Page 10 of Roman (Destined Paranormals #7)

Chapter 10

Beau

O nce we came here, something I learned was that most people didn’t realize that fae were incredibly sexual beings. Despite that, we usually weren’t sexually active until we found our mate. Which was confusing to others since we had such high sex drives.

And mine seemed to be kicking into overdrive now that I was going to have a date with Roman this evening. Well, in just a bit, actually. He was due at any point, and my nerves were starting to get to me. If it weren’t for Konrad and his calming nature, I didn’t think I would have made it this long as it were.

“Relax,” Konrad told me again. It was a word I’d heard over and over for the past hour at least.

“I’m trying. I really am. But I’m super nervous,” I told the dragon shifter. “Do you think he’ll kiss me? I mean, I know about sex and how it works. But I haven’t…you know. We just don’t.”

Konrad offered a kind smile. “If you want, I’m certain Roman would be up for claiming you tonight.”

My eyes widened. He didn’t mean that, did he? “Do you really think so? I want that, but I also don’t want to have to give up all of this,” I said as I looked at the bakery. “I really like having something to do here.”

Konrad shook his head. “Roman won’t ask that of you. Besides, even once the babies start coming, you can either bring them here with you, or you can drop them off at the daycare behind the bakery. There are options, Beau. The council is all about having positions for omegas, as well as alphas. And just because you are an omega, that doesn’t mean you have to give up your own dreams in order to have a family.”

“Did you?”

Konrad chuckled. “Times were immensely different when I had our boys. And as bleak as it sounds, there were only just a few of us here on the mountain. We didn’t have jobs. We all worked together in order to survive. Things changed drastically when Elias and Claude showed up. Life became so much easier with a warlock around.”

I had more questions, but the door chimed, and then a very handsome Roman came through it. How was it that the alpha appeared to be even sexier than the last time I saw him? And that was only a few hours ago.

“Hi,” I said while smiling at him.

“Hello,” he replied with an equally big smile. “Are you ready to go? If not, I can come back in a bit.”

I shook my head. “No, I’m ready.” A quick glance to Konrad had me feeling even more reassured. He nodded encouragingly. “Thank you, Konrad.”

“Of course. Enjoy yourselves,” he told us as I walked out from behind the counter and stood next to Roman.

He was quite a bit taller than I was, and I was all right with that. I smiled up at my mate, and when he returned it, I felt my heart flutter. How was that even possible? I didn’t know what was happening to me exactly, but I wasn’t going to complain about it in any way.

“Do you like spaghetti?” Roman asked suddenly.

I nodded. “We’ve had it several times since we’ve been here.” It looked like Roman was suddenly relieved.

“Shall we?”

I could only grin up at my mate. When he took a step away, then held out his hand, I reached for it. His hand dwarfed mine, and immediately, my mind went to other places. Where else was he going to be a lot larger than me? Eventually, I would find out, but when? I glanced back at Konrad as I walked out the door and found the dragon omega giving me a thumbs-up. I didn’t know what to make of the gesture, exactly, so I smiled at him before he disappeared as I stepped through the door.

“I had no idea if you even knew what spaghetti was or if you liked it. But I didn’t have a whole lot of ideas for quick meals to make for you.”

“I like all kinds of things, and spaghetti is something that even Evan will ask for. We didn’t have it in our realm though, but I’m honestly not sure why. We had almost all of the things that are in it.”

“Can I ask about that over dinner? If you don’t wish to talk about your realm, I understand.”

“Oh no. I don’t mind talking about it. I wasn’t unhappy there or anything. Even after our parents went missing, I didn’t have a terrible life.” That sounded worse than it was, but I couldn’t find fault in my life. Sure, I missed my parents, and life was sad for a bit after they went missing. But Evan and I weren’t, and we had to continue on. There was no other choice because neither one of us would give up simply because our parents went missing.

“I never wish to cause you pain. I’m interested in learning about your world, but only what you wish to share.”

I shrugged. “I’m pretty much an open book. There really isn’t much to tell. My parents went missing when I was fourteen. Evan was nineteen then, and I was really lucky that he was in our village instead of out trying to find his mate. I think the reason they left was because they knew Evan was there to watch after me.”

“I’m sorry that happened to them.”

I shrugged again. “I appreciate that. There is nothing to be done to change the circumstances though.”

We were at the transport building, and Roman opened the door for me. “Have you been down off of the mountain yet?” he asked. “How long have you been here? I don’t think I asked.”

I thought about everything we talked about yesterday, and I didn’t remember us talking about much beyond very basic things. “Yes, I’ve been off of the mountain a few times. For the most part, I’ve mostly been here on Treasure Ridge though. Everything I need is here, so there’s not much of a reason to leave.” I stepped into the small building and waited for Roman to join me. “I’ve not been here too long. Not even a year yet. How about you? You don’t sound like you’re from around here? I’ve heard others that are from this area, and your voice sounds different.”

Roman chuckled. “No, I’m not from here. I was born in Georgia, which is in the southeast. I’ve been here for a few years, but I’ve spent the past twenty years moving around a lot with my brothers.”

Roman reached for the phone that was on the table, but I stopped him by holding out my other hand. “If you trust me, I can get us down off of the mountain. You want to go into the cabin that’s down at the bottom?”

Roman nodded. “You can do that? Are you sure?”

“I am. I’ve been there more than once, so I know where to take us. If you feel more comfortable about it though, I can understand that. You don’t really know me, nor of my abilities when it comes to using my magic.”

Roman’s hand that had been reaching for the phone moved to my cup my face. “I completely trust you, Beau. Our relationship is going to struggle if I don’t. I do, so I’m not worried about you using magic to get us down off of the mountain. And yes, to the cabin that is just off of the mountain. I’m parked there.”

I nodded. I could do this. I was actually quite good with my magical abilities, but now I was nervous. This was my mate, and of course, I wanted to not mess things up. I looked up at Roman and thought about where we needed to go, and since he was not only holding my right hand but touching my cheek, I had more than enough contact with him to get us both down in the cabin below the mountain.

The room changed, and Roman’s eyes grew a little before they returned to normal.

“You aren’t hurt, are you?”

“No.” Roman dropped his hand from my cheek and turned his head. “Is it always going to feel like that with you?”

I bit my lip and tried not to laugh.

“That came out a bit wrong, I think. But with the hellhounds, you come out on the other side like you’ve been punched. With warlocks, it makes my stomach do flip-flops. With you though, it just felt like a bit of a tingling sensation.”

I smiled. “Well, it might not feel like that with other fae, but I think maybe it’s because you’re my mate. It is my understanding that we are very much like the warlocks of this realm. In fact, we were once here. I only know what we’re taught, but I can’t say exactly why it all feels different. We’re different species though, so maybe that’s it?”

Roman just grinned. “Possibly. Are you ready to see the house?”

It was my eyes that grew this time. “We’re going to your place?”

I could tell that Roman seemed a bit flustered at my comment. “I guess I didn’t specify, and I should have. I do apologize. I had intended on taking you to the house for our meal so we could talk uninterrupted. But I’d not call it my place. Ours. Master Edison showed it to me this morning.” Roman sighed. “That’s a somewhat long story and one best shared once we’re comfortable for a bit.”

Ours? “You want me to live there with you?” I closed my eyes and shook my head the moment the question was out of my mouth. “Of course you do. We’re mates, and mates live together. That was a dumb question.”

“No, it wasn’t. Just one not fully thought out. Not dumb though. How about I tell you a bit more about the house once we’re on our way there? It’s not far from here, actually.”

“Sure. You said Master Edison showed it to you this morning? So you live there?”

We started toward the door, and once more, Roman opened it for me. “I wouldn’t say I live there, but I do? I’ve been there long enough to unpack the things needed for our meal tonight and to have a shower and get changed. That’s it. Master Edison packed up all of my stuff from the cabin I was living in.”

Roman stopped next to a blue vehicle, and when he opened the door, I grinned at him as I climbed up into it. He closed the door, and I thought about what he’d just shared. He’d just moved? Today? We had a house? How was any of this possible? Once Roman was in the vehicle, I looked over at him, eager to ask him so many questions.

“What? You look like you’re about to explode.”

I smiled. “Did you need to move? I mean, that seems like a lot of trouble to go through just because you found your mate.”

Roman chuckled. “Yes, I did,” he told me as he started the vehicle. “I’ll show you the tiny little cabin I was renting from the pack alpha. It was just two rooms, basically. Three if you count the bathroom as a room. Sure, there would have been enough room for the two of us. But funny thing about mates: they rarely remain just two for long.”

I felt my face flush at what he was saying. He was talking about babies. Just two for long. He wasn’t wrong though. In our village, if and when you met your mate, there were no questions, no issues at all. You claimed each other, and that was that. A fertile period came shortly after and then a baby four months later. That was how we did things.

“You want kids?” I asked. “I mean, you already raised your brothers. Are you wanting to do that again?” He would certainly be experienced and know what to do.

“I wouldn’t say no to having children. Yes, I raised my brothers, but it’s a bit different. They’re my brothers, and although I love them as if they are my children, they’re not. I made it a priority to share with them just how amazing our parents were because they never got the opportunity to meet them.”

It was always sad. I was no stranger to death. My own parents, others in our village. Young, old, we’d lost many. Roman turned down a street that had houses on either side.

“What about you? Children? I know you just started the bakery. Are you wishing to hold off on starting a family? We’re supposed to be able to do that now. I’m not sure exactly how that works, so maybe it’s as simple as using protection during your fertile period. I didn’t think to ask Master Edison.” Roman pulled over to the side and pointed. “That’s the cabin that I lived in until this morning.”

I looked out the window before I turned back to look at Roman in surprise. “That place?”

He chuckled before he nodded. “I told you it was small. It would have been a bit cramped for the two of us, but I didn’t need much space. And I was used to living in small apartments with the twins.”

“It looks like our place in my village was bigger, and it was small.”

Roman laughed at that. I realized I was in trouble because his laughter did things to me. Fates, everything about the alpha did, but sadly, I didn’t really know how to do anything about it.

“That is why Master Edison had a conversation with me this morning. The neighborhood the house is in has nothing but other paranormals living in it. It’s gated, and there is plenty of room for a growing family. Or just the two of us if that’s what you wish. I won’t push for children. We have time, and it would make sense that you wanted to wait for a bit.”

I felt an ache in my chest at Roman’s words. The thought of not being with him completely, of not giving him children, caused that ache, and I didn’t like it.

“The house is bigger, then?”

Roman nodded. “Considerably. Four bedrooms, three bathrooms, a gorgeous kitchen to cook and bake in, a large room with a wall of windows that looked out back with a view of the national forest. I’m also told there are other fae that live in the neighborhood, but I’ve not met anyone there yet.”

It sounded wonderful, and I couldn’t wait to see it. “It’s close by?”

“Somewhat. Did you wish to see it?”

“I do. Is that all right?”

“Of course. If it turns out that you don’t care for it, I’m sure we can find somewhere else. I used to live up on Treasure Ridge when I was running the council’s store. I left once Monroe took over.”

“The fae alpha that runs the store?”

Roman nodded. “Yes. He’s been here around six months. He brought his two youngest siblings with him. His mate is also raising his siblings, but they’re teenagers, and after some struggles in the beginning, I’ve heard they’re a great help with the younger kids.”

I’d seen Monroe several times when I was at the council’s store. Several times he’d had a baby with him. She was a cutie and always happy. Would I be able to do that? There was a big difference between working in a store and running a bakery. Would I be able to use so much magic to run the bakery while still having energy left for any children Roman and I would have?

“You seem lost in thought. Are you having reservations?”

I slowly shook my head. “Not really, no. I was thinking about the few times I’ve seen Monroe at the store. More than once, he had a little girl with him. She couldn’t have been a year old yet.”

Roman nodded. “That was probably Ella. She is his and Oscar’s little girl. Monroe has a little sister, Maelie, but she’s a toddler, and I know that when Oscar isn’t watching her, they have her in the childcare center. Same for his little brother, Mason.”

“I understand you used to work with him, so my question is do you just remember people easily? I couldn’t tell you any of Monroe’s kids’ names. You just named three.”

Roman chuckled. “I’m good with names, yes. It helps when you have a classroom full of students and you need to call out one specific one. Add in that it’s not uncommon to have three or four classes a day, that can be quite a few students I need to remember who is who.”

Roman turned, then stopped. I looked ahead as he rolled down his window, and after he did something out the window, the gate in front of us slowly rolled open. You could see the houses through the fence, but it was a bit of a surprise to see such large houses. There were some that were bigger up on Treasure Ridge, and I quickly learned they belonged to the different created ones.

“This is where you live?” I asked as he pulled through the now open gate.

“Yes. You as well once you’re ready.”

I couldn’t pull my eyes off Roman. He glanced at me as he turned the vehicle again. “Did I say something wrong?” The vehicle slowed even more, and then it moved into the house. I learned that this was a garage, and it was normal for vehicles to be kept inside them.

I shook my head. “No.” There was nothing in the garage except the vehicle.

“No?” Roman asked before he turned off the vehicle. “That’s good. I don’t want to push too hard with you. I know your brother isn’t exactly happy about me, and I’m sure I have that coming with how I was with the twins when they met their mates. But I also don’t want you to ever think that I don’t want you or us. I absolutely do.”

I smiled. “Good. How about we go inside and do something about that, then?” I asked. Roman looked at me, and once again, I saw his eyes darken.

“You can’t mean what you’re implying. I’m trying to behave, Beau. I promised I would.”

“I’ve never even been kissed, Roman, so I know nothing about seducing an alpha,” I told him. “But that doesn’t mean I don’t want you. I do. In my village, we would have already been mated. We would have left together yesterday. That’s just how it works. Which is why Evan reacting like he did upset me as much as it did. I don’t want to wait, Roman. Will you claim me?” I was probably pushing things, and I absolutely didn’t know what exactly I was asking for beyond sex and exchanging bites. But Roman did, didn’t he? Would he turn me down? Would I be able to survive if he did?