Their Stubborn Omega

Ch. 16 Father, Dad & Pops

~Xander~

I sit at my desk contemplating everything Jax and Dom said this morning. I can tell through our pack bond that Dom is with the omega, and is enjoying the hell out of his time with her. His joy and warmth radiates down the bond, with a bit of a smugness knowing I can feel the second hand happiness.

I sigh and flip through the courtship agreement the lawyers drew up. I knew there would be push back from the guys, I just didn't think it would be so severe. Dom was seething through the bond when he left, and Jax felt just as angry. They don't view her as a threat to the pack, but how can she not be?

I send a meeting request to all of my fathers and get an immediate response to come to the meeting room on their floor of the office. I should have known they'd want to meet now. I sigh and head to the elevators and up to their floor.

When I walk into the meeting room, my father, dad, and pops are all already there, spread around the room.

"Xander, how'd the moon gathering go?"

And there it is, the reason they responded so quickly to my meeting request. I sigh and pinch the bridge of my nose. This is going to be a long conversation.

I take a deep breath, square my shoulders and say, "We found her, our scent matched mate."

The sharp intakes of breath were to be expected.

"Already?" Father asks.

I nod, my fists clenching at my side.

Pops looks me over, noting my rigid posture and fists. "You're not happy about that?" he asks.

I sigh, "It's complicated. She's beautiful, witty, and seemingly kind. Jax has known her their whole lives. Seems he'd been carrying a torch for her since he was 13, and that, at least, appears to be reciprocated. Dom is already gone for her as well."

My fathers all wait for me to continue, but I don't know how to voice my thoughts without seeming weak.

"So, you're the complication then? Are you letting that vile woman's actions come between you and the woman the moon goddess herself made for you and your pack? When we found our scent match, I remember the pull. Like she was the tether that was holding me to the earth. I wouldn't wish the pain of rejection from your perfect mate on anyone, least of all an innocent omega because of the actions of one deceitful witch." Pops says. Father and Dad both nod as he speaks.

"Maybe you should speak with a therapist, Xan" my Dad's voice is soft, and filled with concern. I flinch at the suggestion.

"I don't think that's necessary. I'm sure I'll get past all of it with time. You wanted us to find our mate, and we have," I state with as much confidence as I can. "I had a courting agreement drawn up by our lawyers that protects the pack and ensures she won't be given a chance to select a pack if she's found to have ill intentions towards us."

They're silent for a few beats before all three start yelling at once.

"Have you lost your mind?"

"We raised you to cherish a mate, especially a scent match!"

"Did Dom and Jax agree to that pile of bullshit?"

I sigh and wait for them to finish.

Once they've said, or rather yelled, their piece, I take a steadying breath and say, "I haven't lost my mind, I'm trying to compromise. They wholeheartedly want to court our scent match, while I have reservations, so I wanted to have protections in place for us. And to answer the question in regard to them agreeing, not really, no. Dom refused to say anything and Jax bit my head off and asked where protection was for her. I don't know what to do, Dad. For the first time, I'm fully admitting I don't know how to handle this situation. I feel the mate pull just as much as they do, but I can't let the pack down again."

Father sighs and comes to rest his hand on my shoulder. "Son, when we met our scent match, and she quickly rejected us, it nearly destroyed us. It's so rare for scent matches to reject each other that it never crossed our mind that she wouldn't want us, too. I know how you feel about therapy, I do, but maybe for the good of your pack, just consider finding someone to help you deal with and finally put to bed the trauma of what happened. We all met with someone after our mate rejected us. We knew we would eventually want to find a chosen mate, and none of us were emotionally equipped to be a mate that anyone deserved after that the devastation inflicted by a rejected scent match."

I think about his words and what that would feel like. If I felt the pull to Noelle snap all together. Just imagining it sends a spear of pain through my chest so sharp that I feel Dom and Jax pulling on the pack bond to check on me.

"You said Jax knows her. Does he have any reservations at all about her character or her intentions? Does he have any apprehension about her being your pack's omega?" Pops asks.

I shake my head, "No, the only things he's felt since the moon gathering are complete relief that she's actually his mate, joy, and anger at me." I grin a bit despite the heaviness of the conversation. My pack brothers never hesitate to help me in removing my head from my ass, like they've attempted to multiple times where Noelle is concerned.

"Then listen to his instincts on her. I'm not saying you have to dive straight into the deep end. No one will blame you for taking things slow given your history, son, but don't do something your pack can't come back from. Take the next week off. All of you. Use it to get to know your omega. If you need us, you know where we are." Father says.

Shock rolls through me. I don't think I've ever heard him utter the words "take some time off" and here is telling me and my pack to take an entire week.

Like he can read my mind, he smirks.

"It's not every day that you meet the omega meant to be your perfect match. Don't get used to it."

With everything my dads have said rolling through my mind, I head back to my office and gather my things, including the courtship agreement, and head home to talk to my pack.