Transition - Beta's Omega

( 8 )

( Decker )

I stared at the place Kayley had been sitting and I knew I should have done something, but I was still in shock.

“Decker?” my mom’s voice was soft, filled with worry as she reached out and touched my arm, which startled me out of my shocked daze.

“She’s, my mate!” I exclaimed aloud as I tore my gaze away from the empty chair that Kayley had been sitting in and looked at my mom. I had noticed my mates scent the closer I had gotten home but it wasn’t until I saw her sitting at the table that Duke had shouted out ‘MATE’ so loud that I had almost stumbled and fell. My mom had immediately noticed my surprise and the quick telepathic conversation had confirmed that Kayley was my mate. My Kayley. My Kayley, who had just bolted out so quickly that I was still left reeling.

“Honey…don’t you think you should go after her?” she asked with concern and I opened and closed my mouth as I tried to wrap my head around all of this. Should I have said something the second I knew? Instead of trying to act normal. I wasn’t sure if I managed the situation correctly and I felt bad that she had just run out like that. Why had she? Was it possible that she had noticed something?

“Should I?” I was more than aware of when Kayley would be transitioning. Should I wait to tell her? That thought made me shudder. No, I didn’t want to have to go through the same thing Seff was going through. No, I couldn’t do that.

“I think you should,” my mom said with a soft smile and as I stood up, I nodded.

“I’ll…ah…um…” I wasn’t sure why I was still hesitating but as I looked down at my mom, she gave me an encouraging smile.

“Go, and if it isn’t too much trouble, bring her back so we can finish breakfast,” she winked as she then stood up and gathered up the plates of food and I knew she would put everything in the warmer draw. I didn’t say anything further as I left the house. Kayley wasn’t in sight, but I had suspected that she had probably made a run for it. I broke out into a jog as I headed toward her house. It wasn’t until I was looking up the house that I realized that she may not have returned home.

“Decker?”

“Hmm?” I turned and saw Wyatt coming up the sidewalk.

“What are you doing, man?” he asked as he too looked over at the house.

“Oh…ah…I…” damn it, I couldn’t think clearly, and Wyatt seemed to realize that I wasn’t quite in the right headspace to hold a conversation.

“I’ll send her out, ok,” he didn’t wait for a response as he passed by me and headed inside. I held my breath as I waited for Kayley to come out. By the time she did, my heart soared at seeing her again. My Kayley. My mate. I wanted to run up to her, but I forced myself to wait as she hesitated before taking the steps down to join me.

“Decker…I…” Kayley stopped and the second she was within reach, I pulled her against me and wrapped my arms around her. At first, she was stiff and tense, but as I nuzzled against her neck, she relaxed in my arms, and I smiled.

“Can we talk?” I whispered as I pressed my lips against her ear. Kayley shuddered and I held onto her for a few more seconds before I let her go.

“Sure,” Kayley said shyly, and I grabbed her hand and led her away from her house toward the forest. I could notice her nerves and even when I tried to catch her eye, she avoided my gaze. I wasn’t sure what she was thinking but I had to tell her. I was confident that everything would be all right. We didn’t go too far and when I spotted a fallen log, I led her there and sat down. When she sat down next to me, I couldn’t stop myself from wrapping my arms around her and pulling her right up against my side.

“Kayley,” I whispered as I looked down at her.

“Yeah?” her voice was too soft, and I reached out and caressed her cheek as I silently urged her to look up at me. Finally, her eyes met mine and I smiled.

“My Kayley,” those two words slipped out before I could think of what to say and her cheeks blossomed, and my gaze dropped to her lips as she nibbled on her bottom lip. “My Kayley,” I said again before I leaned in, however, I hovered inches away from her lips as I waited patiently, silently asking for permission. Kayley took me by surprise as she closed the tiny gap between us. Our lips brushed together so lightly that it made me shiver with anticipation, but I didn’t want to rush anything. “Kayley, you are my mate,” I blurted out when I pulled back.

“W-what?”

“You are my mate,” I said again, this time with happiness and excitement.

“I am?”

“You are,”

“Really? This isn’t a dream?” she asked, dazed as she stared up at me. I ran my thumb across her plump lips and smiled.

“This isn’t a dream, you are really my mate,” the word ‘mate’ had barely left my lips and Kayley was hugging me, pressing her face against my chest as she clung to me. In a few moments, I had her sitting in my lap with her legs hanging loosely around my waist and her arms wrapped around my neck. We cuddled together as I breathed in her scent. She smelt like cream and sugar, and it drove me crazy as I ran my fingers through her hair. We sat like that for a few minutes, but then I heard my mom’s voice in my head.

“How did she take the news? Is she happy? Relieved?” I suppose I shouldn’t have been offended by her intrusive interruption, but I knew my mom well. She only wanted to make sure that Kayley and I were all right. However, I didn’t want to say or confirm anything until I got confirmation from my mate.

“How do you feel? I mean, I can guess by your reaction but…care to tell me?”

“I’m…happy…” she said as she leaned back and looked at me. “I…really, really like you, Decker,” she admitted with a blush so adorable – no, I didn’t need to think of her in that way anymore. I mean I could, but I no longer had to be careful with my thoughts. The fact is, Kayley looked sexy with her bashful eyes looking up at me with adoration, her plump lips swollen from biting on them, and her cheeks flushed in such a way that made her look seductive. Her hair was messy from the way I had been running my fingers through the strands earlier and her whole body was relaxed despite our position.

“I really, really like you, Kayley. Even before…before I saw you this morning…” I needed her to know that my crush on her had happened before my transition. “Before I find out that you are my mate,”

“Kiss me,” her bold whispered words made me groan loudly before I pulled her forward and pressed my lips against hers. It was tender and sweet with an underlying desire that had my body aching to be closer. I wanted more. I needed more, but I held back. After all, I would have the rest of our lives to love her.

“Come on, let’s go and have breakfast,” I said when I pulled away. Kayley nodded but she didn’t move. I stood up and she locked her ankles together around my waist as I grabbed her thighs to keep her from falling. She was holding onto me rather tightly, but I didn’t mind. I loved it as I slowly made my way toward the forest line. Kayley nuzzled against my neck, and I swear she was doing it on purpose just to distract me. I slowly urged her down onto her feet when we got to the forest line.

“Aw,” she said with a pout, and holy s**t, she looked so adorably sexy that I couldn’t help but kiss her again. This time the kiss was a bit hard as I tried to portray how she had made me feel at that second. “Breakfast,” she mumbled against my lips, and I chuckled when she pulled away. I had a feeling we could get lost in each other and I was amused that we had to remind ourselves that we had someplace to be and something to do.

“Yes, breakfast,” I said to her as we started making our way to my house. To my mom, I finally said: “She is happy, and we are on our way to enjoy breakfast,”

“YAY!” came her immediate response. “I’ll make sure everything is nice and hot,” and with that, I felt her shut down the link and I smiled as I glanced over at Kayley. She did look happy and, oddly enough, relieved. Then again, I suppose she had been worried that I would find my mate and that it wouldn’t be her. I had to admit that I was relieved too. Even though I hadn’t wanted to admit it. I also didn’t want to think about anything else right now. I just wanted to have a nice breakfast with my mate and my mom before I started thinking about what to do next or how this was going to work. I was itching to tell Luca and Seff, but I also didn’t want to share my joy while Seff was going through such a rough time with Robin.

“Penny for your thoughts?” Kayley asked me as we neared my house.

“I was just thinking that I don’t want to complicate things,” I said. I wasn’t sure if that was the right answer and so I quickly added: “With Seff, I guess, I don’t want to rub in my happiness,” it was partly true. I was worried about that, but I had other concerns as well. Concerns that only my dad could assist me with. I shoved those thoughts aside as I smiled at her. “Nothing too serious,”

“Are you sure? I mean, I know that I don’t feel the bond between us the way you do…not yet anyway, but I am still here for you if you want to talk,”

“Thanks, Kay…that means a lot to me,” I said honestly, but I quickly shook my head as I led her up the porch steps. “It can wait though,” the front door opened before either of us could do anything and I was surprised to see my dad standing on the threshold with the biggest smile. I smiled too, but I glanced over at Kayley, and I was relieved to see that although she was blushing, she was also smiling.

“Well, come on in,” my dad said as he stepped aside and then closed the door behind us. “Breakfast waits for no one,” he sang out from behind us, and I chuckled as Kayley and I entered the kitchen. Once again, plates of scrambled eggs, bacon, and fresh toast had been laid out. However, my mom had obviously been busy as the added plates of sausages and mushrooms hadn’t been there earlier. We sat down and I smiled at my parents before I looked over at my Kayley.

“Mom, dad, I would like to officially introduce you to my mate, Kayley Thorin,” Kayley went a dark shade of pink, but the smile never left her lips and as I carefully looked over at my parents, I knew that they had already accepted her. I had nothing to worry about. Nothing at all.