“I’m your goddamn alpha,” Harris snapped. Then he reached over and grabbed Valen’s head, tipped him to the side to expose his scar. “That’s my bonding mark.”
The fire chief shook his head, disbelieving. “This is a mess. You’re a sick bastard, Harris. Valen, didn’t you have an omega?”
Gods, Valen didn’t want Sam here. Not when he and Harris had blown their cover. “Yeah, I’m marrying my omega. And Harris, too.”
Harris narrowed his eyes. “I’ll have nothing to do with you, Valen.”
Valen stared. Wasn’t sure if Harris was saying that to pretend, or if it was real.
“You’d better not,” the chief said, his lips curled. “Two alphas? Really? The entire station will talk.”
“Better they talk about me when I have two bondmates, than you, Dad,” Valen said. “Who do you have? No one. You can’t even talk to Mom, because you screwed up your bonding.”
The fire chief stalked forward, his eyes blazing. “You’re not my son, Valen. I’m disowning you—”
“Stop that, Fred,” Harris snapped. “Keep your son. I don’t need him. From today onward, he’s no longer mine.”
Valen’s stomach twisted.
“You bonded with Sam, too,” he growled, heat building in his chest. He could lose his dad. He couldn’t lose Harris.
“Two of them, Harris?” Fred stared at Harris like Harris was insane. “That’s twisted. You’re old enough to be their dad.”
“They’re both not mine,” Harris said, his eyes flashing. “Not Valen, and not Sam.”
A soft gasp came from the office doorway, and then a yelp, and a thump.
Valen turned. Found Sam sprawled on the floor, his feet caught on the stairs. Valen’s blood froze. “Sam!”
Sam groaned, winding his arm around his belly.
And now it didn’t matter what his dad thought, because Sam was hurt. Was the baby okay? Had Sam fallen on his belly? Valen ran through the office to Sam’s side, hardly daring to breathe.
“Sam,” he whispered, gathering Sam in his arms. “You okay?”
Sam whimpered and shook his head. “I don’t—don’t know. I fell.”
“On your belly?”
“Kind of.” Sam groaned, looking up at Valen. “But Harris—”
“Harris is being a jerk,” Valen said. Glared across the room, where Harris and his father stood. Harris had paled, his eyes fixed on Sam.
Even if he didn’t care for Valen, at least Harris felt something for their omega.
“Is the baby okay?” Valen asked.
“I don’t know.”
And the note of despair sent a chill through Valen’s bones. Couldn’t have Sam losing their baby, not when Valen had tried so hard to protect him. “I’m taking you to the hospital,” Valen said. “We’ll get you looked at.”
“I—I think I’m fine,” Sam said. He winced, touching his belly. Valen’s instincts roared. He wasn’t leaving his omega alone. Sam wasn’t okay.
“Are you going, Harris?” his dad asked across the office. Valen paused, Sam tucked in his arms. His heart pounded.
Valen met Harris’ eyes. Felt like forever before Harris said, “No.”
Valen’s heart cracked. “Sam’s your omega too,” he said, anger welling up in his chest. “You can’t leave him.”
“He’s yours,” Harris said. He looked away. No pointed stares, no quirked eyebrows. Nothing to say he was lying.
“That’s it?” Valen cried. “You’re breaking up with us?”
Harris’ lips thinned. Next to him, the fire chief shook his head. “I expected more from you, Harris.”
“Harris?” Sam said, his voice wavering. Gods, Sam looked so lost. Valen wanted to stride up, punch Harris for making Sam look this way.
“Yeah, I’m breaking up with you,” Harris snapped. His eyes glittered like glass. “Get out of here.”
Sam flinched. Valen growled, scooped Sam up, and jogged down the stairs, his heart pounding. Didn’t have to stay there longer. Didn’t have to put Sam through more rejection.
When he reached the ground level, Valen ducked out of the first garage door, heading for the truck. Gently set Sam down on his feet. “Can you stand?”
Sam nodded, rubbing his belly.
“Does it hurt?”
“I don’t know. I can’t tell.” Sam winced, cradling their baby. “What happened with Harris?”
Valen helped him into the truck, then drove them out of the station, his hand clasped around Sam’s. “I kissed him. My dad walked in on us. And then Harris tried to break up with me.”
Sam’s breath hitched. “He’s really breaking up with us?”
Valen swallowed. It had all happened so fast. And Harris wasn’t even coming with them to the hospital, that bastard. “Yeah,” he said, his throat tight. “I think so.”
Sam whimpered, his hand on his belly.
“I’m sorry,” Valen said. “I fucked up.”
“It’s not your fault.”
But it was. If Valen had never kissed Harris, if he’d just kept his damn hands to himself, none of this would’ve happened. Harris would still be on good terms with the fire chief. Maybe Sam wouldn’t even have tripped.
Valen bit his lip, guilt smothering his lungs. “Gods, you should be the one with Harris,” he said. “He’s good enough for you. I’m not.”
“You’re good, Valen. Don’t say that.” But Sam still looked on the verge of tears, and Valen hadn’t any idea how to return Harris to Sam. Sam needed Harris, too.
I can’t believe I’m messing up again. I swore I wouldn’t. I’m not my dad.
They parked at the hospital. Valen helped Sam out of the truck. Checked Sam’s pants—no blood. But Sam kept looking down at himself, too, as though he expected to miscarry any second.
If that happened, Valen would have caused his baby’s death a second time.
He helped Sam to the Accidents and Emergencies department, his chest so tight he couldn’t breathe. They registered with the nurse and sat down, amidst crying babies and people coughing, some kids with their limbs in casts. The whole place smelled like disinfectant.
Sam looked at his baby bump. In a small voice, he asked, “Does this mean we can’t live with Harris anymore?”
Shit, Valen hadn’t thought of that. He squeezed Sam’s hand, casting his thoughts around. “We could rent an apartment somewhere. It’ll be okay.”
They had to get their things from the mansion, though. Valen didn’t even know which things were his, after he’d spent a year there. He’d bought bed sheets with Harris, and TVs.
