Thorns And Roses

Chapter Seven

Theo debated giving Demitri rules or not, but he needed to know that the Omega would obey him. And controlling everything he did was a good way of making sure Demitri behaved.

It's been three weeks since the rules were given, and Theo was pleased with the results. If Demitri wasn't so large then he would be the perfect Omega. He did everything that Theo asked of him.

He felt like the Omega deserved a reward for his good behavior. He called Demitri into his office and grinned as he stood in the spot from before. Like he remembered where to stand. He didn't speak as he wasn't spoken to. Demitri waited for Theo to say something first.

"I've noticed how good you've been the last past two weeks and have enjoyed you being here. So I decided to reward you." At Theo's news, Demitri perked up. His glacier-blue eyes grew wide at the word reward.

"I will allow you to go outside, supervised of course, and roam the woods out back." Theo could see the excitement cross Demitri's face and the grin that he was sporting became more gentle.

"Now you may say thank you." What Theo didn't expect was for Demitri to run to him and wrap his arms around his waist. Hugging Theo, the Omega rubbed his face against his chest. What the fuck was he doing? It was the first time Demitri ever initiated physical contact. He lifted his head out of his chest and gave Theo the biggest smile the dragon has ever seen.

"Thank you. Thank you. Thank you so much, Theodore." Feeling strange, Theo gave him a tight-lipped smile and gently pushed Demitri away from him. He didn't think he would ever feel uncomfortable at being touched. Maybe it was because it wasn't for a sexual purpose. Or possibly because it was a tender hug and not a rough fuck.

"You're welcome. One of my men will be there with you. So run along and have fun." Theo rolled his eyes as Demitri ran out of his office to head outside, where Victor would be waiting for him. The tiger shifter should be able to keep up with him.

Theo sighed before he looked down at his body. He hasn't had sex since Demitri got there. It wouldn't be right of him to tell the Omega that he wasn't allowed to have someone and Theo do the complete opposite. So he hasn't been sharing himself either.

Why did Demitri hugging him feel so wrong? Was it because Theo hasn't felt such a soft touch in so long that it felt foreign to him now? He was used to being rough and hard, not soft and gentle. It was weird to see himself as anything but the way he was. And sadly for Demitri, Theo didn't do soft and gentle.

They have talked on multiple occasions, getting to know each other. Demitri liked art, loved it in fact. So Theo planned a little outing to go to an art museum. That was coming up in a week as another reward for his perfect behavior.

Theo also told Demitri a little bit about himself, mostly when he was younger. The things Theo was doing now, was something he didn't want to discuss with Demitri. It was better off if the Omega didn't know the truth.

He smiled as he remembered how Demitri's eyes lit up as he spoke about the things he loved. That little twinkle in those icy blue eyes. It also brought up the fact that none of Demitri's family looked like him. And why didn't Theo see Demitri at any of the gatherings his family held?

Were they hiding Demitri for some odd reason? Was it his size, or his looks that they were keeping secret? These were questions that he should ask Demitri the next time they had one of their talks.

He forgot about it for now, figuring that he should get some paperwork done. For the next two hours, he did what he was supposed to do, then headed downstairs to eat lunch with everyone. He was a little surprised to see that Demitri wasn't there. Maybe Theo should have put a time limit on how long he could be outside. He'll have to do that some other time.

Theo texted Victor to check up on them and sat down at the kitchen table. He enjoyed the breeze that came in through the opened sliding glass door, and the smell of fresh apples hanging on the wind from the apple orchard out back.

As he scanned the woods, he could see Demitri coming out of the brush. His black spotted fur shone in the sun. Victor came bursting through the same patch of woods and tackled the large snow leopard. A shot of jealousy went through Theo, but he nailed it down. There was no reason for him to be jealous of Victor. Demitri was his anyways.

"What would you like for dinner this evening, Theodore?" Theo turned his eyes away from the view outside to look over River who just entered the kitchen, Jay on his hip. He handed off the cub to Theo and he smiled softly at the boy.

"Whatever Demitri wants will be fine." Quinn came in after him with Layla in his arms.

"So what is your plan with him?" Quinn asked as he sat down across from Theo. Layla just laid her head on his shoulder still tired from her nap. River started cutting up some fruit for them as they talked.

"Well right now I just need him to like me. And it's working out so far. He seems to enjoy my company."

"I don't know who would," Theo growled over at River's snarky remark but that was all he did. It's not like he would actually hurt the bear. Quinn chuckled at them.

"And then what? After you get him to like you, maybe even love you what will you do?" Quinn gave River a small smile as his mate sat down a platter of cut-up strawberries for them and the children.

"Thanks love." River kissed his cheek before he went back to cutting more fruit. Just watching them made Theo a little sick.

"Then, I get him pregnant." He nonchalantly said with a shrug. He didn't know what else he was supposed to do. It's not like he would ever fall in love with Demitri. Theo reached over and stole a couple of strawberries for him and Jay.

"You're not even going to try and fall him are you?" River turned towards them with a look of total disbelief on his face.

"Why should I? He's just a business deal that's it." Theo shoved a handful of strawberries in his mouth and made a funny face at Jay. The cub giggled at him.

"And then what are you going to do when he finds you cheating on him?" He swallowed the fruit in his mouth and smiled.

"Nothing. His family doesn't want him so it's not like he can run back to them. He'll be stuck with me unless he finds someone else." It was sad really, if Theo thought about it for too long. So he never did.

"And what about the kid that you're basically forcing him to have?" Theo could tell that River was becoming pissed at him but he didn't really care.

"It'll stay with me." Theo ate more strawberries and ignored the way River stared him down.

"You're fucking evil, you know that. Only a low-life piece of scum does that to an Omega." He did jump a little when River banged the knife down on the counter and came around to take Jay from him. River grabbed Layla from Quinn who only watched his mate. He left the kitchen after that.

Quinn finally looked at Theo, but he was staring at something behind him. He turned his head to see what it was and felt his heart kick when Demitri was standing right there in front of the opened sliding glass doors. Theo could see the hurt and the pain in his blue eyes as he stared at him.

"Demitri." That was all he got out before the snow leopard was taking off and he was heading toward the woods. Running away it seemed.

"Fuck. Gather the men. We have a chase on our hands."