Not today, tomorrow.
Richard knew, the moment he stepped into the pack house, that he was completely and utterly screwed. After all the back-to-back night shifts, the constant lack of sleep, and the sheer stress of trying to keep his family safe: it was simply too much. Allowing his body to relax he takes a deep breath, letting the scent of pack envelope him. The scent of his baby brother Mattie, his twin cousins Cindy and Aaron…the calm scent of his mate, Olivia.
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Barely conscious he slips off his shoes. Dropping his bag on the ground he takes his first sluggish steps. His lungs ache as he draws deeper, longer breaths but he can’t help it. He’s denied it too long. Damned he was!
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When he first hired Olivia to be Mattie’s nanny, he knew she was someone special. He was so disoriented at the time. After the attack on his familial pack, the death of his parents and nearly all the pack members. He’d awoken as the new pack Alpha. Not because the role was passed to him through the ceremony he was destined to have, or because he was ready. Just because the Alpha, his father, had passed. Everything had been too overwhelming to take much note of anything.
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It wasn’t until much later he realized how his instincts had driven him to find Olivia. It was sheer luck she was looking to be a hired nanny. She didn’t know anything about them, she didn’t know anything even now. How could she? Richard couldn’t bring himself to tell her. He suppressed his instincts for her every day but he couldn’t stop them completely. When Olivia told him she would be moving after a failed lease renewal he knew he had no choice. He told her to move into his home where he and the few members of his pack lived. She would pay no rent, instead taking on the additional role of house keeper.
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Naturally her role shift had driven him mad. Rather than a house keeper, she acted more like a home maker the same way his mom had. Afterwards, even that changed. Despite his best efforts he couldn’t help the way his wolf yearned to be with his mate. Olivia didn’t know what she did to him, how her scent calmed him even during the roughest days. Her scent was all over the house, all over his clothes from when she folded them; all over Mattie who loved to stick close to her; even the twins smelled like her due to their daily ‘goodbye’ hugs. Those few times he’d touched her arm or waist in a subtle act to guide her left him sated for days.
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She barely touched him but the few pats she gave him, the occasional fist bump, were enough. Had been enough. Not now, not anymore. His feet moved towards his family. His mate. Only in this weak state would he dare admit it, dare to even think it. She deserved better, so much better than a stupid pack Alpha who barely managed to pay the bills, barely managed to pay her. Rich found himself at the edge of the kitchen, sagging against the door nearly collapsing at the sight in front of him.
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There at the stove stood Olivia; Mattie on her hip sleepily drooling all over her shoulder as she stirred a pot with her other hand. At her back were the twins spooning food into their mouths. Food, Olivia no doubt made. She was such a good person, such a good mate. Too good for him, too good.
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The twins noticed him, likely knowing he was here since he pulled into the driveway. They did little more than glance back at him questioningly, their attention quickly retaken by the hot food. Mattie was next to notice, blinking blearily as he lifted his head to look at Rich. A gummy smile and a coo tipped Olivia off who also turned to look over her shoulder. Those pretty eyes, that gorgeous smile. His feet moved before his mind could catch up.
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“Rich! Are you hungry? I’m making more food for us since the twins ate most of the- woah, woah! Hey, there?”
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Rich barely heard her, blood rushing to his ears as he pulled Olivia and Mattie to him. Olivia barely had enough time to turn off the stove before his face settled into the crook of her neck. Nuzzling there he breathed in deeply, a low rumble leaving his chest. Like a drowning man seeking life, he breathed. It was right, too right. She smelled like mate, like pack, like Mattie and home. That clean, crisp scent like running in a field.
“Richard? Are you alright?”
He just growled, pulling her in even tighter rubbing his cheek all along her neck. His scent mixed with hers. His throat tightened as he forced a whine back down his throat. He wasn’t a young pup anymore he would not whine like one. His wolf had other plans, pushing to the forefront trying to force his way out. Richard stiffened trying to rein himself in and only just succeeding. His ministrations, however, didn’t stop.
“Guys? What’s wrong with Rich?”
Cindy scoffs, responding, “He’s just tired Olivia, must need some stress relief.”
“He’ll get over it by the morning, too many night shifts probably,” Aaron added.
Olivia relaxed at that seemingly buying their explanation. She adjusted Mattie on her hip. Mattie had, within the last few minutes, joined in on the snuggles. Copying Rich, he rubbed his face into Olivia’s neck and shoulder. She reached an arm up to rub Richard’s back unknowingly leaving her scent on him. This calmed his wolf, pleasing him deeply. It shouldn’t, considering she was doing it out of an effort to calm him in what she believed to be an exhausted state, yet it did.
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He continued to nuzzle and rub his scent on her for as long as she allowed which was not nearly enough but more than he deserved. When she pulled away, removing her comforting hand, he had to choke back another whine.
“Alright there?”
Rich couldn’t speak opting instead to nod slowly, drunk off her scent.
“Your pupils look crazy, come sit,” she said pulling him towards an open chair, “Hold Mattie, the food’s done so give me a minute.”
Olivia hands him Mattie, the baby happily relaxing into him. Rich patted him gently, eyes on Olivia as she quickly prepared a plate of food. His wolf howls at this, completely chuffed by his mate taking such good care of him. Rich doesn’t fight the feeling allowing himself to relish in it for once. His whole pack, what was left, in the room with him. His mate taking care of them all. It was a good day.
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“Here,” she said returning to the dining table to set his food down, “it’s hot so be careful. I brought you some water, thought you might not want something sweet since you need to sleep.”
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Rich ate as soon as Olivia took Mattie back. Normally, he liked having his brother close but in this deeply elated state he allowed his mate to take him. He vaguely noted the sound of the twins snickering and whispering but he couldn’t be bothered to care. The food was hot, the flavor too good after such a long day. As he ate his body relaxed further, eyes drooping.
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“Woah there!” Olvia said, catching his face as it dropped towards his plate. “C’mon, Rich. I’ll help you before I put Mattie to sleep,” Richard was barely aware as Olivia tugged his arm to pull him up. He allowed her to do it then pulled her in close letting his body drape across her back face resuming its nuzzling.
“I’ve never seen Rich like this, is he usually like this when he’s tired?”
Aaron scoffed, “No, not really. It’s bad luck that he had so many shifts, good thing you’re here to help us Olivia or else we’d be left to our fate. You’re such a good mate.”
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Rich stiffened at this, shooting Aaron a glance. Luckily Olivia misunderstood him thinking he was using the word ‘mate’ like ‘pal’.
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“Been watching one too many episodes of that Australian surfing show haven’t you,” she laughed, “I’m taking Mattie and Richard up so make sure to pick up your plates.”
“Will do, mate!” Aaron said, grinning at Richard.
“Right-O-Mate-y-O,” Cindy added.
“Right back at ya, mates.”
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Richard didn’t like that; he didn’t like that at all. Straightening quickly, he guided Olivia and Mattie upstairs before she could comment further.
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“I’m,” He cleared his throat, his voice way thicker than normal, “I’m going to get ready, you take care of Mattie,” he told her once they reached his room.
“Are you sure you’re alright, Rich? Your face is all red…” she pressed a hand to his forehead, “You feel a little warm…”
He leaned into her touch, “I tend to run warm, don’t worry I’ll be fine.”
“If you say so, go get ready I’ll check in on you once I’m done.” She pulled her hand away, taking Mattie to his room for the night.
When Richard entered his room, he closed the door behind him then sank to the floor. The exhaustion hit him hard having to crawl over to his bed to lean his head against the side of the mattress. It was then he noted that, in his initial haste, he hadn’t even properly taken off his jacket. Uncaring, he stayed there on the floor, relishing in the scent that surrounded him. He was so stupid, Olivia didn’t know. She couldn’t know. Or maybe she could? They had humans marry into the pack before, they knew and were accepting of their wolven traits. She could be like them.
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Yet he knew the situation was different. Those people, the now dead members of the pack, had joined a large healthy pack headed by his parents. His dad was a strong Alpha still in his prime despite his age. Richard could grow the pack, in time. Once he settled the issue of having to work three jobs just to make ends meet. Olivia didn’t deserve this, he groaned. Olivia deserved more than a young, untrained Alpha with only a baby and two teen cousins making up his pack. He was lucky, at least, that the house was paid for or else he would be the reason the ancestral pack house was lost.
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In all his self-wallowing, Richard didn’t notice when Olivia knocked or when she peered into his room. By the time he noticed she was already kneeling beside him.
“Rich?” He startled, shocked that his wolf didn’t alert him to her presence. Considering he was currently drowning in her scent he should have expected it.
“Olivia, you done with Mattie,” he asked.
“Yeah, he’s down and out. Record time I would say…need help?”
“No…no, I’m fine…”
Olivia stayed silent but once she saw he wasn’t moving she pressed, “Let me help, you haven’t even taken off your jacket. I’ll bring you some clothes and tuck you in just like Mattie,” she half-smiled at that, “You’ll feel better in the morning.”
She tugged on his arm, bringing him up as she stood. He let her. The desire to let his mate take care of him too strong. Olivia proceeded to tug his jacket off then his work shirt, not even flinching when he was left shirtless. Instead, she just instructed him to take his belt and pants off as she went to bring him some sleepwear. He did so mechanically, allowing her to maneuver him into some softer clothing. Richard had to fight for focus to prevent himself from just wrapping her in his arms and dropping into the bed so he could properly scent her.
Olivia pressed him into the bed, pulling his covers over him and running a soothing hand over his hair, “There, sleep Richard. I’ll see you in the morning.”
Richard forced himself to let Olivia go, to leave the room. He had to tell her, he had to. As sleep tugged at him he wondered why he just didn’t do it sooner. Tomorrow, he would tell her everything tomorrow.