Sam held his breath. If he stayed with Valen now, Valen would feel obliged to pay for all of the baby’s costs. And the baby had been Sam’s fault to begin with—it wasn’t something he wanted to hold Valen to.
He loved Valen. That meant seeing Valen happy, not bogged down by babies and bills and payments he hadn’t signed up for.
With a sick feeling in his gut, Sam realized what he had to do. He followed Valen away from the counter, his heart thudding. The baby was fine right now. He didn’t need Valen around. “Valen?”
“Yeah?” Valen tucked his wallet away, peering at Sam in concern.
A lump rose in Sam’s throat. Valen had been hurt enough today. Sam felt terrible, even saying the words. “I don’t... don’t think we should continue this.”
Valen frowned. “You mean the check-up? We’ve already paid for it.”
“No. Me and you.”
Valen blinked.
“I’m saying you’re better off going back to Harris,” Sam said. “Instead of staying with me.”
Valen’s confusion slid off his face, replaced by horror. “What?”
Sam sucked in a deep breath, hugging his belly. “I think we should break up.”
Valen’s throat worked. He stared at Sam, his mouth open in disbelief. Sam wanted to hug him. “I don’t... understand.”
“I think Harris would accept you if you went back to him,” Sam said.
“Are you kidding? He’d kick me to the curb.” Valen took Sam’s hand, stroking his fingers. “I’m not leaving you, Sam.”
“I know. I’m telling you to leave.” Sam cracked a tiny smile, his chest squeezing tight. He held his belly for support. “I’ll tell Harris to take you back.”
“It doesn’t work that way,” Valen said, his voice strangled. “Sam. I made a promise to you. I’m not leaving you to fend for yourself again.”
“No.” Sam stepped back against a wall. Saw nurses and patients hurrying by. He couldn’t believe he was doing this, letting Valen go. It had been a dream, living with him and Harris all these months. “I don’t want you to feel trapped with me.”
“The hell, Sam. I love you. I’m not leaving.”
“But you don’t really want the baby, do you?”
Valen froze, his gaze dropping to Sam’s belly. Sam closed his eyes. There was the answer, right there. His chest squeezed.
“Tell me you want the baby with all your heart,” Sam whispered.
“You can’t do this,” Valen said helplessly.
“Answer me, Valen.”
“I love you.”
“But will you love the baby?”
Valen couldn’t answer. And this was happening, all over again, Valen unable to commit. Sam felt sick to his gut.
“You can’t be my alpha, Valen,” he said quietly. “I’m sorry.”
Valen swallowed hard, his entire body leaning toward Sam, his need palpable. “I’ll stay, regardless.”
“No,” Sam said. “Please leave.”
“Sam—”
“No.” Sam tugged his hand away, leaning further against the wall. Every bit of his body screamed at him to lean back in, to burrow into Valen’s embrace. Valen was his alpha. Valen had always felt right. “I don’t need you around.”
Valen stared, looking like he’d been struck into two. Then he frowned, leaning in. “I don’t want to let you go,” he rasped. “But if you have to... promise me you’ll go back to Harris. He really loves you.”
Sam shook his head. “No, you promise me you’ll go back to Harris.”
“Damn it, Sam!”
They stared at each other, neither backing down. Sam’s breath shuddered out of him. “I want you to be happy,” Sam whispered. “And that means you make up with Harris.”
“Sam—”
“Promise me.”
Valen looked at him, winded, like he’d just been punched in the gut. “But what about you?”
I’ll be fine. Sam swallowed, trying not to cry. “Stop making me wait,” Sam said. “Valen, please.”
“I can’t.” Valen begged with his eyes, and Sam almost gave in. Valen had lost so much. But if Sam convinced him to return to Harris, at least Valen would have his alpha back. He wouldn’t have to deal with a baby.
“I need to know that you’ll get back with Harris,” Sam said. That would return everything to the way it had been. “That’s all I want.”
Valen trembled, his eyes so vulnerable. “All right,” he said quietly. “If you promise you’ll go check on him in a week.”
It sounded doable. Valen didn’t know that Sam would break that promise. “All right,” Sam said, his heart thudding loud. “I promise.”
Valen leaned in then, slanting his lips like he wanted a last kiss. Sam’s heart leaped. Then he turned away, so Valen’s mouth brushed his cheek.
Didn’t have to make this any more difficult for both of them.
“At least let me send you home,” Valen said. “Where will you go?”
“I’ll crash at my mom’s place,” Sam said. “I’ll get my brother to pick me up. You don’t have to.”
“But I—”
“Go, Valen,” Sam said. “I don’t need you around. I’ve gotten through all these years without you.”
Valen flinched. Sam swallowed a sob. His chest felt like collapsing, and he needed to burrow somewhere, hide away from everything. He shouldn’t be feeling so lonely again.
“Sam Brentwood!” the nurse called.
“I’m going,” Sam whispered. “Take care.”
He slipped away from Valen, Valen’s gaze heavy on his back.
Valen was hurt now. But if he returned to Harris, he would recover. Harris would smile again. They’d regain what they’d shared before Sam stepped into the picture.
And if that meant Sam lost his alphas, that was a small price to pay.
Sam stepped into the nurse’s room, tears in his eyes.
31
Valen
At first, Valen had raged at Harris. Then he’d raged at himself, for failing Sam all over again.
Sam’s car was gone when Valen returned to the mansion the next day. Maybe Sam had come back with his brother, gotten Kade to help move his belongings.
When Valen stepped into the living room, he heard the faucet running in the kitchen. His heart stopped. Harris had to have heard the front door close.
For a moment, Valen wondered if Harris would think it was Sam, and come walking out. Harris wanted the baby, after all.
Then he glimpsed the set of keys on
