Chapter 9
Erik couldn’t believe his luck, but apparently Charles was actually interested in him, even without knowing his family history.
After messaging back and forth for a few days, he had slowly grown fond of the other man and his antiquated notions of chivalry that apparently extended to not asking about Erik’s bond. Or clear lack thereof.
Instead he got sweet comments asking about his day and how he learned to sew so well.
“This can’t be real,” he told Anya firmly five days after he sent that first text and only moments after he received an invitation to lunch the following day. “This is some kind of scam. Maybe he can’t afford Laurels and his hoping for a discount.” That was a reach. The alpha had been casually dressed, but his clothes were top of the line.
Erik would know.
Anya frowned at him seriously, “No!”
“Oh don’t side with him! You won’t get to go with me, you know? I’m not having you around strange alphas until I’m sure of them.” He promised.
“No! NO!!” she wailed.
“Maybe I am being a coward. Its lunch, if worst comes to worst I’ll just pay and leave.” He explained aloud.
“PaPA! NO!!”
He nodded decisively, “Alright. I’ll accept, but only if Anna-Marie can sit with you for an hour.” He conceded.
“Mree!” she flapped her arms energetically, knocking over the tower she’d been building. She looked at the pieces in shocked betrayal before holding her arms up to Erik and bursting into tears.
Erik scooped her up and rocked her gently, “Who wouldn’t want some of this?” he asked himself sarcastically.
But that didn’t stop him from getting a hold of Anna-Marie and tentatively agreeing to meet with Charles. “Nothing ventured, nothing gained.”
~~
The date was going well. Too well.
Erik was deeply suspicious.
Charles was funny, sweet, and well mannered. He had pulled out Erik’s chair for him even though they were only at a casual sandwich bistro. And his hands hadn’t wandered except to lightly touch Erik’s fingers where they rested on the table.
Erik was waiting for the other shoe to drop.
“So what do you do in your spare time when you’re not teaching?” Erik asked after letting Charles go on at length about his field of study. It was fascinating, or Charles made it so. Erik was also reluctantly pleased that the alpha wasn’t dumbing things down for him. He spoke to Erik like an intellectual equal, even without knowing about his former career and advanced degrees.
It was definitely a point in his favor.
Charles gave an embarrassed laugh, “You’ll think I’m secretly an old man but I like to go to the park and find chess partners.”
That startled a laugh out of him, “Charles, you don’t!”
“Hey, those hustlers are the only decent match I can find in this city,” he blushed.
Erik smirked, “Big talk.”
Charles’ eyes widened, “You don’t play?”
“Don’t I?” he teased.
“Are you any good?”
“No. I’m great.”
“Big talk.”
“Not really.” He said in a low voice, belly heating at the intense look in Charles’ eyes.
“What do you say we meet up at the park next time? You can show me what you can do.” The alpha asked, leaning in close and giving Erik a good scent.
Erik agreed before he realized they’d just planned another date. Somehow he didn’t mind, especially since the alpha kept suggesting safe, public areas like this was a proper courtship.
His mother would be over the moon if she caught wind of this. Some small part of him wanted to call her and gush about it, but he ruthlessly ignored that impulse.
“I"ll have to cancel if I can’t find a sitter.” He warned the other man, watching him closely for a negative reaction.
Charles just smiled, “That's perfectly understandable. I’ll bring us a lunch.”
“No, I will. I mean, you got this,” he gestured at their empty plates.
“Only because I asked you out,” he reminded him warmly.
“I’ll get lunch next time,” Erik said firmly. He hadn’t even meant to let Charles pay, but somehow he had. And even more bizarrely he didn’t seem to expect anything in return.
Erik was beginning to suspect he attracted creeps and Charles was breaking the mold.
The alpha smiled brightly, “I’m sure I’ll love whatever you bring. Can I walk you to the corner?”
And he still wasn’t pressing to know where Erik lived or set foot in his territory.
This guy couldn’t be for real.
~~
This might be a deal breaker.
Anya loved Charles.
That much was clear from the way she babbled to him as he and Erik walked side by side at the Farmers Market. She was in fine form, using all her words to rant about lord knows what.
There was enough hustle and bustle to keep her entertained but not enough to overwhelm her. He and Charles had been dating for a few weeks by this point and he had finally run out of excuses to put off introducing them properly.
He was unaccountably anxious about it and he could tell that Charles was nervous as well. Anya was the only one in a chipper mood. The thought made him smile.
“She likes small crowds,” he had explained to Charles when he asked the other man to meet them at the weekly open air market just a few blocks from their apartment. He desperately wanted Anya to be on her best behavior. He didn’t want to risk scaring the alpha away with one of her melodramatic fits.
“I’d be happy to meet you there.” Charles had grinned, looking far too pleased with himself for Erik’s comfort.
So here they were, looking like a family. It was nice.
Anya was intrigued by their new friend, Erik wondered if she recognized Charles’ scent from the few times he had embraced the man and come home smelling like him.
“Here, let’s sit,” he gestured to a bench and sank down, lifting Anya out of her carrier to sit on his lap. She immediately turned to look up at Charles with wide eyes and a gummy grin. “Hi!”
“Hello, dear,” he smiled. She blinked at him then held out her arms.
Erik swallowed a laugh at the look on the alphas face. “She wants you to hold her. You don’t have too.” He hastened to say.
Charles shrugged uncomfortably, “I don’t mind.” He scooted his hands under her arms and lifted her like she was made of bone china. He held her slightly away from himself, desperately trying not to panic, drop her, or make her cry.
Erik watched them, looking deeply amused.
Anya kicked his thighs with her tiny sneakers and squealed at the top of her lungs before bursting into laughter.
What the hell did that mean?
“She likes you,” Erik smiled widely, seeming very impressed. Charles felt the vice of anxiety release his lungs. “She doesn’t really like anyone but me and her sitter.”
“Well clearly she’s an excellent judge of character,” he joked, feeling like he’d passed an exam he hadn’t been able to study for.
Erik looked him over with soft eyes, “Yeah. She’s not so bad.” he showed Charles how to tuck her against his side to sit between them.
It might not be a deal breaker after all.
~~
Several weeks and masterful chess games later, Erik had to admit that Charles was legit. They had only gotten as far as hand holding and a kiss on the cheek and he was head over heels. It wasn’t that that they lacked attraction, they had it in spades.
But they both seemed to want to take things slow. Having a child in the mix made it immediately serious in a way neither man was used to. Besides, their conversations, especially their disagreements were so intense, Erik didn’t see how they could make it through knotting without forming a bond.
Just the thought sent a shiver down his spine.
“I’m screwed. What if he’s just playing the long game? What if he’s just amusing himself with a summer fling?” he asked Anya worriedly, slumping down next to her on the floor.
She looked up from her dolls, concerned by his demeanor “Papa sad?”
“No, sweetie, I’m not sad. I just want to make good choices for us.”
“Papa good,” she reassured him, patting him on the cheek with one tiny hand. He cracked a smile. “Thank you, honey. I try.”
“Charoos?” she asked curiously. She really was fond of the alpha, as evidenced by the fact that she'd let him wear her the other day on the way home from the park after Erik tripped and strained his wrist.
Charles had happily agreed and let Erik get them safely situated with Anya tucked against his chest. She had immediately stuck her nose against his neck and taken several deep breaths before settling and falling into a light doze. Charles had held her so gently, supporting her back with one hand and holding Erik's uninjured hand with the other.
It was a good look on the alpha and had certainly given Erik daydreams about bonding and more kids down the line. And his current existential crisis.
He nodded at her request, “We’ll see Charles soon. Apparently neither of us can stay away.”
“Charoos!!” she yelled in his face.
He sighed; they clearly needed more work on the concept of inside voices. “Exactly, dear.” Besides, he had to admit he felt that same level of excitement when he knew he’d be seeing the handsome alpha.
The only man he’d ever truly considered to be ‘his alpha’ the only man he’d ever wanted to claim him in a proper bond.
He knew he could never live with Charles the way he had lived with Sebastian, he would feel raw and incomplete. The way he felt each time the alpha left his side to return to his own home.
Charles had been more than clear in his intentions this entire time. He wanted Erik as his mate.
Even after finding out about his workaholic ways, Anya’s adoption, his father’s health struggles, and his half baked launching of what turned out to be a premier maternity clothing line, the alpha was infatuated with him.
It was a heady experience and one he didn’t think he’d tire of. He took a moment to really think about the implications of Charles asking him to bond. The thought held more than a bit of appeal.
In fact, he felt sure that if Charles didn’t ask for his bite, he’d be devastated. When had that happened? “I’ve got it bad,” he finally admitted to himself.
Anya turned her head and sneezed directly into his mouth then nearly died laughing at his horrified gagging response. At least he’d have someone to share these moments with he mused as he rushed to the kitchen and chugged a ginger ale to get the taste out of his mouth.
Charles seemed more than willing to eat a few sneezes on his behalf, which is more than he could say of any other alpha he’d ever met.
He cast Anya a baleful eye, “How do you feel about having an daddy to infect?” she chortled, still pleased with herself. He couldn’t help but smile at her antics, “Good. Me too.”
~~
“So you’re going to ask him to bond, right?” Raven asked for what must be the millionth time.
“Of course I am,” he swallowed convulsively, waiting to hear back from Erik. They had made plans for him to come to Erik’s with plans to stay the night. He was just waiting for his boyfriend to put the baby to bed before heading over.
She gave him an unimpressed look, “You’d better, this guy sounds like your perfect match but better dressed.” She was shopping on Laurel Designs, having fallen in love with the items Charles had presented at her shower just hours prior.
Her friends had been just as enamored with the designs and she wasn’t about to be left out of the fashion find of the year just because she was the last of their group to have a kid.
She tried to convince herself that she wasn’t jealous of the gorgeous omega in the pictures. It was hard to believe that shoulder to hip ratio wasn’t photo shopped.
“Yeah, he’s amazing.” Charles agreed softly.
Raven sighed, tired of waiting him out. “Then what is it? The baby? You never minded adoption before,” she reminded him snarkily, hiding her hurt behind harsh words. The thought that her beloved adopted brother wouldn’t feel comfortable raising a child not his own stung her deeply.
Fortunately he looked shocked by her words, “What? Raven, no! Anya is the icing on the cake. She’s a precious little girl that I’d love to call my own.”
Thus mollified she gave him a warm smile, “Then what is it?”
“I’ve just never felt this way before. It’s overwhelming.”
She had to agree, her bond with her mate was so intense it was unreal, it had gotten even deeper now that they were expecting their first child.
“You know what would help with that?”
Charles guessed playfully, “Bonding?”
She smirked, “Sure, that too. But I was thinking of a word that starts with K.” she laughed at his mortified expression. “So you haven’t slept with him yet? He must be special if you’re holding out this long.”
Charles cleared his throat. He wasn’t exactly known for being chaste, but he’d never been with an omega he wanted on such a primal level before. He didn’t trust his ability to knot Erik and not bond with him and he certainly wasn’t going to risk that without a proper agreement beforehand. “He really is.”
“Good, you need someone to keep you on your toes. Now, do you think I could pull off this oxblood nursing cover or would it wash me out?”
Charles looked at her like she was speaking Greek, or like he’d prefer it if she were. She sighed. “Please just get his sorted with Erik so I can just ask him for his clearly superior fashion advice.”
Charles phone chimed. He glanced at the screen and stood to go, pressing a kiss to her forehead, “Will do love. Wish me luck; he said I can head over.”
“Good luck!” she decided to order cover in all seven colors. She loved to support small, omega run businesses so it was money well spent she decided happily.
~~
Erik opened the door to see Charles standing in front of him. "Hello."
"Hi."
"I'm glad you could make it."
"Thank you for asking me."
"We were heading here all along, weren't we?"
"Yes. I knew from the moment we met that you were the omega for me."
"Baby not withstanding."
Charles shook his head at that, "I only cared that you were unbonded so I still had a chance with my perfect man."
He chuckled, "good answer."
"True answer."
Erik sighed, "so."
Charles took his hand and looked up into his eyes, suddenly serious "Erik, I hope you didn't invite me over just for a knot. You mean to much to me for this to ever be casual. I'll be honest. I don't think I can be intimate with you without marking you and claiming you as my own."
Erik licked his lips at his words and the heat in his eyes. He knew the instant Charles caught his scent from the way the alpha tensed and swayed towards him. "Good. I've never been one for casual sex simply because of the risk of an unwanted bond. I've never been with an unsuppressed alpha." he admitted softly, stepping into Charles' space and wrapping his arms around his neck.
Charles growled low in his throat, "you're not suppressed." A statement of fact.
Erik shook hid head. "I quit a few months back, there was no need to be on them constantly when I wasn't living with an alpha. I didn't see the point."
"It should be illegal for you to hide your scent. You truly are perfect." He scented Erik one last time and held him tight around his slim waist. "Be my bond mate?" He asked, trembling with nerves. Fearful and hopeful in equal measure.
Erik's heart stuttered in his chest. He had never taken himself as a romantic, but hearing that question from the alpha he loved struck a nerve. He blinked tears out of his eyes and stepped back to take Charles' hands in his, wanting to remember this moment forever. "Yes. I'd be honored to enter a bond with you."
Charles pulled him into a passionate kiss, more intimate than any they had shared before. They made their way to the bedroom, ready to start their happily ever after.
~~
Erik was exhausted and very, very satisfied. He owed Anna-Marie a hundred bucks. She’d been spot on about what he’d been missing for so long.
He’d certainly be walking with a limp to prove it.
“Hey you,” he heard from the doorway. He looked up to see Charles watching him with warm eyes.
“Hey,” he smiled and rolled over, relishing the way his mate watched him with hungry eyes. He stretched to entice him, knowing all too well that the other man had class this morning “Do you have to go?” he pouted.
Charles’ eyes narrowed possessively, “Are you kidding? I called off for the week. We aren’t going anywhere.” He growled, stalking to the bed to pounce on Erik and cage him between his muscular arms.
Erik was stunned and more turned on that he’d thought possible. Not leaving the bed for a week was certainly an appealing prospect. Though Erik knew that wasn’t feasible with Anya to care for, it was a lovely thought.
Charles smirked like he read his mind, “Do we have time for another round before she wakes up?”
Erik pressed his fingers to the fresh bite on his own neck with a groan that had Charles’ pupils dilating.
“Only one way to find out.”
Turns out they had time for two.