Chapter 5 Part 1

Leon had pulled on his shorts and a bathrobe and quickly made his way down the steps, Mark peeked out from the kitchen his hands were full. “I just poured the eggs, I’m sorry Leon.” He apologised.

“It’s fine not your fault.” he said as he annoyingly opened the door not bothering to see who it was that was interrupting his alone time with his mate. There stood an annoyed and angry looking old tiger behind him stood his caretaker and secretary who was looking very apologetic. “Grandfather, what brings you here this time of the day, unannounced.” He asked.

“I came to speak with you, what is this I hear about you and Cathleen breaking up? And worse it’s over some Omega slut that you had a one night stand with?” He said angrily, poking his chest with every other word. Leon took a deep breath, his grandfather had clearly started to look into things.

“Grandfather, I broke up with Cathleen over the fact that she was cheating on me with my good friend’s husband and from what I later found out it was an ongoing three year affair. Atop of it all we never were going to end up together.” He told him calmly. 

“Don’t give me that! She would have ended it if you were serious! But you never are, now are you?” He shouted. “Where is that Omega slut? I have some words for him.” He said, trying to push past Leon.

“You know she sure as hell wasn’t going to. Also his name is Ethan and I do not appreciate you speaking ill of my mate!” Leon growled back, not letting him pass. 

Ethan who had heard the shouting had walked out of the room, unable to hear what Leon and the other person were shouting about. He let curiosity get the better of him and he came down the hall worried. Standing at the top of the steps he could see an older Tiger in the doorway. His head snapped up the instant he noticed him and he glared, making him jump, and then he was suddenly assaulted by angry Pheromones.

“YOU! WHORE BOY! GET OUT OF THIS HOUSE NOW! YOU DO NOT BELONG HERE! YOU FILTHY OMEGA SLUT!” His grandfather yelled using his Alpha voice. 

Ethan froze and then bolted back to their room Leon panicked, if he ran to Ethan now his grandfather would let himself in and not leave till Ethan did, and Ethan was scared he needed him. His blood boiled in rage at his grandfather who should have known better who had just assaulted his mate with pheromones.

“Ethan is not leaving! But you can leave now, old man and don't think I won't be telling Grandmother exactly what you just did today.” He said, slamming the door in his face. He locked the door and looked at Mark who had witnessed the whole thing.

“I’ll keep breakfast warm and I’ll not answer the door.” He said faithfully.

“Thank you.” Leon said as he rushed up the steps. He found their bedroom door locked and the clear smell of distressed Omega pheromones wafted all around. He tried the baby’s room and the door connecting to their room were both thankfully, were unlocked. “Ethan? Sweetie? It’s Okay he’s gone.” He said walking in and looking around for him. The bed was empty and then he checked the closet and still didn’t see him. “Ethan?” He said looking to the balcony, but it was empty he peered into the bathroom, it too was empty. He looked back to the bed and noticed that the blankets had been pulled to one side of the bed, not just thrown to the side. Walking over to the side he peered underneath and found Ethan curled up in a ball wrapped in the blankets. “Oh Ethan my little birdy, it's okay, come here.” He said reaching a hand out to him he used his own calming pheromones to call out to his frightened mate. Ethan peered out from the blankets, his eyes were pink as he had been crying. He cautiously took Leon’s hand and let himself be pulled out from under the bed and into his warm waiting arms. “I’m so sorry about my grandfather, I don’t know how he heard about you but this was not how I wanted you to meet.” He said, cradling him in his arms.

“I just, I never had anyone do that.” He admitted as he sniffled burying his face into Leon’s shoulder and taking in his calming pheromones. 

“He’s a stubborn old fool and if he thinks for a minute I’m not telling grandmother about his behavior he is wrong.” He told him. “You are my precious mate and you are not going anywhere, I’m going to protect you.” He moved and lifted him up and sat them on the edge of the bed, it made him so angry that his grandfather had terrified him. 

Ethan slowly calmed down taking in his mate’s words and his calming pheromones. Slowly letting go of the blanket he instead put his arms around Leon and held him tightly. He had other Alpha’s use their pheromones on him but never anything like that, never in anger, it was usually in domination. He’d also never experienced such warm and calming pheromones either from an Alpha before. “Promise?” He mumbled into his shoulder.

“I promise you I will, even if it is from my own family. I know others might not accept us right away, but if I had to do it over a hundred times the only change I would make would be to take you home sooner.” He told him as he gently rocked him in his arms.

“You are the only one I have ever wanted to stay with forever.” He admitted. 

“I love you Ethan.” He whispered. 

“I love you too Leon.” Ethan responded instantly.

“Would you marry me Ethan?” He asked, partly to distract him and partly because he wanted to know the answer.

“Of course I will, but is this how you really want to propose?” He asked seriously.

“Mmmn no not really, but I needed to ask… I want you to know how important you are to me.” Leon told him. 

“I already know, I also know that we’re very compatible.” He said feeling a blush creep across his cheeks.

He’d seen the mark while changing yesterday and it was still there. He had noticed his own mate mark on Leon while they were in the shower and he was washing his back. The blue black and white feather that matched his own stood out against his orange fur right where they were supposed to appear. He had used a mirror and found Leon’s mark, a pair of tigers ears, above his tailbone above his feather imprints. He’d not said anything about it to Leon but it had honestly made him happy. They wouldn’t be permanent until after they were permanently bonded but they were there as proof that they were compatible at the least, the longer that they lasted the more likely they were fated mates.

“Oh? And why is that?” Leon asked, peeking at his face curiously.

“Cause they showed up in the first place?”

“They showed up?” He asked confused for a second, then he pushed the blanket off him and lifted his shirt and saw exactly what he meant, mate marks. Ethan sported a pair of tiger ears that he hadn’t noticed, maybe because he was trying not to tempt himself by looking at his mates sexy ass that had gotten fuller in the last week. “Oh I see now.” He said with a smile, his fingers gently caressed them and Ethan squirmed atop of him. He wanted to do so many bad things to him but the doctors all had told them that it was best they didn’t yet. He let his shirt go and looked at his mate with a smile. His stomach growled, reminding them that they hadn't had breakfast yet. “Let’s dry your hair and then go get breakfast.” He said noticing his hair was still damp.

“Alright.” He said with a sigh, he usually let his hair dry naturally but Leon worried he’d catch a cold even though it was summer. 

Leon carried him into the bathroom and dried his hair with the hair dryer careful of his feathers. He then got dressed as Ethan went down to get breakfast, he looked and noticed the feather mark above his own tail and thought back to when Ethan had bitten him, it must have been the other day when he’d gotten overly possessive over him. It had been just a play bite, nothing harmful just like how he had done the same in the bathtub earlier. He sighed thinking about their conversation earlier and how he might have to push back introducing him to the rest of his family, but they would find out soon either way. Ethan was right, they had to rip the band-aid off and just hope for the best. The best way would be to announce that they were expecting something his grandfather didn’t seem to know about. His first phone call was going to have to be to his grandmother. He grabbed his phone and dialed the house as he walked down the stairs.

“Leon, how is my favorite grandson?” Her friendly voice answered. Leon always like his grandmother, she was a Tiger and an Omega.

“I would be better just hearing your voice, but grandfather was just here.” He told her. 

“Oh? I knew he went out early but I didn’t think he was going to see you. Usually when he leaves here annoyed like that, it’s because of your brother.” She said. “What did he say?”

“You are the first person in the family that I am  telling this to. I found my mate, he is the best thing that has ever happened to me and grandfather doesn’t approve because of his previous line of work.” He told her. He told her everything about Ethan and how they had met and how he had felt. He watched Ethan happily eating in the kitchen from the livingroom and it made him smile.

“I see, so he is your choice even knowing what he used to do he makes you smile even when he’s doing nothing.” She said with a knowing tone. 

“Yes, and he’s pregnant, Friday we might be able to see what we are having.” He told her. “It is mine, there is no doubt about it, but today he came here and knowing only the basics he told me to get rid of him, and when Ethan came out he not only yelled at him but he used his pheromones to attack him.”

“HE WHAT? How dare he! I am going to have some words with him if he dares show his face here tonight.” She said angrily. “I don’t care if he gets mad at you, but doing that to a poor Omega? No, no, no, that is not the way to do things, I hope he likes sleeping on the couch till he apologizes.” 

“Thank you for understanding Grandmother, I do worry about his back though. In the meantime I’m going to send you some pictures later and Friday I’ll also send you the sonogram photos.” He promised.

“It’ll teach him a lesson to have a sore back for a day or two, but thank you for being honest and telling me, so are you going to get married before the baby is born?”

“I want to, but it’s going to have to be small this year, next year we can do something bigger.” He said knowing she’d want to have something big she would want to show off not only her grandchildren but her great grandchildren.

“Good, good let him get used to everything and then we’ll have something bigger and your little one can be part of the vow renewal next year.” She said happily. “Now I’ll let you go but I expect those pictures today, and I look forward to meeting him even if it’s just me.” She told him.

“We’ll make a date, unless you want to join us Friday, I am going to bring him to mom’s for dinner Friday, or that’s the plan right now.” He said unsure of things.

“Your mothers will love him, so will your sister, your brother, he’s questionable, he always has been a bit of a wild card. I’ll be there Friday either at your place or Naomi's.” She told him. “I would love to meet your mate, and you let him know that.” 

“I will, love you Grandmother.” He told her.

“Love you too.” With that he hung up and walked up behind Ethan and hugged him.

“Who was that?” Ethan asked, leaning into him slightly.

“My grandmother, she’s making grandfather sleep on the couch till he apologizes to you. That is after she yells at him for what he did wrong.” He said, kissing his forehead. He then used his thumb to brush some crumbs off his cheek. “She would like to meet you, she is an Omega herself.” He told him.

“Oh, well ummm.” Ethan fidgeted with the spoon in his hand, he looked at the yogurt with the fresh berries he'd been eating and took a deep breath. “Band-aid needs to come off right?”

“I know Grandfather has scared you, but you're right, the band-aid needs to come off. Can we still have dinner with my mother’s and just my grandmother on Friday?”

“What about your siblings?”

“If you want them to be there then they can come.”

“Then let’s do it, Friday is three days away, we have to do this even if it takes time to be accepted.” 

Leon kissed the top of his head and let him go so he could sit down next to him. “Even if they don't, I'll always stay with you.” He told him. Ethan nodded and went back to eating, a bit slowly but he was hungry and he knew if he didn’t Leon would worry and that was the last thing he wanted to do.