Chapter Text
"You're looking better," Seth said as Dean sauntered into their office. Roman grunted in agreement. There was something different about him. His scent was off.
"Feeling better. M'omega… They're the best." Dean gave them that damn cherubic smile of his. "Made me feel human again in less than a day. Made me feel complete over the rest of the weekend."
Seth nodded absently, then the words sunk in. My omega. Made me feel complete. "Holy shit!! You don't mean…"
Dean nodded, his cocky manner changing to a softer, more relaxed one. "They're my mate…" he said quietly. Happily. Roman got up and thumped Dean on the back, congratulating him.
"Wow, man… congratulations on finding them…" Seth tried to smile, but it felt forced. He was happy for Dean, of course he was. Finding the one, your mate, it was a big deal. Couldn't have happened to a better guy. But it just reminds you that you haven't found yours yet, if you ever will, a small voice in his head cackled.
Shut up, Seth snarled at it. I'll find my mate. Just you watch.
**********
He was at it again. Kitty sighed and put her headphones on. Her upstairs neighbor had a habit of pacing whenever something bothered him. He had seemed more perturbed than usual on the elevator ride up today. Not that she was complaining. Her heat was almost over, her suppressants were working, but the unknown Betas in there with them had been glancing over at her, making her nervous. He had stood in between her and them, and his very aura had stopped them from speaking to her.
She had no idea who he was or even his name. She just thought of him as 7B, the man who lived above her, had a wide taste in music and a pacing habit. Oh, and practically a revolving door of women on the weekends. That might be an exaggeration, she thought, typing away at her computer. He did have at least one woman over, usually on Saturdays, and never the same one twice. Even that she couldn't get mad at. He kept his activities fairly quiet, considering what he was doing, and the women never left unhappy. Plus he is a very attractive Alpha. Of course he's going to get a lot of attention. I just wish I could know a little less about it.
She had unintentionally followed him a week ago, which was how she found out who lived right above her, because he had just smelled so nice and so… so... so Alpha. It had been at the very beginning of her heat, her suppressents hadn't kicked in just yet, and thankfully he had found it more amusing than annoying. Even more thankfully, he had gently set her back on the right course instead of taking advantage of the situation like others might have. She definitely would have let him have his way with her in that state of mind she had been in.
Actually, I would let him do whatever he wanted even if I wasn't in heat, she thought with a blush. He seemed nice enough, and had even made a point to ride the elevator with her since then, possibly as a deterrent to less noble Alphas and Betas, but never made even a hint of interest in her. Another thing she couldn't get mad at. She was a far cry from the women she had seen leaving his apartment. They were strong women, Alphas like him, with the occasional Beta once in a while. If she wasn't attractive to him because of her Omega-ness, there wasn't much she could do about it.
"I wish I could at least have the nerve to ask him his name…" she muttered to herself. A car backfiring from the street below startled her from her daze. She laughed at herself, shook her head and got back to her typing.
**********
Seth stared at his computer. The words were there, but nothing was connecting in his brain. "Fuck this. I'm going outside for a break," he said. Roman glanced up at him.
"You ok?"
"Yeah… just… frustrated. I'll be back in a bit."
"Hey, wait, I'll come with. Need some air."
They bundled up against the cold and walked to the terrace located on their floor. The biting air was a welcome relief to the heat of the building. Seth leaned against the railing and looked out at the city below them. Their floor was high enough above the street that the city sounds were a distant memory. Closing his eyes, he could almost pretend he was back home in Davenport, with the first big snow of the season looming over them. It was one of the few bright spots of this wretched place.
"Dean wanted me to ask you if you wanted to come over for steaks on Saturday." Ever since Dean had moved in with his mate, he had been having a weekly dinner for the lot of them. He'd grill some sort of meat, while Lil' Bit, as they liked to call Dean's mate, made sure there was a balance of other foods as well.
Seth opened his eyes and looked at his friend. "Busy on Saturday."
"Yeah. I figured." Roman was leaning against the railing as well, but looking in the opposite direction, over at the building. "I'll let him know."
Seth grimaced. "Why are you asking me and not him?"
Roman snorted. "Maybe he's tired of getting rejected."
"What!? I don't--"
Roman put his hand up, then pulled out a notebook and opened it. "I've been keeping count. Seventeen weeks."
"Sorry? What's been seventeen weeks?"
"You. Declining the invitation for Dean's grilling. Coincidentally, that's one month less than he has been with his Omega. The one I thought you approved of."
"I do approve of them! Lil' Bit is the sweetest little thing and makes Dean happy…" He trailed off.
"But?" Roman prompted.
Seth sighed and looked back at the city. "But I can't be around them. I see them and I remember… I still haven't found my mate yet. Despite being on the lookout for years!" He threw his hands up in exasperation. "I love the guy, but Dean has got to be the luckiest son of a bitch I know. To randomly find his mate when he's not even looking for them, while I've been sniffing around every corner, turning over every rock…"
He bit his lip hard enough to draw blood.
"It's not fair… I'm happy for him. I really am. But I can't be around them and their happy little bubble right now. I don't want to spread my bad vibes to him. But I guess I'm doing that by staying away, huh?"
Roman chuckled. "A bit, yeah. Look, I get what you're saying. Just tell Dean the same thing. He'll understand too. Personally, I think you're being a tool about it, but that's your business."
"Jackass," Seth muttered, but there was no heat behind it.
"Have you been dating or just sleeping around, trying to find the one that fits?" Roman asked.
"A little of both," he replied, but it had been more of the latter than the former recently. He only felt a little guilty about it, and had told himself that he needed the relief it gave him. He had been searching for the past ten years, for fucks sake. A little playtime was allowed. But each time, he felt like he was losing a little piece of himself, that he was setting himself further behind in his quest. "I stopped though. Two weeks ago. Just… it's hard, man. So… yeah. Giving myself a break from it."
"For how long?"
Seth shrugged. "Until I feel ready again, I guess. Still not gonna go to the Saturday dinner though. Maybe next week."
"Sure, uce. Dean'll understand."