Chapter 127

Now seated at a table in a Mexican restaurant, Avi quickly made his way around the table, kneeling beside each seat to ask each specific individual if they were okay. Scott was the most in pain of any of them, although he hid it well. And both Mitch and Alex seemed emotionally distant. Avi knelt in between Scott and Mitch's chair, although there was hardly any room between the two, and he tried to give them a smile. "Hey, babes. Are you guys alright? Mitchell, I'd like to inquire about your encounter with those Alphas." Mitch looked down at him, Scott holding his hand tightly. "I'm okay. I was just... A little shaken up." "Anything you need to tell me?" "No, Sir. The Alphas were only with me for a minute before my Alpha got to me. So, nothing happened. But... Allie was with them for longer." "I'll get to him in a minute. Scott? How about you? Is your hand hurting you terribly?" Scott shook his head, although for some reason he looked very sad. "No. It's okay. Kevin took good care of me." Avi nodded, and started to stand, before he realized that something was wrong. He stayed knelt down, and reached out toward Scott, grabbing his chin and pulling Scott's head toward him. "Hey. Are you okay, Rookie?" "Yes, Sir." He answered quietly. "What's wrong?" "I..." Scott glanced over at Mitch, and then frowned, before looking to the ground. "What if I hadn't gotten there in time?" "Don't do 'what if' statements, Scott. It doesn't matter what might have happened, because it didn't. Don't get caught up in the possibilities. Because you did exactly what you were supposed to do. You saved the Omegas, and you... Made me proud to be your Alpha. So drop it." Scott nodded a few times, giving Mitch's hand a quick squeeze. "Thank you, Sir..." Avi stood, and gave Scott's shoulder a quick pat. "You did a good job today, Alpha." Scott blushed a little under the appreciation, and smiled, the sad look finally dissolving from his face. "Thank you." Avi moved further down the table, now crouched between the two Betas. Mitch leaned over to Scott, and pecked his cheek quickly. "Don't beat yourself up, please. You always get mad, like... You wish you could've done better. Or you wish you'd been there sooner. But nothing ever happens to me, for you to get upset about." Scott just stared at him for a second, his eyes searching Mitch's face as if he'd never seen anything so beautiful. "I just... Wish that you never had to go through anything like that. Ever. But... You have to, so often, and I just wish I could take that from you. So you could be happy." "Aw, Alpha..." Mitch frowned at him, moving himself even closer, and wrapping both hands around Scott's bicep, as he kissed Scott's shoulder briefly. Mitch smiled. "I am happy. More happy than I've ever been in my life. And it's all because of you. So don't ever feel like you have to work harder, or do anything more than you already have. Because I can't thank you enough for what you've done for me." Scott set a hand on the back of Mitch's neck, to pull him in, only to kiss his forehead. "I love you, baby." "I love you too." Alex was across from them on the other side of the table, leaning into Jake, but not speaking to him. Jake was trying to help him order some food, pointing to things on the menu and trying to get Alex's opinion. But Alex always responded with the same answer. "Whatever you'd like me to eat, Alpha." After hearing it again for a fourth time, Jake tried a different approach. "Fine. I'm going to order every single dessert on the menu, and I expect you to eat them all." When Alex looked like he might protest, Jake closed the menu and set it on the table, looking away from Alex as if he was going to speak with someone else. Alex pouted at him, and tapped his thigh. "S-Sir..? I'm sorry.. I just have a quick question..." Jake glanced over. "Hmm?" "Please don't... Not that I'm trying to tell you what to do, Alpha. But... Please don't order that many desserts." Jake smiled at him, and ran one of his fingers down Alex's face, from his temple down to his cheekbone, and then down to his jaw. "I wasn't going to, babe. But I need you to actually speak to me, so I know what you want to eat. Because I'm asking you for your opinion." "But, I... Sir, I'm just not that hungry. I don't feel very good..." He admitted quietly, although he nuzzled into Jake's hand a little. "Why didn't you just tell me that, Allie? I wouldn't have pestered you about ordering. We can just get you something small, okay?" Alex nodded. "Thank you, Jakey..." "You're welcome, Sweetie. You should've told me you felt sick." "Yes I should've. I'm sorry, Sir." "Why didn't you?" Alex glanced across the table at Scott, who was busy pretending to tickle Mitch, and then he looked back to Jake. "I didn't want to distract from the people who need more attention than I do." Jake sighed, frowning again. "Alex. You know better. What have I told you about that?" Alex looked down at the ground, his shoulders sagging a little in distress. "I'm sorry... You told me not to compare my pain to anyone else's. Because pain is subjective." "That's right. So stop keeping things from me, okay? I love you very much, baby. And I want to make sure you're okay." Avi knelt down between both of them, before Alex could respond. Avi glanced in between them. "And how are you two? Alexander?" Alex looked up at Jake, knowing he'd better be honest, and then looked down to Avi. "A-Actually... Not that I'm complaining, but um.. My stomach hurts a little... And I don't feel very good." "How so? Do you feel like you ate something wrong, or..?" "I don't know, Sir. I'm sorry I don't have the answers for you." Avi shrugged a little. "It's alright. I was just asking. I'll ask Kevin for some pain killers for you, alright? And you can just take home what you don't eat right now, and save it for later. I'm sure you're not hungry if you're stomach is hurting." Alex nodded slowly, eyes seemingly tired. "Thank you, Alpha." Avi nodded once, and then looked at Jake. "How about you?" "I'm fine. A little tired from today, but otherwise I'm alright." "Oh good." Avi replied with a nod, and then stood again. "Jake, let me know if anything changes. And Alexander, let me know if you feel worse, or need anything from me to help." Alex responded quickly. "Yes, Sir. Thank you." Avi leaned down to speak into Alex's ear, sure that no one else would hear him. "You and I will speak later about what happened today. Understood?" "Yes, Sir." Avi finally made it back to where he started, and dropped down in his seat tiredly. He looked to Kirstie, in the seat next to him. "Kitten, would you--?" The waitress interrupted him, setting one of her hands on Kevin's shoulder. "How is everyone doing today? My name is Tabitha, and I'll be your server! Feel free to ask me if you need anything at all." Avi pouted, upset that he missed out on his time with Kirstie, and he whined quietly at her, while Tabitha began taking orders from the Betas. Kirstie giggled, and set both hands on Avi's face, just to peck his lips once. "You poor dear. Don't pout, Alpha. It's all too adorable." "Adorable? Gross." She giggled again. Tabitha was still making her way around the table, and Kevin quickly figured out that she was a Beta when she threw a compliment at Todrick, and then stared at him for a second too long when he thanked her for it. Scott had an arm over the back of Mitch's chair when Tabitha walked around to them, and Mitch ordered for both himself and his Alpha, because they'd decided on something to share. Tabitha smiled at them when she took their menus, and met Mitch's eyes. "Just.. If I may? For some reason... You seem kind of upset. And I just want to tell you how nice you look today. Really, you look fantastic." Mitch looked down at what he was wearing, and grinned up at her. "Aw, thank you."