His face burned. Part of him wanted to snatch Hazel up and run. Before anyone could react, and before everything crashed down on him.
But part of Wyatt wanted to stay, because he remembered You deserve punishment, and it made him close his eyes, shoulders hunched, expecting pain.
“You can’t possibly...” Dad was looking around when Wyatt cracked his eyes open. Dad looked at Hazel, then his wife. “This is a joke, right? Tanya? You don’t seem surprised. Did you know?”
Mom nodded, slipping her fingers into Wyatt’s hand. “I did. Don’t be too harsh on Wyatt, Stanley.”
When Wyatt chanced a look at his father’s eyes, he found confusion, and betrayal. Maybe shock. Maybe disgust.
He shouldn’t have told Sam to leave. He should’ve asked Sam to stay around with his car, so he and Hazel had a chance to escape.
“What about Hazel?” Dad asked. “She knows, too? You’ve... told her?”
Wyatt nodded woodenly.
“Uncle Raph visits us every weekend.” Hazel shook her phone, looking between all of them. “Dad, I just got a text.”
“Can it wait?” Wyatt winced. On second thought, maybe they should all hear it, to take off some of the pressure in his chest.
“It’s from Uncle Raph.”
Raph texted Hazel? Wyatt reached for his phone, hesitating. Was that why it buzzed?
“Hang on a minute,” Dad said, his forehead furrowing. “You’ve been pregnant for how long, Wyatt? You’re only telling us now? This thing with—with Raph? What the hell were you thinking?”
He wished he were halfway across the world, where no one knew him. “I thought you might not like to hear the news,” Wyatt said. “I’ll leave Meadowfall, if that’s easier on you. I’ll—”
In the distance, a car rumbled. An escape? Wyatt glanced at Hazel. “Could you ask Aunt Penny to pick us up? Or Uncle Sam.”
Hazel nodded, tapping into her phone.
Mom squeezed his arm, her eyes reluctant. “Do you really have to leave, Wyatt? You’ve only just got here. I’ll get Dad to calm down.”
Dad had stepped away from Wyatt, his eyes filled with confusion. Disbelief. He couldn’t accept this. And that was fine. An upstanding person like him shouldn’t have to deal with Wyatt and his transgressions.
Further down the hill, the iron gates pulled open. A sleek black car crawled through, climbing the winding driveway.
“Oh no,” Mom said. “Grandma’s back.”
Wyatt’s stomach plummeted. I need to leave. “Hurry, Hazel.”
“I’m hurrying!” she said, her little fingers flying across the screen. And the car crept ever closer, its presence a growing weight on Wyatt’s heart. Hazel was still looking at her phone. Wyatt needed to get away from the garage, get out of this place. Maybe hide in his old bedroom, where Grandma couldn’t find him.
First Max, and now this.
His heart thudded. He looked at his feet. And the car pulled to a stop in front of them, engine humming. Its driver stepped out, someone tall with broad shoulders.
“Uncle Raph,” Hazel said.
Wyatt looked up, his pulse skittering.
Raph was standing by the car, frozen, his eyes darting between Wyatt, Mom, and Dad. There were shadows under his eyes, and his suit was rumpled, like he’d gone to sleep in it. But he was still Wyatt’s alpha, still beautiful, strong and brave, and Wyatt ached to fall into his arms. He hadn’t seen Raph in a week. Hadn’t felt safe with him for a month.
“What’s going on?” Grandma snapped, slamming the passenger door. Wyatt jumped.
“Raph,” Dad said, the lines on his face deepening. “Is it true? Wyatt says you’re his alpha.”
And Wyatt felt the full weight of Grandma’s glare on him, the whites of her eyes terrifying. “What in the heavens’ name is going on? Raphael?”
Raph’s lips thinned. He glanced between Grandma, Wyatt, and Dad, breathing in, then out.
And Wyatt realized that this couldn’t possibly last. Not their bonding, and certainly not any peace in the family. Grandma would force Raph into a job he hated, or fire him, or sink him further into debt. All because of Wyatt.
“Hazel,” Wyatt said quietly. “Please call Penny or Sam. Texting won’t work right now. Head into the garage and out the front door.”
She frowned at him. “But what about you?”
“I’ll be fine.”
She hesitated, then turned, darting into the house. And Wyatt leaned into his mom, wishing he’d made different choices. That he hadn’t slept with Raph. That he hadn’t decided to come here today. That he’d never told Raph about the baby at all.
Raph stepped forward, meeting Wyatt’s eyes. “Wyatt is my omega,” he said. “That child is ours.”
In front of so many people, his words sounded like a death knell.
Grandma’s face turned ashen. She prowled forward, raising a bony finger at them. “That omega whore isn’t my grandson, Raphael. He doesn’t deserve to be part of this family. Break this off right now. I want that child aborted.”
Wyatt tensed, his pulse thundering in his ears. He wasn’t losing his baby.
Raph narrowed his eyes. “He’s not a whore. He’s my bondmate. We’re not aborting the child.”
Grandma’s mouth twisted into an ugly scowl. “Don’t you dare tarnish my business and my family name, Raphael Fleming. End this, or I’ll see that you’ll never find work on this side of the country. You’ll have three months to pay that debt.”
Three months? Raph had shown Wyatt the calculations. He had two and a half years to pay off his debt. Wyatt glanced at Raph, but Raph wasn’t looking at him.
And that felt like a lie, somehow. Why didn’t you tell me that?
“I’ll pay it,” Raph said.
Grandma’s sneer grew. “You think being a chauffeur pays off your loans? And that other side job you’re doing, the research? You won’t make enough, boy. Grow up. Think about your future, instead of fooling around with your twisted whore brother.”
“He’s not a whore,” Raph snapped, eyes narrowing.
But Grandma’s words spun in Wyatt’s head. Chauffeur? The other side job? Raph hadn’t mentioned those. He’d disappeared, and left Wyatt when Wyatt needed
