Chapter 7 (+18)

Damian tossed his head back as Tay's mouth trailed down his chest. His hand was wrapped in his hair as the other man sucked and bit marks into his skin.

He really hadn't wanted to pressure Tay into this. He was an upstanding person who never did anything his partner didn't want. So why had Damian made the first move? Why had he asked him to do this?

Tay had pushed him away to keep him from hurting himself. He had had his best interest at heart. And that made Damian even more curious.

Actually, he'd always been curious about Tay. Damian had never really been with anyone because he didn't want the pity that always came when they found out he was an Omega. So when he'd met Tay and Jak in seventh grade he'd felt like he could truly be himself.

They'd been with him when his first heat had come in while they'd been sitting in freshman biology class. Jak had caused a commotion while Tay had masked his scent with his own and had carried him out. They hadn't reacted in the typical Alpha fashion, and that had made Damian curious.

Jak was with any girl he could get, but Tay had only taken a lover when he'd desperately needed one. They never lasted, and Tay was with his friends once again. Plenty of women and even some men wanted him, but he never showed any interest.

"Tay," he groaned. The other man's hands kneaded into his hips.

"Hmm?" His mumble resonated against his skin, heightening his senses.

"Stop teasing."

Tay answered by sucking his nipple into his mouth and biting down. Damian's back arched off the bed as a moan ripped from his throat.

His heart thundered in his chest. This wasn't what he'd been expecting. He hadn't thought Tay had a talented tongue, but he was completel wrong.

Was this what he wanted from him? Or did he want something else? Why had he done this?

He pushed at Tay's shoulder. He didn't budge, his mouth going across his chest. His cheeks and ears were flushed with desire.

"Tay, stop." He pushed at him harder this time. "Tay, please stop."

The other man lifted his head as his hands rested on Damian's sides. He watched him closely then sat up, lifting his hand to brush Damian's hair from his face.

"Are you okay?" he asked.

"I didn't stop you because I'm scared," Damian said. He took a deep breath. "I stopped you because I'm not ready."

Tay frowned, the lines around his mouth deepening. "What do you mean?"

Damian sat up, leaning against his friend and burying his face in his neck. Tay rested his cheek against the top of his head and ran his fingers through his hair.

"I don't want to regret it."

Tay sighed and dropped his hand to his shoulder. "You'll have to be more specific."

"Do you want me? Do you want to be my Alpha?"

Damian grunted as he was pushed away. He stared at Tay with shock and despair, standing across from him and leaning against the dresser. Was he being rejected?

"Do you know what you're asking me?" Tay demanded. His voice was hard and closed off. "This is not something we can change, Damian. You have to be certain, because if I have sex with you, I will not let you go. I will own you, and you will be mine."

He paced at the end of the bed like a caged animal. The Omega watched him silently. He hadn't meant for his question to bring this out. He'd only wanted the truth. Tay was good at evading questions, but his body had been honest.

Damian hadn't been in his own little world that he hadn't felt Tay's erection. He wanted Damian, but the latter wanted to make sure he didn't just get it and quit it. He was well-aware he was playing hard to get, but he wanted to know how Tay truly felt.

Silently, he got up and went into the kitchen. He returned a minute later with a sandwich bag. He went into the bathroom and puttered for a bit. When he returned, he went to the closet for his suitcase.

Tay's blood drained from his face as he watched the other man pack. He didn't say anything, moving around quietly to gather his things.

"What are you doing?" he asked. His tongue was thick with despair.

"I'll move back home so I don't make things difficult for you," he said. He turned around and looked at him. "I've already pressured you enough, and you've been wonderful to me. But I don't want you to do something you're going to hate."

"You just asked me to be your Alpha, and now you walk away?" He stared at him for a long time, a look of incredulity on his handsome face.

Damian didn't have anything else to say. What could he say? He felt like he'd gotten his hopes up without thinking of the consequences. Now the only thing he felt he could do was leave so Tay could be himself. He didn't want to hold him back. His request had been dumb.

"Damian, talk to me. Why did you ask the most important question in your life, but now you're walking away?" His voice was thick with concern and hopelessness. He finally just sat down on the edge of the bed with his head in his hands. "Are you that afraid of me?"

"No." It was the most honest answer. Damian wasn't scared of him. He'd do anything for Tay. "I'm not scared of you. Quite the opposite really." He laughed humorlessly as he rubbed his head. "But for you to be that, I have to be whole. And I don't feel whole. And I don't know how to love myself right now."

Tay felt the desperation in his friend's voice and looked up. Damian's eyes were bright with unshed tears. He wondered how long he'd been holding that in. How long had he suffered in silence.

He'd watched him the last several days. The stages of grief had started, and they were through the isolation period. Damian had locked himself away and had slept for three days because he'd been mourning the loss of sommething he had cherished so dearly; his innocence.

He hadn't wanted to disturb his recovery period so Tay had left him alone. Maybe he should have kept a closer watch on him. Maybe he should have talked to him more.

Damian hadn't been an emotional wreck on the outside, but Tay didn't know how he felt on the inside. Maybe asking him to be his Alpha was his way of seeing what his options were now.

Tay stood and took Damian by the shoulders. He rubbed them gently as he tried to figure out what to say next. Emotions were hard to process when you weren't sure what it was you were feeling.

"You don't have to move out," he said. "I'll move to the guest room and you can stay in here. I don't want you alone while your parents are gone. Since we don't know who did this or why, I can't have you anywhere but here."

"Is this your head talking or…" Damian glanced down.

Tay shook his head, swallowing hard. "This is me. Go ahead and unpack."

He crossed the room and gathered a selection of clothes. Damian didn't move from the end of the bed, his fingers playing at the waistband of his pants. He hadn't bothered putting his shirt on despite the tone of the conversation.

Tay stepped in front of him and looked at him solemnly. He leaned forward and pressed a kiss to his forehead.

"Damian," the way he spoke his name was soft and tender, "no matter what you think, I am your Alpha. I will wait for you no matter how long it takes." He smiled gently at him then left the room.

Damian sank on the edge of the bed, holding his face in his hands. He wasn't sure how this had happened, but he'd be lying if he said it didn't excite him.

He had always wondered what it would be like to be loved by Tay. Now that it was here, he was nervous his heart and body wouldn't be in it together. The last thing he wanted to do was hurt Tay.

He glanced down at the remnants of their short time. At least he knew he could be aroused by him, but would he be able to take Tay like he should a lover?

Right now the answer was no. He had to work through his own stuff before he could encourage someone to love him. He knew he needed to love himself, but it was hard to do when he looked in the mirror.

Tay had all but claimed him. That wouldn't happen until they had sex and Tay ejaculated inside him, but he could smell the Alpha all over him. He hoped he would be able to give more of himself in the future. But currently, he hoped Tay wouldn't feel strung along.

Sighing, he went into the bathroom to relieve himself. He wouldn't be able to relax with a raging hard on.