Isaiah whispered so quietly Dean had to lean down to hear him.
“It just means he… it’s a sign… that… he’s getting older.” Isaiah clasped his hands over his mouth and peered around the room anxiously, as if worried Silas was going to appear from nowhere and take his tongue.
Dean blinked as he digested the information. He could understand Isaiah’s reaction. Silas was prickly about his age. To put it mildly. Even when the pack teenagers mentioned bands or slang words he didn’t know, he locked himself in his room to frantically google everything and catch up. He hated feeling old.
Dean’s thoughts slowly turned to other implications.
“It’s perfectly normal?” he asked, needing to clarify.
Isaiah nodded.
“Does he know?” asked Dean. He was quite certain that Silas would hate any sign that he was aging and be upset about it.
The omega shrugged. “He hasn’t said anything to me. I don’t know if he grew up with any older male omegas. Even if he did, they might not have told him. It’s very private.”
Dean thought for a moment. “He’s only twenty-nine.” It wasn’t old by anyone’s standards.
Isaiah shrugged. “Biology is weird. Nesting instincts kick in around thirty.”
“Nesting?” repeated Dean weakly as he looked around his remodeled bedroom. It did look very cozy. Nesting was a good word for it. Being with Silas through his heat amongst all the fluffy cushions wouldn’t be terrible.
“What do I need to do?”
“Nothing,” answered Isaiah. “Just don’t mess up the nest or try to stop him from making one.”
“Wouldn’t dream of it,” said Dean earnestly. Trying to stop Silas from doing anything was usually a dangerous idea.
Isaiah giggled and the sound relaxed Dean a little. Everything was fine. Silas was fine.
“You know he wants pups?” said Isaiah, sobering suddenly and fixing Dean with a determined glare.
Dean ran his hand through his hair. “I know. I do too. Just not yet.”
Isaiah put his hands on his hips. “You’re not getting any younger.”
Dean stared back in shocked outrage, feeling his jaw literally drop. Then he remembered that Isaiah was ridiculously young, like twenty-two or something. Dean had also thought people in their mid-thirties were ancient when he was that age. Even though it was nothing for a shifter.
“At least agree if you are going to ask one of the pack women to bear you a pup or adopt. Silas doesn’t bring it up anymore because you squirm so much,” accused Isaiah.
“Is that why…” Dean trailed off and gestured at the nest.
Isaiah shrugged. “I think it’s part of it, unsatisfied hormones from not looking after pups and stuff.” The omega looked up at Dean earnestly. “Cyrus is the best thing that has ever happened to me. I just want you two to be as happy as me and Zayne are.”
Dean smiled and ruffled Isaiah’s hair affectionately. The little omega was probably right. Dean had been terrified of becoming a pack leader, convinced he would be terrible at it and it had all turned out well. It was likely his anxiety over making a terrible father was probably unfounded as well. With Silas at his side, he felt like he could tackle anything.
“Okay, I will talk to him,” agreed Dean.
Isaiah beamed happily at him. Dean turned his thoughts to the here and now. Silas was nesting and would be upset if he realized it was to do with… maturing. Dean stared at the nest.
“Do I pretend not to notice it?” he wondered aloud. Feeling a little helpless.
“I think you should compliment it and say nothing more.”
Dean turned to look at Isaiah. “I think you are very wise.”
The omega beamed at him and Dean smiled back. “So, we never breathe another word of this?” Isaiah grinned and held out his pinky. Dean chuckled as he gave his first pinky promise since childhood. Now he just had to hope Silas didn’t realize nesting was a sign of getting older.
Chapter nine
