“I know I should love him as my brother,” Raph said. “I don’t know why Wyatt. I can’t explain it, except maybe we’ve been seeing each other differently, more than brothers. You’ve always said an alpha should protect their omega. Wy hasn’t had an alpha in ages—”
“He had one, didn’t he?” Dad glanced at Wyatt, who tensed. “I don’t remember his name offhand. Wyatt, you said it was an accident...”
And the dormant fury in Raph’s chest roared. “It was no accident,” Raph muttered, his grip tightening on Wyatt’s hand. “Wy was lying to you and Mom about that.”
Wyatt paled. Raph glanced at him, feeling the weight of dad’s gaze on both of them.
“Am I allowed to tell him?” Raph asked, his heart thudding. “Just... just the short version of it.”
Dad frowned. “Tell me what?”
Wyatt squirmed, looking at his feet. “I... guess.”
“Hazel’s other dad abused Wy,” Raph said, anger coiling through his limbs. “He never told you because he didn’t want you to worry.”
Dad’s gaze sharpened. “Is that true, Wyatt?”
Wyatt nodded, looking away. “Sorry. I thought... I didn’t want you to look at Hazel differently.”
Dad frowned, standing. And Wyatt flinched, as though he expected to be beaten. Raph’s heart cracked. He stepped between Dad and Wyatt, his chest tight. “I swore I’d protect him,” Raph said. “If you want to blame someone for this, blame me.”
For a long moment, Dad looked at Raph, and Wyatt past his shoulder. Raph reached behind, catching Wyatt’s hand. Wyatt’s palm was sweaty, his fingers shaking. They shouldn’t have come here; Raph shouldn’t have put Wyatt in this position at all.
“I’m sorry,” he said, turning to look at Wyatt. “We’ll get out of here.”
“Wait,” Dad said. He rounded his desk, his mustache bristling. “Wyatt.”
Wyatt pressed his forehead against Raph’s shoulder, his other arm slipping around his belly. Gods, Raph hadn’t seen him shake this much, since the time Max showed up at the drive-in. “I don’t want to talk about it,” Wyatt mumbled.
Raph pulled Wyatt into his arms, holding him tight. “We won’t talk about it.”
Wyatt nodded, trembling, hiding his face in Raph’s shoulder.
To the side, Dad stopped some paces away, his eyes sorrowful. “I’m not asking you to leave,” he rumbled, tense. “I’m sorry, Wyatt. I didn’t... I should have known better. Who was your abuser?”
“Max McArthur,” Raph said.
Dad narrowed his eyes. “McArthur? I closed the Horace McArthur case earlier this year. Our department has been keeping tabs on his relatives.”
“Yeah, well. The Max bastard’s back in Meadowfall,” Raph said, running his fingers through Wyatt’s silky hair. “I’m gonna take Wy home now.”
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
