Page 57 of Galaxy Between Us

“Knox, I’m fine,” he whispers at my back while I tug him up the steps to the bathroom.

I usher him in and close the door before leaning against it with my arms crossed over my chest. Defiant and in denial Ari faces me with a glare. I raise an eyebrow. He stares me down, but before he can utter a word of argument, his eyes bug and he dives down to hurl up his meal.

I knew it.

“You don’t need to prove anything to anyone.” I step forward and kneel down to comfort him through it.

“I do, though!” Arius argues between heaves, “I need to prove that I deserve a place by your side!”

He stands, and I acquire a damp cloth to clean him up with.

“You prove that every day, Ari,” I tilt his chin to dab at his mouth with the rag, “You’ll show them all what Omegas are capable of but take it easy before you stress yourself into an early labor.”

Shoulders dropping, he lets his eyes flutter closed with a deep breath of relaxation.

“I love you,” he whispers.

Tossing the cloth aside, I peck his lips.

“I love you, too. Come on.” I reach for his hand, guiding us back to the hallway.

A few steps out, Ari pauses. I glance over my shoulder, finding a reminiscent expression on his face as he peers into the ajar door of my childhood bedroom. My expression changes too as memories flood my mind. I grin tenderly at the square sign on the door that says, “Alphas Only” but right below it, the scribble of permanent marker reads, “+ Mom” and “+ Arius.”

Taking the sign’s permission, Ari steps in and I follow, flipping the light on which illuminates a flurry of stars painted across the ceiling.

“Hasn’t changed too much, has it,” I comment, glancing around at all my childhood keepsakes and a few patched dents in the walls from teenage tantrums.

“I don’t remember this.” Ari picks up a handmade wooden bowl from a shelf.

My heart thuds and my jaw tightens as he flips it over, reading the engraving from five years ago.

“Who is Juan?” Arius looks up at me for an explanation. I can’t help but chuckle at his immediate jealousy.

“An Omega I met a while back. Rumors were going around that I was an Alpha-lover, so I had to pick an Omega to crush on to prove them wrong,” I shrug my shoulder, plucking the misshapen bowl from his hands. Arts and crafts weren’t my strongest skill, and it shows.

“You never gave it to him?” Ari questions, less jealous and more inquisitive.

“I did. And he gave it back when we broke up.”

“Aw... Have you ever experimented with Alphas?” The question falls out of nowhere. Ari sounds genuine, but I snort, assuming he’s teasing.

“Hell no. Have you ever experimented with Omegas?” My question is rhetorical just to show how silly his was, but Ari answers honestly.

“Of course.”

I stare at my mate for a second, a little perplexed.

“Oh…”

He rolls his eyes and swats my chest.

“Stop picturing it, pervert!”

Grinning with guilt, I feign innocence. He did spend a lot of time cooped up with a ton of Omegas for years. Now I can’t not picture it. Ari shakes his head in amusement, scouring my bedroom for more things to reminisce about.

“What about other Alphas?” I ask, taking a seat on my old bed as he looks around. “Have you been with someone before me?”

“I’ve been with a Beta.”