"You're alright."
Colson peppers kisses all over Aetos' face, his hands cupping his face. Those gorgeous grey eyes bright and shiny. His man.
Colson was seated on Aetos, chest pressed flat against Aetos and lips a couple spaces apart. The door to the room opened and closed and Colson is pretty sure Pytor left the room.
"I missed you so much, baby." Aetos said, his hands going up Colson's thighs and rests on his ass. Colson bites back on a yawn and pressed his nose against Aetos' cheek.
"I missed you. I missed you so much." Colson whispered. "I love you."
"I love you." Aetos replied.
Colson managed to crawl under the duvet, his head resting against Aetos' shoulder, his eyes drooping. He hadn't even known he was tired. This tired. He was really happy. Like fucking elated.
He falls asleep to the steady sound of Aetos' heartbeat.
-
It has been a week since the whole bitch witch situation and Colson hasn't left Aetos' side. They stayed holed up in the room, getting the occasional visit from Cobie, Erik, Pytor and Blue.
So here they were, ready to go for a walk. There's a small family meeting later and Colson was ready for it
"Want to check on your kids?"
"Yeah. And I'm also in the mood for yogurt."
Colson chuckles, slipping his hand into Aetos'. "With fruit? Biscuits?"
"You mock me but you always end up eating half of what it is I buy." Aetos said with a laugh, leaning forward to press a kiss to Colson's forehead. Colson pouts and nudged Aetos a bit.
"You're a tease."
"I only speak the truth. Like, have I told you how gorgeous you look today?" Aetos asked and Colson feels his cheeks heat up. He playfully punched his boyfriend's shoulder and tried to move away.
Aetos laughs and tugs him back, letting go of Colson's hand so he could wrap his arms around his waist instead, lips coming down to meet Colson's. It's a soft press of lips and it's so sweet, so soft, it made Colson's heart swell.
When they pull apart, Colson just smiles up at Aetos. Taking in his boyfriend's face, the way his lips also tugged into his beautiful smile, the twinkle in his eyes. Lord did he miss this. Fuck, being held by Aetos was better than anything. Even sex with Aetos had gone from a thousand to above and had even broken the scale.
Scratch that.
It's indescribable.
"You keep looking at me like that." Aetos said and Colson hums. He knows he's looking. It's like he can't help it. He also knows he's not the only one who stared. Aetos does his whenever Colson wasn't looking. They've been through enough shit and we're trying to heal. To recover.
"It's because you say cheesy things and kiss me stupid."
"You say that like it's a bad thing." Aetos said. Colson rolls his eyes at his boyfriend. "Come on, let's get going. If we're late for the family meeting, Cobie is going to skin us alive and dump our bodies at the beach."
Colson nods. It was definitely something Cobie could do. Since he was getting closer to his due date, Cobie has been on edge. His mood swings has been tipping left and right. One moment he's crying over a dead ant and the next he's yelling at Randall for not tucking his shirt. It's always the little things. However, Erik always calms him down. All it takes are whispered words. Words Colson doesn't even want to know.
Colson and Aetos both walked out of the pack house.
"Pytor is coming over with Toby." Aetos said and Colson hums in agreement.
"Family. He and Toby are mates." Colson said. "Do you think they're ever going to mate? Like how would it work for them?"
"That's for Pytor to tell you."
"Ugh. He's going to be a pain about this." Colson huffs, lips formed into a pout.
"He loves you."
"I know. We bonded while you were asleep." Colson said, doing a little dance. Wiggling his hips and giggling a bit.
Aetos shakes his head fondly at Colson and pulls him closer. "You know, I love the fact you two are friends. It's adorable."
"He's the Pinky to my Brain."
"He once called you the Looney to his Tunes."
Colson lets out a loud snort before dissolving into laughter. He moves closer to Aetos' and rests his head against Aetos' shoulder.
"Are you okay?" Colson asked. Are you okay with everything? Is what he wants to say. It's a loud question and like he always has this week, Aetos pretends not to understand.
"I'm fine, really. You've been asking that all week."
"And you've not really been answering all week."
The streets are surprisingly empty for eleven thirty in the morning. The random cars going by and the occasional person or two walking past. Aeto stops and Colson does too.
"What do you want me to say?" Aetos asked, looking right at Colson.
"The truth."
"Like what?"
"Don't play dumb! I want to know."
"All I know is you don't want me to be human. You don't like that my clock has starting ticking again." Aetos said. "What I know is ever since I got you back, ever since I woke up, you've been treating me like I was made of glass, you keep looking at me like you don't like what I've become."
"Atty, babe, no."
Aetos just goes on. "Well I like it. I like being human and I want to be. I want to grow old with you, I want to do everything with you. I want us to be eighty, with grey hair and arguing over who took the last sugar packet. I want to be human. The last thing I want is for me to stay young while I watch you grow old and die. No. You can't force me to go through that."
"Aetos I never-"
"I love you, Colson. These past few weeks without you have shown me what my life would've been like with you gone and I don't like it. I don't want it." Aetos reaches for Colson's hands and squeezed a bit. "Can't you just let me be human? Let me stay with you. I know you don't want to turn bu-"
Colson goes up on his toes and pressed his lips against Aetos, effectively cutting him off. He pulls back a couple seconds later and looked up at his boyfriend.
"I never said anything because I didn't want to tell you what to do. I wanted you to become human. I wanted you to and I still want you to become human. I just didn't want to tell you because I wasn't sure how you'd feel about it. I wasn't sure how you'd feel about growing old and you know, kicking the bucket and all that. You've been alive for this long for a reason and I was scared you were going to say no."
"The reason I've been alive this long is because of you. You are my everything." Aetos said. "I believe I've been alive for this long because I have been waiting for you."
"Aetos, I don't want you saying that just to say it. I don't want to make you do something you don't want. What if you want it now but a couple years down the road, you start to resent me?" Colson looks away, turning his head to the side.
Aetos tucks a hand underneath Colson's jaw and tilts his head back a bit.
"It's going to be you and I for years and years."
"Years and years?" Colson asked, his heart going a mile a minute. He never wants to move away from Aetos' hold, he never wants to look away from those gorgeous grey eyes.
"Forever."
"Forever is a long time." Colson said, his eyes stinging with the oncoming tears, even his lips wobble a bit. His cheeks were still the same pretty red and Aetos is just so in love. There is a day where he's not thinking about Colson.
"And I want that with you. I've got that with you. I want to mate with you. I want to have your mate mark on my skin." Aetos said, pulling Colson even closer. He pressed his lips against Colson's temple while Colson just held onto him.
"You've really got to learn how to tell me no."
"Never. Taking care of you is my favorite thing." Aetos said and Colson grins, tucking his face against Aetos' chest.
"Making you laugh and shake your head fondly at me is my favorite thing. I want to mate with you too. I want everything with you." Colson said, gripping Aetos' sides tightly. It's then that Colson remembers they were standing in the middle of the road. "We're that couple in the movies."
"What the fuck are you talking about?"
"You know, heading you cuss outside sex never fails to turn me on." Colson said, tilting his head up a bit and stuck his tongue out at Aetos.
Aetos rolls his eyes at Colson who happily giggles.
"Come on, baby lets get yogurt."
"I want malteasers on mine and maybe berries too." Colson said, his tone full of glee.
"So if I get a strawberry purée on mine, you won't take a spoonful?"
Colson pouts again, playfully nudging his shoulder against Aetos' arm. He obviously knew the answer to that. It tastes better when it's Aetos' food and it's not like Aetos didn't sometimes took spoonfuls of Colson's yogurt. They were two peas in a pod.
The walk to the yogurt shop was amazing. They had gotten the main thing off their chest and now the conversation flows freely, Colson laughing and snorting with each joke Aetos managed to slip onto the conversation.
Colson gets wild berry yogurt with kiwi and white chocolate while Aetos got Greek yogurt, crushed waffles, caramel and strawberry purée and brownie bites.
Instead of sitting at the shop, they decide to walk back to the pack house. They couldn't risk being late to the meeting, Cobie would have their ass.
"I'm in the mood to sing, I'm walking on sunshine."
"You sing that and I'll take a cab and leave your ass here." Aetos warned and Colson stuck his tongue out at his boyfriend. Aetos taps his spoon against Colson's tongue.
"You won't ever leave me behind. You'd rather cut off your left nut."
"Morbid, Atty."
"That's the second time you've called me that. I don't think I like that nickname." Aetos said, waving his spoon at Colson.
"Well deal with it. It's your nickname." Colson said, sticking his tongue out at Aetos again and this time Aetos does the same.
The walk back home is filled with Colson giggling and Aetos trying to make him laugh, once they got back to the pack house, they both made their way to Erik's office. Thankfully, Pytor and Toby were there and so was Cobie and Erik were also there.
"Hey." Erik said, reaching to give Aetos a one armed hug.
Colson made his way over to Cobie, placing his hand on his tummy. His brother looked so comfortable in the large jumper he had on and what looked like palazzo pants, his hair twisting every which way.
The baby kicks against Colson's hand.
"Still uncomfortable?"
"The pups keep playing with my bladder." Cobie whined, pouting at his brother.
"Just a couple more weeks."
Colson looked over and watched as Pytor pulls Aetos in for a tight hug. While they were hugging the door to the office was pushed open and Gabriel walks in with Michel behind him. The Beta looked good.
Aetos looks over at Colson. They had both discussed Colson apologizing to Michel and Colson had told Aetos he'd think about this.
Erik shoots Colson a wink and Colson blows the alpha kids, glaring daggers at him while Erik fans at the air, trying to block the kiss.
"You suck."
"You suck too." The Alpha replied and Colson flips him off.
"Alright! As much as I love the bonding, we have shit to deal with." Cobie said as Gabriel takes a seat, Michel standing beside him.
"I take it we're discussing about bitch witch."
"Yeah. Cobie and I don't feel safe with her still breathing." Erik said and Colson could understand that. He has had days he spent daydreaming about killing the fucking witch but now all he wants is to get it over with. He's got Aetos and Cobie's pups on the way.
"I say we kill her." Aetos said with a shrug.
Colson looks over at his boyfriend. He had just said that with a shrug like he was talking about the weather. But Colson does agree with him. She should get it over with it.
"I'm killing her."
"We both are." Aetos added.
"Is this like a couple thing?" Gabriel asked, looking between Colson and Aetos.
"Is your face a real thing?" Colson asked back, his tone saccharine sweet.
"Alright! No more. I know you do not like each other but I like you both. Learn to get along or I'm gonna stick you both in a room or goddess help me." Cobie looked at both Michel and Aetos. "No more snappy replies. I love you both but I w-"
"We'll work on it." Gabriel said and Colson internally rolled his eyes. Gabriel really didn't have anything to worry about as far as Colson was concerned. If he calculated right, Michel had only slept with him because of well... Gabriel.
Michel still hasn't found his mate. Wouldn't it be funny if Gabriel isn't Michel's mate. Why isn't anyone thinking about it? Colson isn't saying he would laugh but ... he would.
"Alright. So we have a plan?" Pytor asked and Colson nods.
"Alright. I need to use the bathroom and I also need a nap." Cobie said, struggling to get up. Erik appears by his side faster than Colson could blink and helps Cobie up.
"You better back off buddy! I can walk myself!" Cobie snaps. "The next time you think it's a great idea to make me pregnant, I will cut off your balls and feed it to the pack!"
Cobie heavily glared at Erik before waddling away as fast as he could. Colson bit down his chuckle, the last thing he wanted was for his head to be snapped off.
"Is it me or is he getting more snappy by the day?" Toby asked, shuffling even close to Pytor who had his arm around his waist.
"He's getting close to the due date." Michel said. Colson looked at the man. It's the first thing he has said since he got to the room. It's the first time Colson has heard his voice in a while. The beta looked good. He had let his curls grow out, green eyes still green and did he get taller?
Colson looks over the man. He wondered what his fascination with him had been. Like don't get him wrong, Michel was a looker but really, what was it about him?
Colson couldn't find it.
"Alphie, Aetos and I would like to see her. Maybe today would be her day." Colson said, standing up from the chair.
"I can take you there." Michel said and Aetos' eyes narrowed as he stared at the Beta. Colson walked over, slipping his arm around Aetos' waist.
"Let's just go, Atty."
"Alright, baby." Aetos said, pressing a kiss to Colson's temple.
"These two are nasty." Toby whispered to Pytor.
"You should see them at home."
Colson flips them off before walking out of the office. He gives Erik a nod on his way out. Michel walks ahead of them and Aetos was so tense, Colson settles on slipping his hand into Aetos' and held on, occasionally squeezing.
They had to take a car to the guardhouse. Aetos refused to let Colson sit at the front with Michel and instead sat there. Colson finds it cute. Like really adorable.
They talked about mating today and Aetos' still marking his territory. The drive was quiet and Colson was content with watching the scenery go by. They get to the guard house, it was located far from the town, surrounded by overly grown grass. The building had dark windows and it looked like a place Colson wouldn't want to live in. Ever. And he once wanted to live in the hotel where the shining events took place.
There were two pack warriors at the door, another two in the house, another two I front of the basement where the bitch witch was held.
"I wanted to apologize for everything. I want to apologize to you, Colson for how I treated you. I want to apologize to Aetos for the way I treated his mate." Michel said and Colson doesn't give a shit. This man in front of him had called him a used condom.
He could go fuck himself.
Colson wondered what and how Aetos would react if Colson told him about that insult. He'd probably peel the skin off the beta and feed his body to the fishes at the beach.
Aetos gives Colson a dry look before pushing the door open and there she was. She still had Toby's blood on her forehead and Colson lets out a loud laugh when he sees how wretched she looked.
Her hair was pulled everywhere, she was missing chunks of it, blood trails going down her face, her eyes were gone and her face swollen. Erik must have had fun with her.
"You know, you always looked so know it all and now here you are." Colson said, squatting in front of her.
"You're alive."
"Bitch witch I'm part mer. I heal with water." Colson said.
"I'm going to kill you."
Aetos laughed at her. He grabbed her by the neck and squeezed it so tight. Colson couldn't help but grin. Colson don't have claws. He had water and watching this bitch suffocate you death would be brilliant to watch. It's always fun to watch those who think they're mighty fall.
It's either he does that or watch Aetos finish her off.
"Look, your boyfriend died before he got to me. The debris of the house fell on him before he did. He was trying to do a brave thing but you, you turned it to shit. He must be rolling in his grave."
Aetos tugs at her hair so hard, he pulls off a handful of hair. She lets out a cry and her head hangs low.
"I loathe you. I hate the fact that you kept me away from my mate for weeks." Aetos tugs at her hair again, pulling another handful. "I want the satisfaction of killing you but I'll leave that to my mate."
"Bitch witch, you'll be forgotten after this. What you did would be talked about for a week, three days tops and then afterwards you're nothing. You killed a lot of people, played a lot of mind game. But it's time for me to rest, to move on, to make this place safer."
"You'll never d-"
Aetos pulls at her hair again, another tuff of hair in his hand. He drops it to the floor like the rest. Colson waved his fingers around, smiling sweetly at the woman. Aetos comes to stand by his side, his arm around Colson's waist.
"You're not going to die today." Colson tells her. "I'll leave this personal bubble for you. It won't choke you immediately, it would take days. It's my little present for you. Keeping me from my mate sucked the life out of me and now I'm giving you the same gift."
"N-no." She gasped out.
Colson rolled his eyes at her and flipped her off. Aetos gives him a bright smile and they walked out of the guardhouse together. Even Michel looked scared. Colson wiggles his fingers at the beta as he walked out of the guardhouse.
Colson moves closer to Aetos, slipping his hands up Aetos' arm and around his elbow, his head resting on his boyfriend's shoulder.
"Have I told you I love you?"
"Not today."
"Well I love you."
"Even after watching me threaten the bitch witch?"
"Made me love you more."
Colson nudged his nose against Aetos' shoulder, trying to help his laugh. "I love you, Atty."
"Love you, baby."
—
I'm a happy clam ❤️