Oleander stretched as he woke up. He could hear purring and thought for a second that it was all a dream. He was sleeping in his bed at Gideon's house and Jack was next to him.

A hand slid over his back and around his body to his stomach. The purring was in his ear, vibrating through his body. Origin and it wasn't a dream. He sighed with contentment. He never felt this.

"Morning." Origin whispered.

Oleander looked at Origin. He was so happy that it was real. "Morning. I heard purring and thought last night was a dream! I thought you were Jack for a second."

Origin smiled and kissed his neck. "No, I'm not Jack, thank all the witches! I woke up so happy. Did last night actually happen?"

Oleander turned to face Origin and smiled. "I hope so!"

Origin leaned in and kissed Oleander. "Good." He slowed the kisses down and loved Oleander, slowly. They both laid on the mattress, trying to recover. "So good!"
Oleander nodded as he tried to catch his breath. "That made this morning a great morning!"

Origin laid his head on Oleander's shoulder. "What now?"

Oleander just chuckled and sighed with contentment. "No idea! I'm still in shock that we mated! I mated with a vampire! I hate vampires!"

"I know and I understand why but I'm glad you don't hate all vampires because that sex was amazing, Ole." Origin sighed.

Oleander sat up. "What did you call me!" He was pale.

Origin stared as he sat up. "What? I said Ole. I was shortening your name. It slipped!" He hadn't meant to say it. "I..."

Oleander had a tear. "I'm sorry! Uh, Cosmo called me that!"

"Shit!" Origin covered his face and took a breath as he looked at Oleander. "Fuck, Oleander! I didn't mean anything! I'm sorry! I hadn't meant to even say it. I was relaxed and... I'm sorry." He wiped a tear too.

Oleander nodded. "It just surprised me and it shouldn't. I know it's a common nickname. I was just not ready for that!"

Origin nodded. "Me either. I can call you Oleander or... Ander?"

Oleander sighed. "It's okay. I'm being stupid and sensitive. I don't know how to get past losing him. It's tough. I have been dragging him around with me and it's tough to let go."

"Can I ask what happened?" Origin was curious. He slid his hand over Oleander's very toned arm.

Oleander cleared his throat. "Uh, we were on the run from a small group of vampires. They outnumbered us. We ran and thought we were safe. We found a cave to hide in just outside Quebec City. I woke to hear him talking to some people. It sounded like he was trying to convince them that he was alone."

"I heard fighting and dove out, my wolf wouldn't stand for them to hurt our mate. Cosmo shoved me away and told me to run. He was already injured pretty badly. He was bleeding and he knew he would die. He saved me and protected me. I failed him." Oleander cleared his throat and just tried to get through the story.

"I circled back a couple hours later. He was just lying there, dead. I burned him like we are supposed to. It was a quiet funeral for the one I loved. I felt broken. Sad. Hollow. I felt nothing for a few weeks, not even hungry. I let my wolf roam with no real direction. We were lost."

Oleander sighed. "We caught two of the vampires by surprise and killed them. I felt a little better. I thought about Cosmo a lot. He was kind and sweet. He was good to me and I knew I would never have that again."

Origin touched his face, let his fingers slide over Oleander's chin and cheeks and the stubble. "And now?"

Oleander smiled at Origin. "I'm surprised." He took a breath. "I will always love him and you know that, right?"

"I know that. If you didn't, I would be worried. But you can love more than one person in a lifetime. I know that too, Oleander." Origin smiled.

"I know and I do. I loved him then and I love you now." Oleander watched Origin as he laid back down. "So, how in the hell did you get the name Origin! That isn't a name!"

Origin laughed and rested his head on his mate's chest. "I know that. When my parents were killed by vampires too. Thank you! I ran. I was seven. My name was Alexander Source. My father was human and he was married to my mother, a vampire. They were in love. Vampires killed them for being in love and hunted me for existing and no, I'm just a vampire. Nothing special." Origin wanted to clear that up.

"So, I wanted to change my name to something else when I decided to stay here. I played with a lot of combinations but Origin stuck out. It's a synonym for Source and a salute to where I came from. My origin. I decided to embrace it. They all knew I was different anyway."

"So, Origin." Oleander smiled. "I like it more now. I'm sorry about your family."

"I'm sorry about yours, Oleander." Origin leaned in and kissed his wolf. Oleander nuzzled Origin as he showed his love for his mate. "You have a new family now. If you can accept that. You can live a long happy life here... with me."

Oleander smiled and took a deep breath. "Sounds wonderful, Origin. I don't have a choice, I'm stuck with you now." His stomach growled and there was a knock on the front door. "Well, shit!"

"Cedar's here." Origin got up and found his pants. "He's going to give me a hard time about this!" He stopped as Oleander got his jeans on. "Because I'm in love not for you being male. Really, Oleander, I'm the only one that has an issue with it. The pack doesn't."

Oleander smiled. "It doesn't bother me either, Origin. You're stuck with me and I let you make that decision." He growled.

Origin glared. "Let's just get the door, we can argue later!" He smiled. He walked down the stairs in front of Oleander as the person knocked again.

"Origin!" Cedar was starting to sound worried. He knocked again.

Origin opened the door. "Calm down. Come in." He left his brother and walked to Oleander. "What do you want?"

Cedar walked in and closed the door. "Gideon and Alanis were worried when they couldn't find Oleander this morning. Jack is freaking out too. Grandfather suggested that Oleander would be here? What's going on here?" He smiled at the couple wearing jeans and nothing else. He gasped. "Really?"

Origin looked at Oleander and back to Cedar. "Yes. We, uh.... Mated. I'm in love with a stupid werewolf!" He leaned into Oleander.

Oleander laughed. "He's such a jerk!" He wrapped around Origin and kissed his hair. Origin melted into his mate.

Cedar smiled. "How did Grandfather know?"

Oleander sighed. "Well, he found me when I left you, I was upset. I shifted and was hunting when Oak showed up. I thought he would kill me and I realized right then that I didn't want to die. We talked. He invited me to stay and Origin gave me a reason to stay." He looked at Origin.

"I was trying to read." Origin growled. "When I smelled this jerk outside. I was trying to stay away because...."

Cedar interrupted. "Because you were scared that he was a man and you were attracted to a man?" He smiled at Origin and looked at Oleander. "He's been hiding that for a while now. I already knew, Origin. Most of us know and we don't care. We love you. And this is wonderful. You have to come to breakfast!"

Origin sighed. "We have to get dressed. Well, I do. Oleander should never wear clothes!"

Oleander blushed. "Shut up!"

Origin melted into him and sighed. "Let me find a shirt." He touched Oleander's face very gently and kissed him.

"A shirt?" He smiled at Origin. Origin just nodded and rushed upstairs. He was back with two shirts.

"Where are your clothes, Oleander?" Cedar stared at the couple.

"Well..." Oleander blushed.

Origin laughed. "He showed up in my backyard naked! He was like a gift from the gods!"

Cedar smiled.

"Not like it sounds! Get in the car." Oleander growled and rushed to the car parked outside.

"He's bossy." Origin smiled and winked. Cedar had no good comments so he just followed his brother to the car. Part of him didn't want details but part of him did.

HUGS!!!!