Getting Close to the Omega (9 page)

and didn’t handle it as well as he should have. But he had no

right to upset you.”

“He’s never put me in my place as an Omega before,” Dean

said quietly, not sure how his comment would be taken.

Matthew was an Alpha too. But Matthew showed he was

staunchly on Dean’s side when he said, “Kane was wrong and

he didn’t show you any respect. No Alpha has the right to treat

any pack member like that, especially not an Omega.”

His statement made Dean curious and he couldn’t help but ask,

“Have you known many Omegas?”

“Not many, thank goodness,” And Dean felt a twinge of hurt at

Matthew’s comment. But the gentle giant seemed to know that

Dean had taken offense at what he had said.

He took Dean’s hands in his and said, “Sweetie, there aren’t

very many Omega’s left. There used to be. Every pack had

one when I was young. But they were abused badly whether

they were male or female. I always thought it was wrong, and I

did what I could to release the odd one I could find and get

access to. But over the years, I came across so few of them so

I figured that the Fates had not allowed for any more to be

born – because as wolves, the way we have looked after

Omegas, who should be the gentle heart of the pack, is just

appalling. I’m only sorry I couldn’t do more for the ones I did

come across.”

“Yeah, well, can I just say that I know what you’re talking

about, and can we leave it at that, for now?” Dean asked his

eyes pleading.

Matthew stared at Dean for the longest time, the pain in his

eyes evident, but Dean wouldn’t budge on this. They were

mates, destined to share everything and in time he might

share his own story with Matthew, but not today. He knew he

didn’t have the strength to do it today.

“I can’t do it today,” he whispered.

Bending to brush his lips over Dean’s knuckles, Matthew gave

his acceptance and then sat up. “Can we go and sit on your

couch?” He asked. “I think we should finish the conversation

we were having in the car.”

Dean felt his heart lighten. Matthew hadn’t pushed, although

the Alpha clearly wanted to. Matthew had let him say no, and

accepted it. Any last minute reservations he might have had,

about taking Matthew as a mate, disappeared in a puff of

smoke.

“I’d like that,” he said, and followed Matthew into his living

room. When Matthew pulled him into his lap, he didn’t

complain.

/~/~/~/~/

Normally an emotionally laid back type of man, Matthew didn’t

think he had felt so many different feelings all in one day. The

joy at Dean seeking him out, even if it was just for art supplies.

The pride he felt in Dean’s work, the way he handled himself

with Kane, and even the way he kept his house, which was

spotlessly clean. The punch to the gut terror he got when Dean

had been abducted and the overwhelming fury when he saw

those men with their hands on his mate. It had definitely been

a rollercoaster day.

But now he was sitting in his mate’s lovely home, with the

sweetest man in the world on his lap and somehow or other he

was going to convince Dean to let them exchange bites. Did he

want sex with it – hell, yes! But Matthew had the wisdom of his

years behind him and he was looking at the long term. Over

time Dean would trust him – and trust between mates was

vitally important.

The power of the mating bond couldn’t be ignored by either

one of them, and although Dean had come from an abusive

background, Matthew had to believe in the strength of a love

he hoped they would soon share, so that they could
both

overcome the problems Dean claimed to have. Matthew also

believed that Dean would come to trust him enough to have

sex with him one day, but it was more important for Matthew,

in the short term, that they claim each other. He just had to

trust that the sex side of things would resolve itself – quickly if

his stiff dick had any say in the matter, definitely eventually.

So yes, a lot of trust needed, and it was up to Matthew to

ensure that nothing he did would ever cause his mate to

distrust him.

Now it was time to get down to business. Learning what his

mate would be comfortable with, and where Matthew was

going to have to engage his years of control. Considering his

cock had been either semi-hard or full on ‘yes now’ since Dean

had walked into the living room of the pack house that

morning, he figured denial was something he was going to

have to get used to for a while.

“Okay little one. From what you’ve told me most of your

worries are sexually related. Is there anything else that you

might have concerns about if you claimed me?” Let’s get the

easy stuff out of the way first, Matthew thought to himself.

Dean was thinking hard, and Matthew found he appreciated

that. His little mate wasn’t going to give him any glib answers

– he was giving serious thought to them being mates. In an

almost unconscious gesture, Dean pushed his hand up under

the cuff of his shirt, and was rubbing his arm. Matthew wasn’t

sure why, but he decided to stay quiet and not distract Dean

from his thinking.

“Some of my worst abuse,” Dean said so softly that Matthew

strained to hear him. “Came from the Alpha of my old pack. If I

didn’t comply with his demands, he would use his Alpha power

until I was left a quivering mess unable to protect myself.

When I escaped I stayed away from packs, so I wouldn’t have

to deal with any Alphas.”

Dean looked up and Matthew took in the tight lips, frown lines

and gaunt expression. “When I found out my mate was an

Alpha I couldn’t help being scared. I know you would never

hurt me. My logical brain told me that over and over again. But

I have trouble with confrontation unless I am really emotionally

invested in the issue – like with Kane today. My anger at him

daring to question my decision to mate with you overrode my

fear. I don’t know what would happen if you use your Alpha

power on me at any time.”

Matthew sat quietly forcing down his anger at the Alpha that

had hurt Dean so much. Instinct told him that Dean would not

cope well with any show of anger from him right now, even if it

wasn’t directed at him. When he got himself under control, he

said as calmly as he could, “Little one, you do know that when

we mate, even if I unleashed all of my Alpha power at the

whole pack, and you were standing right next to me, you

wouldn’t be affected. Once we have bitten each other you will

be immune to mine, and any other Alpha power directed at

you. That is something that is unique to Omegas. You would

never have to submit again because you will be my equal

partner.”

“You’re shitting me.” Shock was a cute look on Dean. His eyes

were wide open, his lovely lips formed almost a perfect ‘O’ and

he almost lost his eyebrows under his hair.

“I wouldn’t
shit you
about something as important as that,”

Matthew assured him. “I’m surprised Kane never told you.”

“Kane might not have known about it,” Dean said, leaning his

back onto Matthew’s chest and Matthew curled his arms around

the strong slim body. He felt like he could hold his mate

forever.

“His home pack doesn’t have an Omega and neither do the

other packs we have links to. Shawn probably knew, but it’s

not like it was something that would come up in everyday

conversation,” Dean continued.

“Do you want to ring Shawn and confirm what I’m saying is

true?” Matthew felt he should offer. He wanted his mate to

trust him when he was ready. Not because he forced the issue.

But despite the abuse his sweet man had suffered in his past,

Dean showed him a lot of trust as he shook his head. When he

said, “No, I don’t need to. I trust you,” Matthew’s heart filled

with a warmth he had never felt.

“Does it make you feel any better though?”

Reaching up and putting his hand on Matthew’s face, Dean

said, “I’m sorry that it is even a question, because I should be

able to trust you completely. But yes, it makes me feel a lot

better.”

“Trust takes time, little one,” Matthew said as he felt his eyes

half closing when he leaned into Dean’s hand. “Even between

true mates, it takes time.”

“Your touch feels so nice on my skin, little one,” Matthew said a

long moment later.

“I have drawn you, you know, countless times. While I was in

my room at Kane’s. I dreamed of running my hands over your

gorgeous cheek bones, your autocratic forehead, that strong

nose and those sweet tempting lips,” Dean said quietly,

weaving a spell between them as his fingers followed his

words.

“Did you imagine touching anywhere else?” Matthew moaned,

as Dean’s fingers ran down his chin and softly caressed his

throat.

“Everywhere else,” Dean admitted. “Although I don’t think my

imagination did you justice.” He ran his fingers lightly over

Matthew’s muscle shirt, directly over the collar bone on both

sides. Matthew had never felt anything so exquisite in his life,

and he prayed that Dean wouldn’t stop, even though his pants

were going to get decidedly messy in about two minutes. The

sinful combination of scent, Dean’s weight on his lap and his

light, exploratory touch did more for Matthew’s libido than any

fully naked come-on from anyone else ever would.

“I don’t have any other concerns about our mating,” Dean said

almost absently as his fingers continued their investigations.

“And surprisingly enough, to me at least, I do want to have sex

with you. But Kane was right about one thing. No one has seen

me naked in almost five years, since the first time I shifted

when I came here. At times when it has been unavoidable to

shift in front of others, the men in the pack have respected my

need for privacy.”

“You’re worried about your scars,” Matthew said. Unable to

keep his head up any longer, he let it flop back on the back of

the couch, closing his eyes and letting the soft sensations of

Dean’s touch drive him quietly crazy.

“You should know nearly all of them are self-inflicted.”

For a moment Matthew thought he had misheard. His head was

floating. His body was pleasantly humming under Dean’s

careful touch. The man was currently exploring his abs and

obliques, and it was as though Dean was trying to memorize

every one of his muscles through touch alone. So when the

verbal bombshell hit his brain, he was the first to admit he was

a little slow to react.

“I don’t understand.”

Dean’s fingers hesitated for a moment, and Matthew’s heart

stopped. Then that soft touch started up again and Dean

continued his confession. “I used to cut myself. I don’t do it

anymore,” he said quietly. “I would hate you to think I’m

mentally unstable or anything. It was a coping mechanism that

helped when I was living on the streets and without a pack, or

any kind of emotional support. I stopped soon after Kane found

me.”

“It doesn’t matter to me,” Matthew managed to say. That part

was true. He would want to hear more about everything that

his little mate had gone through in his earlier years, but not

now. Not today. He didn’t think either one of them was ready

for that type of discussion. Matthew lifted his head and looked

down at Dean who was now straddling his legs and running

both hands gently down his arms, which had fallen against his

sides.

“You matter to me,” Matthew said. “One day you will share

your personal horrors with me, purely and simply because

eventually we won’t have any secrets from each other. You will

trust that I am strong enough to handle it, and that I will

comfort you when you need me to. Those things come with

time.” Matthew lifted his arms, encouraging Dean’s hands to

come back up to his shoulders. As though he couldn’t get

enough, Dean went back to tracing Matthew’s collar bone.

Matthew swallowed a moan and forced himself to keep