A New Arrangement

            As it turned out, Heechul didn’t really need to talk to Ryeowook to go find out what was going on with Kyuhyun.  For one, the moment he stepped into the dining hall to eat the next morning, he could smell that the alpha had scented the little omega…a lot!  And secondly, it was the talk of the town.  Everyone had already heard about how the lovers couldn’t be together because the new alpha had promised the chief that he’d never mate with anyone from their clan and several of them that had been there when Kyuhyun arrived could recall the chief saying that he would hold the alpha to that promise. 

            This angered Heechul.  He was not in the dining hall the night that Kyuhyun had been brought in, but a couple of the people that claimed to remember it in detail were trustworthy sources, including Eunhyuk himself, who was on patrol that night and had brought the alpha in, and the doctor, Zhoumi, who had been called from the clinic to attend to the injured alpha as soon as he’d arrived.  Heechul had been put onto bed rest at that point with the twin boys and was stuck lying around the den.  He was brought to the clinic in a wheelchair a few days after Kyuhyun’s arrival because he insisted on meeting the newest member and recalled the little omega attending him then.  They seemed very friendly with each other already and, after leaving the clinic, Heechul could swear that his mate commented on his hopes that the little unmated omega would favor the newcomer.  Heechul doubted he’d heard his mate wrong.  But why make the alpha promise not to mate with anyone in their clan if he had hopes of him mating with Ryeowook?  This made no sense.

            Instead of simply listening to the gossip around town, however, Heechul still decided to pay a visit to the younger omega at the clinic.  He wanted to be sure that this was what Ryeowook wanted before discussing the matter with Leeteuk.  So, he let a couple days pass before heading to the clinic, leaving the children with their nanny. 

            Heechul walked into the clinic around the lunch hour, which was a quiet time to visit, and headed for the front desk where Ryeowook was updating charts from the morning and looked up at the chief’s mate, a little surprised to see him, since he didn’t have any appointment. 

            “Hello!  What brings you over today?  I hope none of the little ones are ill.”

            “No, they are all well.  Thank you.  Actually, I’m here to see you.”

            Ryeowook gave Heechul a questioning look.  “Me?”

Heechul nodded and held up a basket.  “I had Henry make me up a lunch basket and I was wondering if you’d have lunch with me?” Heechul asked, smiling and batting his eyes at the little omega.

            There really as no way of saying no to the chief’s mate gracefully, even if the omega wanted to, so he quickly agreed, asking Heechul to give him a moment to straighten things up and to let Yesung know he was starting his break.  Then the little nurse brought them down to a small sitting room with a table and Heechul began to unpack the lunch full of sandwiches, berries, salad, and cookies.  Ryeowook looked at the lunch, a little bewildered.  He’d never seen Henry make food that looked quite so good before. 

            As they began to eat, Ryeowook felt a little nervous, wondering why he was suddenly eating alone with the chief’s mate.  Yes, they were both omegas, but they still didn’t have that much in common.  Ryeowook spent most of his time at the clinic or making medicines.  Heechul spent most of his on clan business or raising the children.  As best as he could recall, they’d never had lunch alone together before.  They’d never had a need or desire to.  The first few minutes, they ate in silence, and Ryeowook wondered if he shouldn’t be attempting to make some kind of small talk.  Thankfully, Heechul finally began to speak. 

            “A few days ago, Kyuhyun came to the den to speak to Leeteuk.  He said that he had a personal matter of some importance to discuss with him and looked a little troubled over it.  At the time, I really had little idea of what it could possibly be about…but I have since come to a conclusion that I think must be fairly accurate.”

            Ryeowook stopped eating and looked down at his lap.  “I’m sorry if you were troubled over it.”

            “You don’t need to apologize, Ryeowook.  But I do like to know what is happening within the clan.  It seems that Kyuhyun is interested in mating with you and, from an outsider’s view, it looks as if that is what you want as well.  But I want to actually hear you say that is what you want as well.

            “Up until now, you showed very little interest in mating with anyone and put all of your time and effort into medicine and your patients.  And none of us have ever tried to stop you because it is a huge benefit to our clan, even if you are the only other omega of child bearing age.  We figure it would be easier to gain another omega than another healer of your capabilities.  In fact, Leeteuk has discussed bending the rule of trading you for another omega when you turn twenty-one because you are simply too important to the clan to lose, even if you choose not to mate.  Did he tell you that?”

            Ryeowook shook his head.

            “My mate is an idiot.  That is what he has come to decide.  We cannot afford to lose our best medicine maker to an old custom within the clan.  There must be some exceptions to the rule for the betterment of our people.  So…knowing that you will not be traded out to some other tribe come summer if you are still unmated, would you still choose to mate with the new alpha?”

            Ryeowook thought over everything the clan chief’s mate had told him and then thought of what he felt for Kyuhyun.  He thought of how long it had taken the alpha to come out of his shell when Ryeowook was caring for him at the clinic, about how the alpha would seek him out when he came to visit from the north and make him bake goodies for him, about the alpha rushing to find him when he caught his scent in the wild and rescuing him from falling, about them wandering through the woods together, about Kyuhyun talking about his past, about Kyuhyun saving him from the lone wolf and acting possessive of him, and then of the times they’d made love together. 

The omega’s eyes began to water.  He could not imagine a future without the alpha in it.  “I would still want to mate with Kyuhyun.”

            “You’re in love with him?”

            “Yes.”

            Heechul smiled and continued to eat.  “You know, Leeteuk told me originally that he hoped you would fall for Kyuhyun.”

            Ryeowook looked across the table at the chief’s mate, surprised.  “He did?”

            Heechul nodded.  “He did.  So I’m not sure why he hasn’t told Kyuhyun that he can mate with you, but I will ask him about it as soon as he returns.  Trust me, it will be the first thing out of my mouth.”

            “Oh, thank you so much!”

            Heechul waved his hand.  “It’s nothing, really.  It will be nice for my children to have playmates.”

            Ryeowook felt his cheeks began to warm.  “I suppose I will have to quit working at the clinic once I start having pups.”

            “Nonsense.  You can just leave them at the den with me during the day and we’ll take care of them.  The children can all play together,” Heechul offered.  “In the clan I came from, the only thing omegas were taught were how to raise children, after all, so that is what I’m good at.”

            Ryeowook agreed, although he would still decrease the hours he worked at the clinic once he had pups.  There was no need for him to work quite as much when he had other priorities.  From that moment on, he felt much easier about things.  Heechul seemed quite sure that he could talk his mate into letting Kyuhyun and Ryeowook mate and no one had sway over the chief quite like his mate did.  And even if that took a little time to accomplish, it sounded like they had no intention of letting Ryeowook go to another clan.  The omega left the clinic that night feeling easier than he had in months.

            Leeteuk returned to the den six days after Heechul had met with Ryeowook, but the poor chief knew nothing about what he’d missed while he’d been away.  And since he arrived back at the den in the middle of the night, he didn’t have the chance of being warned by anyone either.  He walked into the den, having missed his mate and eager to make love to him after such a long absence.  But when he reached their bedroom, he found his mate and all three of his children snuggled up in bed together, taking up all the available space.  Usually the babies slept in cribs in the adjoining room and their toddler daughter slept in her own bed, down the hall, so this was a bit of a surprise to come home to.  Were they sick?  Did someone have a nightmare?  Leeteuk walked over to Heechul and bend down to kiss his mate