Omega’s Pretend Mate by Lacey Daize

Chapter 12 - Christian

“Iobject!”

The words were like a bucket of ice water had just been dumped over me. I’d been in a daze until then, unable to tear my gaze from Gabe since he’d appeared at the end of the aisle, and admiring how handsome my omega looked in his cream suit with seafoam tie.

I was about to marry the love of my life, no matter how brief the marriage was to be. How could anybody object to that?

I turned, along with everybody else, to see Gabe’s cousin Ivy standing, her mom Evelyn desperately trying to pull her back into her seat while her husband and children looked mortified.

“I object!” she said again. “They don’t love each other. This is just some scheme so that Gabe can keep his house!”

Gabe’s grandfather stood and glared at Ivy. “What are you talking about, young lady?”

Ivy blanched and started trying to backpedal, but the damage was already done. Guests murmured and spoke among themselves.

“Ladies and gentlemen,” the officiant said. “Please remain calm and seated. I’m sure this is just a misunderstanding. We’re going to adjourn for a few minutes to discuss in private before the ceremony resumes.”

He nodded towards the house. Gabe and I fell in step behind him, followed by his father, grandfather, Ivy and Evelyn.

I noticed mom stood to accompany us.

This was all falling apart and all I could do was hold my trembling omega close.

We all made it to the living room, where there was an explosion of yelling.

“What was that about Ivy?” Gabe’s grandfather demanded.

Ivy seemed on the verge of backpedaling, then seemed to double down. “They’re not in love! Gabe just doesn’t want to lose his house.”

“And why would he be worried about losing his house?” the elder Everest yelled.

“I… uh…” Ivy stammered, finally realizing the hole she’d dug for herself.

“Evelyn!” Gabe’s father snapped. “Explain this!”

She fidgeted, but held firmer than her daughter. “He pays a lot in property taxes, so I pointed out that he should look into a new house after his last discretionary disbursement.”

“You did what?” his grandfather roared, alpha rage cutting through the cancer battle. “How dare you! This house was a gift, and there is more than enough money in his trust for property taxes. Of all the grandchildren, he’s probably the most responsible with his disbursement requests.”

“It’s a lot of house for one man,” Evelyn argued.

“Who cares? We can afford it. He can afford it. There’s looking for savings, then just being malicious. You’re making me reconsider leaving you as trustee.”

He took a deep breath. “I’m sure Ivy had something to do with this too, given her outburst. I should have known she’d cause problems after the tantrum she threw when I bought this house.”

Mom walked over to me. “Christian? Are you really marrying Gabe so that he can keep his house?”

I glanced down at where my omega was tucked into my side.

“Before he answers,” Gabe’s grandfather interrupted. “Let’s take the issue of the house off the table.” He turned to Gabe. “Gabe, as soon as we return to Boston I’ll be removing Evelyn as trustee on your trust, and naming you as both trustee and beneficiary. I had no idea that she’d threatened to refuse your property taxes, and this is an egregious enough abuse of her authority that I will not have her in charge of your money for even a second. I will also reconsider her position as trustee for other members of the family.”

My eyes met Gabe’s. This was what he’d always wanted, to just live in his house without fear of it being taken away for malicious reasons.

But it also meant that I might lose the year I would have had with him, and the thought made my heart ache.

I needed this strong gorgeous omega in my life.

I knelt in front of him, to propose for real this time.

“Gabe, a few months ago I saw a man who needed my help. I’d admired you long before that, but the thought of you hurting over something as important as your home was too much to bear. I wanted to help you, so when you asked me, I jumped without care for the consequences. All I wanted was for your happiness.

“But I fell in love with you too. I fell harder and faster than I ever thought possible outside of a fated pairing. I looked forward to our marriage, no matter how brief it might have been, because it meant time with you. I’d resolved myself to enjoy every second, and to treasure it, because I knew that the time with you would have been the best of my life.”

I took a deep breath. “Gabe Everest, I love you. I love you more than I ever imagined. I want to ask you for real this time. Will you be my husband and mate?”

Tears streamed down Gabe’s cheeks as he held a hand over his mouth.

“I love you too,” he cried, launching himself into my arms. “I want it all with you, I always have. I want to wake up to your smile every morning, and start a family with you. The thought of our marriage ending caused a constant ache in my heart. Of course I’ll marry you!”

I held him tight and pressed kisses to his cheeks. “I love you.”

Mom sighed. “I’m not happy, Christian. I expected better of you than deception. But… I guess it worked out in the end.” She turned, but I kept my focus on Gabe.

“What now?” mom asked.

“There isn’t any reason to cancel or postpone,” the officiant replied. “The objection is for legal concerns nowadays, which this was not. We can proceed immediately if that is what the grooms want.”

I kissed Gabe gently. “Do you want to go get married?”

He nodded. “I don’t want to wait to be your husband and mate any longer.”

I stood, helping him up with me. Then we turned to face the officiant, mom, and Gabe’s family.

“We’d like to finish getting married now.”

Ivy looked between us and the officiant. “That’s it?”

“That’s it!” his grandfather growled. “And you, young lady, are not to show your face back out there. Nor you Evelyn. You are to take a car back to the hotel immediately, and I will deal with you both personally tomorrow.”

“But the kids!” Ivy protested.

“You have a husband who is more than capable of handling them for a few hours. He’s not in trouble. You are. Now get out before I reconsider your status on your trust, as it can still be revoked.”

She blanched and scurried to a couch, pulling out her phone on the way.

Mom pulled me and Gabe aside. “You both need a touchup. Let’s let them finish their business and get you two ready to get hitched.”

“You’re not mad?” I asked.

“Oh, I’m livid. We’ll have to discuss things after your honeymoon. But it’s not reason enough to cast any more shadow on the day. Now come on. Let’s dry those tears and make you both ready to say your vows.”

“I’ll let everybody outside know we’ll be ready to resume in a few minutes,” the officiant said, heading towards the door.

“Thank you” Gabe’s father said, even as he stood by, clearly making sure that Evelyn and Ivy left and didn’t cause further problems.

“Gabe?”

My omega turned to look into his grandfather’s eyes.

“I’m sorry grandfather,” he said softly, walking over to embrace the man.

“Why didn’t you say anything my sweet boy?”

He took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “I heard Evelyn and Ivy discussing the tax route in the library in December, that same night that you announced Evelyn would be taking on the trustee role. I knew they’d deny it, and I didn’t want to stress you with family drama. But I thought you knew that Evelyn had indicated that she would refuse to pay the property taxes. Didn’t you get a copy of her response?”

His grandfather shook his head. “No, I never thought I would have to second-guess her judgement.”

“I’m sorry,” Gabe said again.

“You really thought getting married was your only option?”

Gabe nodded. “I love you grandfather, and I want you to live a long time. But I couldn’t take the chance either. I read the rules of the trust so many times, hoping I’d missed something. The only way I saw to keep Evelyn and Ivy from forcing me out was to be married longer than a year and therefore be trustee for myself. I didn’t want to hurt anybody.”

His grandfather teared up. “I’m so sorry you felt that way. I always thought we were looking out for you, but you had to go to extremes to look out for yourself instead.”

“Just because I’m omega doesn’t mean I’m helpless.”

“I see that now. I’m so sorry. Is this really what you want?”

Gabe looked at me and smiled. “I love him grandfather. This may have all started in an attempt to keep my house, but I want him too. He’s my alpha.”

His grandfather patted his cheek. “Then I won’t keep you from him. We’ll see you back out there in a few minutes.”

Mom escorted us off to a side-room and looked us over.

“I can’t do anything about the redness in your eyes, but I’m thinking you were going to cry anyway,” she told Gabe, then handed him a tissue. “Dab away the tears and I think you’ll be ok.”

She turned to me and ran her hands down my suit. “Brush off your knee from where you proposed again.”

I smiled. “Thanks mom.”

She bolted to the bedroom to grab the makeup kit, and returned to touch up the powder on Gabe’s face.

“I think that’s as good as I can do in a pinch,” she said. “Luckily it’s just light and natural for photos.”

I hugged her. “You’re a lifesaver.”

She smiled. “I’m going to go make sure that horrible woman is gone. Then it’s time to get on with things.”

I looked at Gabe, and nodded.

Mom disappeared, then ducked her head in only seconds later. “They’re gone. Your father and grandfather just saw them out, Gabe. We’re all headed back out.”

“Ok,” we said in unison.

I turned to my omega and took his hands in mine. “Is this really what you want?”

He looked at me and smiled. “I love you. I want you by my side for the rest of my life. I want your mark, and I want to start a family with you.”

“I don’t deserve an omega like you,” I said. “You’re far too good for me.”

He shook his head. “I’m the one who should say that. You’re an amazing man Christian Jeffries, and I can’t wait to be yours.”

I smiled, even as tears threatened to spill. “Shall we go do this then, correctly this time?”

He nodded. “Yes.”

I wanted to kiss him, but decided that it would wait until we were officially wed. I grabbed his hand and led him back out to where our families and friends were waiting for us.

“Now where were we?” the officiant asked as we once again took our places. He then smiled. “Oh yes, the vows.”

I met Gabe’s gaze, somehow glad we’d decided not to write our own vows. They wouldn’t have held a candle to what we’d said only moments before.

He was my omega, and I would spend the rest of my life proving to him that he’d made the right choice.

“I do,” I said.

Gabe repeated the vows to be beside me in sickness and health, richer and poorer, then he said the same two words, lip quivering as he did. “I do.”

His hand shook in mine as I slid our wedding ring beside the braided engagement ring, and I noticed a similar tremble in my own fingers as he placed a ring on my hand as well.

“You may kiss your omega.”

I pulled Gabe close and claimed his lips for the first time as husbands.