Dad stepped up to them, then paused again, his expression torn. “Look, I’m... I’m sorry for my actions, Wyatt, Raph. I wasn’t aware of the extenuating circumstances. I should have learned more before I passed judgment on you.”
He looked old then, with his tired eyes and gray hair, and the sag of his mouth. And Raph might’ve felt a little sorry for his dad.
“It’s fine,” Wyatt said, lifting his face from Raph’s shoulder. “We didn’t expect you to understand. I don’t... trust alphas anymore, aside from Raph.”
“It’s never been about the circumstances, though,” Raph said. “Wy has always felt right to me. Max happened after Wy and I tried to get together. That was nine years ago.”
Dad’s eyes narrowed. “I’ll get my guys to do a background check on Max McArthur. See if we can’t lock him up for something.”
Wyatt nodded jerkily, peeling himself off from Raph. “We shouldn’t be bothering you. Sorry for taking up your time.”
Dad shook his head. “No. Thank you for telling me what you have. I should be apologizing to you, Wyatt. And Raph, for... for taking care of your brother.”
Raph watched him, doubtful. Was Dad accepting them this easily? Just by learning about Wyatt’s history? “Wy and I are alpha and omega. You’re fine with that?”
Dad looked hesitantly between them. “I’ve been on this job several years—I’ve seen terrible things happen to people who didn’t deserve it. Raph, you’ve helped me remember what’s important. Wyatt needs someone. If that means you becoming his alpha, then... I guess that’s—that’s fine. It’s your choice.”
He looked like he wished things were different, but it was a step forward, at least.
“But the office,” Wyatt said.
Dad glanced at the door. “I don’t know about spreading the news outside my office. But if it gets out... You’ll have two alphas at your back, Wy. Not just one.”
Wyatt sagged, his mouth lifting into a trembling smile. “Thanks, Dad.”
Raph relaxed, the tension in his limbs seeping away. He’d walked into the station expecting a lot worse. This? This, he could live with.
Dad pulled them both into his arms, hugging them tight. “I’m just glad to see you again. It’s been years since I’ve seen the two of you together.”
“I’m moving in with Wy,” Raph said, returning the hug. “We’ll visit more often.”
“Good, good. If you need help with that loan, Raph,” Dad said, pulling back to look at him. “I’ll see what your mom and I can scrounge up.”
“Thanks.” Raph sighed, stepping away from his dad. He hadn’t planned on asking his parents for help. But if he hadn’t gotten that debt solved in three months... he’d need all the money he could get. “We’ll see you this weekend? When I start moving down.”
“Looking forward to it,” Dad said, his mouth quirking into a smile. “It would be great to see all of you again.”
They were almost to the office door when Wyatt’s phone rang, the jaunty notes of Let’s Get Cooking filling the room. Sam.
Raph paused at the door, one hand on the door handle, watching as Wyatt answered his phone.
Wyatt’s face paled. “We’ll be right there,” he said. “Keep me updated.”
“What happened?” Raph asked.
“Hazel’s missing.”
Raph’s stomach twisted. To the side, Dad frowned. “Do you have the details?”
Wyatt leaned into Raph, his fingers flying across his screen. “Sam last saw her an hour ago. He—he thought she’d gone out to play, but her skates aren’t there. He’s been trying to call her for the last half hour.”
Raph remembered her storming off through the back entrance of the drive-in, pouting when Wyatt said she couldn’t skate. Gods, what did you do, Princess?
“If you need help, forward the information to me, Wyatt,” Dad said, glancing at his desk.
“You have work to do,” Wyatt said, looking up.
“Protocol says we need twenty-four hours before we start a search.” Dad managed a smile. “But if you have cause for concern, especially with that McArthur bastard in town, then I’m all ears.”
“Thanks,” Raph said. He hadn’t been glad about his dad’s job in years, not since he’d thought himself a failure for not rescuing Wyatt. But as they left the office, Raph nodded at Chief Fleming, glad for his dad’s support. Dad nodded back, mouthing Good luck.
They had a precious child to find.
31
Wyatt
Wyatt turned on his phone’s GPS, waiting for the location app to load. “I shouldn’t... shouldn’t be worried, should I?”
But his heart pattered anyway. I can’t find her, Sam had said, his voice tinny across the line. One moment, she was pulling on her skates. The next moment, she’s gone. I don’t see her apron anywhere.
Hazel’s apron had her name stitched onto the bottom corner—all the staff knew it was hers. For both apron and girl to go missing... Hazel had gone out to the parking lot, intending to grab some orders.
Raph squeezed Wyatt’s shoulder. “She’s a smart one. She’ll be fine.”
“But Hazel’s never been lost before.” Wyatt’s heart pattered. He’d only been prepared for the anxiety of meeting their dad. Not his daughter going missing. He leaned into Raph in the elevator, closing his eyes. “I can’t deal with this.”
Raph wrapped his arm around Wyatt’s waist, guiding him out through the lobby. “She’s gonna be fine. Just you wait.”
Except the maps on his phone downloaded the moment they stepped out of the station. There was a red dot on the map, moving quickly away from Meadowfall. A chill slid down Wyatt’s spine.
“Oh, gods,” he said. There was no way Hazel could travel that far on her own. Maybe someone had stolen her phone, and she was chasing after them, safe and unharmed. Except his instincts said that wasn’t true. His Hazel was no longer in Meadowfall. “I think she’s been taken.”
Raph froze. “Fuck, get in the car. I’ll drive.”
“We should tell Dad,” Wyatt said.
“Get in the car. I’ll do that.”
Raph ushered Wyatt into the passenger seat, pulling out his phone. “Dad? We think Hazel’s been kidnapped,” he said.
