn’t step on a thorn?”

  With a huff, Sebastian shook his head. “I told you that I was fine.” He was embarrassed. That was it. He should be in better shape. He should be able to keep up with his mate on a short run through the fields around their house. Now he was in a field and his clothes were a long walk behind him. There was no good way out of this situation.

  Connor shifted beside him and leaned against his shoulder. He was probably trying to comfort him, but he was making matters worse. Sebastian didn’t want to have a naked man leaning on him right then. He huffed irritably.

  But Connor just smiled up at him. “I could use a break too.” He kissed Sebastian’s shoulder, startling him, before flopping back into the grass. He apparently wasn’t concerned with his nudity either.

  Sebastian rolled his eyes and looked to Logan for some clue as to what to do, but Logan was watching Connor. And he couldn’t hide his body’s reaction to seeing him splayed out as he was in the grass.

  “You shouldn’t look,” Sebastian quietly chastised him.

  Logan turned his attention back to him, but this time he looked annoyed. “We talked about this. We both decided it was okay to look.”

  “Look at what?” Connor asked without getting up.

  Sighing, Sebastian turned to him, and kept his gaze focused solely on Connor’s face. At least as much as he was able to. “Our attraction.”

  “To each other? Good. I’m glad you’re talking, and I’m glad you’re attracted to each other.”

  Logan laughed. “No. Our attraction to you.”

  This time Connor did sit up, and he looked confused. “Really?”

  There really was no use denying it. Not when they were both looking at him. “Yes. Really,” Sebastian huffed.

  But Connor just shrugged. “So what? That really doesn’t change anything between us. Does it?”

  Sebastian looked to Logan, wondering the same thing. To him it didn’t have to change their growing friendship—he’d had friends he was attracted to before, after all. This felt different though. Being attracted was one thing, but as Connor lay blissfully beside him, he had to fight with himself to keep from leaning down and kissing him. That wasn’t normal for him, and he didn’t know what to do with the feelings he was experiencing.

  Logan silently laid down beside Connor, but on his stomach. “Come on, join us,” he said to Sebastian, offering him his hand.

  Sebastian laid down on Connor’s other side, also on his stomach, and had to admit it did feel good to have Connor beside him, the warmth of his skin pressing against his. He had expected lying next to Connor to feel no different than being near Logan, just another warm body against his. Only it was different. He knew it was wrong to have feelings for Connor, but he couldn’t deny them.

  He carefully watched Logan to judge his reaction as he came closer and laid his head on Connor’s chest. He didn’t dare do more than that.

  Logan raised his eyebrow, as if he was surprised at Sebastian’s choice, but he didn’t look angry.

  “I like this. I know it’s complicated, but with you two, I feel good,” Connor quietly said. “It’s hard to explain. I’m probably not even making much sense. I can try to explain it though, if either of you need.”

  “I don’t,” Logan said.

  Logan turned his head and kissed Connor’s shoulder, making Sebastian’s breath catch. But he didn’t feel any jealousy at watching his mate be affectionate with Connor, not like he’d expected.

  “Sebastian?” Logan asked him.

  He nodded. Logan had his permission to do whatever he wanted in that moment. Sebastian was just too fascinated to worry about anything else. He trusted Logan, and he knew that if Logan went too far he’d stop if Sebastian told him to. That trust was everything he needed as he watched Logan kiss Connor.

  It didn’t take Connor long to respond to him either. He opened his mouth to Logan’s kiss and Sebastian was soon squirming as he listened to Connor’s soft whimpers. He clearly wanted more from Logan, and Sebastian surprised himself with how okay he would have been with that.

  But this wasn’t about sex. At least he didn’t think it was. Not for them. They weren’t going to be just another mated couple who had sex with Connor simply because he was there. They needed to talk about this more
than they needed to be kissing him. Still, watching them made Sebastian warm and needy. He groaned, drawing Connor’s attention without meaning to.

  Connor silently pulled him closer and Sebastian kissed him as well. He slipped his tongue between Connor’s wet lips, but he didn’t linger there with him in that moment as Logan had. “We need to talk about this,” he said, pulling back even though he really didn’t want to.

  “We don’t need to have a long talk about sex as long as you’re both okay with it,” Connor protested.

  Sebastian wished it was really that simple. Maybe he could have been completely fine if they were the kind of mated couple who occasionally welcomed a third person into their bed. But he and Logan had never been like that, and they definitely weren’t about to start now with someone who they both cared about like they cared about Connor. “This is more than sex,” he said.

  That got Connor to sit up in a hurry. “It is?”

  Sebastian nodded.

  “Then what is it?” Connor pressed.

  Sebastian shrugged. He didn’t have a good answer for Connor. Not yet, at least. Not one that would have made any sense.

  * * * *

  Connor hated tension around him. That wasn’t what his life was about. It hadn’t been for a long time. But he sat there on the couch as Logan made dinner and Sebastian quietly swept the hallway. With a sigh Connor got up and approached Logan. He was tired of the silence and he wanted things to be better between the three of them. But the kiss that they had all shared had complicated everything apparently, and Connor had never wanted that for them.