Finding You

The one where Ransom gets a bit jealous

A/N: Chapter 19 is still being written. We've caught up to the writing I'd been able to prepare before my classes started, unfortunately. I won't be answering any questions/comments about updates - it only adds to my anxiety and stress, and fucks up my motivation, inspiration and drive to work on this or any of my stories.

Ransom's P.O.V.

My eyes followed her everywhere she went, cleaning the house and rearranging what little decor we had for the thousandth time.

It didn't irritate me, for once. Everything used to annoy me, to some point and in some way, but ever since she came around - ever since I relented and gave in to my desires - that ever-present anger seemed nowhere to be found.

I only knew peace. And the eventual sexual urges that would lead me to pounce on her, of course.

Everything was better now that we had her.

"You can't take your eyes away from her," I was startled from my musings by Frank, who settled on a spot next to me on the bench in our backyard, a cup of coffee in his hands. I imagined he set out to do the same as I, observe our girl as she worked on our garden, but it was easier to tease each other than to recognize just how much of a goner we were for the pretty omega smiling at us.

"Can you blame me?" I tried to join in on the fun. "She's perfect." I saw him nod from the corner of my eyes, still not able to stop checking her out, but then he had to take it too far.

"Yeah," he initially agreed. "But just remember that she is not yours." The growl escaped me instinctively, coming from that possessive, territorial place deep inside my chest. Frank tensed up next to me, obviously not having anticipated my reaction, because who the fuck would? Not even the rational part of me, that was still able to see the mess that was about to unfold, had imagined that the Alpha side of me was feeling so greedy that it would prompt me to behave this way.

Of course, Frank tried to remedy it. "You know what I mean," he rushed to say. "You know she isn't just yours." But we both knew it was destined to fail, and so it was with a resigned sigh he watched me jump up from the bench and pounce in Y/N's direction, gripping her tightly as I made sure her back was glued to my front.

"Watch your fucking mouth," I threatened, feeling extra pissed off because I could feel how tense my omega was against me, how confused she had become by the whole situation.

"Ransom." It was Andy's voice that interrupted us. My head snapped to the side to find our other three brothers watching us with hardened features and serious expressions. "Breathe," he ordered, and it was only when I saw Frank pinching his nose that I realized what was happening.

I'd started to scent her.

It was leaving me in waves, the warm, overpowering smell of my particular scent, covering the woman glued to me easily, threatening to suffocate the both of us, but it didn't stop there. My lack of control was so evident that it kept emanating from me as if I was an overworked radiator in the middle of winter, determined to keep a living room feeling like a sauna, and even my own head swirled at the intensity of the aroma.

This wasn't good.

My thoughts were running. I was struggling to keep a leash on my feelings and instincts, all while a small part of me hoped Y/N was relishing in this experience. She hadn't been through it before, hadn't known it was possible because we didn't want to risk the carnal need to claim that usually followed a scenting session as intense as this one.

And it was undeniably there. Even though I still managed to hold back, my need to know she was enjoying my scent made it all the more clear to me that it was by a very loose thread that I was being able to maintain control, and it terrified me to think of what could happen if I suddenly lost it.

I didn't want to feel so possessive of her I'd be trembling with the need to kill my brothers.

"Ransom, stop." It was Frank's voice now, denouncing just how close to irrationally angry he was. "Let her go." The aggressive tone he'd assumed only got in his own way. Stuck between not wanting to claim her but needing to make sure she was mine, my scent grew stronger and I found my hands dipping below her dress without even intending to.

Y/N moaned my name, hand flying back to grab at my hair, but despite the overwhelming wetness that greeted me as I slipped two fingers inside of her, I could still hear the question in her voice. She was as confused as the boys, not quite lost to lust yet because she was clinging to the uncertainty my brothers' defensiveness sparked in her.

"It's okay..." I whispered, trying to calm down the both of us - needing to, because fuck, I wanted her. "Everything's alright..." Almost as if he could hear my thoughts, Steve intervened.

"Easy, boy..." He tried to approach us with tentative steps, but it was too much for me.

"I'm not a fucking dog," I snapped, knowing full well that my face was red with both fury and desire. Steve just opened his mouth in shock, not anticipating the power of my anger, and then closed it again, not knowing what to say. But then his eyes fell on her, and that had me straightening up, body tense as I growled, "Mine!"

Who knows what could have happened if she didn't faint in my arms right then? I would have probably claimed her, and then a blood bath would have inevitably followed. She would most certainly never forgive me, and I would have never forgiven myself.

The anger immediately died at the concern that took over me. I didn't fight back when Steve hauled me away from her, counting on the fact that Frank would be there to take care of her. "I'm gonna fucking kill you, Ransom." I could only look back at the girl in my brother's arms, hoping she wouldn't hold this against me once she woke up and Ari, Frank and Andy explained what had happened.

At the very least, I didn't mark her.