I run my hands through my hair again, yanking on it hard enough to make my eyes water. I feel like a fool.
“Hey, Leo, you tryin’ ta pull start your brain or something? I may not be the one that went to the fancy medical school, but I don’t think it works like a lawnmower.” I smile up at Xan, he still has the spatula in his hand.
He has always been the jokester, the one who tries to make everyone feel better. And I appreciate him for that. He hides it well, but he’s smart enough to have gone through medical school. He just said it would be too much paperwork, and he would rather play with cars all day. I don’t begrudge him that, we are comfortable enough with the four of us, and honestly, I don’t think he has the temperament for it. He can be soft hearted, and losing a patient like I did yesterday, even though I saved another one..I think it would break him eventually.
“Do I smell smoke?” I pretend to sniff the air, in truth, I have been trying not to breathe through my nose since we came inside this house. Candice’s perfume is everywhere, and it is making my mind fuzzy.
“Shit! Fuck! Jacks is gonna kill me!”
Xan scrambles back into the kitchen.
“Oh you asshole, no, nothing’s burning,” he says with a smile, and I know he isn’t really angry. Jacks chooses that moment to come back out of the nest.
“Man, you better not be messing up the pancakes, those are the easiest thing to make. Can you keep on ‘em while I start the eggs and bacon?”
What is this, a restaurant?
Gabe. He’ll help!
He can help me sort out this whole thing–I’m not opposed to having an omega, but I don’t think any of us really planned for it anytime soon.
“Gabe, I need to talk to you, I fear I have something rather disconcerting to discuss with you.”
He raises his head where he has been staring at her iguana. “‘Sup man?” Ahh yes, my best friend and beloved pack leader, eloquent as ever, while I feel like I’m about to have an aneurysm.
Walking closer, I take note of the iguanas' large enclosure, heat rock, lamp, and ample water supply. I approve, she clearly takes good care of her pets. The aforementioned lizard is staring at me right now, and I wonder what it thinks of all these strange people in its house.
I wait until I am shoulder to shoulder to Gabe, keeping my voice low. “How are you doing, you look a bit vacant right now? Did you hit your head when you fell earlier?”
He lets out a loud bark of laughter causing the iguana to scuttle backwards and glare at him. “Nah, man, just…it’s hard to think in here, you know, I don’t know what it is…I feel like my brain is stuffed with cotton and I’m having a hell of a time not touching Candice. Just being close to her is driving me out of my mind.” He lets out a deep sigh. “I’m jealous of Jacks right now because she was curled up in his lap earlier, and I want that. I want her to snuggle against me, I feel like I need to comfort her and hold her and Ineedto fix her car, to make sure she stays safe.”
“Yes…and this is just a theory, I remember reading more about it in school, but I believe that Candice might be our scent match.” The color drains from his face.
“But, no, those…those are like super rare right? How? How would we even check that?” He looks almost desperate.
“Well, your initial reaction, for one. The bond blasted wide open and…” I gesture vaguely to my groin, which my scrubs are not hiding nearly enough. “Not to mention Jacks’ reaction to her. I’ve never felt this drawn to anyone, even before I smelled her today. Yesterday when I met her in the office, even with the full scent dampeners on I was…compelled is the only accurate word. I felt like I had to comfort her and take care of her. It was the most puzzling thing. But this, I think this is why”
Gabe swallows a few times, licks his lips. He seems to be having trouble speaking. “Shit…yeah. Hey Xan, come here for a minute. Not you Jacks, you're good, just keep cookin’.”
Xan ambles over, all loose limbs, I doubt he is feeling anything out of the ordinary. But if he does he hides it well. “Yeah boss?”
“Gimme your thoughts on Candice.'' Gabe has all the subtlety of a brick to the face.
“Just…wow. I don’t know what it is about her. I mean, Jacks is obviously already in love.” We all send a surreptitious look toward the Alpha currently dancing around in the kitchen to whatever song is playing in his head. “But yeah, she smells so good. I mean, my dick hurts cause…yeah. Hey doc, I know the commercials say if it lasts for more than four hours to see adoctor, but do you have any suggestions, cause it has been at least an hour now and don’t wanna have to go back to work like this.” He looks at me but keeps going.
“She seems sweet, but I haven’t really gotten to talk to her much. Kind of anxious. I just want to hold her, and snuggle up, and see if she is really as soft as she looks…I also really want to lick her, but that seems totally inappropriate so not even going there.” Gabe looks stupefied, opening and closing his mouth like a fish.
“So, I’m assuming that we all feel this way, and judging by how comfortable she looked against Jacks when we came in, we can guess that the feeling is mutual. I don’t think there is any other test needed really.” I turn to Gabe, and yes, he is still doing his best fish impression.
“But, but…I don’ know nothin’ about courtin’ an omega. I mean, if she’s ours, do we need to court her?”
Xan’s brows draw low, and aggression blasts his scent into the room. “What the hell, if sheisours, of course we need to court her properly. I mean, not doing so wouldn’t just be rude, it would be disrespectful. If your mom heard you say that, she would tan your hide.”
Gabe ducks his head, appropriately cowed.
Jacks has stopped dancing and is watching us all, indicating that we did not keep this as quiet or secret as I had hoped.
“Wait, we’re going to court her? So, we get to keep her?” He looks hopeful, his eyes brighter than I have seen in some years. We all turn to Gabe.
