by Nora Phoenix
Ruari studied him out of the corner of his eye for a second or two. “Is that where you live?” he asked, and Kean wondered if it was an indirect way of inquiring whether he was single. Or was he overthinking things and attaching meaning to an innocent question?
“Yeah, I share a bunkhouse with another beta, with room for two more. I could’ve moved into the main house since my brother is there, but…” He stopped talking, unsure if this was a topic he should bring up with Ruari. He wasn’t sure if his negative experiences in the past with alphas had traumatized him in any way, and Kean didn’t want to stir up any bad memories or make him feel uncomfortable.
“But what?” Ruari asked.
Well, he would find out at some point if he moved in, Kean reasoned. It wasn’t like it was a secret, and the men talked about it amongst themselves all the time. “There are two groups of mates living in the main house, first of all the pack alpha and his three mates, one of whom is my brother. Then there’s Grayson, an alpha who lives there with his two mates, Lars and Sven.”
Ruari looked at him quizzically. “Yeah, so?”
Kean wasn’t shy about sex, but this was a rather awkward situation with a man he had just met, in a context where sex was not an expected topic of conversation, and with someone he liked. Was he about to ruin his chances of anything more with Ruari? He would have to risk it, because lying was not an option since Ruari would find out the truth himself soon enough. It was a rare day when you didn’t spot someone getting it on.
“Let’s just say they all have a voracious sexual appetite,” he worded it carefully. When Ruari still looked confused, he added, “And they don’t always bother to retreat into the bedroom before they engage in said activities.”
Ruari's eyes widened, and then he smiled. “Oh, that has got to be awkward when it’s your brother.”
Kean grinned, relieved that Ruari had taken it well. “You have no idea. Bray, our head of security, and Lucan, who I share housing with, are in the same position, as Grayson is his father. And to make it even worse, Grayson’s two mates are Enar’s brothers. It’s all super complicated, these relationships and family lines,” he said when Ruari frowned. “But they all love each other very much, so we try not to make a big deal out of it, but it made me decide to not live in the main house. There are only so many times you can see your brother sexually active before it becomes too much.”
“Live porn shows in the main house, noted,” Ruari said, and Kean couldn’t believe he used the exact same expression he himself had used to describe it to Bray. “But I have another question. You’ve used the term pack a few times now. Does that refer to what I think it does? Are you guys living in an old-fashioned pack?”
“Yes. We have a pack alpha, which is Lidon, and a second-in-command, which is my brother Palani. We follow the old pack traditions as much as we can, and that means that on a day-to-day basis, we follow the commands of our alpha and his second-in-command. Pack law supersedes any other law or family bonds.”
Ruari was quiet for a bit, and Kean allowed him the time to let this unusual news sink in. “You guys must have been happy with the election results, then,” he finally said, and Kean was surprised that was the first thing he would think of. There was an edge to Ruari’s voice he couldn’t place, like he was saying more than Kean picked up on in that statement.
The answer to Ruari’s question about the election, of course, wasn’t as simple considering what they knew about the election fraud, so Kean decided to let that go. Instead, he figured it was time to share the biggest and most shocking revelation.
“There’s more,” he said, then tried to explain Lidon’s shifting powers as best as he could.
“He can shift?” Ruari asked, shock painted all over his face. “Like, shift into a wolf?”
“Yes. So far, he’s the only one of us who can, and he doesn’t even know exactly how he does it. But I’ve seen him as a wolf, and it is the most amazing, magical experience you will ever have.”
Ruari put a hand on Kean’s lower arm and made him stop. “You’re serious? He can shift and you’ve seen it?”
Kean nodded, not surprised in the least at Ruari's reaction. It was hard to believe when you hadn’t been a part of this pack for the last month and hadn’t experienced it yourself. “Yes. I haven’t seen him shift, not the actual process, I mean. But I have seen him in wolf form, and I’ve experienced the effects of a shift. It’s quite powerful.”
“What kind of effects? How can his shifting affect you?”
Dammit, he boxed himself into a corner again. “It’s erm… It affects all of us, our libidos?”
Ruari stared at him for a few seconds, then slowly shook his head. “What is this, a pack or some kind of sex club?”
11
Grayson sat on the couch in the living room, reading a book. Lars was working out in the gym, but Sven—who usually accompanied him for that—had said he was tired and wanted to stay with Grayson. So he’d found a spot at Grayson’s feet, content to lean against his legs and rest while Grayson scratched his neck and stroked his hair.
Usually, this was a time of intense relaxation for Sven where he’d drop into subspace or something close to it, but tonight, he was restless. He’d been off the last few days, in fact. Something was wrong with Sven, something Grayson couldn’t put his finger on, and he was worried.
The kid was distracted, for starters. Where his sweet eyes were usually focused on Grayson—a habit the alpha loved—Sven was now all over the place with his attention. Grayson had found him staring into the distance the last couple days, biting his lips or playing with his hands. He’d done his job, had done everything Grayson had asked of him, and he’d provided all the right answers and reactions, but his mind had been elsewhere.
But it was more. He wasn’t just distracted; he was also…different. Grayson studied the omega at his feet, trying to pinpoint what it was. What was different about him? It was subtle, but it almost seemed like he… Grayson’s heart skipped a beat.
Like he glowed.
Sven’s skin was subtly glowing, radiant.
He was pregnant.
Just then, the omega looked up and Grayson wasn’t fast enough to change the expression on his face. Sven froze.
“I didn’t mean to…” he said, his whole body rigid with shock and fear. “I wasn’t ready to tell yet.”
Grayson did what his instinct told him to. He bent over and picked him up, cuddling him on his lap. His boy needed him right now, needed to be assured that whatever it was, it would be okay. “Shush, honey. No need to explain or apologize.”
Sven put his head against Grayson’s shoulder in sweet surrender. “I’m scared,” he whispered. “I don’t know what to do.”
Grayson held him tight, a storm of emotions whirling through his head. “I’m here for whatever you need, honey. You’re not alone…”
Sven sat quiet on his lap for a long time, his body relaxed and his breathing even. “I tested positive,” he finally spoke.
Grayson fought hard to stay calm when the omega confirmed his suspicions. His boy was pregnant. There were a million things going through his mind, but they'd have to wait. Sven needed him. “Are you okay with this news?”
“Are you? I figured you’d freak out, since you already have three kids.”
He’d been worried about Grayson? God, the kid was such a sweetheart. “This isn’t about me, honey. What I think or feel doesn’t matter. How do you feel? Did you tell Lars?”
“But…but you’re the father. That gives you a say, every say, according to the law.”
Grayson kissed his head. “This is a pack, honey. Pack law comes first, and Lidon has made it clear omegas have equal say. But aside from that, I would never overrule you, and you know that, deep down. You get to make all the decisions here.”
“Oh.” The word was loaded with meaning. “I’m scared to tell Lars,” Sven whispered.
“Why? Do you think he’d be upset?” Grayson knew the answer as soo
n as he’d asked the question. It wasn’t about Lars being upset. The beta would be reminded all over again of what he couldn’t give Sven. It wasn’t as much of a pain-point for Lars as it once had been, but there were still times when he struggled with what Sven could get from Grayson but not from him.
“I hate hurting him,” Sven said.
“It’s not your fault, honey. Don’t take this on yourself. You can’t help this.”
“You’re not mad at me?”
The question broke Grayson’s heart just a little, and his arms tightened around the omega. “Of course not. How could I be angry with you for something you didn’t do? The birth control didn’t work. It happens.”
“Do you want me to get an abortion?”
Grayson should’ve known this question would come up, what with Enar being Sven’s brother. It was clear he could and would deliver anything Sven needed. On one hand, it would solve the unexpected problem of an inconvenient pregnancy, and yet… The image of Sven, swollen with child, popped into Grayson’s head. Then another picture of Sven, cradling a newborn baby, so easy to picture since Grayson had seen him snugging with Hakon. Grayson’s alpha stirred, wanted.
“No, I don’t. I’d love for you to keep the baby, but I will support you no matter what you decide. If you decide to keep it, I’ll be here for you with whatever you need. And if you’re not ready yet, I’ll accept that, too. It’s your call, but Sven, I’d really advise you to talk to Lars. You can’t keep him out of this. He’d be so hurt if he found out that we didn’t tell him.”
“You want to keep the baby?”
“Did you think I wouldn’t want it?”
When Sven didn’t answer, Grayson pushed back his head so he could look at him.
“I figured you’d be done with kids, since you already have three.”
Grayson smiled. “If you’d asked me beforehand, I probably would have hesitated. But now the idea of you having my baby is…” He stopped himself. “I don’t want to influence your decision, and I could do that if I go on. You’d feel obliged to me, and that’s not my intention.”
Sven shook his head. “No, Gray, I needed to hear you say this. I thought you wouldn’t want it, and that was a big reason for me to consider an abortion.”
Grayson’s heart stumbled at Sven’s abbreviation of his name. He’d never used it before and how cute was that? But even more important was what Sven was communicating. “You want this baby?”
“I do,” Sven said, his voice barely audible. “I wouldn’t have planned it like this, but I’ve always dreamed of having kids, even though that wouldn’t be possible with Lars.”
A little shard stabbed in Grayson’s heart. They’d grown so close over the last few months, the three of them, but sometimes, innocent remarks like this made him feel like an outsider again. There was no mention of him in there, no reference to Sven being happy it was Grayson’s baby. It made him feel like a sperm donor, and he didn’t like it one bit.
“This feels like a gift, like a once in a lifetime chance that I shouldn’t let go,” Sven continued.
Grayson pushed his pain down. This wasn’t about him, and once the emotion had settled, he’d know Sven hadn’t meant it as a dig at him. The boy was high on hormones, still confused and scared. He needed Grayson to be there for him.
“Honey, I would love to for you to keep the baby, but only if that’s what you want.”
Sven met his eyes, then nodded. “I’m pretty sure that’s my decision. Will you help me?”
Grayson leaned in and kissed his forehead. “Always, with whatever you need. We’ll raise this baby together, I promise.”
“Thank you,” Sven whispered.
A noise made Grayson look up and there stood a freshly showered Lars, his eyes wide open and his face pale. Oh god.
“A baby?” the beta said, then louder. “A baby? You’re pregnant and didn’t tell me?”
“No, Lars, it’s not like that… You don’t understand…” Sven said, and Grayson could hear his voice choke up with tears. No wonder, Lars looked like he was about to breathe fire at them both. Grayson could handle it, though it stung to see the beta so hurt, but for Sven, this had to be heartbreaking.
“And now you’re raising it together, the two of you. How could you do this to me? You know what? I hope you two have a happy life together,” Lars said, and his voice, too, sounded like it was about to break.
He whipped around and was halfway to the door when Grayson rose and planted Sven on his feet. “No. Lars, you’re not walking away.”
“Watch me,” Lars bit back without facing him.
“No. You’re staying.” Grayson kept his alpha back who was champing at the bit to show who was boss.
Lars turned around, and Grayson’s stomach turned when he saw the tears streaming down the beta’s face. “Or what? You’re gonna hurt me even more than you already did?”
Lars had always told himself that people who spoke of heartbreak were exaggerating a little. Sure, it would hurt when people you loved rejected you, but to compare it to a physical break seemed a tad dramatic. But right now, his heart shattered into a million pieces, obliterated by a rejection so profound he could barely breathe. His head was spinning, dark spots dancing before his eyes, even as he desperately tried to suck in air.
Grayson said something, but Lars didn’t listen as he stumbled away, through the kitchen, into the hallway. He would never listen to him again. That lying, backstabbing alpha-asshole. He’d pretended to like Lars, to love him even, reeling him in with his daddy-care, when all that time, he’d been stealing Sven from him.
His Sven. His sweet, sexy Sven.
And his Daddy, the man he’d come to completely trust. And love.
God, they’d betrayed him, both of them. Planning a baby together behind his back. It was unimaginable, and yet that was exactly what had happened.
He stumbled, surprised when his legs gave out and he fell, more tears forming in his eyes as his kneecaps bruised on impact.
“Hey, are you okay?”
The voice pierced through the brain fog and he looked up to find his brother looking at him with concern. His older brother, the one who betrayed him once as well. If he thought about that now, it seemed laughable, what Enar had done.
“He’s pregnant,” he heard himself say, but as soon as the words left his mouth, he realized something. “You knew. Did everyone know but me?” He let out a bitter laugh. “God, the glee you guys must have had when you all knew and kept it from me.”
Enar stepped back as if he’d slapped him. “Lars, I can’t discuss any patients with you or anyone else. I may operate in some definite gray areas, but I never break patient confidentiality.”
For some reason, that got through to him and managed to overrule his emotions. Enar was right. No matter what you could say about his brother, no one could ever deny how serious he took his job. He would have never told anyone else about Sven’s pregnancy, and he wouldn’t have plotted against Lars behind his back. That meant it was just Grayson and Sven, which still hurt him like a knife, but at least his brother wasn’t involved.
“No, you wouldn’t,” he admitted. “I’m just…hurting.”
Lars sagged with his back against the wall, cradling his head in his hands. “Sven is pregnant,” he said again, his tone much milder now. “And Grayson knew, and they’re planning to raise it together, and they didn’t bother to tell me.”
“Oh, Lars,” Enar sighed with a profound sadness, and he sat down on the floor right next to Lars.
Lars’s heart softened as his brother offered him a shoulder, and he allowed himself to lean against him. Enar didn’t say anything else, which Lars appreciated. No empty words here, no clichés that would fall on deaf ears.
“I walked in on them talking about it,” he said after a while. “Sven was all beaming with happiness and Grayson was saying how they would raise the baby together.” His throat choked up at the memory. “Why would they do this to me?” he whispered. “I t
hought we were happy together. Am I that much of a brat they don’t want me anymore?”
“How the hell can you think that, let alone say it?” Grayson’s voice exploded, and it made Lars freeze in shock. How long had he stood there, listening in? He tensed up, gearing up for a fight, when Enar squeezed his shoulder, then rose.
“I think you need to leave, Grayson,” he said, his voice calm. “Lars needs time to cool off, and you do as well.”
Grayson crossed his arms, looking pissed as hell. And hot as fuck, Lars thought, cursing himself for the reaction. “He’s my mate. You gonna tell me to stay away from my own mate?”
Lars felt incredibly grateful Enar was standing up for him. It was the first time his brother had been there for him, or at least the first time he remembered. And for Enar it might be a small thing, but to Lars it meant everything.
Then Grayson’s words registered. They were mates. Lars hadn’t even thought of that, hadn’t even let the worrying implications sink in. If they cast him out, he’d be lost, bound as he was to Grayson. He’d wither away, and as awful as that sounded, he still preferred it over watching Grayson and Sven be happy together without him.
Grayson’s eyes narrowed and the look he gave Enar was anything but friendly. “Stay out of this,” he told Enar in a tone that left little room for discussion. “This has nothing to do with you. This is between me and my mates.”
Enar would have to back off now. There was no way the guy would stand up to Grayson, right? Not when he was in full alpha mode. Hell, even Lars himself felt compelled to obey him, and he was used to Grayson going all alpha male dominant on him. But it seemed he had pegged his brother wrong. Instead, Enar rose to his full height, and his voice was more commanding than Lars had ever heard it.
“No, Grayson, that’s where you’re wrong. This has everything to do with me. First of all, your omega mate is my patient, and if I feel you are in any way curbing his freedom to make his own choices, I will be so far up your ass you won’t know what hit you. Second, both of your mates are my brothers. That makes it my business. And third and not least, this is a pack. I am the pack alpha’s mate, and we both know damn well I outrank you. I have never, ever used my position, but I will if you keep up this ridiculous alpha posturing. Back the fuck down, Grayson. Cool off. Lars will come to you when he’s good and ready.”