Kitchen and Dock

Inside the bustling lake house, Alex slammed another casserole dish onto the counter. The scent of fresh-baked cookies and savory dishes mingled with the chatter of pack members dropping off their contributions.

"This goes in the fridge." Alex snatched a pasta salad from an older Omega's hands. His jaw clenched as he remembered Brandon's earlier threat.

The kitchen counter disappeared under an array of potluck dishes. Alex sorted them with aggressive efficiency - hot dishes near the stove, cold ones in the refrigerator, desserts on the separate table by the window.

"Watch it!" Blue ducked as Alex whipped around with a stack of paper plates.

"Sorry," Alex muttered, though his tone held little apology. He focused on arranging supplies into neat piles, trying to ignore how his hands shook with leftover anger.

"Need a hand?" Blue surveyed the enormous amount of food.

Alex glanced up, his brow furrowed. "Sure, if you can keep up." He thrust the stack of plates toward Blue. "Start an area for plates and utensils"

As Blue arranged the plates, he stole sidelong glances at Alex's lithe form darting around the kitchen.

Alex had swapped his yoga clothes for tiny denim shorts that hugged his curves and a baby blue tank top that clung to his chest. Blue's eyes traced the smooth lines of Alex's exposed shoulders, following a bead of sweat that trickled down his neck. The Omega's blonde hair caught the kitchen light, creating a golden halo effect that made Blue's breath catch.

"You're staring," Alex said without looking up from his preparations on a veggie tray.

Blue cleared his throat, shifting his weight. "You look like you're about to commit murder instead of chop carrots."

The words came out all wrong. His fingers tightened around the stack of plates, fighting the urge to tell Alex how the sunlight caught his hair just right, how his determined focus made him radiate a fierce beauty that drew Blue's gaze like a magnet. Instead, he busied himself with arranging utensils, sneaking glances at Alex's graceful movements as he worked.

Alex's knife hit the cutting board with precise, aggressive chops. "Maybe I am." He paused, his fingers tightening around a knife. "Someone has to make an effort around here." His voice dripped with bitterness. "Especially with that Omega parading around, distracting everyone."

Blue stepped closer to the counter, his voice softening. "Sometimes we can't control who we're drawn to. A scent hits you and..." He swallowed hard, watching Alex's profile. "Brandon and Zack will have to figure out their connection on their own."

Alex's shoulders tensed. "What would you know about it?"

Blue moved behind Alex, his chest nearly brushing against Alex's back as he reached for the packet of napkins on the counter. The Alpha's warmth radiated through the small space between them.

"More than you think." Blue's voice dropped low, his breath ghosting across Alex's neck. "I understand exactly what it's like to catch someone's scent and not be able to get them out of your head."

Alex's breath caught, his head turning, his brown eyes meet Blue's green ones. The air between them crackled with unspoken tension. His knife paused mid-chop, his surprise evident in his raised brows. This sudden proximity, the warmth, the whisper—it sent a shiver down Alex's spine. He felt something stir, something he'd squashed down years ago when it came to Blue.

"What are you saying?" Alex a confused look on his face.

Covering for his forwardness, Blue stepped back, his shoulders slumping. "I mean, look at how Zack acts around Brandon. That pull, that intensity - it's something else." His voice wavered as he arranged the package of napkins beside the plates, keeping his eyes down.

Alex slammed a bundle of celery on the cutting board next. "Of course. Everything's about perfect Brandon." He attacked the celery, bits of leafy tops were shown no mercy. "How he moves, how he smells, how everyone falls at his feet."

"That's not what I-" Blue ran a hand through his dark hair, his earlier courage evaporating. "I just think maybe we should give them space to figure things out."

"Space?" Alex's laugh held no humor. "They're practically joined at the hip already. Did you see them this morning? During yoga?" His fingers clenched around a serving spoon. "The way Zack couldn't take his eyes off him?"

Blue shifted his weight, fighting the urge to reach for Alex. "You and Zack have history but-."

"More like I'm history!" Alex's voice whisper-shouted. "What good is history when that Omega walks in and Zack forgets anyone else exists?"

The kitchen fell silent except for the clunk of Alex's knife on the cutting board as he continued getting a veggie platter together. Blue's earlier words hung unspoken between them, his chance to express his feelings slipping away like water through his fingers.

Blue let out a slow breath. "I'm saying Zack's been through so much. The car accident that killed his father, the burns, the memory loss, and whatever the hell happened at the Toft Gala-"

"Of course you'd defend him." Alex whirled to face Blue, eyes blazing. "You don't understand what it's like, having someone you care about taken away right in front of you. Who doesn't even realize how amazing you are."

Blue's heart clenched at the raw pain in Alex's expression. He stepped closer, lowering his voice. "Alex, I—"

"Blue," Zack's voice echoed through the kitchen, pulling Blue away from his speech. "You got a minute?"

Blue's gaze flickered to Alex, who was staring at Zack with an almost palpable longing. The tension between them still hung in the air, unresolved and heavy. Blue nodded, a lump forming in his throat as he stepped away from Alex.

The two Alphas navigated through the bustling house and out onto the front porch. The lake shimmered under the midmorning sun, its surface rippling with gentle waves. They made their way down to the dock, a comforting silence settling between them.

Once they reached the end of the dock, Zack turned to Blue, his blue eyes reflecting the calm of the lake. "I wanted to talk about yesterday."

Blue swallowed hard and nodded, preparing himself for whatever Zack had to say.

"I'm sorry I knocked you on your ass," Zack said with a straight face.

Blue blinked at him, surprised by Zack's blunt apology. Then he burst into laughter. "You knocked me on my ass? I remember it differently." His voice was light, teasing.

Zack raised an eyebrow, a smirk tugging at his lips. "Oh yeah? How do you remember it?"

Blue crossed his arms over his chest, grinning. "I remember you tapping me on the chin and I tripped and fell over - that's what really happened."

The younger Alpha chuckled and nudged Blue with his shoulder. "Sure, sure."

They laughed together, their tension melting away with each shared chuckle. The memories of their fight seemed distant now - a small bump in their friendship that they could look back on and laugh about.

As their laughter died down, Zack looked at Blue seriously. "But really man... I'm sorry. It was crazy instinct to protect Brandon. I wasn't really in my right mind with my new meds and his scent just… drives me nuts, ya know?" He rubbed the back of his neck in frustration.

Blue met Zack's gaze and nodded. "Apology accepted. And Zack..." He paused, his voice sincere. "I'm sorry too. I didn't realized you two had connected so quickly. I shouldn't have handled him that way."

Zack clapped Blue on the shoulder. "No hard feelings?"

Blue grinned and shook his head. "No hard feelings." He shifted his weight on the dock, watching the sunlight dance across the water. His mind drifted back to Alex in the kitchen - the hurt in his eyes, the tension in his shoulders. He cleared his throat.

"Speaking of going nuts..." Blue's fingers drummed against the wooden railing. "Alex seems pretty upset."

Zack's expression clouded. "Yeah, I noticed." He ran a hand through his dark hair scratching at the shaved section. "It's complicated."

"He cares about you." Blue kept his voice neutral, though his chest tightened. "Maybe you could talk to him?"

"I can't give him what he wants." Zack's jaw clenched. "And pretending otherwise would only hurt him more."

Blue nodded slowly, wrestling with whether to push further. The words sat heavy on his tongue - his own feelings for Alex, his desire to see the Omega happy. But he held back, uncertain if now was the right time to reveal his heart.

"He doesn't understand your fascination is all," Blue sighed, his voice carrying across the water.

Zack stilled, his gaze lingering on the rippling waves. "It's not a 'fascination'," he said quietly. His voice held a weight that drew Blue's attention.

He turned to look at Zack, noticing the seriousness etched on his face. The light from the mid morning sun cast making the light sparkle on the surface, did nothing to lighten Zack's furrowed brow and the intensity in his eyes.

"It's like coming home," Zack continued, his gaze distant. Leaning on the railing, looking into the depths below. "Being with Brandon... it feels like it was meant to be."

Blue stared at Zack in surprise. He had known Zack for years and had seen him interact with many Omegas. But this... this was different. He'd never heard Zack speak about anyone with such conviction.

Zack finally tore his gaze away from the lake to look at Blue. His blue eyes were clear and steady, an undeniable truth shining in them.

"Blue," he said firmly, "I know it's hard for Alex... and I don't want to hurt him or anyone else in the pack. But I can't ignore what I feel for Brandon."

Blue studied his friend, noting the intensity in Zack's eyes and the way his body seemed to relax at the mere mention of Brandon's name. "You really feel that way? Like it was meant to be?"

Zack nodded slowly. "I can't explain it, man. His scent just... it calls to me in a way I've never experienced before." He turned to face Blue, his features etched with a mixture of wonder and confusion. "From the moment he crashed into me, it was like every cell in my body recognized him. Like he's a part of me I didn't even know was missing."

Blue let out a low whistle, shaking his head in amazement. "That's intense, bro. I've never seen you like this with anyone before."

A small smile tugged at the corner of Zack's lips. "I know. Believe me, I'm just as surprised as you are." He dragged a hand through his dark waves, his expression pensive. "It's like... I don't know how to describe it. Like I know he's mine, you know? And nothing else matters except keeping him close, protecting him."

"I can't explain it, but I know it's real." Zack continued, his voice dropping lower.

Blue nodded slowly, understanding dawning on him. This wasn't just about pack dynamics or Alpha instincts; this was about Zack finding something - someone - that felt right in a way nothing else had.

"I get it," Blue said softly. He clapped a hand on Zack's shoulder, giving it a reassuring squeeze. "And I think Alex will too, eventually."

Zack heaved a sigh, his gaze focused on the distant horizon. "Alex will be okay," he murmured, a soft reassurance more to himself than to Blue. "He's stronger than he thinks."

Blue remained silent, watching as Zack’s gaze lost itself in the vastness of the lake. The Alpha’s confession about his feelings for Brandon still hung heavy in the air, a stark revelation that had altered the dynamics of their conversation.

“Blue,” Zack started again, turning his gaze back to his friend. His voice held a note of hesitancy. “There’s something you should know.”

Blue met Zack's eyes, his own green ones filled with curiosity. “What?”

Zack turned and put his elbows on the railing, leaning in to stretch out his legs. “About a year or so ago,” he began slowly, carefully choosing his words. “Just before you went all in with Harrison Construction and Alex left for college...”

He paused, his gaze steady on Blue's face. "Alex...he had a thing for you."

Blue's breath hitched at Zack's words, surprise flickering across his features. His heart pounded in his chest as he processed Zack's revelation.

"Alex...had a thing for me?" Blue repeated slowly, disbelief tingeing his voice.

Zack nodded, an empathetic look in his eyes. "Yeah. He never said anything because he knew you were focused on work and didn't want to complicate things."

Blue was silent for a moment as he absorbed this new information. His mind raced back to that time period - before he'd become engrossed in the construction business, before Alex had gone off to college. He had been so young then, barely eighteen, smart and determined to make something of himself. Meanwhile, not only was Blue 5 years older but he'd been drifting, unsure of his path until Pete had offered him a place with Harrison Construction.

His fingers tightened on the dock railing, the beauty mark beneath his right eye twitched as memories crashed over him like waves, - Alex bringing him protein drinks during early morning workouts, finding excuses to help Blue with yard work, the hurt in his brown eyes when Blue mentioned dating someone else. All the signs he'd missed, too caught up in his own directionless existence to notice.

Zack clapped a hand on Blue's shoulder, offering a sympathetic smile. "I thought you should know. I think it's part of why Alex has been so upset with me. I was sort of a 'fill in' and now that's gone too. "

Blue nodded slowly, his gaze distant as he processed Zack's words. The revelation about Alex added a new layer of complexity to the already tangled web of emotions within the pack.

And now, with Zack's revelation hanging between them, Blue couldn't help but wonder what could have been - and what still might be possible - with Alex.

As they stood there on the dock, turning to watch the pack scurry around the grounds in preparation, Blue felt a shift in the air. It was subtle, but it was there.

Blue watched Alex through the kitchen window, his heart racing with newfound knowledge. Then an idea struck.

"Hey," he said, nudging Zack. "Remember how Alex used to play volleyball in highschool?"

A slow smile spread across Zack's face as he caught Blue's meaning. "You thinking what I'm thinking?"

''A friendly competition might be exactly what this pack needs." What Blue didn't say was how he remembered Alex in his element on the court - fierce, focused, and absolutely beautiful. Maybe it was time to show the Omega that someone had been paying attention all along.