I was listening to music with my back facing the seats in the airport and looking down at people walking before I took a breath and turned around. I did not expect after all these years to see my mate in the airport and another mate being with him when our flight had to make a stop in Florida and they just happened to be on the same flight heading home.

When I saw Gaelen again, I was at a loss for words. He got more beautiful as he got older and still smells so addicting, vanilla bean. The other man was tall but not as tall as me and he had muscles, blonde and adorable as hell. His eyes were a gray color from where I can see and his smile was bright on his handsome face. His scent was that of the morning spring air just as the sun rises, so pure and relaxing.

We talked as we ate lunch and for the first time since that night, I felt complete. Leo was even more active and I couldn't stop looking at Gaelen, wondering what he was thinking, how he was feeling because I wanted to be with him, to hold him, to love him. Nothing about my feelings have changed since the moment I first saw him to now. If anything, my feelings and desires for him have only gotten stronger over the years.

He has matured and isn't so mouthy but I love his smart mouth, such a sexy mouth it is too. I was happy to hear he has kept up with football and has a chance to play professionally since it has always been his passion. I have watched him play every game I could on TV and kept tabs on him over the years. Just because he rejected me doesn't mean I didn't care about him or how he was doing. He's a part of me and always will be.

It took a long time to get over the pain of the rejection but I think that it was needed so both of us could grow into the people we are now and find our paths, to live a little in the world and not just have a small town life where we wouldn't be truly happy so in a way he did us a favor but now, I want my mate back because I can't live without him, Dallas also. I plan on making this week one to remember with hopefully no fighting but I don't think there will be any drama. I just have a feeling it'll go well.

When we got on the plane I switched seats with someone who was seated between my mate's and I had some fun with Dallas and I can't wait to be with both of my mate's. I haven't had sex yet, I'm still a virgin because I wanted to wait for my mate and well I have two.

Things with Jameson were great, but with school and my work at the clinic and his schedule, we didn't see each other much and it wasn't fair to him to be with me when I couldn't be there for him like he deserved. We are still best friends and nothing is ever going to change that. He's with someone who makes him happy and that's all I could ever want for him.

Life after I came back to me after those two years went by fast. I went off to college and graduated within three years and started medical school right away. I applied to work in a clinic because that helps with credits to graduate and I get experience working with patients and I love it. I at first wanted to just be a brain surgeon but I am also learning general surgery so I have two skills and can pretty much work in any hospital. I don't mean to toot my own horn but I have been approached by at least fifteen to come work for one of them when I graduated even as a resident.

Working in the clinic I already have two years of residency done because it does small surgeries and I spend many hours there after class every day. When I go back, I'll have two months left before i graduated medical school and will be able to work in an actual hospital and daddy wants me to work at the one in town so I'll be closer to home but I also want to work in a busier hospital to get that life experience working in a major trauma center. Our hospital isn't a trauma center and barely has an ER since shifters don't need it and have their own doctors to help them.

I have time to figure things out, not much but I'll get it done. This is my career so I can't make a choice on one person's feelings even if I love that person more than anything. I know daddy will support whatever choice I make just as he has with everything else.

When I told him I saw Gaelen at the airport and that I had another mate, he was happy and told me to talk to Gaelen and work things out and to get to know Dallas and that he wants to see them as soon as possible. I haven't been home in a year so I know daddy is going to have plans and I can't wait to see Zane.

The plane landed and we got off, went to baggage claim and waited for a few minutes for our stuff to be loaded onto the belt and got our bags when they came around. When we walked out of the airport, daddy was there along with Gaelen's parents. Daddy hugged me so tight that I couldn't breath for a second but I didn't care. I missed him so much.

"Oh son it's so good to see you! You grew it seems. You look wonderful." Daddy said when he let me go and kissed my cheek.

"You look good to daddy. It's good to see you as well. Where's Zane?" I asked as he hooked his arm around mine and started walking down the sidewalk with my mate's behind me talking to Gaelen's parents.

"He's at the diner. We have to go there before we go home." Daddy said and looked back at my mate's and smiled.

"Wow Gaelen sure grew up huh? And Dallas is very handsome, well done son." He smirked and I chuckled.

"Don't I know it? It's nice to be around him again and Dallas was a wonderful surprise. I think things are finally going to work out daddy, I have faith." I said and he nodded and smiled.

"Yes I do too. I have to talk to you about your father but that can wait until later."

"Daddy, what about him?"

"We will talk in private later Ryker, not now." His tone told me to drop it and I did. I'm still to this day scared of a scolding from him so I pick and choose my battles before opening my mouth against daddy.

"So we'll meet up tomorrow, maybe Ryker?" Gaelen asked when we made it to the parking lot.

"Yes definitely. Meet at the diner around eleven?" I asked and he smiled.

"We will be there." He said and looked at Dallas who nodded.

"Yes we will be. It was really nice meeting you Ryker, see you tomorrow." Dallas said and they walked off to go to their car and daddy and I went to his.

On the drive to the diner my mind kept going to my mate's and how happy I am since this morning. Happier than I have been in a long time and all it took was a layover in an airport. We arrived at the diner and when we walked in, the lights were off and no sound could be heard but I heard a lot of heartbeats and suddenly the lights turned on and I saw my friends all around and yelling surprise.

"Aw guys. This is incredible. Thank you!" I was choked up and my eyes burned seeing all of my friends here and Zane, along with a guy I had never seen before walking close to Zane as Zane made his way over to me and jumped in my arms and squeezed me to death.

"I missed you Ry!" He sobbed and I held him and rubbed his back, breathing in his calming scent that was slightly different and I mentally sighed, he's pregnant.

"I missed you too Zane." I whispered and he calmed down some and looked at me and smiled.

"I'm so happy you're home Ry. It hasn't been the same without you." He said and the man who was with Zane cleared his throat and Zane looked back and smiled brightly before looking back to me.

"Ryker, this is Ravi, my mate. Ravi, this is Ryker, the best brother in the world!" Zane said and I chuckled as I put him down and shook Ravis hand.

"It's nice to meet you. You hurt my baby brother and you and I will have problems." I said with no hint of being playful or smiling.

"I wouldn't dream of it." Ravi said and I let his hand go. I want to kill the fucker for knocking up my brother.

"Did you know Zane is pregnant?" I asked daddy through our mindlink and he gasped loudly and dropped a tray he was carrying and looked at Zane and Ravi and I swear he had a look like he wanted to rip Ravi apart.

"Daddy what's wrong?" Zane asked and daddy shook his head and walked into the back of the diner to his office I'm sure.

"Maybe you should go talk to him, Zane. I kinda told him your news and I didn't know he didn't know so go talk to him." I said and he looked shocked I could tell already and rushed back to talk to daddy.

"Ryker!" I heard the voice of my best friends, Sean and Waylon and was crushed into a hug from both of them.

"Hey guys." I hugged them extra tight because I missed them so much.

"How have you been?" Sean asked but before I could answer, I greeted my other friends and they all asked the same thing so I figured it would be better to answer at once instead of one at a time.

"I've been well, everyone. School is going great, I graduate in a couple of months and have offers from a lot of hospitals to go work for one of them but I hadn't made up my mind on where to go yet. I ran into Gaelen at the airport and he was with a friend of his who also happens to be my mate and his name is Dallas. We have plans to meet up tomorrow to talk. Jameson and I broke up last year and he's doing good. All in all things are great." I answered and they looked happy but also concerned for me which I understood given what happened but I want to move on and finally be happy with the loves of my life.

The rest of the day was fun. I learned that Waylon and Sean were expecting their third child, an intersex baby like me but they could actually tell on an ultrasound and they won't assign the baby a gender, just be non-binary until the kid is older and knows who they are. They asked for my advice since I told them I was also intersex because I hadn't told anyone except Jameson and of course daddy and Zane knew so giving them advice on the subject was nice and it helped them. It's not easy being who I am but I wouldn't change it for the world.

I just wonder what Dallas and Gaelen will think when they see me naked. I had a surgery to open myself more because having a very small opening was making things difficult and painful so to fix that they cut me open and now I have a bigger hole that now can be more female meaning I get wet and it gets sensitive at certain times of the month like a week before I start a period so instead of just a small hole causing me problems, it's better for me now. I have explored it and found it to be enjoyable since I have a g spot and a prostate so the pleasure I brought myself was unbelievable and I'm not against using toys on myself when having sex, but I won't ever do anal, I don't want to get pregnant and risk my life or my babies life.

I want to mate with both of the beautiful men who are meant for me so as soon as I talk to Gaelen and make it official, I'm going to take them away for a few days and mate with them. I want to be complete and be happy, it's all I ever wanted and I'll do everything I can to make it happen.

Later that night I was in my old bedroom laying on my bed and just thinking of what my mate's could be doing, alone and I liked what my mind was coming up with. Both are so sexy so anything they do would be hot and I wish I could see it. Goodness tomorrow can't get here fast enough. I got off my bed and went to go shower so I can go to sleep, the faster I do that the faster morning would get here and I'll get to be with my mate's.

"Penny for your thoughts?" I heard daddy ask when I opened my bathroom door and saw him standing in the doorway.

"Just thinking about tomorrow and my mate's. I know you may have your own thoughts of Gaelen and I but daddy, the past is the past and I want to be with him. I still love him, even more now than back then and it may seem I'm setting myself up to get hurt again to everyone but I don't think so. I think it's our time now to be together." I said and he shook his head smiling at me.

"I wasn't going to say anything baby boy. I want you to be happy and I know you both aren't the same boys you were as teenagers, you're grown men and can make your own decisions and if you want to make it work with Gaelen, I'll support you. That also brings me to this, your father. I know you are still hurt over what he said and the past between the two of you but Ryker, talk to him. You want to be happy, yes, so talk to him. You won't be able to have the future you want and be completely happy until you talk to him. After you do and you decide you want nothing to do with him, fine but I won't stop asking until you talk to him." He came into my room and sat on my bed and I sat beside him.

"I know it's important to talk to him and get it off my chest but he hurt me so bad daddy. His words made others hurt me and I felt unloved by him since I was ten years old. I don't know how to begin to find a way to forgive him for it all."

"I understand and even if you do forgive him, it can be for yourself, not for him. Your grandfather's, all six of them gave him hell, even Caleb once they learned the truth and he hasn't been the same man since. He's changed into a better one, more understanding of the situation and is an even better dad to Maya and Martin, even Zane. As you know Monica found her second chance mate so things with us didn't work out and I have been spending more time with your father and it's brought feelings back for me, ones I thought were only just because of the bond but since there is no bond between us because of that spell, the feelings are natural and I like being with him. If I didn't think he has changed I wouldn't have even flirted with the idea of spending time with him but son, he has. You know I never lie and would never make you do anything you don't want to do and just tell you something just to tell you. After twenty-five years of not being mate's and on the outs with one another, if I can find a way to be civil and get along with him after everything I went through, so can you son. We're Walker men, we can get through anything." Goodness I hate it when he's right.

"Fine but not yet. It will be when I set the time, date, and terms of the conversation. Not a minute before." I said and he seemed ok with that answer.

"And wait, you want to be with him again, like romantically?" I asked and he blushed slightly.

"I honestly don't know. All I know is he makes me laugh, makes me feel safe, happy, loved. Maybe him being a guy is what clouded my thoughts but now I see him as a person and Ryker, I like him as a person." Wow ok I didn't see this coming, not one bit.

"But you're straight daddy. I have many times heard you and mama going at it and if those sounds coming from both of you were fake, I don't know what the hell to think."

"No you goof, it was real each time. I'll always like women, that's not the issue but I also feel things for your father and want to see where things go. It may lead to just being friends with him but if I don't explore it, I'll never know."

"And lead him on? Does that sound like a good idea?"

"He knows how I feel kiddo, he understands. There is no pressure with us and we're ok with that."

"It's your life daddy, whatever makes you happy I'll support you just like you do for me. I'm gonna get some sleep, I got a date in the morning." He smiled and we hugged and kissed good night before he got up.

"I love you, it's nice to have you home."

"I love you too and yea, I agree." I laid down and he shut my door when he left my room and my mind again drifted to my mate's and I went to sleep with a smile on my face.

Tomorrow morning will either be amazing or heartbreaking, just need to have faith it'll all work out.