With This Ring

            I should have known the rest of the trip would not be as wonderful as that first night.  We were there for a mating ceremony—one for my diva cousin—and everything had to be perfect.  This meant that there were all sorts of last minute to do in order to get things ready and every alpha was needed to set up tents, tables, and chairs.  Likewise, every omega was being utilized for decorating and cooking.  And since Ryeowook specialized in baking and was stuck in the kitchens, I never saw him.

            To top that off, omegas tended to stop taking suppressants a month or two before their mating ceremony, so they would actually go into heat shortly after the mating was finished.  This meant my cousin was way ier than he normally was…and he was already pretty damn y most of the time.  Only my deep love for my cousin kept me from smothering him in his sleep.

            One night, just after dinner, when Heechul walked out of the dining room for a moment, I turned to my cousin in desperation.  “Can we drug him with sleeping pills tonight?” I begged Yesung.

            He thought about this a moment and when he didn’t immediately say no, I was hopeful.

            “No!” hollered Leeteuk, returning to the table and sitting down with us. 

            I clasped my hand over his mouth.  “Do you want him to hear you?” I loudly whispered.

            Leeteuk slapped my hand away.  “He will go into heat soon and you could harm your future nieces and nephews by giving him medicines he’s not allowed to have while pregnant,” Leeteuk reminded us.

            I loudly sighed.  “But if we don’t drug him, I might harm him!”

            “Please,” Leeteuk laughed.  “I would like to see you try, Kyuhyunnie.”

            I hoped he meant because Heechul’s big and strong alpha mate would surely come to his rescue and beat the living snot out of me—because he totally would, he’s bigger than me—and not that my wimpy, diva omega cousin would kick my …because I don’t think he could.  Most days.

            “Heechul is moody because he hasn’t had much of an opportunity to spend any time alone with Siwon this week,” Yesung pointed out.

            “You mean, get laid,” I corrected him.

            Leeteuk just laughed.

            “And Kyuhyunnie’s just moody because he hasn’t seen Ryeowook all week,” Yesung explained. 

            “I am.”  I didn’t bother denying.  “Last time I was here I spent several days with him.  I only saw him the first night we arrived and I haven’t see him since.  And unlike my lucky cousin, I won’t be spending the rest of my life with the one I love!”

            I reached down into my pocket and wrapped my fingers around the small box.  I should have given it to him the day I’d arrived, but I assumed that I’d see more of him.  I realized belatedly that it might have been my only chance to be alone with him.  I’d been so idiotic, to think that things would be just like the last time.

            “Why don’t you go to the den and ask to see him?” Leeteuk asked.

            I shook my head.  “Ryeowook’s pack is super-strict about letting omegas consort with alphas unless they’re related to them.  I’m not even allowed to touch him.  Not even a handshake.”

            Leeteuk’s brows shot up.  “How does anyone get to know anyone around here?”

            “The old-fashioned way,” Heechul grumbled, trudging back into the room.  “Like writing letters and talking…and other boring ways.”

             Leeteuk smiled knowingly.  Not a single one of us believed that Heechul had gotten to know Siwon the old-fashioned way.  At least, not the entire time.  “It must be so rough.”

            Heechul flopped down beside his twin brother and draped himself over the table.  Leeteuk pat his back.  I was trying to come up with an escape plan that would keep me out of the house for the next couple hours when there was a knock at the door.  I jumped up—a little overeager to answer it, admittedly—and raced to the door.  I was hoping it might be Eunhyuk and Donghae, coming over to invite me out…anywhere!  But when I opened the door, I was even more pleased to find it wasn’t them.

            Siwon stood in the doorway, all smiles, glancing into the house.  “I hope I’m not interrupting anything.”

            I immediately heard my cousin screech with happiness and my ears rang from the noise.  I quickly jumped out of the way so I wouldn’t get trampled and Siwon stepped inside as my cousin ran for him and practically mauled him.  That certainly took care of our main problem and would have been kindness enough, but Siwon was not alone.  Behind him, still standing outside and a little terrified to come in, was Ryeowook. 

            “Sungie, I thought I might drop by and have a drink with Kangin.  Did you want to come with?” Leeteuk asked his brother.  I’d never seen Yesung jump to his feet faster and the two rushed out of the door, saying hello to Ryeowook in passing as they escaped. 

            Siwon somehow managed to pull his lips away from Heechul for a moment and turned towards me.  “Kyuhyun, Ryeowook felt like taking a walk tonight.  Would you mind escorting your cousin?”

            My cousin?  I guess I was going to be a kind of distant cousin-in-law to Ryeowook once he and Heechul officially mated.  Was that the game I needed to play, so I could be alloweed to be alone with him?  Was Siwon trying to give me a hint?

            “Of course,” I said, grabbing the door knob and pulling it closed.  I turned towards Ryeowook and didn't look back, even as I swore I heard things breaking inside the house.  “Anywhere in particular you want to walk, cousin?”

            Ryeowook grinned and pointed towards the woods.  I nodded and let him lead the way, since he knew the area far better than I did.  We were a good distance from the encampment before I spoke again.  I didn’t want anyone overhearing our conversation.  I doubted it would sound like an appropriate conversation for cousins to be having.

            “Is your father more amenable to the idea of you coming to see me if he thinks your just coming over to visit your relatives?” I asked.

            “Siwon made it sound that way,” Ryeowook said.  “Of course, he just wanted to make it look like he wasn’t going to visit Heechul alone, so they could sleep together, but he obviously chose me so I could spend time with you.”

            “Would your father still flip out if he smelled me on you?”

            “Yes!” Ryeowook assured me, reaching over to smack my chest.  “Is that all you’re interested in?  Making out with me?”

            “No, but don’t you want to?”

            “Yes,” Ryeowook agreed, moving closer and wrapping his arm around mine. 

            “I was starting to worry that I wouldn’t see you again during my visit.  You’ve been so busy in the kitchen and I haven’t been assigned to work anywhere near there.  I mean, the most we’ll probably ever get to see of one another is once a year.  So, I’d rather not waste what little time I have.”

            “I don’t think time is ever going to be our friend, Kyu.  In a few years, my father will mate me to someone and we may never see each other again.”

            “Do we have to talk about that right now?”

            Ryeowook shrugged his shoulders.  “I’m just making a point.”

            “I don’t want to think about the future, when you’re mated to someone else and you’ve forgotten about me.  I just want to be in this moment,” I told him.  I already felt jealous of a future lover that he didn’t even know yet, because I knew it couldn’t be me.

            Ryeowook stopped moving and let go of me.  I came to a stop and looked back at him.  His eyes were watering.  “Whoever said that I would forget you?”

            .  “I, ah…”

            He placed his hand over his heart.  “Ten years from now, I’ll still be thinking of you.  Twenty years from now, I still be thinking of you.  Fifty years from now, when I’m wrinkled and my hair is turning grey, I’ll still be thinking about you,” Ryeowook promised, tears falling down his cheeks.

            I took a deep breath and sniffled.  “So will I.”

            “Don’t give me this bull about you being the only one who’s going to suffer when I end up mated to someone else.  I’m just going to be faking it for the rest of my life, pretending to be someone I’m not.  You know I’d rather be with you.”

            Again, I knew he would have it worse than me.  I wouldn’t have to pretend to like someone that I didn’t.  I’d never have to mate if I didn’t want to.  I could live a long, miserable, lonely life if I wanted and no one would stop me from indulging in my heartbreak.  Ryeowook would have to pretend his didn’t exist.  I was being selfish.

            “I know you wo