Page 19

Clark

I sped across the ice, chasing the puck, the Hurricanes on my heels. They were Grif Graf’s old team and a good one. We’d barely beaten them in last year’s playoff series.

Currently, we were tied, and the clock was counting down. Grif stole the puck and shot it at the goalie, who stopped the puck with a juicy rebound. I leapt toward it and knocked it right into the net. I did a little dance as my music played, celebrating with my teammates, and I flashed a heart with my hands, in case Gwen was watching.

We won the game and after more celebration; I slung my arm around Tenzin, and we left the ice.

“Clark, that was some good playing,” Coach Atkins told me. “Whatever you’re doing, keep it up.”

I plunged into an ice bath, took a quick shower, then went out to the locker room to change, so I could talk to the press.

“You did great out there, keep it up,” Nia told me as she shimmied into her suit, which was beautiful and full of bright colors and patterns.

“Oh, to anyone whose mates went to the party tonight. I didn’t know Tegan was bringing everyone power drills. Here, I thought they were just tool purses. I’m so sorry,” LeeAnn drawled as she changed.

“You can use power drills to operate blenders when there’s no electricity,” Carlos told everyone.

“You can also drill holes in the dirt to plant flower bulbs,” Tenzin added.

I was unsure why giving people drills was a bad idea. My sisters had many power tools.

Pauley laughed as he tied his tie. “Gwen brought everyone baby ducks and lasagna?”

I shook my head as I fixed my tie. “Her sister sent everyone something in fancy boxes.”

“Vecci scarves,” Tenzin replied. “I peeked.”

“Ooh. Not really Gwen, but I’m sure they were appreciated.” Nia applied some lipstick in the mirror.

“But why is everything only with Clark’s number?” Tenzin looked hurt.

Nia turned to him. “Because she’s only signed up with Clark . Given I know the head MASO, I suppose I could get you added. Did you not do this in Portland?”

Tenzin shook his head. “My ex was never interested. Medical school kept her too busy. Yes, please, I’d appreciate it.”

Pauley grabbed my arm. “Come on, Wonder Boy, we’re on press duty.”

“Are you okay, Tens?” I put down my phone, where I’d been scrolling social media and turned to him as we flew back to New York. The lights were dim, and we’d already eaten. It wasn’t a long flight. Some people were napping, others were playing video games. Castle, Dimitri, and a few others were playing cards.

Tens shook his head over his book. “My sinuses hurt, maybe I’m getting sick.”

“Oh, okay. I guess you want to turn in after we get home?” I tried not to sound disappointed.

His eyebrows rose. “Did you want to watch a movie?”

“More like a meteor shower. The best part doesn’t start until late. We can get Gwen, throw some blankets in the back of your truck, drive outside of the city, and lie in the back and watch it,” I offered.

I’d yet to get a car, or anything to replace my motorcycle, which was being repaired. I might get a sports car. Gwen would look great in the seat next to me. Though a truck, 4x4 or even an SUV would be far more practical.

Tenzin tapped his finger to his lips, as he put down his book and got out his phone. He went into his email. “Yes, I knew I saw something about that. AJ’s sister’s farm is having a meteor shower watching party, complete with hot apple cider and donuts. Gwen likes the donuts. We should be able to make it, if you want to go there. But if you know a better spot, that’s fine.”

“You had me at donuts.” It was a date.

We landed, deplaned, and got in his truck. I went to call her and saw her messages.

“Gwen’s at the rink. She said she needed quality time with the puck machine.” I frowned as we left the airport.

“That’s not good. We’ll get her. Even if she doesn’t want to see the meteor shower, I don’t like her walking or taking the subway alone so late,” Tenzin said as he drove.

“True.” I wondered if it had to do with the doctor’s appointment, or if something had happened at the MASO party.

We found Gwen on the small rink, the puck machine going strong.

“It’s set to death wish , something’s wrong,” Tenzin muttered.

We watched her, until she finished and took off her mask. She hadn’t noticed us yet as she laid down on the ice. It reminded me too much of the night I found her bleeding.

“Sweetness?” I walked out on the ice and helped her up.

“Hey, you didn’t have to come get me.” She beamed and threw herself at us.

“It’s late, Precious.” Tenzin’s arms tightened around her as he kissed the top of her head.

“That was a great game.” She kissed me. “That last goal, Clark. By then, the Maimer’s game was over, so Verity and I watched the third period at Tito’s. Though I watched it on my phone, during the Maimer’s game.”

“I’m glad you had fun. Do you want to see the meteor shower?” I offered. It was so nice of Verity to give her the extra ticket. Skate smash was fun to watch.

Her face lit up. “Sounds amazing.”

We went home, quickly changed, and grabbed some blankets. Tenzin got his nice camera and Gwen packed a few snacks for the drive.

When we arrived at the farm, there were lots of cars in the parking lot. Many people sat on the tops of their cars, their tailgates, or in the beds of their trucks. A few even had telescopes set up. The smell of donuts and cider filled the air, making my mouth water.

While Gwen had chattered all about the party with the MASOs, the Maimer’s game, and asked us about our game, she hadn’t mentioned the doctor’s appointment, or what was bothering her. We hadn’t brought it up either. Yet.

Tenzin went to get us apple cider, and I got us mini donuts, while Gwen spread the blankets out in the bed of his truck.

She wore dark skinny jeans with her burgundy NYIT hoodie and I took a moment to admire her ass, when I returned with the donuts. Tenzin arrived with the cider. For a moment, we both watched as she tucked in the blankets and fluffed the pillows. The stuffie from the fair had come as well.

My eyes flickered over to Tens, who just wore jeans and a fancy, dark-green fleece zip-up.

“Looks great,” Tenzin said, breaking the silence. “I got your cider.”

“Thank you,” she said, taking the cup and leaning into a pile of pillows.

I handed her the sack of donuts and climbed into the back, holding the cups of cider as Tenzin got in. The three of us got cozy in the back, Gwen snuggling into me. We shared the donuts and sipped the cider, comfy in the bed of blankets and pillows, Gwen between us, as we gazed at the night sky, watching for meteors.

We were far enough from the city that the sky was brilliant. The farm had also turned off the parking lot lights. For a long moment, we just sat there, looking up at the sky. The shower had been happening all night, but the good part would start soon.

Given the time of year, the golden beetle constellation wasn’t as visible as it had been in the summer, but I still pointed it out to Gwen, along with some others

“Would you like to tell us what’s bothering you? You don’t set the puck machine to death wish for no reason,” Tenzin said, stroking her hair.

“Just trying to work everything out in my head.” She bit her lower lip.

“Austin’s lawyer isn’t bothering you still, right?” I asked.

“No, Matty’s lawyer friend shut them up quickly. Austin’s lawyers are pressing for him to pay me back. But they make it feel like a payoff. I don’t want his money, it’s just principle,” she replied.

“I’m glad, because that whole wanting you to sign an NDA for something that happened previously is bullshit,” I told her.

Gwen sipped her cider. “Mmmm, this is so good.”

“It is.” I popped a mini donut, fresh from the fryer, in my mouth.

“Oh, look. So pretty.” Gwen pointed up at the sky, and Tenzin got out his camera, as a meteor streaked the sky.

“Indeed,” Tenzin replied, snapping a picture.

“I overspent on fancy cheese and herbs today,” she blurted, looking guilty.

I kissed her temple. “That’s okay. I’m sure we’ll use them. You said your appointment was weird. Were the people mean?”

“Only Desiree. I ran into her there.” She made a face as she leaned her head on my shoulder. “One lady was nice and let me get little treats from the prize closet. Dr. Kristy was sweet and helpful. Still, I feel uncomfortable. Not just because I’m not an omega, but because I don’t like their clinics any more than I like hospitals. My mom was partially treated at the omega cancer clinic in Vancouver.”

“Okay, I can see that.” I squeezed her tight.

“I don’t have the OOC gene.” She didn’t look relieved as she said that.

“That’s good to know,” Tenzin assured.

She went silent again, eating her donuts and sipping her cider. Tenzin took a few pictures of the stars with his fancy camera.

“Would you still love me if I’m an omega?” Gwen sniffed, rubbing the scar on her forehead.

Even though it was dark, I could see her stricken look, hear the pain in her voice, smell the discomfort in her minty scent.

“Gweny, Sweetness, I’d love you if you were an omega. I’d love you if you weren’t an omega. I’d love you if you brought home an omega in a bucket. But if you do that, we might need another alpha or two.” I leaned in and kissed her to reassure her that what I felt for her wasn’t conditional. Her lips tasted of apple cider and sugar.

She rested her head on my shoulder. “If Cooter lived closer, I’d like him in our pack.”

“Me, too,” Tenzin agreed.

I didn’t know Cooter well, but he seemed like a good dude.

“You want a pack with us, Precious?” Tenzin scooted closer, so he was essentially holding the both of us.

Gwen nodded. “I’m falling for you two so fucking hard.”

“I’m in love with you, Gwen.” Tenzin cupped her face with his hand. But his other hand reached over, grabbed mine, and squeezed it.

I squeezed his hand back. While technically we’d need four people to be an officially registered pack in New York, I’d take them and love them no matter what we called ourselves.

“I’d still love you if you were an omega. Why do you ask? What happened at your appointment?” Tenzin rubbed the back of her neck.

Gwen sighed and turned the cup around in her hands.

“Apparently, there’s still a chance I could awaken as an omega, because I play hockey. ” Her face screwed up as she finished her cider.

“Hockey?” I kissed her temple, trying to reassure her with my touch, my scent.

She explained what the specialist had told her, about hockey somehow not just delaying awakening, but delaying even testing as an omega, and how that and her genetics couldn’t rule out the possibility. Though the part about the possibility of her body staying a beta to protect herself from Lucius made sense, too.

“I don’t want to be an omega, especially after everything with my family, with Lucius, even Austin. I’m happy being an ordinary beta. I always have.” Gwen sighed as she snuggled further into us, and Tenzin covered us with blankets.

“You equate being a beta with freedom. That as a beta, you can make your own choices and be free of family expectations. And you are. Your family isn’t going to suddenly swoop in and take away the life you’ve built for yourself. We won’t let them,” I told her.

“We won’t. It’s perfectly fine to be conflicted,” Tenzin assured. “It’s a lot to process. But the doctor’s right. There’s no need to dwell or fret. If it happens, it happens. If it doesn’t, it doesn’t. We will be here.”

“Okay.” It came out as a sob.

We bundled her to us, holding her tight. I felt so bad for her, because I could understand that after Lucius, anything related to being an omega could strike a nerve. That was without growing up with four perfect omega sisters and parental expectations.

Gwen sucked in a breath. “There are two meteors.”

“Make a wish, Sweetness.” I kissed her again, as Tenzin snapped a picture of the sky.

My wish was for the three of us to be happy together.

“What will our house look like, Precious, tell me?” Tenzin said as we watched the sky.

“One day I’d like to live somewhere like my Nonna’s. Someplace not that far from a major city, but with land. Maybe not a pond.” She squeezed my hand. “But a treehouse. I want a big dog. It would be spacious enough for kids and all of us, but not huge or pretentious. It would be lived in and filled with happiness.”

“Mmmm, that sounds nice,” I told her. While city life was fine for now, I didn’t want to live in a high-rise apartment forever.

“It does. How many kids?” Tenzin asked.

“Not eight. Also, I want them all to feel loved and wanted and not like a mistake.” Gwen winced.

“They will.” Tenzin peppered her face with little kisses.

“Though I don’t want to carry any kids myself, until I’m done playing hockey,” she added.

Which was fair. That was a lot of time to take off, though the law protected her if she did.

“Oh, there’s another. I like the idea of three or four kids, but I’m not the one squeezing them out of me,” I told them.

“We also have Squiggles,” Gwen added.

“We do. They’re hoping the babies bake until December. So if you visit your family in Vancouver for Christmas, I’ll be in Portland, staying at Cooter’s, visiting Squiggles. That way if things go sideways, it would be a quick trip on the ultra-bullet for you to get to me–or me to you,” Tenzin told her.

“I like the idea.” I’d worried about Gwen, but I wanted to go home for Christmas, because it was a lot of fun–and it would be nice to see everyone.

I’d go with her if she wanted, though.

“Okay. I like that plan.” Her face tipped up. “There’s just so many stars. I want to get lost among them.”

“Me, too. So that’s our future house, for one day, anything sooner? Didn’t you mention wanting a townhouse like Dimitri’s?” I asked, leaning my head on top of hers.

“Yeah, I think I’d rather live in a townhouse, like Dimitri, than a penthouse like Double D. It would be in one of those cute older neighborhoods that aren’t all pretentious,” she told us. “Of course, I’d take the room up at the top that’s mostly windows, but still cozy and opens up to the rooftop patio. I’d festoon it with lights and tulle. There’d be a round staircase on the inside. Oh, and a big open living room.”

“With a fireplace,” I added. “Perfect for having people over or just snuggling on the couch and watching movies.”

“What about a kitchen with a big counter?” she told us.

“Yes, and lots of bookshelves,” Tenzin interjected. “Built into the walls. If you want a dog, we’d need a courtyard.”

“A charming one.” Gwen giggled.

“With a firepit,” I added. “Maybe a gym in the basement?”

“Absolutely, and a washer and dryer, because I’m spoiled now.” She gazed up at me. “Everyone would have their own room, so we could have our own space, but we’d have a big pack bedroom for us, too. With a balcony and a bed long enough for Tens.”

“I’d appreciate it.” Tenzin kissed her.

“We could turn something into a catio, too.” Oh, I'd love to design one for Snowball.

“Even the outside of the townhouse would be cute, with an old-fashioned lamp post. We’ll all own it together. Of course, on the wall we’d have Clark’s comics and my Maria Barilla card, and lots of Tens’ photographs,” she said as another meteor streaked the sky.

“And your Dumas painting,” I added. I loved this, and in my mind I could see it. We’d take some townhouse and make it not only into a home, but a truly unique and wonderful space.

“Yes, we’d have an excellent security system, so we could have my painting. Maybe one or two of the others?” Gwen added.

“Others?” Tenzin asked, brow furrowing as he stroked her hair.

She nodded. “Apparently I have art. Isa gets a castle and I get a bunch of paintings. Though it’s okay, I guess. They’re mostly omega paintings that have been passed down through the family. I like them, because they’re pretty.”

“What are omega paintings, like portraits?” I thought of the Dumases we’d seen at the Gugette.

“It might be an Italian thing. But an omega gets a landscape of her home, or village, or the view from her window, to bring with her to her new pack. So she can bring a bit of home with her. Nonna brought hers from Sicily, it’s a landscape of her street. The grandparents had one painted of their house for Mom. But there are others,” she said.

I liked that idea of having a painting to remind you of home.

“Your family has a castle? ” I couldn’t wrap my head around that.

“It’s more like a fortified villa, it’s in Italy. I loved spending time there and always hoped it would be mine. I was crushed when Isa got it. But the grandparents that lived there and passed away before I was born, had decided it long ago.” She sighed heavily. “But what would I do with a castle? ”

“The taxes and upkeep would be horrendous,” Tenzin agreed. “I’d love to see pictures of your art if you have any. It’s fascinating that they’ve been collecting paintings for you.”

Personally, I thought it was a little weird. But then there was furniture for me in the attic that had been made by my great-grandfather, so why not? At least they set something aside for her.

“My dad sent me a file with my art. Though I really only care about my Dumas. Well, and the one my mom has of Nonna’s house. Oh. Um…” She buried her head in Tenzin’s side. “It’s apparently real. That’s why they won’t send it over yet.”

Real? Her painting was real? That was hard for me to fathom.

“I suppose one day I’ll give our omega one of my paintings as a gift. Perhaps the one my great aunty on Babo’s side made her alphas buy her on their trip to Paris after their mating,” Gwen added.

It was customary to give an omega assets of their own. Usually it was a piece of land or a house, though where I was from livestock, horses, and tractors were also common.

“Would you want one? A painting of your home?” I’d sort of like one of mine. I knew someone who painted them on saws.

“It would have to be a portrait of you two. You’re my home.” She kissed Tenzin, then me.

“Both of you are my home, too,” Tenzin replied. “Perhaps when we get back I can show you?” He leaned over and kissed me.

Tenzin’s sweet kiss sent shivers through me.

“I’d like that very much.” I think tonight would be the night I asked him to fuck me into Gwen. Maybe more.

“Me, too.” She snuggled into us.

We watched more of the meteor shower, then cleaned up and got ready to head back. Tenzin went to throw everything away and go to the bathroom.

“Sweetness?” I asked softly as we folded up the blankets. “Did it hurt the first time you took a knot?” While I really didn’t want to think of teenage Austin knotting teenage Gwen, it most certainly happened.

“More than the first time. But he was gentle, and I did a lot of exercises to help. Practice makes perfect. Also, it’s much easier to take a knot in the ass than the pussy. At least for me.” She put her folded blanket on top of mine. “Tenzin will be gentle with you if you ask. You were thinking of letting him next time you’re on the road?”

“I was thinking tonight? Maybe this would be a good night for him to fuck me into you, and he could knot me while I knot you.” I focused on rolling up the sleeping bag.

Desire rolled off her, and she bit her lower lip, giving me a smoldering glance. “I think that’s a wonderful idea. If you want to wait until you’re alone, that’s fine, too. It’s very late and we still have the drive back.”

“I know. But if you’re up for it, I think I want him to knot me into you.” I snagged her and kissed her.

“You do?” Tenzin stood there, lust rolling off him as he picked up the folded blankets to put in the truck's backseat.

I looked up at him. “I think I do.”

Tenzin leaned in and kissed me, that desire turning into a sweet cloud.

“Mmmm, I do love that my boyfriends are boyfriends.” Gwen’s arms wrapped around us. “Come on, boys, let’s go home to bed.”