Wyatt thought about Max, and Grandma, and trembled.
“I’m sorry I wasn’t there,” Raph muttered. “They hurt you, Wy. I should’ve stopped it, and I never did. It’s... it’s why I never showed up for so long. I just... couldn’t face you as an alpha.”
Wyatt shook his head, slipping his arms around Raph’s back. “You’ve done plenty, Raph. Thanks for just being here.”
Raph pressed a kiss to his temple, his forehead crinkled. “I promise I’ll be better about staying around. I promise I’m not gonna fail you again.”
“I believe you,” Wyatt said. This, finally, felt right again.
“Does that mean... you’re my omega? For real?” Raph leaned back, looking hopefully into his eyes.
Wyatt’s heart thudded. There was no answer that would truly show how he felt, except one. He reached down, circling Raph’s wrist with his fingers. Then he brought Raph’s forearm up to his lips, pressed kisses along his skin.
Raph froze, his eyes growing wide. “Wy—”
Wyatt nuzzled the scent gland at his wrist. “You asked if I wanted to be your omega. Will this prove it?”
“Gods, I love you,” Raph whispered. Wyatt’s heart swelled. He loved this man. They might be stepbrothers, and they might have believed their relationship was wrong. But Raph had stayed, comforted Wyatt, had returned after Wyatt tried to send him away.
His skin was smooth against Wyatt’s tongue, soft against his teeth. Wyatt bit down lightly on Raph’s scent gland, meeting his gaze. Raph watched with disbelieving eyes, his breath shallow.
“Okay?” Wyatt said.
“You don’t have to ask.”
“I want to,” he said. “Someone gave me that choice once.”
Raph smiled, his eyes warm. “Yeah, I want this.”
Wyatt bit down, hard enough to break skin. Raph jerked beneath him, hissing, his chest heaving. “Fuck!”
He watched Raph, slowly releasing Raph’s wrist. Where he’d bitten, there was now a line of pink teeth marks where the skin had torn, and tiny droplets of blood starting to well up.
“Mine,” Wyatt whispered, dragging his own wrist down Raph’s forearm, marking his alpha with his scent.
Raph groaned, leaning in to kiss him. Musk coiled from his skin. Wyatt met him halfway, opened for Raph, and Raph slid into his mouth.
“Gods, I swear I’ll never leave you again,” Raph whispered, claiming him. He dragged his own wrists down Wyatt’s jaw, his throat, down his arms and his sides, to his belly. Then Raph paused, his palms on Wyatt’s abdomen. “Is the baby mine?”
Wyatt held his breath. Raph had kissed his belly, without even knowing for sure whose child it was. And that was generous of him. “If it isn’t yours... would you mind?”
“I’d love it all the same,” Raph said, pressing their foreheads together. “And I’d treat it as my own.”
Wyatt brushed a slow, sweet kiss to his lips. “It’s yours, Raph. I slept with no one else but you.” His face burned. “I said it so you wouldn’t feel obliged to stay—”
Raph kissed him harder, hot and hungry. “Don’t ever—” Raph kissed him again “—think I’m gonna—” another kiss “—leave you. Not over whose baby it is, and not ever.”
Wyatt sagged into his embrace, his heart pattering. Raph’s teak scent enveloped him, and this was good, this little bubble they were in. “Does this... also mean we’re getting married? Are you going to be Hazel’s dad? She’s... not happy that we fought.”
Raph grimaced. “About Hazel—I’ll make it up to her. Sorry. I don’t even know what I can do.”
“We’ll figure it out,” Wyatt said. “Take her out to dinner, or something. You’ll need to prove yourself.”
“That works.” Raph gathered Wyatt in his arms, tipping him backward. There was a hard line in his pants where their hips met; Raph had been hard ever since Wyatt left his bonding mark. “This isn’t much of a proposal,” he whispered against Wyatt’s throat. “I’ll get a ring soon. Will you marry me?”
Wyatt chuckled, his heart warming. Things weren’t fixed yet. But Raph was promising to stay by his side, and despite the difficulties ahead, Wyatt knew where he belonged. “Yes, Raph. Yes.”
Raph smiled slowly, the corners of his mouth lifting. Musk rolled off his skin. He pressed a kiss to Wyatt’s scent gland, right over the bonding mark. “Good,” he whispered, his breath hot. “Wanna mark you again. “Think we have time for that?”
Raph sucked on Wyatt’s scent gland, long and slow. A jolt sparked down Wyatt’s spine, made him arch. “Yes,” he hissed. “We have time for a little more.”
“Good,” Raph murmured, scooping Wyatt up into his arms. “Gonna make you mine again.”
In that moment, everything was right with the world again.
30
Raph
Much later, when they were in Wyatt’s bed, the sheets tangled around their calves, Raph pressed a kiss to Wyatt’s damp cheek. “Do you regret this?”
Wyatt sighed. “I don’t know,” he said, draping his arm across Raph’s chest. “There’ll be repercussions if you stay. You should be at work.”
“Fuck work.”
Because Raph had his omega back in his arms. Wyatt had left his bonding mark on Raph’s wrist. He’d forgiven Raph. His belly rested snugly against Raph’s hip, and it was their baby between them, healthy and safe. Raph’s chest had never felt this full in his life.
Wyatt frowned, propping himself up on his elbow. “Grandma will get you for skipping work, won’t she?”
“She doesn’t know I’m leaving yet.”
But even then, leaving Alpha Associates came with a price. Raph still had no idea how he’d pay off the debt.
“I can chip in for the loan,” Wyatt said, as though he’d read Raph’s mind. “I’ll ask around. Maybe Sam or Penny might have some extra they can spare. They’ve lent me money in the past.”
Raph grimaced. It was a lot—Penny hadn’t been working at the lab long, and Raph didn’t know the sorts of liquid assets Wyatt could spare from his drive-in.
Deep down, Raph wanted to turn down the help. He was alpha. He’d gone to the best college in Highton, and he was a damn regional manager. If he had more time... If he and Wyatt had gotten involved later... he could’ve cleared the debt, and walked away from his grandmother’s shackles with fewer repercussions.
“I’m not sure why she’s holding this against you,” Wyatt murmured, burying his face in Raph’s shoulder. “I thought she liked you when we were kids.”
“She also likes having control over everyone.” Raph narrowed his eyes. “Remember when we were there? And she said she’d kick Mom and Dad out if they tried to help?”
Wyatt groaned. “Gods, I don’t want to get them involved.”
“Me neither.”
“We’re old enough not to ask them for help, Raph.” Wyatt buried his face in Raph’s chest, his breath warm on Raph’s skin. “We’ll... we’ll find a way. I’ve got some savings I set aside for Hazel—”
“No, don’t touch that,” Raph said, squeezing his hand. “I don’t want to use the money you saved for the children.”
Wyatt tipped his head back to meet Raph’s eyes, his mouth curving into a fond grin. “Gods, you’re the best, Raph.”
Since when? “I’m far from the best.”
“You’re everything I’ve ever wanted.” Wyatt pushed himself up, then swung his leg over Raph’s hips, and straddled him.
Wyatt was beautiful in the sunlight. Raph followed the gold of his tousled hair, his fine lashes, the gleam of his mouth. Then he touched his fingers to Wyatt’s throat, and the teeth marks he’d left on Wyatt’s shoulder. Minutes ago, Wyatt had cried out against him, digging his nails into Raph’s back. Raph had bitten him and filled him with seed.
He admired his marks on Wyatt now, his back prickling with Wyatt’s scratches. “I’m not perfect, Wy. I’ve let you down.”
Wyatt looked down at him, his belly round, his legs pale. “I never ask
ed you for help with Max, Raph. That wasn’t your fault.”
Just the sound of that name sent his limbs tensing. Raph growled. Wyatt had been so damn close to that bastard at the store. Raph wanted to punch Max senseless, leave him somewhere to rot. “If I ever see that guy again...”
“I hope there won’t be a reason for you to. I don’t want to think about him.” Wyatt shivered. “Do you think... we should visit Dad? Maybe after he’s cooled off?”
There was that, too. Raph shoved aside his anger, sitting up. Wyatt squirmed to make space for his belly. It was still kind of surreal, watching Wyatt with his belly so round. Growing up, Raph had been used to seeing Wyatt all slender and pale. When they’d met again at the party, Wy had been sleek, graceful. And now his belly pushed against Raph, harboring their baby.
Wyatt wasn’t just his stepbrother, he was Raph’s omega.
Raph ran his wrist over Wyatt’s belly, then along his neck. Over the bonding scar he’d left months ago. “Mine,” he whispered.
Wyatt blushed prettily, looking down. And Raph caught his jaw, pressing a kiss to his lips.
“I’m not leaving you again,” Raph said. “I promise.”
Wyatt’s eyes filled with uncertainty. “Then... do we keep this a secret? Or do we tell someone? Hazel has to know. She’ll smell you here when she gets home.”
Raph stroked Wyatt’s belly, pressing their foreheads together. “I’m gonna apologize to Hazel. See what I need to do before she forgives me. And... is it okay if I move in?”
Wyatt sucked in a sharp breath. Raph hadn’t mentioned this before, hadn’t been able to commit fully. “What about your job?”
“I’m quitting. I’ll find a job in Meadowfall, and I’ll take on more than one if I have to.”
“What about your other jobs? The ones Grandma mentioned?”
Raph’s cheeks burned. “I quit the chauffeuring. The other one fired me.”
“You were fired?” Wyatt’s eyes grew wide. “I can’t see anyone firing you.”
“I flaked on them.” Raph looked away, his skin crawling. Some alpha he was. “Was drinking.”
Wyatt narrowed his eyes. “You know that’s terrible.”
Looking back on it, it was. “Swear I stay off booze if I get upset.”
Wyatt studied him suspiciously. “Really?”
“Really.” When Wyatt didn’t seem convinced, Raph slipped his fingers into Wyatt’s hand. “I didn’t think I was gonna get you back, Wy. Didn’t see a reason why I shouldn’t fuck things up anymore. Stupid-ass reason, I know. But I—I’m gonna try harder now. Got two children to care for. Got you, too. It isn’t worth getting drunk if I’ve got all that to lose.”
Wyatt pursed his lips. At length, he touched his fingertips to Raph’s cheek. “I believe you. And I believe you’ll do that for our children.”
Raph’s chest squeezed tight. Our children. “Yeah.”
“You’ll be a great dad, you know,” Wyatt said softly.
Raph blushed, perking up. “You think so?”
“I know so. You’re so precious, Raph. You’re adorable when you blush.”
“I’m just trying my best,” Raph said.
“And that’s important.” Wyatt’s eyes gleamed, full of pride. “I like seeing that in my alpha.”
Raph’s cheeks burned hotter. He clicked his tongue, shrugging. “So, we talk to Dad? Where would he be right now?”
“At the station, I think.” Wyatt set his hand on Raph’s shoulder, squeezing him lightly. “Do you think... we should wait?”
But waiting didn’t suit Raph. Not when he’d already made his decision. “It changes nothing. I’ll tell him how I feel about you.”
“I don’t know if that’s enough.” Wyatt squirmed, some of the light fading from his eyes. “To be honest, I’d be fine not seeing Mom and Dad for another few months.”
Raph had promised Mom he’d get Wyatt to visit, though. “Mom would want to see you. You saw how she was on Saturday.”
Wyatt sagged. “I did. I just... don’t want to bring them any more trouble. If Grandma evicts them, I have no space for them to stay.”
They really didn’t. Raph wasn’t about to sacrifice the privacy they had in this apartment, not when Wyatt sometimes moaned out loud, his voice breaking, the scent of their musk soaking through the bedroom.
“They can’t stay here,” Raph murmured, slipping his fingers down Wyatt’s back, to the damp warmth of his ass.
Wyatt shivered. “It would be very inconvenient.”
“All options considered, the best thing would be to tell him and Mom half our plans. I’ll tell them I’m moving in with you. We won’t mention the loan, so they won’t feel obliged to help. We’ll explore other options. I have some old friends around town.”
“You sound every bit like the experienced manager, Raph,” Wyatt murmured, burying his face in Raph’s neck.
“Really?”
“What would you do if a diner threw a fit and said there’s a fly in the food?”
“I’d get them a replacement.”
Wyatt hummed. “What if there’s a conflict between two of the staff? Say, Mina tells you Sam insulted her.”
“Probably listen to both their stories. Then I’d make a decision based on their past behavior.”
“What if you found Sam stealing the food from the kitchen stock?”
Raph frowned. Where the hell was this coming from? “I’d ask him what he’s doing. But probably give him the stuff you’d toss, anyway. Why are you asking me all this?”
Wyatt chuckled against him, the vibrations of his body seeping through Raph’s chest. “You’re hired as my assistant manager. You’ll start when I go on paternity leave.”
“You sneaky little—”
Wyatt kissed him on the lips, his eyes gleaming. “I know it doesn’t solve the debt, Raph. But I want you to know that you have a place at the drive-in. Once we get this whole mess cleared up.”
Raph’s chest squeezed. Wyatt looked so excited then, that Raph almost hadn’t the heart to pop his bubble. “Didn’t think I’d be sitting through an interview in bed. I haven’t even given you my resume.”
With a smile, Wyatt ground down on his hips, his balls dragging over Raph’s cock. “You’ve given me plenty of your resume, Mr. Fleming.”
Raph snorted. “Pervert.”
“The one and only.”
“Were you always this horny?”
“I’m pretty sure it’s the pregnancy hormones.” Wyatt wriggled on his lap, raising his arms in the air. “Like what you see?”
“Yeah.” Raph admired his body for a long moment, then caught Wyatt, leaning him down to kiss his lips. They were patching things up, little by little. They were making plans for their lives, solid plans that Raph would stick to. “But back to the serious stuff—I’ll need to find a job around here. Can’t rely on the drive-in’s income for the loan.”
“I know. We’ll figure out something else in the meantime.” Wyatt snuggled into him. “Hazel gets off from school in about two hours. If you’re still staying in Meadowfall, we could go pick her up, and then talk to Dad. I think it’s quieter for him in the afternoons.”
“Sounds good,” Raph said, nuzzling the bonding scar on Wyatt’s neck. For better or for worse, they were doing everything together now.
He couldn’t be happier about it.
Hazel frowned when she saw Raph in the car.
Raph reached across the backseat, pushing the door open for her. The schoolyard chatter rushed into the car, and Raph leaned back, waiting to see if Hazel would climb in.
“Sit with Raph, hon,” Wyatt said, smiling from the driver’s seat.
“I don’t want to.” Hazel pouted. “I’m not happy with him.”
Raph winced. This, he didn’t know how to fix. He’d discussed his options with Wyatt, but the fact remained that he was the one at fault. He’d disappointed his omega, and by association, Wyatt’s daughter.
“Tell me what I can do, princess,�
� he said. “I swear I’ll make it up to you and your dad.”
She pulled open the front passenger door, ignoring the door Raph had opened for her. “No.”
“Uncle Raph means well,” Wyatt said. “Won’t you give him a chance?”
Hazel turned, glaring. “He made you cry, Dad. Uncle Sam says anyone who makes you cry is bad.”
Well, she wasn’t wrong. Raph closed the back door, trying to meet her eyes. “You’re right. I’ve screwed up things with your dad. I’m trying to patch them up. Your dad’s giving me a chance to prove myself. Will you let me prove myself to you, too?”
Hazel huffed. “No.”
So much for Hazel letting him be her dad.
Raph sighed, breathing out his disappointment. This was fine. He’d try harder, and maybe things would turn out for the best.
He met Wyatt’s eyes in the rearview mirror; Wyatt grimaced. The awesome part about Hazel? She was opinionated. The not-so-awesome part? Also that she was opinionated.
Someday, the baby would grow up, and throw the same tantrums Hazel did. This was what being a dad felt like, wasn’t it? Letting his children sit out their tantrums. Teaching them to forgive, and be kind to others.
After being with Wyatt for the past few months, and seeing the way Wyatt taught Hazel, Raph thought he might be ready to be a dad. He was learning from Wyatt, and Hazel was turning out great.
Raph just had to be patient, and love them all.
They pulled out of the parking lot and onto the street. “Raph and I are going to visit Grandpa at the station,” Wyatt said. “There’ll be a lot of adult conversations, so I’ll be leaving you at the drive-in with Uncle Sam. Is that okay?”
“Fine.”
Raph spent the rest of the ride in silence, while Wyatt teased a conversation out of his daughter. From the backseat, he listened as they chatted about gross canteen food, strict teachers, and annoying classmates.
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