by Nora Phoenix
“My last few books have done really well on the bestseller list, and I can afford to invest in a cause like this.”
Sando’s mouth dropped open before he recovered himself. “We’re…That’s…I’m honored, but you do understand we’re not talking a couple of grand here, right?”
Grayson smiled. “Yes. We’ll talk, you, me, and a lawyer. We’ll set it up the right way, okay? But I believe in this research, and I want you to continue.”
“You believe in me that much?” Disbelief was dripping from the omega’s voice.
“I do,” Grayson said warmly. “And so does everyone else here. You’re part of the pack now, Sando. We’ve got your back.”
25
Enar left a sleeping Vieno behind and slipped out of their bedroom, closing the door behind him without a sound. He’d gotten good at this, coaxing Vieno to take a nap in the afternoons by cuddling with him and then quietly getting out as soon as the omega was asleep.
Palani sat in the kitchen behind his laptop, looking up with a big smile when Enar walked in. “Is he asleep? We should call you the omega whisperer,” he joked when Enar nodded. “I hope that skill transfers to the baby when he’s born.”
He reached out for Enar, tugging him close by his wrist, and Enar allowed himself to be parked on Palani’s lap. It was one of those little things Palani did that meant the world to Enar because they made him feel like his true self.
Palani nuzzled his neck. “How have you been, Doc? I know you’ve been spending a lot of time with Vieno, but how are you?”
Enar sighed, a release that seemed to come from his toes. “I’m okay. I miss working, my patients, feeling useful. I’m sure you know the feeling.”
“Yeah, do I ever. I’m so excited about my blog because I was going stir crazy.”
Enar was damn proud of Palani, who had followed up on his first post about the Melloni gene with another one, including more details about how to get tested and what strategies worked during a heat. He’d gone viral with that post as well, and it had even made the evening news, since droves of omegas had come to free clinics to get tested.
Enar was grateful to see it, but it made his current predicament even more painful. He had the unique experience and knowledge to help these omegas, but he couldn’t because of that dick move to pull his medical license. And after that last letter, he’d given up, knowing it was a lost cause. He could fight his suspension, but they would nail him to a cross and take down some of his fellow doctors, nurses, and even patients with him. He wasn’t risking it.
Not that Lidon was faring much better. Duer had listened to their story with rising shock and indignation, but he’d been clear that it did not bode well for Lidon. Whereas before, the union lawyer had believed Lidon could fight the charges, he’d changed his tune when he’d heard who and what they were up against. He’d asked Lidon outright if his job was worth risking his ranch for, the safety of his mates—they hadn’t mentioned the pack, obviously—because he’d assured him that if the conspiracy went that high up the ranks, those people would stop at nothing.
That had been three days ago, and ever since, Lidon had been quiet, brooding. It wasn’t an easy choice for him, since Enar knew how proud the alpha had been to be a cop. Leaving that behind was a hard hit for him.
“Where did you go, Doc?” Palani asked, his voice kind as he gently tapped against Enar’s forehead.
“Sorry, I was thinking of Lidon and his next step.”
Palani’s face tightened. “Out of the three of us, it’s most unfair to him, you know? You’ve been coloring outside the lines for a long time, so you knew this day could come. And me, I’ve always counted on paying the price for the shit I uncovered. But that man, he’s done nothing but his job, and they’re dragging his name through the mud, soiling his reputation. It pisses me off.”
And there, in a nutshell, was why Enar loved Palani with all his might because no one had a bigger heart and more compassion than this man. He would walk through fire for his mates and come out fighting on the other side.
He put his head on Palani’s shoulder. “I love you so much.”
Palani’s body relaxed, the fight leaving him as he kissed Enar’s head. “I love you too, Doc. And we have a little surprise for you that you’re gonna love.”
He lifted his head from Palani’s shoulder. “A surprise? Right now?”
Palani nodded. ‘It just arrived, and Lidon said I could show you.”
Enar looked around, searching for anything out of the ordinary. “Where is it?” he asked, his body buzzing with energy.
He had no idea what Palani could have for him, hadn’t seen or heard anything unusual. And there weren’t that many deliveries to the ranch, outside of all the building materials for Jawon, but those were all delivered outside the gates and then transported in by Jawon’s men.
“Wanna see it?” Palani asked, smiling like a dad who was about to hand out a really cool Christmas gift. “We need to go outside.”
“Outside?”
Enar couldn’t hide his surprise at that, but he obediently followed Palani as they got up and walked out, past the pool and even past the vegetable yard and the chicken coop, through both gates to an empty area where Lidon had said he wanted to build some cottages.
The air was buzzing with heat, but the spot offered nice shade provided by some big trees on the plot. But there was nothing to see except for a whole stack of building materials; at least, that’s what Enar assumed they were. Various packages in different sizes lay neatly stacked, over twenty, all in all, he guessed. Probably raw materials for the cottages.
When he looked at Palani with questioning eyes, the beta reached for his hand, then pointed at the stack of packages with his other hand. “We’re building you a clinic.”
Enar’s heart skipped a few beats. “You’re…what?”
“We’re building you a clinic. Right here, on our property, but outside the gates. It’s a prefab construction that Lars actually suggested, and we should be up and running in a month or three.”
“H-how?”
“I checked with a lawyer, and you can practice medicine here. No surgeries, as we can’t build you an OR, but you can see patients, prescribe meds, do small procedures that don’t require an OR, and do deliveries because those don’t count as surgeries, legally speaking.”
Enar felt like the floor had dropped right from under him, his head spinning as he held on to Palani’s hand for dear life.
“Omegas need you, Doc,” Palani said, his voice softening as he pulled Enar close. “You have more lives to save.”
His heart was so full of emotions it made it hard to breathe, so he leaned against Palani. “I’m…thank you. God, thank you so much.”
Palani kissed his head, then his mouth, warm and firm. “No thanks, Doc. It’s what you were born to do.”
When they were back in the house, Enar was still struggling to process, lost for words. That’s why he didn’t even check the screen when his phone rang and he answered.
“I assume your brothers are with you?”
His blood froze in his veins as the cold, derisive voice registered with him. His father. Who he hadn’t spoken to in years. No greeting, no “how are you” or anything like that. The first things out of that man’s mouth were venom. Pure, unadulterated venom.
He’d been on top of the fucking world, his heart so full of joy it could barely contain it, and here was his father, once again ruining it for him.
No.
Just … no.
He wasn’t going to let him do this again. Not now, not ever again.
He was about to say something when Grayson walked in with his boys, and for some reason, the sight of his brothers filled Enar with even more rage. Yes, he’d fucked up big-time by walking away from them, but what his father had done was ten times worse. He’d damaged them. And Enar too.
“It’s none of your fucking business where Lars and Sven are,” he snapped, noting both his brothers’ heads wh
ipped around when they caught their names.
Palani signaled him to put the phone on speaker, and he did. His father’s laugh rang hollow through the room, and Enar saw Sven cringe. Grayson stepped close, wrapping his arms around him from behind, and Lars snuggled up to the alpha as well. It was so good to see his brothers being taken care of, even if it was in a way he’d never imagined for them.
“Trying to protect them, are you? They’re my sons, and you can’t keep me from seeing them.” His father sounded so sure of himself, like he always did.
“They’re both of age,” Enar protested. “They can make their own decisions.”
Even as he spoke, worry sat heavy on his stomach. For Lars, that was true, but as an omega, Sven was far more vulnerable. Without a mate, their father was his legal guardian.
“Lars, yes, but the omega is mine,” his father said, his voice heavy with something Enar couldn’t place. It had sounded a lot like want, and his stomach revolted.
And in a flash, he knew why his father hadn’t called sooner, why he had only contacted Enar now. He’d read Palani’s blog or had caught the news, had recognized Sven’s symptoms. “You know he has the gene,” he said, that dread inside him rising even higher.
“Yes. And he’ll get me the alpha heir I deserve.”
On a rational level, Enar knew that remark was meant to cut him deep, but it didn’t. He couldn’t explain it, but he somehow knew that statement said nothing about him and everything about the absolute waste of oxygen his father was. The shock was still there, though it was more about Sven than it was about him.
“No,” he simply said. “No, he won’t.”
Again that horrific laughter, so demeaning. “And who’s gonna stop me, you and your sorry excuse for alpha powers? You should be ashamed of yourself, allowing yourself to be alpha claimed by another alpha. What the fuck is wrong with you?”
Palani opened his mouth, his eyes blazing fire, but Enar shook his head and squeezed his hand, urging him to stay quiet. This was his battle, and he would damn well finish it. There was a little commotion when Lidon and Vieno hurried into the room and had to be gestured to keep quiet by the others. But the sight of Lidon provided Enar with the last boost of confidence that he needed.
“Nothing,” he said, and chains he hadn’t realized were still imprisoning him fell free. He straightened his shoulders, precious freedom filling his chest. “There’s nothing wrong with me. I am a beta, and I am perfect the way I am, and I honestly don’t give a flying fuck what you think. You don’t deserve an alpha heir, and you don’t deserve us. Lars, Sven, and me, we want nothing to do with you. You don’t exist for us anymore. We’re doing great without you, and we don’t ever want to see you again.”
This time, there was no more laughter. Instead, he could almost feel the spit flying out of his father’s mouth as he spoke. “And who do you think you are, giving me orders like that? You’re still under my alpha authority, and I command you to bring Sven back to my house!”
It didn’t even register with him, this feeble attempt at intimidating him. He looked up at Lidon, whose eyes beamed with pride, and then Enar opened himself up to Lidon’s power. He couldn’t explain it, but it was like he’d opened a floodgate that had been shut closed before, and he felt it thunder through him, an alpha power unlike anything he’d ever experienced.
“No. You’ll not touch him ever again.”
He was almost surprised his phone was still working after that, with the power he was emitting.
“On whose authority?” his father asked, his voice much less certain than before.
Enar locked eyes with Lidon, whose eyes changed even as he watched. They became burning amber, animalistic and filled with authority, and around them, the others gasped. Enar smiled, his body thrumming with Lidon’s power.
“On the authority of Lidon Hayes, my alpha and mate, and the alpha of the Hayes pack.”
It had been pandemonium after that phone call. Lars, like the others, not only had seen Lidon’s eyes change but also had felt the power rush through the room. It had made his hairs rise on end, his heart speed up, and adrenaline flush his system. Who was this man? And how had Enar tapped into his powers?
He’d looked at his brother differently, for the first time. Not with the eyes of hate but with the eyes of a fellow victim. Never before had he realized how deeply his dad’s hatred of Enar had run. That wasn’t dislike he’d heard and felt in that voice. That was pure hate. What had Enar done to deserve that much hatred from their father?
Lars waited till things had calmed down a bit, and then he quietly sought out Enar. His heart raced, and his palms were sweaty as he spoke. “Can we talk?”
Enar’s head turned, his eyes widening in shock. The quick look he shared with Palani, who was sitting right next to him, spoke volumes about their relationship. Enar leaned on him, Lars had realized, maybe as much as he leaned on Lidon.
“Yeah. Let’s go outside,” Enar said.
Out of habit, Lars waited for Enar to take the lead, as he was used to letting alphas go first, but Enar gestured. “Go first,” he said. “I’ll follow.”
Lars bit his lip as he walked out, seeking out a quiet spot near the pool. It was dark out, but the soft lights around the pool gave a warm atmosphere. He didn’t know what to make of Enar’s behavior, what to think of his alpha brother, who publicly had stated he was a beta and wanted to be treated as such.
They found seats next to each other, but Enar turned his sideways so they sat across from each other. He waited quietly as Lars tried to form a question. There was so much he hadn’t said to his brother, that he wasn’t sure where to begin.
“I don’t understand you,” he said finally. “I don’t understand how you can throw away who you are for something…less.”
He cringed as he heard his own words because they sounded so much harsher than they had in his head, but Enar only nodded. “I get that it’s hard for others to understand. You’re wrong on two accounts, though. I never was an alpha. I just looked like one, and I still do, but I’ve always been a beta on the inside. As long as I can remember, what I felt like inside didn’t match who I looked like on the outside, and it’s taken me this long to accept that I’m not an alpha. I’m a beta, Lars. I always have been.”
Lars shook his head in frustration. “I don’t get that. How can you feel like a beta?”
“I saw you with Grayson the other day, when he shoved you against a wall and threatened to spank you. Do you remember that?”
Lars’s cheeks flushed. Damn, had Enar seen that? He nodded.
“How does that make you feel when he does that?”
“Oh god, do I really have to explain that to my brother?” he moaned, and Enar grinned a little. “I like it, okay? I like it when he gets rough with me, when he makes me feel his power.”
Enar’s smile sobered. “So do I. Lidon has been fucking me for years. Did you know that? He was the only one who could give me what I so desperately needed, a few moments to be myself. I don’t like being dominant, Lars. I hate it. I hate being the strong one all the time, hate being in charge, hate having to tell others what to do. I love taking care of people. I’m a healer, a comforter. I can give people a listening ear, a shoulder to cry on. But at the end of the day, I want to lean on someone else. I want someone else to decide for me, to treat me a little rough. Lidon gave me that, and now with Palani and Vieno, it’s perfection.”
Lars listened to his brother, really listened, and for the first time, he could see where Enar was coming from. “You said I was wrong on two accounts.”
“Right. The second thing you got wrong is that betas aren’t less.”
Lars scoffed. “Of course we are. And omegas are even less. You know as well as I do that there’s a strict hierarchy that none of us can escape from. I mean, you can ask to be treated like a beta, but at the end of the day, society will still view you and treat you as an alpha.”
Enar shook his head vehemently, leaning forward in
his chair. “That’s what society tells us, but that doesn’t mean it’s the truth. We are equal, Lars. Alphas, betas, omegas, male or female, we’re all equal. Created differently, wired differently, each with unique gifts and talents, but equal. We’ve come to believe that alphas are better than betas and that betas outrank omegas, but that’s not how it was. That’s not how it’s supposed to be.”
Lars’s head spun. Enar meant it, every word of it. It was revolutionary talk, almost mutinous. It ran counter to everything Lars had been taught. “But how do you reconcile that with how the pack is run? Isn’t Lidon the boss as pack alpha? Isn’t he, like, more than any of us?”
Enar leaned back a little, resting his arms on his legs. “I don’t see it that way. He’s not the alpha because he’s better or more than us. It’s… How do I explain this? I let him lead because I trust him, because I want him to. It’s not out of fear but out of respect and love, if that makes sense.”
“But we’re expected to obey him. And Palani, as his second-in-command.”
Lars could only hope his brother wouldn’t take that remark as another swipe at him, because he hadn’t meant it like that.
“It’s not blind obedience or out of fear for repercussions. They still listen to pack members, actively seeking their opinion and input. Palani talks with Grayson a lot, for instance, and I heard you suggested the idea of using prefab materials.”
Lars fiddled with his hands at that subtle compliment, uncomfortable with the praise. “It was just something I thought might work.”
Enar sent him a friendly smile. “Apparently, it was a good suggestion. See, that’s what I mean. They’re not dictators, demanding blind obedience. It’s more of a meritocracy, where everyone gets to contribute based on their skills, knowledge, and talent. It’s why Palani is perfect as pack beta. He’s got the skills and leadership.”
Lars heard the genuine admiration in his brother’s voice, and it hit him. “You’re truly not jealous of him,” he said.