by Taylor Rylan
“I know.” I snuggled into Gage’s chest and sighed. I was so thankful for him, and I needed to remember that he was amazing and more than enough to be happy.
“Your mate looks tired, Gage. I’d figured he’d be full of energy. He always was before,” Troy said as he looked at us.
“I’m not tired. Just thinking.”
“You okay, Linus?” Elliot asked from beside his mate.
“Yeah. Just thinking.”
We hung out a little while longer, and then we made our excuses to leave. It had been a good meal and a great time being around everyone, but I couldn’t help thinking how it was also going to be my first new year without my parents. I had Gage now and that helped tremendously, but I still missed my parents. But as we were getting ready to leave, I remembered there was something I wanted to discuss with Arik and he was finally alone upstairs now that War had come back down.
“Gage, can I talk to Arik for a few minutes before we leave?”
“Sure. Do you want me to come with you?”
“No. You talk to War and figure out what you need to know about next week’s schedule or whatever it is that you two do at work.”
Gage chuckled at me as I went off to the nursery to find Arik. I knew I’d find him there. He was trying to wrangle Harrison into his pajamas.
“Hey, Arik. Need some help?”
“Linus. Thank fates. Yes, please. I’m about to take him to War and tell him to deal with him. If you could hold him, I’ll slip his pajamas on and up.”
I took Harrison from Arik and held him under the arms. He kicked and giggled as Arik put his feet into the footed pajama bottoms. When he needed to slip his arms in, we held him against my chest, and then up the zipper went.
“Thank you. I seriously was about to cry. I seem to get emotional when I’m pregnant.”
“I don’t mind. Do you want me to give him his bottle?”
“You don’t mind? Papa was going to come help.”
“I can help until he gets here. I wanted to talk with you anyway.”
“Sure. You know you can always come to me if you want to talk about something,” Arik said as he handed me a bottle. Harrison grabbed for it, and I handed it to him, his chubby hands wrapping around the bottle and bringing it to his mouth. I sat down in one of the rockers and held Harrison as he drank his nighttime bottle. “So, what’s up? I can tell that something’s bothering you.”
“I’m still not pregnant, Arik. And I don’t know why, but it’s so disheartening to go through heats and then nothing. Gage has been so great. He’s very loving, affectionate, and understanding. He keeps telling me that it’ll happen when it’s supposed to happen. But I know that he wants cubs.”
“Do you want to come to the office tomorrow, and we can run some tests? What is it you wanted?”
“I don’t know, Arik. Would it maybe be best if I went on suppressors? I know a lot of omegas have used them before. Especially fox shifters. We go into heat every month until we get pregnant for the first time. I can’t tell you how much it hurts to go through that and then nothing. We wait, hoping to hear a cub or kit’s heartbeat, but nothing.”
“Linus, I’ve never prescribed suppressors before. I can order some if that’s what you and Gage really want, but is he okay with it? I understand it’s your body, but he’s your alpha, and that’s something you two should discuss together.”
“I’ll talk to him about it tonight. I’d never do something like take suppressors without his approval. But foxes don’t have issues getting pregnant. Ever. Even male omegas. So I’m really worried, Arik. I’ve had two heats and nothing.”
“We’ll get it figured out, Linus. I’m sure there’s an explanation for it.”
Harrison had drained his bottle, and I placed him on my shoulder and burped him, then got up and placed him in his crib.
“They only take bottles at bedtime now. I know they shouldn’t even have them at bedtime, but it seems to help Harrison relax.”
“Arik, I’m the last person that would be giving you parenting advice. You’re the one who went to medical school. I just barely finished high school.”
“Did I miss everything?” Edison asked as he walked in the door. He smiled at Arik, and then looked into the cribs before looking over at me. “How are you, Linus?”
“Same as I was earlier, I guess. I should go find Gage so we can go home. We were supposed to go for a run yesterday but never got around to it. Maybe I can talk him into it this evening. Thanks, Arik. I’ll talk to Gage tonight and see you tomorrow. Sound good?”
“Yeah, Linus. Sounds like a plan. We’ll figure out what’s wrong. Don’t worry. That won’t help.”
I nodded at Arik and gave Edison a quick hug before I left the nursery and went to find my mate. I had some things to discuss with him, and I had a feeling he wasn’t going to like them at all.
Gage — 11
“Gage, you okay?” War asked as I sat at my desk in the office.
“What?”
“I asked if you were okay. You’re extra distracted today. What’s up?”
“It’s Linus. When we got home last night, he let me know he’d asked Arik to put him on suppressors. I was floored. I can’t say no though. If he doesn’t want to have heats, I can’t stop him.”
“Wait. Why would he go on suppressors? He doesn’t want cubs?”
“He does. We’ve been trying. But each time, when nothing comes from it, he’s getting more discouraged. I tried to remind him that it’d only been two heat cycles, but it didn’t matter.”
“What are you going to do?”
“What can I do other than support him? I have until this afternoon to figure out how to talk him out of it. Otherwise, he’s going to pick up the suppressors from Arik, and then it’ll be done.”
“If it helps any, I know for a fact that Arik doesn’t carry them in stock. He’d have to order them, so you’ll have a week or so before they arrive.”
When the bell above the door chimed, War and I looked over and watched Edison walk in. That was a little unusual in that he was actually walking into the office rather than poofing in. Maybe it was because War didn’t care for it when his in-laws poofed in and out of places?
“Hey, Edison. I wasn’t expecting you here. Is everything okay? Arik hasn’t said otherwise,” War asked as he became concerned about his pregnant mate and cubs.
“Calm down. Everything is fine. I came to have a word with Gage.”
“Oh? Is something wrong with Linus?”
“Possibly. I overheard him talking to Arik last night when I went upstairs to help with the twins. I didn’t intend to eavesdrop; it just happened.”
“It’s alright, Edison. But would you mind telling me what’s wrong with Linus?”
“He hasn’t gotten pregnant yet, and he’s concerned about that.”
“Yes, I’m quite aware of that fact. It breaks his heart when he doesn’t get pregnant when he goes into heat. Mine too, because I feel it’s somehow my fault. I don’t like to see him suffer. Neither does my bear, but yet, we can’t seem to fix what’s wrong.”
“Gage, tell me something. Have you two done anything different than normal?”
“What do you mean? We pretty much do the same things every other mated pair does.”
“Okay. Let me rephrase. When you two claimed each other, did you do anything different?”
“Edison, we claimed each other. We’re mates. How can we do things different? It’s the same with every pair. You bite each other during sex. The alpha pops a knot, and then you’re stuck together for an hour or so. I don’t understand what you’re getting at.”
“I can’t give you any more of a hint, except to say that what you two did differently is what is causing the issue with the cubs.”
“We didn’t do anything different, Edison. We’re mates. We’ve claimed each other.”
“I can’t give you a specific thing, because all I’ve been able to garner is that it has something to do with how you tw
o claimed each other. That’s all I know, Gage. I’m sorry. But until we figure out what we need to fix, you two won’t be able to conceive,” Edison said.
“What? How is that fair? We did nothing wrong.”
“Edison, what are you talking about? We’ve all seen their claiming bites. We know that Linus’s scent has changed and he smells like Gage’s mate. How did they claim each other wrong?”
“I don’t know, son. But that’s all of it I could see,” Edison told War before he looked back at me. “Gage, I know it’s a very personal question, but can you share with me how you claimed Linus? You don’t have to give me the intimate details. We all know what happened. But can you tell me how? I was with you at your house; you had said you helped him. I told you to go claim your mate; that it was how you could help him the most. What happened between then and now?”
“Nothing. We claimed each other. That’s it. It pretty much works the same for all couples. Edison, we’ve been over this.”
“Yes, Gage. But what was different? Something you two did was different than what War and Arik or even Wallace and I did. What was it?”
“I’m not sure. I went up to our room, I gave Linus plenty of attention, and he fussed because I was taking too long. He was in heat, but yet he was coherent. He told me how much he wanted to mate with me but I wouldn’t listen. We started kissing; I started to…you know…and then he bit me which caused my knot to pop out immediately. I wasn’t even fully inside him yet. I pushed inside, and then I bit him back. That was it. Same as anyone else.”
“What? Your omega claimed you first?” Edison asked, shocked.
“Umm, I guess. What? Is that bad?”
“That’s what’s different,” Edison said, almost to himself.
“Edison? Is that bad?” I asked, looking over towards War who just shrugged.
“Gage, the alpha claims his omega. But when Linus claimed you, I’m wondering if that caused something to happen. I’ll have to see if I can find out.”
“Like what? He’s my mate. The scars are there. They didn’t disappear and heal completely like other wounds. How is what we did wrong?”
“After that, after you two bit each other, how long did the heat last?” Edison asked with a thoughtful look on his face.
“Umm, three days? I’m pretty sure it was three more days.”
“And he’d already been in heat for two before. Not quite a full week,” Edison said, still looking thoughtful. I didn’t quite know what to make of anything anymore.
“And his heats now? After you knot him? Well, the one that he’s had.”
“About three days. Edison?”
“I’ll be back. I have to go,” Edison said, and then he was simply gone. Poof. Just like that. I looked over at War with a little more understanding as to why it could be so unnerving at times.
“Yeah, welcome to my world. It’s not nearly as bad when it’s him doing it to himself. But when I suddenly find myself in another location, it gets to me. And my bear hates it.”
“I don’t recall when Elliot teleported us back to your house after we dealt with Hank, so I can’t say if my bear has an issue with it or not.”
“Troy and Ryker love it. Wallace doesn’t seem to mind it. But, they’re all mated to warlocks. I think maybe it’s because my mate is a shifter? Who knows. But to the whole claiming thing, Linus bit you first?”
“Yeah, he said it was because he’d told everyone he wanted me for a mate, but yet we were kept apart. He wanted to show the den how serious he was. That, and I think he was really anxious. It’d been a couple days that he’d been in heat by then and he was really needy.”
“I’m really sorry about that, Gage. I never meant to keep you two apart. I just felt the timing was wrong.”
“In some ways, the timing was questionable. But in others, he needed me just then so I understand why. I’m not upset, Alpha.” I looked at my computer screen and realized that it had gone to sleep. I wiggled the mouse to wake it up, and then typed in my password to unlock the screen.
“Gage?”
“Yes, Alpha?” I responded as I looked up.
“I am truly sorry. I can’t say how much. Even if Arik hadn’t made me sleep in the other room, I would have still started looking for you. I made a mistake, and I’ll never forgive myself if I caused you and Linus to not be able to have cubs.”
“You know that bears can have a difficult time having cubs.”
“True. But that’s because female bears have a difficult time getting pregnant after they’re claimed. Linus is a male omega. They don’t suffer from the same issues. And if you two can’t have cubs because Linus bit you first because I kept him away…”
“Alpha, let it go. If that’s the case, Linus and I will deal with it.”
“You shouldn’t have to though. And as your Alpha, I feel that I’ve failed you two.”
“War, let it go. I said we’d deal with it.”
“Alpha? You okay? I’m getting that you’re upset?”
“Sweetheart, I’m fine. Just dealing with work stuff. How are you?”
“I’m good. I’m baking bread. I thought some fresh bread rolls would be good with supper.”
“They will. Thank you. I won’t be late. Emerson will be in at three. I’ll be home shortly after.”
“Sounds good. We’ll have time to go for a run in the forest if you’d like. My fox loves the snow.”
“A run sounds nice. I’ll be here if you need me.”
“I always need you, Gage. You’re my mate and I’ll always need you.”
“That goes for me as well. I’m supposed to be working, so I guess I should do that.”
“Maybe. You said you had a lot of reports to file.”
“That’s what I was supposed to be doing! Thank you.”
“Love you.”
“Love you, too, sweetheart.”
I pulled up the program the district used and got to work filing the reports I needed to file. When I next looked up, it was to War staring at me.
“What?”
“You’ve been busy. Everything okay?”
“Yes. Just filling out the reports I needed to get filed.”
“You’ve changed. And I’m not saying that’s a good or a bad thing. I’m simply saying I’ve noticed that you’ve changed since you found your mate.”
“Don’t most shifters change?”
“Gage, I’ve never meant to make you feel uncomfortable in the den. You’ve been a member of this den longer than I have. You were born into it.”
“Yeah, what of it? There’s only one other family that has been here as long as I have. Otherwise, our den members are all newer. There’s nothing wrong with that. We needed to grow.”
“Yeah, but I feel that you’ve changed since you’ve mated.”
“So have you. Arik has made you notice things.”
War laughed and I smiled. It was true though. War was always a good Alpha. But after mating with Arik, he became much more compassionate about his members and what happened with them.
“What do you say we go get some lunch? It’s that time and I’m hungry. Arik is having lunch with his brothers and the cubs. But we could swing by the diner, or we could head over to Timber Valley and grab drive through.”
Before I could respond, Edison was back in the middle of the room looking way too excited.
“I got it! I know what the issue is!”
“The issue?” I questioned. Edison and War both looked at me shocked.
“Gage, you couldn’t have forgotten what we talked about this morning.”
“Oh, that. I wouldn’t call it an issue, really. It’s upsetting though.”
“Focus, Gage. And get ready to have lots of sex.”
“I’m already having lots of sex, Edison. Just as I’m sure you and Wallace do, War and Arik as well.”
My Alpha snorted and shook his head at me. “Yeah, I wish. Things change when you have twins and another on the way.”
“Really?” I a
sked, surprised.
“Yeah. When you have cubs, you don’t have time to have sex. All of your free time is spent taking care of the cubs. And when your mate is pregnant and sick, he’s not interested.”
“Not the point. Focus, boys. I swear, alphas sometimes. Gage, I know what the problem is and how you and Linus can fix it.”
“Fix what?”
War busted out laughing, and Edison looked upward and shook his head. Wallace appeared beside him and wrapped his arms around his mate.
“Gage?”
“Yes, Edison?”
“Again. Focus. You and Linus are having difficulties getting pregnant. Yes?”
“Yes, you know that.”
Wallace chuckled as his mate turned and buried his face in his neck before turning back to me and looking at me like he didn’t quite know what to do with me. Yeah, welcome to my life. I was used to looks like that.
“Gage, I know why Linus isn’t getting pregnant and how you can fix it.”
“Really?”
“Yes. You need to claim your mate.”
“Edison, we’ve already done that. You know that.”
“Yes. But Linus claimed you. You need to claim him.”
“I’ve already bitten him. How can I claim him again?”
“His heat is due again in a few weeks, yes?”
“Yes. Unless he starts taking those suppressors.”
“That’s not happening. I’ll get Arik to talk him out of it if I have to. When Linus goes into heat again, you need to claim him.”
“I told you, I’ve already done that.”
“Yes, but that was after he’d bit you. This time, you need to bite him first just as your knot is about to stick. You need to bite and claim Linus, and then tell your omega that it’s time to claim his alpha.”
“Seriously? That’s it?”
“That should fix the issue you two are having, yes.”
I thought about it for a moment before I looked up at Edison, and then it hit me. Shit! My omega claimed me first. That’s not how things worked. Why didn’t I realize that?
“I think he had his lightbulb moment,” Edison said to his One. Wallace nodded in agreement.
I held up a finger and started to say something, only to stop. How did I not see it before?