Kade left. He really left three days later, just like he said he would. Leaving behind a little gift on the porch and a note reassuring Felix that he would be back soon, after persistently knocking on the door for at least ten minutes, and being just as persistently ignored.
Half an hour later, the door finally opened a crack, and Felix peeked out, his eyes carefully scanning the street. He could tell that Kade was already gone even without looking, yes, but no amount of caution felt excessive when dealing with that man.
Once he confirmed without a doubt that there was no danger in the immediate area, he stepped out to take a look at what was left behind for him.
The card was to be immediately discarded. At a single glance it was obvious it was filled with nothing but absolute nonsense, so Felix wasn't even going to waste his brain cells on reading that.
Then there was a box. With a whole large cake. The best one they had at the local bakery. Customized even, with 'For my cute little mate. Happy New Year!' written on the top, and a whole lot of hearts. Felix almost threw up at the sight…
But he didn't want to ruin the cake. He was actually considering eating it. It would go bad before Kade's return anyway, so…
The final item, however, was a bottle of champagne. That, Felix would give back to Kade at the first opportunity. Accepting too many favors from the Alpha wouldn't do him any good… And it's not like he could even drink it now, since he was pregnant.
For the time being though, he put everything in the house (and the card in the trash), and got ready to go to work. Whatever was going on with that annoying Alpha, life still had to go on!
It was the end of the year, and the schools were all closed. With not much to do in this backwater town, a lot of the teenagers bored of sitting at home came flocking to every restaurant and coffee shop in town. Including Crossroads. Making the place extremely busy.
Needless to say, Felix was not happy at all. He was already tired, and now that he had to run around the kitchen, doing ten things at a time, his head was spinning…
Independent life was hard. So much so, that he almost missed his old pack…
Almost. There was no way he'd actually get sentimental when Jared's face popped up whenever he thought back to his time in the Moonhill Pack.
Either way, he survived the shift somehow, even though they closed much later than usual. Only cleaning was left, and he'd be able to go home…
As he was scrubbing the counter, stifling his yawns, his eyes somehow fell on Eden, and he was suddenly reminded of the conversation he had with Kade the other day. Marking. Eden was a rogue Omega, just like him, but he was clearly marked. Which wouldn't be unusual - Eden was a good few years older than Felix, so he had plenty of time to find himself a mate. However…
There was never any Alpha, or even a Beta, coming to Crossroads for Eden. Never walking him to work, nor picking him up after his shift, not even when they finished late. And Eden also mentioned getting herbal potions to deal with his heat, so it was unlikely he spent it the 'traditional' way… Not to mention, there was never any other strong scent on him, as it should be if he were to even so much as cuddle with his partner.
Was it some remnant of the past then? Or…
Felix pressed his lips, his fingers tightening on the sponge as he hesitated. Till now, he avoided any personal topics, maintaining a friendly but distant relationship with Eden…
But he wanted to get an outsider's opinion on the topic. Just to confirm that Kade was absolutely in the wrong, acting out of line, and Felix was right to be 'difficult'!
"Um, Eden?" he finally said. "Do you mind if I ask something?"
Eden paused his sweeping, looking up at Felix. "Sure, what is it?"
"If it's not too personal… Can I ask about your mark?"
"Ah, this?" Rubbing his nape, Eden forced out a smile, even though the complicated look in his eyes still betrayed his emotions. "Well, it's nothing much really… My friend did it for me."
"Friend? So… not your mate?" Felix pressed further.
"No, I… don't have a mate. I… had a bad experience in the past, with my chosen mate, and, well…" Eden's voice grew a bit shaky, and he gripped the broom tighter, shaking his head as if to chase his emotions. "Well, the point is, after that, I don't really feel like finding myself another mate, at least not anytime soon," he finished in a much normal tone.
It was the first time Felix had seen Eden so visibly shaken, and he felt but to carry on the conversation… But still, he needed someone's opinion, and there wasn't anyone else he could talk to! So, he carefully asked, "And… you don't mind the mark?"
"Well. Can't really say I don't mind… But it's temporary, so it'll eventually fade… And it's better than wandering around without it. Living alone as an unmarked Omega is dangerous." Eden paused, glancing at Felix. "You should consider getting one as well. I can introduce you to someone… Or, wait. I guess you have Kade Blackstone, don't you?" He curved his lips in a knowing smile.
"What? No! I don't!" Felix protested, squeezing the sponge so hard that it spilled soapy water all over the counter. "There's nothing going on between us! He's just… messing with me for fun, that's all. And, no offense, but I can't just accept getting a mark from a random person."
"Well, whatever you say." Eden shrugged his shoulders. At the end of the day, it was none of his business what Felix did or didn't do. He just added, as he resumed his sweeping, "You should give the marking some thought though. I was reluctant as well at first… But soon, you'll understand. When you go rogue, you need to be prepared to abandon more than just your pack."