Damian stroked Jak's hair as he slept against his shoulder. He stared at his tear-stained face, sympathy blossoming in hischest.
Tay had just gotten home when there'd been a knock at the door. The Alpha had opened it only to catch his best friend as he'd fallen through. He could count on one hand how many times Jak had cried. This time would make it five.
Jak had been a mess as Tay had hauled him in the condo. Damian had taken Jak's things as the two Alphas had collapsed on the floor. The two had looked at each other as their friend had been unconsolable. Neither one had ever seen him like this. Not even when his favorite grandfather had passed away did Jak cry like this. It was a soul crushing sob that could only be accessed from a deep pain.
Tay had somehow gotten Jak to the bedroom and to the bed. Damian had sat in the middle of the monstrosity as his partner had gone to shower. Tay saw Jak leaning against Damian. The Omega had sent some calming pheromones into the room to ease his friend so Tay had gone to make a plate.
Damian looked up when Tay returned with his dinner. Tay's face was drawn as he ate and watched his friend. He was unnerved. Jak was the strongest out of them. To see him this broken could mean one thing.
"Reaux broke his promise," Damian whispered. His fingers trailed through the dark locks pressed against his cheek.
Tay knew what he meant. His hand paused over his plate, fork pointed down. "He hit him?"
The Omega nodded. "He didn't tell me all the details. I'll ask when he settles down. For now, I'll let him sleep."
The Alpha knew what he meant to let Jak sleep with them. He didn't have the heart to tell Damian no. If he thought Jak needed them in this way, he would make adjustments. Jak had never done anything wrong towards Tay. he knew he wouldn't do anything to Damian.
Damian eased Jak to the pollows then covered him up. He had to get up to brush his teeth and use the restroom but he was back in bed within several minutes. He looked at Tay. His Alpha was staring into space, several thoughts flightting about his face in rapid succession. Jak made a noise, strangled and desperate. It drew Tay's attention, and all those moments settled into one.
The Omega allowed the bruised ALpha to curl around him. He looked at his wrists and frowned at the bruising mottling his skin. He caressed one with his thumb, several emotions bubbling up uncontrollably. Tay knew those faces. They were the same one Damian made two years ago when he was trying to process his own mental break.
"Reaux dabbles in dominant/submissive culture," Tay said. "He mainly sticks to light bondage and toys. Since he's been with Jak, he's shown him some things. The bruises are probably from being bound by a rope or cord."
"Why would he do that?" Tay rubbed his hands together thoughtfully. He had to figure out how to say this gently. "What is it?"
"Some Alphas find it hard to control their domineering natures. In the dom/sub cultures and relationships I know of, the pair or people set up rules that have to be followed by everyone joining in the play. Reaux is more dominant than Jak and even me. If he asked Jak to join him, he would have to set up some rules to make sure it was done safely and to make it easier on Jak who is new to it. From what little I know from both of them, Jak was open to anything except one."
"No hitting." Tay nodded. Damian took Jak's hand and looked it over. "There's some salve in the bathroom. When you get done, will you bring it to me?"
Tay smiled and nodded. He took his empty plate to the kitchen to wash. Then he went to the bathroom to brush his teeth. Grabbing the salve, he took it back to Damian. The Omega lifted Jak's shirt to inspect his skin, grimacing at his chest.
Normally, Tay would be enraged. Damian didn't touch other people without reason, and he sure as hell didn't touch dominant Alphas. But looking at the condition of his best friend, the other Alpha didn't have the heart to be mad. He couldn't.
He unscrewed the lid and held out the pot. Damian dipped his fingers into the opaque substance then gently smeared it on Jak's inflamed and bruised areolas. The sleeping Alpha twitched unhappily at his tender nipples being touched, but Damian eased him with a wave of pheromones. He did the same actions with Jak's wrists, making sure everything was covered.
"Reaux must be beside himself," the Omega said.
"I've already told him where Jak is," Tay said. He took the pot from Damian and put the lid on it again. He ruffled Damian's hair and kissed his temple. "You're a good man, my dear."
"I love Jak. If it hadn't been you, I would have asked him to care for me. If it was them, I could consider a polyamorous relationship." Tay twirled a curl as he let him continue. "I'll meet with Reaux tomorrow. I'm the safest bet."
"I'd probably punch him."
Damian laughed as he tucked Jak back under the duvet. "That's why I'm going." He reached up to stroke Tay's face. "I love you."
The Alpha's smile was sweet as saccharine. "I love you, but this is the only night I'll allow this."
The Omega nodded and sank down into the bed. Tay returned the salve to the bathroom then turned out the lights. He wrapped around Damian when he returned to the bed. Damian held one of Jak's hands. Tay put his hand over theirs. Though he was gruff, he hurt to see his friend like this.
~~~~~~~
Reaux sat on the couch contemplating what he was going to do. He stared at his phone as time flew by.
He hadn't heard from Jak since he'd gone to Tay's. The other Alpha's phone was off. He usually did that when he was in the shop. Being on his phone while machinery was working was dangerous. Reaux was glad he was being safe, but he wanted an update on Jak.
He didn't sleep. Between seeing Jak cry and realizing what he'd done, Reaux couldn't. He kept seeing his hand come in contact with bare skin, reliving the consequences over and over. Jak yelling his safe word. Jak crying. Jak's skin turning colors as he took off the restraints and clamps. He saw it all when he closed his eyes.
Reaux could never remember a time where he'd been so riled up he'd acted irrationally. Even with former lovers, he hadn't been this big of an ass when they'd gone to have fun with others. He had put out his expectations adn had let them go with full trust. Even with the females he'd been with, he had never monopolized them.
There was a huge difference between then and now. He had been a free man. Now he was bonded and mated. That changed the whole ball game.
He was possessive of Jak. It wasn't to the extent that he refused to let him go out, but he was not going to share him with anyone else. He'd made that clear when he'd talked to Andrew earlier, and the other man asked for a threesome. Reaux had quelled that instantly. If it had been anyone else, he would have agreed. But this was Jak, and he was not sharing.
He pressed Jak's number again, and it went straight to voicemail. He thought about leaving one but hung up instead.
"He won't answer." Reaux's head snapped up. He looked at Damian for a very long time before sighing. "I took his key."
Reaux got up, grimacing at the stiffness in his legs. He'd sat too long with them folded under him. The usually short distance to the kitchen now felt like a mile. Thankfully, Damian was patient and not as full of sarcasm as his mate and friend. The Omega sat at the bar and waited for him.
The Alpha poured two cups of coffee then handed Damian the sugar and creamer. Damian put creamer in his then stirred it. He was the exact opposite of Jak who loved his coffee overly sweet. It balanced out his bitter personality.
"How is he?" he asked
"He's asleep. Tay moved him to the study before he went to work," Damian answered.
"Guest room."
The Omega nodded. "He slept with us last night." He watched the Alpha's reaction closely. Reaux wasn't stupid. He knew how to curb his temper when needed. "You did a number on him, Reaux. I've never seen that shade of purple on him before, and he's not very graceful."
Damian's heart hurt at the look on Reaux's face. He oldready knew he'd gone overboard. Hearing the safe word had been enough. Now hearing it from his friend had to be even worse.
"Reaux, has Jak ever told you about Kayla?" he asked.
The Alpha nodded. "A little bit, but not a whole lot. He doesn't talk much about any of his past relationships."
"Tay introduced them. He thought they were well-suited for each other. She was a Beta, but she was pretty enough that Jak liked her. She was abusive. She belittled all of us, especially Jak. Tay would speak up when it came to me, but Jak could usually handle his own. We didn't know the extent of it for months."
Reaux didn't like where this was going. He rounded the counter and took the seat next to Damian. He could feel the Omega's eyes burning into him as he adjusted himself for the rest of the story.
"Jak showed up one night with a gnarly bruise on his arm," Damian continued. "He said he'd hit the vanity in the bathroom. Where it was located he very well could have, but then more popped up. His eyes, mouth, knees, waist, legs. And every time they did he'd been with Kayla right before."
"What did he say?" Reaux's voice was thick. He was angry and trying not to cry.
Damian saw and felt all of that. "Nothing at first. That came to a screeching halt the day before summer break."
He took a sip to ease his dry mouth. "We were all going to the Seychelles for a month. All of our families were going on the first big vacation in years and it had been planned for months. Kayla wasn't invited mainly becasue Jak hadn't told his parents about her."
Reaux couldn't help the derisive snort that left him. "That seems to be a reoccurring factor."
"If you knew his mom, you'd understand why. The night before our last final Jak went to see Kayla, and we lost contact for several hours. We're still used to that so no one thought anything about it. When he showed up to our final, Tay about had a come apart."
Damian turned to Reaux and held his neck with both hands. Reaux felt the pressure but he knew the Omega was not dangerous. He wouldn't hurt him.
"He had bruises just like this. He wouldn't tell us until after the final. Tay steamed the entire test, dragging Jak to the bathroom when he ws done. He'd told Kayla about our vacation and she'd attacked him. She'd tried to choke him, but because he's an Alpha, he overpowered her and left. Tay was livid. If you ever see his face turn purple, you should probably run."
"Where is she now?" The Omega looked at the Alpha suspiciously. "I'm not going to hunt her down. I just want to make sure she's not a threat."
"She's not," Damian confirmed. "She married some rich Alpha and has a summer home in the Hamptons."
Reaux fiddled with his empty cup. "Why are you telling me this?"
"Because if anyone understands Jak's trauma it's me. And because if Tay was the one to do it, there would be blood on the floor by now." The Alpha and Omega stared at each other. "If Tay hadn't claimed me, I could have let Jak. That's how much I trust and love him. He may be bullheaded and an asshole, but he's a good man. He doesn't ask for much."
"I hurt him, Damian." Reaux's tone was small and high pitched. The younger man recognized it as the same one Tay had when Damian had been in the hospital.
"Just apologize." The two words hung between them for a long time. "His world revolves around you. He's happier than I've ever seen him. Don't let a mistake ruin what you've made."
"What would Jak do if Tay hit you?"
Damian snorted. "Before or after he picked his remains up from my parents' asskicking?" Reaux smiled at the mental image. "Jak already has gone after Tay before. Tay has never hit me, but he was unsure if I'd accept him. Jak said if Tay didn't claim me, he would. You can imagine how well that went over. One, because Tay is possessive; and two, because you had already claimed him."
"He's upset because I didn't listen." The Omega nodded. "Where will he be tomorrow?"
"I don't know. He'll sleep the rest of the day. I'm off tomorrow so I'll take him wherever he needs to go. I'll let you know."
Reaux stood as Damain prepared to leave. He followed him to the door, holding it open as he passed.
"Damian?" The Omega turned big blue eyes to him, and he got drawn into them. They reminded him of Jak's. "Thanks for this. All of it."
Damian smiled. "He's my friend. But please come get him soon. He's ruining my sex life."
"A night or two not having sex won't kill you."
"Says you." The young man winked with a wicked smile. "Bye, Reaux."
"Bye." He watched him until he got on the elevator. Then he closed the door.
Damian was the only one who could talk to anyone like that and get away with it. No one dared hurt him. But Reaux was grateful for it. It now gave him a deeper understanding of his ogre partner. If he peeled back the layers, he'd get to the seed of that onion. Then he could grow it again with care.
Talking with Damian let him know one thing. Jak hadn't looked at anyone other than Reaux. He had no idea why Dante was looking at him, so he shouldn't have reacted the way he did. Jak was innocent in all of this.
He could put his phone aside. Jak was safe so he didn't have to worry. He just had to get him to come back home