Page 74 of Shifter Omegaverse AU

Milo was practically vibrating in their seat, even as they fought to keep their leg still against Rowan’s. “That would be amazing! I also still need to meet Riley, but it sounds like she’s very busy.”

“She is. She’s actually only made it out to our place a few times. It’s a fair way up north of the city, but we love the open woods around the house. It’s not quite as far of a drive as Rowan’s mountain cabin, but it’s not down the street either.”

Milo turned their big eyes on Rowan. “You have a mountain cabin?”

“I do,” Rowan said, reaching for his muffin just to have something to do with his hands other than reach for and probably fail to touch Milo. “I use it for weekend getaways.”

“And rutting season,” Troy added, very unhelpfully.

This wasn’t something Rowan would usually tell someone he’d just started dating, but even without Troy’s prompting, he found himself wanting to tell Milo about the cabin. He’d designed it himself, with all the warm, rustic features from home, mixed with modern appliances and glass to feel a little like his apartment in the city. When the sun rose over the mountains, it streamed directly into the primary bedroom and the kitchen on the floor below. It was one of his favorite places on earth, but he’d never brought anyone who wasn’t family there before.

“Yes, also for my hawk’s version of rutting season,” Rowan said. “My hawk insists on being shifted for most of it since I’ve always handled it alone.”

Milo’s fingers were back in the hem of their skirt. “That makes sense. Obviously, I don’t have to deal with ruts or heats, but when my pony and I get lonely, I prefer spending more time shifted, too. I’d love to see your cabin, if or when you’d like to share it. If it’s private, though, no pressure at all.”

Rowan’s hawk fluffed out his wings and began parading around, very excited to show off the cabin and his shifted form, even as he shed several feathers. He was about to hit the peak of spring molt, and he would typically be spending every weekend at the cabin, so his hawk could comfortably shed his heavier winter feathers in time for summer.

“It is private,” Rowan said, and Troy narrowed his eyes as Milo dropped theirs to the floor. “But…” he forced himself to swallow around that lump in his throat. “I would love to show you. We could even go this weekend, if you’d like.”

Rowan wasn’t sure whose smile was bigger, Troy’s or Milo’s.

Troy was like the older brother Rowan had never known to want. He’d always thought all brotherly relationships were like his and Ruben’s: sometimes tense, sometimes frustrating, but always with an underlying love that kept them coming back to each other throughout the years. Things with Troy, though, had always been easy, even when he let some of his protective side show, like right now.

Clearly, there was no need for concern because Milo continued being their quirky, sweet self throughout the rest of their coffee hour, and they even offered to send Troy Anabelle’s blueberry muffin recipe, which they swore was way better than the café’s.

“I think getting away to the cabin for the weekend would be great for both of you,” Troy said as they entered the lobby of their office building. “You just have to get through dinner and your first therapy session and then you’ll have the whole weekend to yourselves.”

“Is that why you brought it up?” Rowan asked, and Troy did a very bad impression of innocence.

Rowan shook his head and pressed the button for their floor, even while his hawk flapped around in excited circles.

“Thank you,” Rowan said, for the second time that day.

“Literally any time, man. You know I’m Team Rowan all day, every day.”

“You’re Team Raina.”

Troy shrugged his big shoulders. “True, but we all know she’s always had a soft spot for you.”

She did, just like their omega mom had a soft spot for Ruben, and Riley and their alpha ma had no soft spots for anyone except maybe their omega mom.

“I’m going to tell her next week. In person,” Rowan said.

Troy nodded his head firmly. “You deserve for your relationship to be celebrated, and we both know Raina will be shouting about it from the rooftops.”

She probably would, and even though Rowan would complain about meddlesome sisters, he would secretly love every second of it.

“So, I wasn’t entirely sure what you had in the way of snacks, so I came prepared,” Milo said, dropping their overly stuffed backpack onto Rowan’s kitchen table.

It was red, of course, as was the tassel dangling from Milo’s wallet, which they’d left on Rowan’s front table.

“I brought popcorn, chocolate-covered peanuts, regular peanuts, a few apples just in case, annnnnnd—” Milo struggled to pull out the final item, sticking nearly half their arm into the backpack before pulling out a large paper sack. “More muffins! From the café, not me, of course.”

Rowan had no idea how they could fit so many things in their backpack. From the outside, it looked like a pretty normal bag, but inside, it must have been a bottomless pit. He peered over Milo’s shoulder and caught sight of a laptop case and a collection of papers, as well as a small, hard-shell carrying case, alongside a tall gift-wrapped box.

Milo caught him looking and hurried to zip it shut. “Uh, those are not important right now.”

Rowan had genuinely just been curious about where the backpack ended. He hadn’t meant to snoop, but…had Milo gotten him some kind of gift? Was there a fated mate third date rule about gifts? Troy and Raina had gifted each other mate marks on their third date, so maybe there was some sort of best practice.