"Roman, you don't…"
He silences me with a gentle kiss.
"It was a stupid idea."
"No," he sighs. "It wasn't."
"It was just a joke," I try weakly.
"Wren," he sighs. "You're not happy with me gone all the time. I can't stay home to make you happy. You need someone else."
"But you're my mate," I whisper.
"It's not unheard of for someone to have two mates. It's also not unheard of for Omegas to have an unmated companion."
"Are you sure?"
"Positive."
"No Alphas."
"Whatever you want."
"No. We agree on anyone."
"But…"
It's my turn to silence him with a kiss. "Don't you want a say on who you leave your mate with."
"Beta," he states. "Strong enough to protect you."
"Are you insinuating that an Omega isn't strong enough to be a protector."
"Let's get in there," he grins tugging me towards the bar.
The music and flashing neon wash over me as we enter, the crowd pushing in on us. Roman's arm slips around my waist as he steers me towards the bar.
"So how are we going to do this," he rumbles against my ear.
"This is your plan," I remind him.
"Why don't you take your sexy ass out on that dance floor and bring me back a candidate."
"Mmmmm," I hum, pressing one last kiss to his lips. "Only because you called me sexy."
I turn and walk straight into the chest of someone moving the opposite direction. They reach out to steady me and electricity dances across my skin causing my brain to spin. I immediately start to apologize blearily.
"Wren?"
"Yeah," I sigh, watching their hands jitter across my arms.
"You really have forgotten me," they growl.
"What," I ask, my brain struggling to keep up. Lifting my eyes, I meet familiar dark ones. Pulling back, I study their face. Suddenly everything clicks, my long-buried childhood rushing back, including my best friend. "Bo? Oh my Gods, it's been forever. You look…" My words die as something breaks inside of me, expands, and settles back into place. The man in front of me shivers as his hands tighten around me.
"Wren? Are you…"
Bo's eyes jump up from me to my mate behind me, all the air leaving him. I feel the same expansion run through me, this time muted, and I realize it is our mate bond. Breaking and expanding in the presence of Bo. The bond enveloping Bo into it with the both of us.
"You felt it too," I smile as Roman's arms wrap around me.
"Turns out we didn't need to search out anyone," Roman states. "He's beautiful."
"He always was," I sigh, studying the younger man. "Made all the girls envious. Now he's ours."
"Always?"
"We used to be neighbors before I…I left. He was my best friend then."
I reach for the man, needing to feel that he is real.
"No," Bo gasps back peddling.
"Wait, what," I blink, the after-shock tingles from the new mate bond trickling down my spine.
"I can't."
"Can't or won't," Roman asks calmly. His fingers slide along the other man's arm lightly.
"Don't," Bo whispers. "I won't take an Alpha's mate. I can't take an Alpha as a mate. I can't take anyone as a mate."
"Says…"
"Wren," Roman interrupts harshly causing Bo to visibly cringe. "Let's all go outside."
"So you can kill me," Bo questions.
"So we can talk without eavesdroppers," Roman states calmly. "And know that I would never hurt you."
"I've heard that before," the bitterness in the younger man's voice puts my teeth on edge.
"Bo," I sigh. "Please talk to us."
He stares back at us silently.
"You're making our mate anxious, Bo. I know you can feel it too. Please come outside."
"Don't Make me."
"I'm not making you. I'm asking you."
"I need space," Bo states hesitantly.
"Done," I agree.
Bo's eyes drift to Roman and the other man nods. "Lead the way. We will talk where ever you feel comfortable."
The younger man turns on his heel and marches from the bar, Roman and I trailing slowly behind.
"I know you're eager but you have to take it slow with him. He's terrified," Roman sighs against my ear.
"But why?"
"Hopefully, he'll tell us."
X
Bo settles under a large tree in the small patch of grass behind the bar. His back stiff against the trunk as it seems like he tries to blend into the shadows. His wide dark eyes sweeping his surroundings.
Roman stops us at the edge of the gravel. "Is this fine? We can go back further but I'd rather Wren not sit in gravel. Or I can move back as long as she stays on the grass. I prefer to stay near her if you don't mind but I know she's safe with you."
"It's fine," Bo nods.
"What happened to you, Bo," I blurt as I settle between Roman's legs, my back against his solid chest. Roman lowers his face to the nape of my neck, releasing an exasperated huff there.
"Patience is not Wren's strong suit," Roman smirks, raising his head.
"Never was. She would always be the one to flush the game out when we hunted. She could never wait." His eyes bore into mine through the darkness. "Why couldn't you just wait? You said you would wait for me. You left. Just one day you're gone."
"Bo, I'm…"
"You got your parents out of that swamp. The people you claim never cared. But me, you left me behind. Bray took me though. Deeper into the swamp and into a cage. He made me fight. When his soft Omega brother wasn't vicious enough he found other uses for me. He would breed me out during heats. The rest of the time he would pump me full of drugs so that I could still service his clientele."
"Bo, I didn't…"
"You didn't know because you didn't think about me."
"No, Bo. That's not it. I didn't leave. I was sent away."
I close the distance between us.
"Don't," Bo squeaks stopping me in my tracks.
"I didn't leave you, Bo. You were my best friend, my only friend. I didn't mean to forget you. I was just trying to move forward with my life. I couldn't think about my old life."
"Couldn't or didn't want to. You seem to have it pretty good now," Bo asks, eyeing Roman
"We've only been together three years. He took me from a not good place. That's years of…being forced to forget."
"You're scared and you want somewhere safe to hide," Roman breaks the silence that falls between us. "We can give you that."
"I can't bring Bray…"
"Do you honestly think he would think to search you out with someone you haven't seen in years? If you didn't know where to find Wren, why should your brother? The house is secure, I promise."
"I…"
"It's safer than sleeping on the streets tonight," I interrupt. "And…I know you don't owe me anything after…But I would feel better with my second mate near. You would have your own room. Privacy."
"My own room?"
"We have a couple guest rooms and the attic is partitioned off to make a few nests areas if you decide to stay longer than the night."
X
"Morning," I smile from the hallway outside Bo's room.
"Morning," he grunts.
"I brought you breakfast," I hold the plate up. "If you want, that is."
"Bought or made," he eyes me over his shoulder.
"Made," I smile.
"You don't cook."
"I've gotten better. I promise."
"Why are you standing out there," he asks turning towards me.
I chew on my bottom lip.
"Wren?"
"I don't want to scare you away," I whisper. "I don't want you to leave now that I've found you. I know I can't make you stay and I won't try but…I would do anything to make you comfortable. You don't want us close so we are giving you space. This is your room for however long you decide to stay here. We won't enter without your permission."
"This is your house."
"This is your room," I restate. "This is your space. If you want a nest, that will also be your space. We can wait until you willingly want us in your space. As much as I want to be near you, Bo, I will never enter your space unless you invite me.
He slowly approaches. "I can't take an Alpha's mate, Wren."
"Share not take. You're my mate too. You're his mate."
"No, I…"
"I felt our bond break and reform with you. You felt it too. I know you did."
"Roman…"
"What about him?"
"I need to have a discussion with him before I will commit to anything."
"He's in the dining room if you want," I smile, holding his plate to him again. "I think I'm going to curl up in my nest for a bit so I won't be an issue."
"I can see you are trying, I appreciate it," Bo smiles.
"I have missed you, Bo."
"Same, Songbird."
