Or maybe he’d been too ashamed of his own situation to contact his mom.
Mom lived in a nice part of town. A decade ago, Sam’s parents had been mired in bankruptcy, in a multi-home scandal that had swept through Meadowfall.
Sam had been dating Valen when it happened. It had been rough, losing his privacy when his parents had lost the house. He rarely visited Valen’s family—Valen had preferred to make out in Sam’s bedroom.
When the bankruptcy happened, Sam had lived with his parents and brothers in his mom’s friend’s garage for a while. He’d taken on part-time jobs before he’d left high school, giving his parents his paychecks to help with rent. At nights, he’d taken to sneaking away with Valen in Valen’s truck, fucking under shadowy, quiet groves of trees.
Mom had been wary of Sam moving in with Valen. Then Valen had found a cheap apartment, and Sam had told her Valen would care for him.
Now, parking outside his mom’s new single-family home, Sam couldn’t help the surge of nostalgia that washed over him, the memories of him and his brothers working to put a roof over Mom’s head after Dad died.
If Mom had a room to spare... maybe Sam could stay with her for a while.
Sam rang the doorbell, shifting his weight between his feet. Maybe he should’ve used the scent suppressants—but Harris’ oak scent was far fainter than Valen’s sandalwood.
Instead of his mom, his brother Kade answered the door. Kade stared at him, a tall alpha with dark hair like Sam’s. “Sam?”
Sam grimaced. “Hi. It’s been a while, Kade.”
Kade yanked him into a hug, his pine scent enveloping Sam. Then he dragged Sam into the house. “Haven’t seen you in forever. Mom! Sam’s here!”
“You didn’t have to yell in my ear!” Sam wriggled out of Kade’s arms, heat rushing to his face.
The house smelled like a mix of scents. Kade’s pine, Mom’s lily. Then there was lavender—Kade’s omega, Felix.
Somewhere in the house, a toddler shrieked.
“They’re probably chasing Bethy down,” Kade said, giving Sam a sheepish smile. “She’s been stuffing clothes into every tiny cranny. We had an old VCR player, and she shoved her shorts in. Haven’t been able to get it out.”
Sam chuckled. “Better than her shoving bread in there.”
“Gods, no.” Kade winced. “I’m still not over how you missed my wedding, by the way.”
Sam winced then. He’d had his phone line cut off for a bit a few years back—he’d moved and forgotten to change his address with the phone company, and ended up with months of no cell phone. Kade had tracked him down to the college bookstore, though. “I’m still sorry I missed it,” Sam said.
Kade grinned, clapping Sam on the shoulder. “C’mon, Mom will want to see you. It’s been a while. Felix!”
Sam followed Kade through the house, looking at the framed watercolors on the walls, the colorful stuffed toys along the couches. Upstairs, clothes were strewn across the floor, and a laundry hamper lay on its side in the master bedroom.
“Mom!” Kade yelled. “Felix!”
“This is like a treasure hunt,” Sam said. It almost felt like his childhood again, back when he and Kade and Chris had gone digging around the backyard for hidden treasures. “Have you talked to Chris?”
“No. You and him both—you’ve gone and disappeared. I haven’t called the police ‘cuz Mom said you guys were alive.”
Sam squirmed, guilty. “I promise I’ll visit more often,” he said.
“Bring your alpha along,” Kade answered, sniffing at him. Then he stopped, raising his eyebrows.
Sam flushed. Kade had smelled the pregnancy, then. Wasn’t difficult to identify once you knew the scent. At least Harris’ scent wasn’t quite as obvious as Valen’s.
Someone—two someones—tumbled out of the en-suite in the master bedroom, a bundle of blond hair and thrashing limbs.
“Felix!” Kade released Sam, stepping over. He grabbed his wriggling daughter from his omega—the toddler was maybe four, all bright eyes and mussed hair. Then Kade kissed Felix softly on the lips, a lingering kiss, and Sam’s chest squeezed.
Despite all his misgivings, he wanted an alpha, too. Someone he could call his own. He hadn’t made that step with Valen yet, probably never would. Not when Valen already had Harris. Valen said Sam was welcome, but what would he need Sam around for?
“Felix—look who showed up,” Kade said. “Sam’s found his way home.”
“Hey, I wasn’t lost,” Sam said, but he crossed the room, hugging Felix.
“Hello,” Felix said, breathless. “Sorry about that. Bethy’s feeling feisty today.”
“Sam? Did I hear right?” Mom stepped out of the bathroom behind Felix, her hair a mess, her eyes bright. Then she spotted Sam, and Sam’s heart soared.
Mom hurried over, engulfing him in a giant hug.
Sam had thought he’d be okay, seeing his mom again. But when she pulled him against her chest, her lily scent enveloping him, his throat grew tight. It had been a while.
“I’ve missed you,” she said, kissing his cheek. She was shorter than him, plump, crow’s feet at her eyes. She’d aged since Sam had last seen her, and he regretted staying away for so long.
“I’ll get everyone out of here,” Kade said, whacking Sam lightly on the arm. “Don’t lose your way out of the house, too.”
Sam laughed, and then he choked up, burying his face in his mom’s shoulder. He didn’t know what he’d been thinking, staying away from home. “Sorry, Mom,” he croaked. “I was just... I guess I really was lost.”
“I thought you sounded sad when you last called,” she said, stroking his hair. “How are you?”
“I’m... I’m okay. Kind of a mess right now, but I’m okay.”
She pulled back, looking him over with her kind eyes. “You didn’t bring Valen with you?”
Sam gulped. He’d been lying to her on their phone calls, pretending he was still with Valen. “He’s at work. I just... I didn’t think you wanted to see him, too.”
She beamed. “I’d much rather congratulate you both at the same time,” she said, her smile growing.
He touched his belly. “I don’t know. I miscarried the previous child.”
Mom’s smile fell. “Oh, Sam.”
She
