by Eva Lyra
It had all felt like a dream since Tiberius had appeared in the diner and had demanded to spend time along with Reese. He’d barely gotten any sleep. He’d doze off only to open his eyes as pleasure hit him, Tiberius sucking on his cock, fingerfucking him, sucking on his nipples. He’d come so many times he’d lost count.
It was so good, but above all, he felt... complete. He felt that he was right where he was meant to be, for the first time in his life. Being in Tiberius’s arms felt safe and dangerous at the same time, like he was on a rollercoaster and didn’t know how things would change from now on.
But in a good way, right? That was where the feeling of rightness stemmed from. The attention Tiberius lavished Reese’s belly with, his caresses and the possessive way he often placed his hands on it made Reese’s heart skip a beat.
Tiberius really was happy about the pregnancy. There was no hiding it. And it made Reese happy, too.
But did it mean Tiberius would take care of him and the baby? That he’d stay with Reese? Claim him?
Reese didn’t want to hope too much.
Especially if Tiberius didn’t know about Reese’s brand of shame, about his fathers. Would his old man have told him? It was possible. But no, Tiberius wouldn’t look at Reese with such affection in his eyes if he knew, right?
God, they had to talk. He knew that, yet he was content to remain in this bubble where they fucked and kissed and touched, where everything was as it should be.
He was damn scared it would burst and he’d find himself alone once more.
***
He had no idea how long they’d been holed up inside his room, but at some point, a knock came on the door. It insisted until Reese lifted his head from the pillow, and found Tiberius already on his feet and heading to open the door, totally, gloriously naked.
Reese was still staring at that muscular, tight ass on display, drooling a little, when he realized that Tiberius had opened the door and was talking to someone.
It looked like alphas didn’t know the meaning of the word ‘embarassment’. There he stood, comfortable as you please, his dick swinging in the wind, talking to...?
“... be nice if you finally got your dick back in your pants and we returned to the Academy,” a familiar, annoyed voice was saying. “There’s a thing called classes and tests and curriculum—”
“That’s three things, buddy,” Tiberius drawled.
“—and his cousin doesn’t seem to like us much either. I wouldn’t be surprised if he spat in our food, and our room smelled like piss.”
Marcus. The guy talking with Tiberius was Marcus.
The chestnut-haired alpha was looking over Tiberius’s shoulder right at Reese, a smirk on his face—a very naked Reese, big belly and all.
With a squeak, Reese grabbed the sheet and covered himself up, his face flaming.
Marcus smirked.
Arrogant bastard.
And he wanted Tiberius to leave. Reese choked on a whimper, fear and sadness swamping him. Had he misunderstood Tiberius?
“Reese? Babe, you okay?” Tiberius was turning back toward him, worry written on his face, and Reese turned his face away, not wanting him to see how he felt.
But Tiberius came to the bed and sat beside him, cupped his face. “What’s wrong?”
“You’re leaving,” Reese whispered.
“Can’t stay here forever, no matter how nice your room is.”
Reese’s breath caught on a sob. “You’re going back.”
“Yes. I came here to find you, and now I have. And you’re coming with me.”
“Wh... what? I am?”
“Aren’t you? Don’t you want to come with me?”
“Ty—”
“To be my Mate.”
Reese now thought he was going to hyperventilate. His heart was racing, just like his thoughts which were running in crazy little circles. “Are you serious?”
“Of course. Don’t you know yet? I lo—”
“Ty.”
“What?”
“You can’t say that.” Reese pressed a hand to his chest, to contain his heart. Somehow, the thought that Tiberius thought he felt as much about Reese as Reese did about him was scary, because Reese wasn’t exactly who Tiberius thought he was.
And the thought of telling him terrified Reese.
“The hell I can’t! What’s the matter?” Tiberius lifted a hand and stoked Reese’s cheek, the question echoed in his eyes.
“You don’t know everything about me.”
“You’re kind. You’re clever. You’re pretty. You’re damn amazing, and sexy, and carrying my baby. What more is there to know?”
“What more...? Are you serious? You know nothing.”
“I know all I need to know.”
“Ty—”
A knock came on the door. The knob turned and Marcus poked his head inside. “Hey, Ty, Reese. How about we get going? We’re in the way and—”
“Marcus, leave us.”
“But Ty, we have to—”
“Give us an hour.”
The door closed again.
Tiberius drew Reese into his arms, onto his lap. He placed his hand on top of Reese’s belly. “How would you ever think that anything you have to tell me would change how I feel for you? Have you killed anyone? Raped anyone?”
“What? No!”
“Excellent. Have you robbed anyone? Kicked any puppies?”
“Ty...” Reese rolled his eyes.
“Excuse me while I’m trying to think of other terrible crimes you might be hiding from me. Have you gutted any plushies? Spilled any milk?”
“No.”
“Wait, I got it: you stepped on an insect as you served tables and your conscience won’t let you rest.”
Reese was laughing when a flutter inside his belly made him gasp.
“Reese? What’s wrong?”
“The baby.” He pressed his hand to his belly, and there it came again, the small flutter.
“What? Are you in pain? Are you—?”
“Feel that?” He grabbed Tiberius’s bigger hand, moved it higher, rubbed it over his belly.
The baby kicked again, and it was Tiberius’s turn to gasp. “A baby?”
“Our baby,” Reese confirmed, grinning so widely his cheeks hurt.
“Oh god. That’s so awesome.” Suddenly, Reese found himself on his back, his belly bared, and Tiberius was lying on his belly beside him, his lips almost touching Reese’s bellybutton. “Hi, baby. This is your alpha dad. How are you?”
“Ty!” Reese was laughing, then gasping when another flutter started on the other side of his belly. “Oh.”
Not possible. Oh my God, no way...
“What is it?”
“I think...” He blinked. “I think we woke the other baby up.”
“Christ, Reese. What the hell?” Tiberius’s dark eyes were comically wide. “The other baby? It’s a party in there, isn’t it? Where?”
Reese rubbed his hand over the spot, and Tiberius shifted to kiss the spot.
“Here?”
“Yeah.”
“Hi, other baby,” Tiberius whispered. “Stop kicking your omega dad in the ribs, okay? Or if you have to, then do it gently. I’m quite fond of him.”
Reese smiled, his eyes growing blurry with tears, because, aw. “Are you?”
“My favorite guy in the world,” Tiberius said softly.
Reese wiped at his eyes, then grunted when another flurry of kicks caught him unprepared. “I think they speak in Morse code. You should write down what they’re saying.”
“They’re saying, I love this warm belly I’m in and I’m having too much fun playing with my brother.”
Reese snickered.
Could it be twins? It rarely was in a first-time pregnancy. But from all the kicks on either side of his belly, it was quite possible.
Another kick and Reese groaned. “I think the baby, or babies, want you to shut up and let them sleep.”
Now they were both snicke
ring.
“Wow, that was amazing.” Tiberius’s eyes glimmered, his smile lingering.
It was.
“It’s twins, then?” Tiberius asked quietly.
“Honestly, I have no idea.”
“We’re going to be fathers, though... That much is for sure.”
“Yeah.”
And it was time to clarify things, to tell Tiberius all his secrets, everything he’d been hiding, see if it changed anything in how Tiberius felt about Reese. Tiberius claimed it wouldn’t, but you don’t know until you have all the info, right?
It was time to talk.
Chapter Twenty-One: Tiberius
Reese wanted to talk. And sure, Tiberius was all for talking, but why had Reese stopped him from telling him how he felt about him?
What was going on? Reese had seemed relieved and happy to see him, had spent the whole day and night in bed with him. It was unlikely he felt nothing for Tiberius.
Right?
He didn’t like the returning uncertainty.
So when Reese sat beside him, he went straight for the kill. “What you want to talk to me about... you think it’s something important, right? Did my father know it? Did he hold over your head to make you go?”
“Yeah.”
“Right. I couldn’t believe you’d just walk away without talking to me first because he told you about the wedding. No way.”
“You’re right. The wedding wasn’t all. Though it was a kick in the nuts.”
“Come here, sit with me.” He lifted his arm in invitation. “Let me tell you about that first. Get it out of the way.”
Without a word, Reese sat down beside him, leaned against Tiberius who wrapped his arm around his omega’s shoulders. He nuzzled Reese’s temple, inhaling his scent. The urge to bite his shoulder or the back of his neck and mark him was like a physical pull, a rope drawing him to Reese.
“My father,” he began, “is an asshole.”
Unexpectedly, Reese snickered, turning his head to muffle the sound against Tiberius’s chest. “Yeah? Could’ve fooled me.”
Tiberius’s mouth twitched. “I’m sorry he was such a bastard to you. He’s a bastard to everyone, and I had no idea he’d come over that day or I’d have faced him alone.”
Reese sighed but otherwise said nothing.
“My father thinks he can control my life. He chose an omega for me, from a rich powerful family, and thought I’d go along. That I’d agree.”
Reese stirred. “Because it’s good for your family. And you’re a good son.”
“A good— Well, yeah, that was what father said, and—”
“You’d have married that omega if it wasn’t for me?”
“... maybe? I’m not sure. I met him. He seems nice.”
“Is he pretty?”
The quiet words almost broke Tiberius’s heart. “Look at me, babe.” He placed a finger under Reese’s chin and lifted it until Reese had no choice but to look at him. “He wasn’t ugly. But I can’t really remember, because all I can think about is you. All I can see is you. You’re the prettiest boy in the land, and more than that... You’re mine. My Mate. My omega. And I don’t want anyone else. Haven’t wanted anyone else ever since I met you.”
Reese’s arms went around Tiberius, his baby bump pressing into Tiberius’s side, and it was sweet. “Same,” he breathed. “Same, Ty.”
God damn, this boy was made of sugar. Not too much. He was fresh, honest, real. Tiberius couldn’t stop touching him, kissing him.
Bending his head, he brushed his lips over his omega’s brow. “Okay, your turn now. What was it you wanted to tell me?”
Reese was quiet for a long moment, his arms tensing around Tiberius. When he looked up, his face had lost color, and it was with an effort that Tiberius didn’t fuss over him. He had to let Reese take his time and say his piece, get it off his chest, Whatever it was. Obviously, it bothered Reese quite a bit if he thought Tiberius would leave him over it.
Silly omega.
“Ty...” he eventually whispered, his cheeks colorless. “My fathers. They died in an accident a few years ago.”
“I know. I’m so fucking sorry.”
“But that’s not all. Your father knows...” He stopped and swallowed hard. “He told me he knows that they were accused of collaborating with the witches against the government. Branded as traitors.”
“Oh, Reese.” He gathered his omega closer. “I’m so sorry my father threw that in your face, as if it’s your fault. Whatever your fathers did, it shouldn’t reflect on you, and it doesn’t change a thing to me.”
“But doesn’t make you doubt me? Want to stay away from me or be branded a traitor by association?”
“Let them try. I don’t give a damn.”
“But your family—”
“Don’t you understand, babe? You’re my Mate. I’ll stand by you, no matter what. I believe in you. I believe you’re the best person in the world. You are my family now.”
Reese wiped at his eyes. “You sure?”
“One thousand percent. Plus, I betcha nobody even knows all this outside your town. Hey... are you scared that anyone might try to harm you?”
Reese shrugged. “I don’t know.”
“No worries. I’ll keep you and our babies safe. I promise. I promise, Reese. Now tell me this.” Tiberius frowned. “Was the accident that took your fathers’ lives a real accident? Not a trap for them?”
“We thought about that, but we don’t know. My uncle and I, we... We asked around, but we hit many walls, from the government, the police to the people around us. get called a traitor and people who’ve known you all your life abandon you, suddenly convinced of your guilt.”
“Are you convinced?” Tiberius asked carefully. “Of their innocence, I mean.”
“I’m... not. I can’t be sure of anything anymore, but... But I wish I’d been shown proof. There has to be something proving what they did, right? Asking me to just believe that my fathers were in league with the enemy, betraying State secrets... Where would they have gotten their hands on such sensitive secrets?”
“You never saw any evidence of any contact with witches.”
“Never. Though, once...”
“What, Reese?”
“Once I saw my omega father talking with a Fae.”
“A Fae. Are you sure? That’s unusual.”
“I know. That’s why I remember it. It was a couple of years before they were accused, and then died, less than two months later.”
Suspicious.
But it could be a coincidence. Sometimes coincidences were real fuckers, screwing up lives without remorse.
“I’ll look into it,” Tiberius said. “If you don’t mind.”
“No, of course not. That’d be great,” Reese whispered. His eyes were wide as he looked up at Tiberius. “You really mean it. You really want to be with me, in spite of it all.”
“Oh, Reese,” Tiberius whispered, smiling, his own eyes burning. “I love you, don’t you see? I loved you before, and now I love you more than ever.”
***
Leaving Reese to pack his bags and return to the Academy with him, Tiberius left the room to tell his friends the good news—when he ran smack-dab into Reese’s cousin.
“What are your intentions with my cousin?” Ethan demanded, hands on hips.
“Whoa. Don’t shoot. What’s this about?”
“What do you intend to do with Reese?” Ethan said wth a scowl.
“To love and cherish him, and eventually Claim him,” Tiberius said, lifting his hands. “Does that meet with your approval?”
Deflated, Ethan nodded, though he still glared at him, obviously trying to look intimidating. But he was a beta, and though not as slender as Reese, he had to look up to meet Tiberius’s eyes, which kind of spoiled the effect. “On your word?”
“Yes, on my word. You’re really looking after Reese, aren’t you?”
“Someone has to. His fathers are dead, and his uncle isn’t in a
ny shape to do that anymore.”
“You’re a good person, Ethan.”
“Trying to butter me up?”
“Depends. Do I need your blessing to Claim Reese? In which case I’ll butter you up until I get it.”
Ethan cracked a faint smile. “Just... love him. He’s a wonderful guy who’s had a rough couple of years. He was convinced you hated him, and that you were about to marry someone else.”
“Are you saying he’s fragile?”
“Reese? God, no. He’s the strongest guy I know. But he’s pregnant. Hormones. And he’ll need help. Plus, he’s spent the past few weeks believing you didn’t care for him.”
“I’ll prove it to him,” Tiberius vowed. “Every day and every night.”
“Good. That’s what I like to hear.”
“You’re always welcome to visit,” Tiberius said. “Uncle Ethan.”
“Oh shit. I’ll be an uncle.” A huge grin broke over his face. “I’d love to visit, thank you.” He reached out his hand, and Tiberius clasped it.
“I can never thank you enough for being there for Reese when I wasn’t,” he said, emotion clogging his voice. “For taking care of my Mate. Anything you ever need, just call.”
“No problem. I guess we’ll soon be family,” Ethan said, still smiling. “I can’t wait to meet the baby.”
“You and me both,” Tiberius whispered. “You and me both...”
Chapter Twenty-Two: Reese
Returning to Howl Academy felt like another dream. A dream inside a dream. Reese rode shotgun in Tiberius’s Jag, face pressed to the window as they passed the gate and rolled inside.
He didn’t know what he would do here. He’d left, had abandoned his studies for the past few weeks. Was there any chance of going back to them?
However, he was with Tiberius. And that was the most important thing.
Marcus and Nero, who’d been in the backseat for the ride, opened their doors and got out as the car came to a stop.
“Right, guys,” Marcus said, leaning into the driver’s window. “See ya later. Be good.”
Reese almost rolled his eyes—then remembered that the two of them had been forced to wait for a day and a night as Reese and Tiberius had rocked the bed next door, and blushed fiercely instead, turning his face away to hide it.