Chapter Text
Month 1: ILYA’S POV
Ilya knew his husband's body better than anyone, including Shane. It had been weeks since they shared their heat/rut, and Ilya had given it his all to make sure Shane limped away pregnant. So it didn't come as a surprise when Shane's nipples began to darken, his scent began to change with hints of pine and lilies, and he began to doze off more while watching his favorite documentaries or TV shows.
“Ilyaaaa…” a small whine from Shane echoed through the kitchen, bringing with him that delicious new smell of pine and lilies; a little stronger now with the passing days. “I think you were too rough last night. I told you my chest was hurting, but you kept playing with them.” Shane pouted, making his bottom lip look so plump and glistening…Ilya wanted to bite it.
He looked away from that juicy lip and noticed Shane was rubbing small circles on his pecks to alleviate the obvious discomfort. Ilya let out a deep sigh, turned off the stove, then moved the small pot containing the herbs and spices for the brewed tea aside to let it cool.
If his math was correct, Shane was in his first month of pregnancy. He was already showing many of the early signs, but the morning sickness hadn't started, so he looked up recipes for home-brewed teas meant to prevent or alleviate it; he wanted to be ahead of his kitten's discomfort.
Ilya looked at Shane’s face again; his husband was still as beautiful as the first time he caught sight of those freckles. He was amazed that this man was his husband; this Omega had looked at Ilya's broken shell of an Alpha and said “mine” the same way Ilya's heart had said “mine”.
He remembers the first time he saw Shane at his best friend's hockey game; It was purely by fate. That entire day is forever recorded like an old-time film in his mind, which he liked to replay every once in a while; he felt it now, his vision of Shane began to blur, the film countdown rolling out…3,2,1.
—
Cliff Marleau had been nagging Ilya for months to use one of his seats and attend the game so they could hang out after. It was true they hadn't seen each other for almost 3 months, but Ilya traveled for work at times, and Marly traveled for his hockey games, so it was hard to coordinate. Ilya had to finally give in when Cliff showed up to his office - unannounced - slammed a ticket on his desk and said, “Be there, or I'll make a scene next time I come in this building,” then walked back out.
His best friend was so dramatic, but he knew the threat had to be taken very seriously, so he called his assistant Jackie over the intercom. “Clear my schedule for tonight starting at 4 PM,” Jackie, already anticipating this, replied. “Done. I have moved your 4:30 PM appointment to tomorrow at 3:00 PM. Do you need me to reschedule your 9:00 AM as well?” This is why he loved Jackie, even though she was a beta; everyone feared her like an alpha. Always assertive, not taking any business from anyone, always thinking ahead and solving problems before they became problems. She probably saw the large alpha storm into his office, then storm back out, and immediately started to rearrange Ilya’s schedule, pending his command or approval.
“Yes, go ahead and clear me until 10 AM. I have a feeling Cliff will want to stay out late whether he wins or loses.” Ilya sighed, leaning back in his large leather executive recliner chair and bringing one hand to his face, using his thumb and middle finger to rub at his eyes. Jackie's laugh filled his office, and she said, “Consider it done. I was worried I would need to send Brad in after him for your safety, sir. Mr. Marleau looked about ready to kidnap you when he stormed up here.” Jackie laughed some more as Ilya just grumbled in annoyance.
Ilya looked at the digital clock on his desk; a bright “2:04 PM” glared back at him in bold black lettering contrasting the white backdrop. He groaned again and sat upright from where he was leaning back, causing the leather chair to crackle under him, releasing some of its earthy beeswax aroma. “Jacks, do I have anything else today?” he said to the intercom system; she knew to wait until he hung up. “No meetings, sir, but you did have a scheduled call with your sister Svetlana.” He smiled at the mention of her name.
Svetlana Vetrova, or “Sveta” as he had always called her, was an omega who had been in his life since childhood. When Sveta presented as an omega, her family was quick to betroth her to him, to strengthen the Russian families. They both knew married life together was not what either of them wanted, so they played along for their families, waiting, planning, building the business they shared today.
They told their families for years that the wedding would take place once they were both successful, because a dynasty wedding like theirs needed to be on a grand scale. Their families were so power-hungry that the thought of internationally successful children had them salivating at the political standing.
Ilya and Sveta pushed for foreign education and time spent overseas, learning, making connections, meeting people, and creating a small network that would become the foundation of their business. They still didn’t know what their business would be, but they needed to make sure that once they executed their plan and permanently left Russia, there would be no way for their families to have claims on them.
“Sir?” Jackie’s distorted voice from the intercom brought him back to the present. “I’ll call her from the car. Tell Brad to pick me up at the apartment at 6 PM. I don’t feel like finding parking at the game; he can drop me off at the back entrance,” he rambled to Jackie. “Do you need to have Brad ready to follow you home now, sir?” She replied. Ilya thought about it, but decided he was leaving early enough; he didn’t need his shadow to leave work. “No, tell him to go home and to dress casual for tonight; I want him to blend in. I will be with Cliff, so I don’t want obvious security; he knows the drill. That will be all, thanks, Jacks”
He pressed the button to disconnect the intercom system and began to shut down the programs he had opened on his computer. He couldn’t focus on work; he was now on edge and agitated. He just knew that Cliff was going to shove more sexual partners his way. In his early 20s, that appealed to him, but now he was growing restless; he was ready for true partnership, for a mate, for children. He was 26 and felt like he had lived a lifetime.
After locking his computer, packing his laptop, and turning off all the lights, he exited his office and began his walk to the elevator, passing Jackie’s desk. Without stopping, he said, “Go home, Jacks. I may come back cranky tomorrow, so enjoy your freedom today.” Jackie laughed out loud; a sudden bloom of orange and fresh linen spiked the air. It was subtle, but Jackie’s maternal scent always grounded Ilya, especially when her carefree laugh made an appearance.
“Thank you, sir. My husband does owe me a dinner date, so maybe I’ll collect it today. Remember, don’t kill Mr. Marleau, and have a good time.” Ilya groaned at Jackie’s comment and pressed the elevator button angrily. “I will try, Jacks. My mood tomorrow will be your answer,” he said while stepping into the elevator. The doors closed, cutting Jackie’s laugh and her citrus-linen scent.
—
Brad dropped off Ilya at the back entrance as instructed and left to find parking for their vehicle. Ilya, already familiar with the arena, worked his way to the locker rooms until he stumbled upon Coach LeClaire. “Mr. Rozanov, what a surprise! Come to check out the boys? We are definitely looking cup worthy,” Ilya smiled at the elder Alpha. “Cliff practically threatened with full theater dramatics if I didn’t show today, so here I am.” Coach LeClaire let out a loud belly laugh, putting a hand to his head, almost to keep himself from shaking in his laughter. “He has been making changes and playing around with new moves; I bet he wanted to show them off to you. We are playing Ottawa today; it should be a fairly easy game,” said the older Alpha.
Ilya hissed in hesitation; he wasn’t a die-hard hockey fan, but he did follow the teams and kept up with the stats occasionally. He knew Ottawa was not a strong team; in fact, they were known for being absolutely destroyed in most games. “I hope Cliff is gentle with them; no need to be show-offy against a small team like Ottawa,” Ilya told the coach hesitantly. The older Alpha shrugged his shoulders as if to say ‘who knows what he’ll do,’ which honestly was terrifying.
He wished the older alpha farewell and continued to the locker room, but he caught sight of the time on his cellphone and decided to go to his seat instead; the game would start soon.
As he took his seat, he looked around the arena; the array of scents was definitely high-pitched to his nostrils, a combination of strong alpha musk from some of the players already on the ice, mixed with an array of more muted scents like smoked wood, fresh pine, and sweet fruits from the spectators. As he continued to cast his eyes throughout the entire arena, in the front, right by the boards, two rows down on his left, he caught sight of shiny onyx hair; it was so shiny that it legitimately made him stop in his tracks.
Looking away from the smooth, silky hair and down to the face of its owner was what made him forget how to breathe. That beautiful profile slightly turned his way, giving Ilya a glimpse of a kitten nose covered in freckles, with a dimpled smile making the freckles on his cheeks scrunch up. The kitten looked so happy to be there, right by the action. As he continued to absorb every detail of this beautiful man, he noticed the Ottawa jersey with the words “Boodram” on the back with the player's number.
Ilya felt slightly guilty because he already knew his kitten would be disappointed once they lost; at the same time, the Alpha was vibrating with eagerness to comfort this kitten afterward.
—
The film is abruptly cut short when he feels a hand on his left bicep and a soft kiss on his cheek. The glorious smell of lilies surrounds Ilya, and he leans his face into the hand on his cheek as his eyes focus on Shane’s chocolate-brown, shimmering eyes. They have now been married for two years; everyone thought it was crazy how quickly Ilya married Shane after meeting him, but he knew Shane was his soul walking outside his body. Shane is the lighthouse in Ilya’s storm, and his body was made just for him; he was made to fit perfectly physically, mentally, and spiritually.
Ilya has been dying for the day Shane would finally give him children. At first, Ilya didn't bring up the subject of children because he knew Shane needed to get used to his new lifestyle; it wasn't going to be easy to go from a recent college graduate from Ottawa, Canada, to being a Boston billionaire. However, Shane adapted beautifully; he was meant to be spoiled, praised, worshiped, and absolutely smitten, and Ilya made sure of it every day.
He may be the CEO of a massive conglomerate and be directly in charge of over 1,000 people nationwide, but every single one of them knew that Shane was the true king. He may have begun his business and grown it into the success it is today for survival, but all was for when his Shane arrived in his life and for the family they were about to start.
"Moy Lyubov" Ilya whispered, reaching to rub his thumbs across the constellations on both cheeks. “I’m sorry for being rough last night; you know I can’t control myself around you, and your scent was like a siren’s call.” Shane looked up to him with eyes filled with absolute trust and adoration. “I haven’t changed, Ilya, but you were an animal possessed; what got into you?” Shane said, rubbing Ilya’s bicep.
Ilya, with both hands on Shane's cheeks, leaned down, pressed a soft kiss on Shane's nose then moved his left hand gently down Shane's body and took a handful of the sweet ass that so beautifully took him last night; at the same time, he moved his nose down the soft face of his husband, taking a long whiff of that new scent, and ending his journey at the crook of Shane's neck on his mating mark.
Shane gasped softly, tilted his head to the side to give Ilya more room, and grabbed onto Ilya’s other bicep for support. Ilya was absolutely obsessed with the new smell of pine and lilies; it was a reminder of his first home - Russia. Giving one last squeeze to Shane's ass cheek and a kiss on his mating mark, Ilya pulled back and smiled at his husband. “Nothing, I just love you so much I cannot control myself and must consume you and everything you give me,” Ilya said with a jokingly growled voice.
“Come, I made tea for you, and I have Disney's Atlantis ready to play in the theater room,” Ilya told Shane, pulling him along towards where the stove with the now cooled-down tea was waiting. He didn’t look at his Omega to see the elation in his face; he was smacked in the face by the spike in arousal and excitement coming from Shane. The thick smell of honey and blooming jasmine was Ilya's favorite Shane smell; well before he discovered the new delicious smell of his son; yes, a son- he knew it.
“Ya Tebya Lyublyu,” Shane whispered dreamily. How did you know that I wanted tea and to watch a Disney movie?” Ilya peeked at Shane when he reached to retrieve a mug and saw the absolutely besotted look in his Omega’s face- drunk and high on Ilya. “It’s my job to keep my husband happy, which means I developed the skill of mind reading,” Ilya said jokingly, wiggling his eyebrows while handing Shane the mug with the tea.
Shane let out a boyish giggle and got on his tiptoes to kiss Ilya. “Thank you for being the best husband and Alpha,” Shane whispered to him before returning to his normal height and grabbing the mug. Ilya purred in approval when Shane took a whiff of the mug, softly smiled, and took a small sip of the tea. “Hmmm…this is perfect,” Shane moaned. “I haven’t had this one before, but it’s delicious.”
—
It was 30 minutes into Atlantis, and Shane’s eyelids were already drooping. They had a large sectional in the theater room with a nest for Shane to feel safe and comfortable; Ilya loved how Shane took into account Ilya’s favorite colors when creating his nests for this room. He sat up gently in the nest without disturbing the Omega between his legs. He took the empty mug from Shane’s hands and set it on the side table, wrapped one arm around Shane’s upper body, and gently turned him, laying Shane on his chest.
The new position wasn’t the most comfortable one they could be in, but Shane would probably sleep for an hour at most before waking up for food. As he turned the volume down to 5% on the sound system, he used his other hand to softly rub and scratch at Shane’s scalp, causing his Omega to purr and grab onto Ilya's shirt in a tight fist. Ilya looked down at Shane’s face and once again felt his eyes glaze over and that old time film countdown begin…3,2,1
—
Ilya was absolutely transfixed; he couldn't keep his eyes away from the beautiful face that was his kitten. He would have to lie to Cliff when they got together, because Ilya only had eyes for that angel of a man. Every reaction the kitten gave was categorized and archived in Ilya’s mind; he thought seeing his dimpled smile was his favorite, but then the angry scowl made an appearance, and Ilya was positive that was his favorite. The angel was so expressive; every emotion showed on his face, and Ilya was fascinated with seeing them all.
During the halftime break, he had sent Brad to get them concession snacks while he checked his email; it was the first time he had taken his eyes away from the kitten. “Damn Sunshine, you’re cheering for a losing team! Why don’t you come sit on my lap and I’ll show you who to cheer for?” That loud comment had him snapping to attention and honing in on the asshole; he didn’t need to see who was on the receiving end of the catcall; he immediately knew it was his angel.
He pocketed his phone, stood up, and began to walk towards his kitten, releasing his Alpha pheromones. “Hey, kitten, sorry I took so long; work was a nightmare. Good job on such great seats,” Ilya told his angel with eyes that he hoped said, ‘I got you, trust me.’ “Oh! I'm so glad you made it, babe! I was worried I would be here all by myself.” Ilya forgot how to breathe all over again. This beautiful kitten looked up at him and gave a full dimpled smile, making his constellations bunch together, with honeyed eyes glistening with trust and awe.
Ilya felt his alpha surge, growing taller and larger. He turned to the man who had catcalled his kitten and glared at him so intensely he was sure the entire stadium dropped in temperature. “Talk to him again, and no one will see you disappear from this building.” The other guy, a beta, seemed to have frozen at the intense alpha presence that was Ilya Rozanov. “My apologies, sir; won’t happen again,” the guy practically whimpered, fighting the urge to submit to Ilya.
A small, gentle touch on his thigh had his eyes snapping down to where the heat was radiating from. He felt his entire body calm immediately at the touch; it was as if all the anger he was feeling had been punched out of him in an instant. Ilya decided to turn away from the insulting beta and take a seat next to the angel who thankfully didn't remove his hand from Ilya's thigh. Trying to calm his alpha, Ilya took a deep breath and felt what could only be described as a spiritual awakening, a divine revelation, a missing piece in his genetic coding that he didn’t know was missing.
One breath of that cinnamon apple scent was all it took. The scent was rich, terrifyingly sweet, and completely undeniable. Every instinct in his chest flared to life, roaring a single word: “mine.” Ilya was left gasping for air as he took in the beautiful angel’s face again, but seeing him as what he was, his mate.
“Hey, are you okay?” his kitten said, gently leaning forward to look at his face and squeeze his thigh. Ilya didn’t get to answer because the loud music over the stadium started, and his angel removed his hand from Ilya’s thigh to clap and cheer for the teams returning to the ice. Ilya took a deep breath again to get his bearings, and that sweet scent just washed over him like a sunset at the lake.
Ilya felt a presence beside him in the aisle, and he looked up to see Brad standing there, holding a beer and a hot dog. Brad didn’t make any comments, raised an eyebrow, and quickly looked at his kitten, then back at Ilya. Ilya sighed and turned to his angel. “I’ll be right back; wait for me here, please. I want to walk you out.” Ilya hoped he didn’t sound desperate or obsessed - even though he was. His kitten gave him another smile and nodded.
He stood up and began walking up the aisle stairs, heading to the lockers once again, Brad following behind him. Once they were far away enough, he turned to face Brad, took the beer and hot dog, and just looked at Brad as he took a large bite of the hot dog, then a large swig of the beer with his mouth still full. “Sooooo…” Brad began awkwardly. Ilya kept looking at Brad as he finished the hot dog and beer, not saying anything but just assessing his shadow with his eyes.
“Umm, boss?” Brad said, clearly tensing up, feeling like somehow he had missed something. Ilya finished the hot dog and wiped his mouth before he said, “You are one of my most trusted employees along with Sveta and Jackie, so you better not fail me with the job I’m about to give you.” Brad straightened up at his full height, spread his legs shoulder-length apart, and clasped his hands behind his back in a perfect ‘at ease’ military stance. “The guy I was sitting next to is my mate; he’s an omega and some beta was trying to hit on him during halftime. From here on out, you’re his shadow; I don’t care how you do it, or what you have to do, but don’t let him find out.”
Brad had a two-second reaction at hearing his boss had found his mate before locking in and nodding solemnly. “You got it, sir. I shall go now to my new assignment and contact Aika to come retrieve you.” Ilya nodded and watched as Brad left for the stands. He wondered if he could blow off Cliff; now that he had found his mate, all he wanted was to learn more about him.
Ilya returned to his kitten and said while sitting down, “I’m Ilya. What’s your name?” “Shane Hollander.” his angel beamed at him. “So, how did you end up cheering for Ottawa of all teams?” Ilya asked half jokingly, half in fear. Shane let out a beautiful boyish giggle, and that cinnamon apple scent spiked into a crisp pear smell - Ilya saved that as ‘Shane’s happy smell’ in his endless growing list of anything Shane. “Well, I’m actually from Ottawa! Born and raised there with my parents. I’m an only child, so we did everything together; our favorite was watching hockey games. I played some during my college years, but now that I’m graduated, I guess I can kiss hockey goodbye. That’s why my parents gifted me with this trip; I’ve only seen the Centaurs play in Ottawa. It was so exciting having to get a passport for the first time, and the drive was absolutely beautiful! Although I’m not doing that drive again, I rented a car for the drive down. I’m flying back home in a few days. I want to tour everything and enjoy myself in America for the first time.”
Suddenly, the air turned sour, and the crisp pear was overtaken by the smell of copper and burnt grass. Ilya was on high alert again, looking for a threat and leaning closer, ready to shield Shane from it. “I’m sorry, you probably were just trying to be polite and make small talk, and I gave you practically my entire life history,” Shane said sadly, embracing his midsection with both arms as if to shield himself from disappointment.
His Alpha was absolutely heartbroken when he caught the early signs of tears pooling in the corner of those chocolate liquid pools. He gently reached, unwrapped Shane’s arms, and held both his hands while looking directly at him. “I want to know everything you want to tell me. I would love to be a part of your journey as a full tourist in the big city. When you’re returning home, you continue to tell me anything and everything.” Ilya said with absolute earnestness.
—
Shane and Ilya were outside of the stadium, walking slowly towards the designated taxi area. “Let me see your phone,” Ilya said. His hand out and faced up; Shane quickly obeyed and placed his iPhone on the waiting hand. “I’m saving my cellphone and my office number. I will pick up either of those; please call me and keep me updated on all the places you plan to visit. You are all alone here, so I want to make sure someone knows of your whereabouts.” Ilya was fighting the urge to take Shane and permanently attach him to himself, but he wouldn’t control his Omega when he was now getting his freedom.
From behind Shane, Ilya saw Brad nod at him from the black, sleek SUV, ready to follow his new charge anywhere. It wasn’t the same as Ilya physically being there with Shane, but it’d have to suffice. Shane doesn’t even seem to realize who Ilya is and how much power he has in this city. Until Shane knew everything and accepted the burden, Ilya would admire from a distance and watch his kitten enjoy life in a safe environment.
“That’s so sweet, Ilya,” Shane whispered, looking up at him with tender eyes full of awe. “I will text you my itinerary for the rest of the week and share my location,” Shane finished saying while looking down and typing on his phone. Ilya stretched out a hand, and a yellow taxi cab appeared right next to them. Ilya looked at the cab, then up at Brad, and his shadow, loyal as ever, immediately took a picture of the cab’s license plate with his phone.
“Oh! That was fast; I thought I would have to wait forever for a cab.” Shane laughed, and that crispy pear smell returned to assault Ilya again - yep, that was his favorite Shane smell. “The universe wants you to have as much time exploring the city, so go have fun. Remember, text me periodically so I can make sure you’re safe. Also, if it’s not too much to ask, could you call me before you go to bed?” Ilya whispered the last part and, before he could stop himself, gently brushed a thumb across Shane’s freckles on his left cheek.
Ilya once again was stripped of the ability to breathe; he forgot. Gone. He was pretty sure he had died, because an angel was in front of him and those only existed in heaven. Shane’s cheeks, nose, and ears were covered in a beautiful pink blush; the scent that followed was definitely Ilya’s favorite Shane smell. A thick smell of honey and blooming jasmine infiltrated Ilya’s nostrils, and the gods themselves couldn’t have stopped the growl that escaped him.
His Omega was aroused; a simple touch on his cheek and Ilya was rewarded with that sweet nectar. Before he lost himself to the smell, he closed his eyes and collected himself; they were in a taxi pick-up zone where anyone could smell what was his. Ilya opened his eyes and smiled at Shane before dropping his hands from Shane’s face and opening the back door of the cab for him. “Time to go; you have a tight schedule from the sound of it.” Shane blushed once again and walked towards the open door.
“Thanks for everything, Ilya. I owe you if you are ever in Ottawa,” Shane said, leaning against the open taxi door and leaving a feather-light kiss on Ilya’s cheek. Before Ilya could grab Shane by the waist and kiss the living daylight out of him, he forced his body to shut the taxi cab door and gently tapped the roof to instruct the driver to start driving. The taxi left his sight, mingling with the other exiting vehicles, and he saw Brad a few cars behind the cab that had his entire soul in its back seat.
—
The film melted into a warm, amber and grey, stuttering once, twice, before fading and his vision returning to the present. Shane was still asleep on his chest, the movie long forgotten by now. Ilya gently leaned down and pressed a kiss to his husband’s forehead while his hands encircled his waist. Ilya couldn’t wait to see his Omega grow round with the life they had both created; soon there would be a child who would split Ilya’s soul in two and both halves would live outside his body.
Reaching towards the side table with one hand, he grabbed his cellphone. The iPhone immediately made a bubble noise, unlocking with face recognition; he opened his text messages and found Brad’s name. Single-handed, he began to message Brad.
Ilya: Get a partner. Shane is to have protection at all times; it’s not just Shane anymore.
Brad: Congratulations, sir
Ilya: I will leave the vetting process to you; you know what I expect and what I offer.
Brad: I have someone in mind, sir. If they pass the vetting process and accept the offer, I will present him to you for final approval.
Ilya: Remember, mated Alphas only or Betas.
Brad: Understood.
Ilya locked his phone and returned his hand to his Omega’s midsection. He looked at Shane’s sleeping face, then let his eyes travel down to where his hands were protectively splayed across his husband’s tight-muscled stomach. Soon there would be visible proof of the life they had created, and Ilya knew his Alpha would be even more intense than he was now.
For years he had been wanting this: a family of his own, someone that was his flesh and blood. Ilya still had family in Russia, but they never loved him. His son would not grow up in that kind of misery; he would love his child regardless of designation or orientation. There would be no expectations or demands, just a happy life provided by his Alpha father.
He leaned his head down and took a deep inhale of his husband’s new scent. He closed his eyes and stayed there, bathing in the pines and lilies with the weight of Shane above him.