He breathed out. Straightened, and took Gwen’s hand in his own. “Let’s get going. I’m going to be late for class. June said she’s found a new coloring book for you. And three stickers if you’re good!”
Gwen’s eyes grew round. “Are they shiny stickers?”
“Sure are!”
Gwen yelped excitedly. Ian hushed her, holding a finger to his lips. Gwen mimicked him.
Together, they crept through the empty college corridors, Gwen staring at the red and gold tinsel wrapped around the noticeboards, and the occasional holly leaf decorations on the doors. Ian had the same decorations in their apartment, but they weren’t quite as shiny, or new.
They turned down a few hallways, pausing at Ian’s lab. Ian opened the door slowly, just in case there was someone behind it.
A couple of undergrads tapped away on the computers. June was pulling off her safety glasses and lab coat. Ian waved. “Hey, June.”
June nodded. “Hey, Ian. And Gwen!”
Gwen beamed, waving.
“I was starting to wonder if you’d be late,” June said dryly, glancing at the wall clock. “Four minutes to class, Professor.”
If she weren’t his assistant professor, Ian would’ve commented on her snark. Instead, he winced—she was right. “There was a jam around the hospital.”
June started to speak, then shut her mouth, looking sympathetically at Gwen. She had some idea of Gwen’s medical issues, but not all; Ian hadn’t wanted more people knowing he couldn’t provide the best for his daughter.
His scabs itched.
“Well, here’s the graded assignments,” June said. “Classes are on schedule, but the evening crowd’s a little quiet.”
“Sure. Thanks.”
June’s wedding band gleamed when Ian took the sheath of papers. He tried not to look at it, but there was something about the ring—it caught his eye, made him wonder what it’d be like, if there was an alpha who wanted him that fervently.
You won’t amount to much, Ian’s mother had said a long time ago. Best get to studying—at least you’ll find a job that way.
Ian swallowed his sigh, and tucked the assignments under his arm. It still made him hold his breath, every time he glimpsed June’s ring. It seemed like such a great joy to be married.
When Gwen was settled in her chair, Ian gave her a quick hug and kiss. He really was late. “I’ll be back soon, hon. Don’t run around okay? Plenty of dangerous chemicals here.”
Gwen rolled her eyes. “I know, Daddy.”
He laughed and ruffled her hair, then hurried to the door. The air in the hallway smelled like alphas—teak, birch, walnut.
It reminded him of Brad Saxon. Ian glanced at his stack of assignments—twenty or so students in this Master’s class. Amidst the woodsy scent of alphas, the grassy scent of betas, and the floral scent of omegas, something in the papers smelled like walnut. Like Brad.
It wasn’t as though Brad would be back in the college—he had graduated. Except Ian’s heat made him hungry, curious.
It made him hope that, somewhere amongst the assignments, there would be Brad’s name.
He couldn’t help remembering that one afternoon, when Brad had bent him over his desk, his hands hot on Ian’s skin, his lips damp. Brad had pressed sucking kisses down Ian’s neck, stripped Ian of his pants, and slid inside.
Gods, he’d felt like sin against Ian. Ian’s hole tightened.
On a whim, he stopped three steps from the classroom door. Riffled through the assignments, holding his breath.
What did Brad look like now? Was he doing well? Did he look as good as he did seven years ago?
The walnut scent was someone else’s. It had to be.
Then Ian glimpsed it, a dark, inky scrawl, more familiar than a student’s had any right to be.
Brad Saxon.
Ian’s heart stopped. He stared at the assignment, blinking hard. Brad’s name didn’t go away.
It couldn’t be happening. How had he not known that Brad had been in his Master’s class? For three entire months? Granted, the classes always clashed with Gwen’s hospital visits, or her childcare center closing hours, or…
I should’ve looked at the roster first.
Ian wanted to hit himself. Wanted to grab his scalpel, except it wasn’t with him.
Ian wasn’t in any state to face Brad. He was in heat. He didn’t look a hundred percent presentable.
Hell, Brad was Gwen’s other dad.
On a summer afternoon a long time ago, Brad had held Ian close, given him a toe-curling grin, and fucked him slow and deep.
Ian’s heat flared inside him, throbbing like a second pulse. He bit down a groan. Just what I needed. In his hurry to get from the hospital to Meadowfall College, Ian had completely forgotten about masking his heat scent—not that it had been as strong until now, when he’d found out Brad was in his class.
And now all his students would know he was in heat.
Ian wanted to curl into a ball and burrow into the ground. He couldn’t tell Brad about Gwen—this wasn’t the time. Nothing screamed manipulative omega more than going up to an alpha and saying, Hey, you fathered my child seven years ago.
If Brad knew and Harold found out… Ian would lose his job.
Besides, Brad had probably found another omega by now. He’d probably found someone closer to his own age, someone who had the same interests he did. Maybe he wouldn’t even remember Ian.
Feeling a little braver, Ian paused with his hand on the door handle. Thought about retreating to the lab, and begging June to take over the class.
But he was a professor, and he was a dad. If he wanted to be the strong, supportive parental figure Gwen needed, then Ian had to suck it up, and step into the classroom.
Ian closed his eyes. Breathed in deep, and opened the door.
It felt like he was one step away from eternal shame.
2
Brad
You’re taking a Master’s in Chemistry? Why was I not informed?
Brad deleted the text. Not your business, Dad.
He breathed out, setting his phone down. Ignored the rest of the students in class, some of whom were murmuring, some working last-minute on their assignments. The professor was
