Page 59 of Shifter Omegaverse AU

“Speaking of having a lot to talk about,” Ruben said, snatching the shirt Milo had been wearing earlier off the arm of the couch, “why is one of my shirts in your apartment?”

Ray’s cat ears popped out, clearly never too far below the surface. Milo’s grin disappeared, replaced by the tight-lipped look Rowan was coming to dislike.

“Milo stayed the night at my place, and it was the only thing I had that fit them,” Rowan said, squaring his shoulders as he stared down his older brother.

Ruben ran his thumb over the worn fabric before tossing it back onto the sofa. “Oh, well, in that case, congrats, I guess? Is that what you wanted to tell us? You guys are fucking?”

Ray made a soft choking noise, and Milo’s lips curved down into a scowl.

“We’re dating,” Rowan said firmly, shifting his legs open wider so his knee came to rest right next to Milo’s skinny thigh. “Today was actually our first date.”

Ruben’s eyes flashed yellow. “Why did you let me drag you to a singles’ event, then?”

When Rowan didn’t say anything, not sure where to even begin, Ruben turned to Milo. He had never been very good at showing remorse. Most of the time, he used his big brown eyes and practiced pout to get himself out of trouble.

“I swear I didn’t know,” Ruben said, and of course, there came the pout. “I’d never encourage him to step out on you or anything. I thought you were just friends.”

“We were until approximately five hours ago,” Milo said, their fingers knotting in the hem of their dress. “Last night we both went to the event single, but it turns out we were only interested in each other.”

They could leave it at that. There was no need to get into the nitty gritty details, especially since them being fated wouldn’t change the trajectory of their relationship. They were just as likely to date and break up now as they’d been the night before. The only difference was how badly it was going to wreck Rowan if things didn’t work out.

That’s what he told himself, at least, but as he watched Milo’s knuckles turn white against their pretty dress, he knew that it actually did matter.

“We’re also fated mates,” Rowan said, with all the conviction he and his hawk felt.

The resulting silence was so profound he probably could have heard a coffee bean drop across the city at their favorite coffee shop. Ray’s jaw was practically at his bellybutton, and Ruben, possibly for the first time ever, seemed utterly speechless.

Milo was also silent, but their lips were curved up just the tiniest bit, so Rowan took a chance and pressed his knee against their leg. Milo pressed back and released their death grip on their dress.

“Are you serious?” Ruben asked, a rather offensive amount of surprise in his voice.

Milo shrank back, and before Rowan’s hawk could unfurl his feathers, Ray snapped his mouth shut and turned to narrow his eyes at Ruben.

“We also went to last night’s mixer single,” Ray said pointedly, settling his hand firmly on Ruben’s thigh. “Which was how we both ended up dancing with that creepy guy.”

Ruben’s arm tightened around Ray’s waist, pulling him across the scant few inches of space between them until they were pressed together. “It was my fault he had the opportunity to approach you. I should have done something sooner, and I’m sorry.” Ruben lifted his chin at Milo and Rowan. “I’m also sorry if that cut your evening short, but at least it seems like you were able to spend the rest of the night together?”

“We did, and there’s nothing to apologize for. I’m sorry that happened to you, and I’m grateful that you stepped in to protect Ray,” Milo said, eyes fixed on where Ruben’s hand was curved possessively around Ray’s side. “I’m guessing you also spent the rest of the night together?”

The two turned to look at each other, and Ray nodded firmly. “Ruben hasn’t left my side except to grab us breakfast. We…had a lot to discuss.”

“Like the fact that half the Rangecrofts now have fated mates,” Ruben said, a slow, shit-eating grin spreading across his face.

Rowan’s stomach lurched, and he was suddenly grateful that Ray had intercepted them before Rowan could stuff himself with strawberries and dairy.

“You…you and Ray?” he asked.

Milo’s leg pressed into Rowan’s so hard, he could feel the seam of their tights through his jeans.

“Are you serious?” Milo squeaked, a full octave higher than Ruben had.

“Dead serious,” Ruben said, flashing a grin with just a bit too much teeth.

“We felt it the second we touched on the dance floor,” Ray said, his ears satelliting around until they were pointing at Ruben. “One minute I was dancing with that creep, and the next, it was like the whole world stopped.”

“It felt like it was only us in the club,” Ruben added, gazing admiringly at Ray. “I could feel it in my chest, this violent tug, like…”

Ruben ran his hand up Ray’s side to rest the palm of his hand on Ray’s chest, just like he’d done the night before in the club.