Wyatt had. He blushed, looking away. In the back, Hazel had fallen asleep, her head tipped forward.
Raph rested his hand on Wyatt’s belly. And the baby kicked.
The grin that spread across Raph’s face was bright, like he’d been lit up from inside. “The baby kicked!”
“Sure did,” Wyatt said, cradling Raph’s hand in his own. “I kind of think it’ll be a boy.”
Raph glanced at him. “How’d you know?”
Wyatt shrugged. “I just do.”
“Girl or boy, or in-between, I’d love them anyway,” Raph said, stroking Wyatt’s fingers. “Both the baby and Hazel.”
Wyatt lifted Raph’s hand to his lips, pressing a kiss to broken skin. Then he pressed a kiss to Raph’s wrist, right over his scent gland, and Raph smiled.
The rest of the drive passed in companionable silence, until they pulled into Meadowfall, and up the winding driveway of Grandma’s mansion.
In the evening light, the mansion stood imposingly before them, its dark windows staring down, its lawns perfectly tended. Wyatt had never liked looking at the place—it reminded him too much of Grandma, and the way she forced everyone to bow to her will.
She might be home, this time of day. And Wyatt couldn’t find the strength in him to care, not right now.
In the backseat, Hazel stirred. “Where’re we going?” she mumbled.
“To your grandma’s place,” Wyatt said. “She wants to know if you’re fine.”
Hazel made a face. “Is Great-Grandma there? She’s a witch.”
“Don’t let her hear you say that. She might threaten you with her magic,” Wyatt said.
Hazel leaned forward. “Does she really have magic?”
Wyatt shuddered. “Gods, I hope not.”
“She better not,” Raph said. “She’s enough of a bitch.”
“Raph, language,” Wyatt said. “Not in front of Hazel.”
“I bet she was a scheming, poisonous hag when she was younger,” Hazel said. “Maybe she ate all the schoolkids’ bones.”
Wyatt laughed, and Raph smirked. They drove up the driveway with the silence a lot lighter, and parked at the base of the front steps.
The door flew open. Mom hurried out, her eyes bright. She waved. And stumbled forward, flailing on the topmost step. Wyatt held his breath. Don’t slip down the stairs!
Then Grandma stepped around Mom in her evening finery, all glittering gold rings, and Wyatt’s stomach sank. “She pushed Mom.”
“Bitch,” Raph said.
Wyatt didn’t have the energy to deal with this. He turned, handing Hazel a fresh bottle of water. “Drink up, hon, You’ve been dehydrated today.”
Hazel brightened, clicking off her seat belt.
On the front steps, Grandma beamed down at the car. Then she met Wyatt’s eyes, and her face twisted into a scowl.
Raph sighed. “I’ve dealt with enough bullshit today.”
“Me too,” Wyatt said.
“Me three,” Hazel said.
Raph stepped out. He rounded the hood and opened both doors, catching Wyatt’s hand, and Hazel’s. “We’re going up,” he said. “Just to tell Mom we’re fine. Then we’re going home.”
Wyatt squeezed Raph’s fingers, leaning into his side. “Will it be that easy?”
“Yeah,” Raph said, his eyes gleaming. “Watch.”
Wyatt held his breath. Together, they trooped toward the stairs. Mom’s smile grew, and Grandma’s frown deepened.
“What are you doing, Raphael?” Grandma asked, her eyes narrowed. “You were missing at the office today. I’m glad I fired you as my chauffeur. How shameful would it be if I were late?”
“Somewhat,” Raph said. “But nothing you can’t recover from.”
Grandma’s nostrils flared. She glared, jabbing a shaking finger at Wyatt. “And what is that omega whore doing with you?”
“Wyatt is my omega. Who I fuck and marry is none of your business.”
Wyatt turned, staring at Raph. Really? You’re saying that to her?
But the corners of Raph’s lips were turned up. Mom bit down her smile. And Grandma prowled forward, glaring so hard the whites of her eyes almost glowed.
“You ungrateful son of a bitch,” Grandma said, her voice rising, her necklaces trembling. “I’m taking you off my will. Forget what I said about the next three months. You’re fired. You’ll pay your debt in the next thirty days, and I’ll see that all three of you are banished from this town!”
Her chest heaved. She shook hard, the gold bangles on her wrists rattling.
“My mom’s not a bitch,” Raph said. “Either of them.”
“You’re the bitch,” Hazel said.
Wyatt stared at his daughter and his alpha, wishing he could add something, anything. Grandma had stalked after him through his childhood, had told him how worthless he was. But he wasn’t worthless. He had family, and he had friends. He’d done all the things Grandma had said he couldn’t.
As they climbed the first step, Wyatt took a deep breath, and said, “I have worth, you know. I’ve got my own restaurant. I’ve got an alpha, and I have children who love me.”
“Damn straight,” Raph said, squeezing his hand. He smirked, all handsome and confident, and, looking at him, Wyatt found the strength to continue.
“I might not have been your favorite,” he said, his voice growing stronger as he spoke. “But controlling people is really not what family is about. Raph, Hazel and I have been having a lot of fun over the past few months. Raph’s going to be Hazel’s dad.”
At the top of the stairs, Grandma seethed, pressing her hand to her chest. “Imbeciles,” she snapped. “Nasty little ingrates. You know I have a weak heart. You’ve lived under my roof for several years, all for free—”
“You’ve been making Raph pay you back,” Wyatt said. And a slow, hot anger burned in his chest. “You could have helped him soar, but you’ve dragged him down instead. Why force him to pay that loan in three months? Why ruin him? I think we should all be ashamed of you, Grandma.”
Grandma’s face turned an ugly shade of puce. She sucked in a deep breath, as though she was about to yell at them, or curse them with something terrible. Right now, Wyatt didn’t care. He had Hazel, and Raph, and their baby in his belly.
“Gods, I love you,” Raph said, turning. He cupped Wyatt’s cheeks, brushed their noses together. Then Raph kissed him hard, slipping into his mouth, tangling their tongues. Wyatt groaned,
