AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Y-yes, sir?” I hesitantly say. I may be sporting a hard-on in my tight black jeans, but I can still sense disappointment when I hear it and don’t actually want Alex to be upset with me.
“I want to make something perfectly clear right off the bat. I’m addicted to you. And not just your looks or your body, though trust me, those too. Those conversations we had weren’t just the highlight of my week, they were the highlight of the last year for me. The last few years, honestly. It may be too soon, and way too sudden, but I’m falling for you in a way that’s kind of terrifying. And the last thing I’m thinking about is leaving you. In fact, I never plan to leave you unless you make me. You bring out this possessive side of me I didn’t know I had, and if I can hold onto you and never let go, I will. So, I’m not saying your feelings aren’t valid, but I want you to hear me, really hear me, and understand me. I can’t do better than you, as you put it, because lamb, you’re the best there is.”
I’m standing in my room, my eyes wet with unshed tears as I listen to Alex’s rambling speech. Everything he said shook me to my core, and my chest is tight with emotion. No one has ever made me feel the way he just made me feel right now.
“Zach?” Alex asks, sounding concerned, “Are you still there?”
I take a deep breath, realizing I haven’t been breathing this whole time. “I’m here. I’m sorry. I-I’m just trying to process.”
“Sorry, I probably took things too far. I didn’t mean to freak you out.”
I shake my head rapidly, even if he can’t see me. “No! I mean, you didn’t. It’s just no one ever said anything like that to me before. A-and, Alex, I feel the same way about you.”
I can practically hear the smile in his voice, “Yeah?”
“Yes. And you’re right, it’s terrifying. But I don’t want to give you up either.”
“Then we won’t. Regardless of anything else, we’re in this together. You and me.”
I smile as the tension begins to leave my body. He’s right. No matter what happens, it’s the two of us together, facing it.
“You and me,” I repeat.
“Good, lamb. Thank you for sharing. Now, let’s tackle your worries for the party.”
I groan but begin to talk. I won’t lie; I was completely shocked when Ev texted me a few days ago inviting me to a big New Year’s party his boyfriend Lake’s family is having. While we’re friendly at work, we never hang out outside that, so I couldn’t believe I was invited, and I told him that too. Ev texted me back saying he wanted to try and make a better effort to be friends, if I wanted to.
I appreciate that since I really don’t have a ton of friends, and I like Ev, and his boyfriends seem really nice too. It would be good to have some friends and a life outside of Alex since I can see myself quickly becoming obsessed. I asked him if Alex could come, and after some good-natured ribbing, he said of course. So, that’s how I got into this situation of having to be talked down from a full-blown panic attack by my almost, maybe, boyfriend.
By the time we are done talking, however, I feel much better and am excited for the party. Alex made me realize that we’re going to a place with good people who won’t judge. Even if things go completely off the rails, I’ll have Alex, who assured me again he was going nowhere. I know with him by my side, I’ll be able to relax a little bit, and maybe even enjoy myself.
Alex stays on the phone with me for a ridiculously long time, but he doesn’t sound annoyed or resentful. He doesn’t make me feel dumb or like I’m overreacting. He just keeps talking to me and discussing all of my concerns until I finally feel less anxious and ready to go. He does eventually hang up, though, as he has to finish getting ready, and even though I’ll be seeing him soon, I hate hanging up.
I meet him at his apartment since it’s closest to the train station. We’re actually going to Jersey for the party, which feels odd, but at least we’re going the opposite way of most of the crowds. The party is at Lake’s dad’s house, apparently. It’s a big deal and there’s going to be a ton of people, which is one of the reasons for my anxiety. I’m glad I’ll be going in with Alex though. I’ll let him handle the socializing.
Alex is looking sexy as hell. He’s wearing skin tight black jeans that leave very little to the imagination. I mean seriously, I thought my jeans were tight, but they’ve got nothing on Alex’s. Not that I’m complaining because damn, it’s a view. He’s paired the jeans with a gold cashmere sweater that highlights his muscular chest and arms. The sweater is so soft, too, and I just want to pet him. The whole outfit is topped off with black combat boots with gold laces and a gold strap that goes across the top. It’s so different than his black-on-black suit I’m used to seeing him in, and I love it. This feels more like the real him, even if he looks damn good in a suit. He’s wearing a gray wool peacoat over his clothes since it’s freezing out. I now have a new found obsession with peacoats after seeing him in it.
I’m extra glad I came with Alex when we walk up to the house. The place is filled to the brim with people. It reminds me of those movies where a teenager has a house party when their parents aren’t home and it’s complete chaos. Except, everyone appears to be an adult and there’s no keg stands in sight.
Before we walk up to the door, Alex takes my hand, and I breathe a sigh of relief. He cups the side of my face and kisses me gently. “You got this, lamb. I’m right here.”
I nod as I lean into his touch. He kisses me one more time before pulling away and leading me into the house.
* * *
Things are going surprisingly well.It’s not nearly as chaotic as I expected, and everyone is so welcoming. As soon as we arrive, Ev comes running up to us and begins to introduce us to everyone. We say hi to one of his boyfriends, Logan. Lake is talking to another man, who has to be his twin brother. I think I remember seeing that they’re identical in one of the articles when everything happened last year. And yeah, I can see that. If the other one had facial hair, I’m not sure I could tell them apart.
Ev smiles lovingly at his boyfriend. “Zach and Alex, you remember my boyfriend Lake?” We all say hi to each other. “And this is his brother River.”
River smiles warmly and shakes our hands. He’s clearly the more social brother and immediately begins chatting us up. He and Alex hit it off almost instantly. After chatting for a few minutes, a large man with dark hair comes up to our group from behind River and wraps his arms around the man, kissing the side of his head. River leans back into the embrace and tilts his head up, asking for a real kiss, which the large man gladly obliges. You can absolutely see the love between the two men and it warms my heart. Alex squeezes my hand.
“Guys, this is my mate and fiance, Cooper. Cooper, this is Alex and Zach, Ev’s friends and coworkers. We got engaged over the holidays.” River is beaming and waves his hand not so casually so I get a glimpse of a silver band around his finger. Cooper laughs at his fiancé, amusement and love shining in his eyes.
We offer our congratulations and shake Cooper’s hand, but my mind is still on the other thing River called Cooper. “Mate?” I blurt out with no other context before my brain catches up with my mouth.
Thankfully, neither man seems annoyed, and River smiles at me. “Yeah, I know it’s unusual, but it’s the best word to describe us. I’m not sure how much you’ve been following the changes that have been happening with this new Omega gene, but a lot of scientists believe fated mates may have returned, and as crazy as it sounds, Cooper and I believe that’s what we are to each other. It’s the only thing that makes sense, honestly.”
My heart is pounding as I process his words. I look at Alex, but he’s lost in his thoughts. I wonder if he’s thinking the same thing I am. Can we be fated mates? The connection between us is intense, and it felt immediate. I was drawn to him right away, like a moth to flame, and I can’t seem to stay away even if I want to. Does he feel the same way? Does he want us to be fated mates?
