For an omega who has stood strong in the past, and for an omega who will continue to blossom in the future. He is the worthiest of them all, and I have chosen him to be my bondmate. I love you, Ian.
Ian read the words, his throat growing tight. Then the words blurred into a mess of black and brown, and he couldn’t see anymore. “Oh.”
He hadn’t expected that. He’d had no idea how long Brad had been planning this at all. Ian swiped at his eyes.
Brad gathered him close, all walnut and warmth, kissing Ian on the jaw. “Will you marry me?” he asked, his tone worried.
“Yes,” Ian said, his heart swelling so full it might burst. He couldn’t believe Brad was asking. Couldn’t believe Brad had done all this for him. “Yes, I will. You—you shouldn’t have.”
“You’re worth every bit of that, and a thousand times more,” Brad murmured. Then he gave Ian a slow, lingering kiss, and Ian trembled, returning it.
“I love you,” Ian whispered, stroking his fingers through Brad’s hair. “Thank you.”
Brad chuckled. “You don’t have to thank me. It’s a joy to have you in my life.”
Ian bit his lip hard, leaning into Brad, just breathing him in. He couldn’t believe that Brad was here, that Brad wanted to make this official. “Are we getting married in front of everyone?”
“Yeah.” Brad kissed the corner of Ian’s lips. “I’m probably inviting the station. Who do you want to invite?”
“It’s too soon to talk about that.” Ian chuckled, his breath hitching when Brad took his hand.
“I’ve been thinking about this for weeks.” Brad grinned.
Then he slipped the smaller ring onto Ian’s ring finger, and it sat snugly on his hand, gleaming in the lamplight. The darker steel was a contrast against the gold, and Ian had never seen anything so beautiful.
He swallowed hard, taking the other ring from Brad. Brad’s eyes gleamed, and he sniffled, too.
“I had them custom-made,” Brad said. “Remember your scalpel? I had it melted down. Then I had a jeweler form it into rings and add the gold. So the steel is from you, and the gold is from me.”
Ian paused, Brad’s ring at his fingertips. “My—my scalpel? Why? I thought you threw it away.”
Brad gave a wry smile. “It was part of you. I couldn’t throw it away, Ian.” He blew out a breath. “I know I don’t want you hurting yourself. But at the same time... that scalpel helped you. Whatever kept you going until the time I met you... I’m gonna be thankful for it. Because it all led you to me.”
Ian swallowed hard, his chest squeezing. He’d never expected to find anyone who would see past his scars. Brad was precious. Brad was amazing, so very kind and patient, and Ian still couldn’t believe this man was his alpha.
Carefully, he slid the ring onto Brad’s finger. It fitted snugly, gleaming against Brad’s tanned skin. With that ring... it was another brick in the wall, another piece of proof that Brad was staying for good.
Brad rumbled, kissing Ian on the lips. Then he cradled Ian’s cheek, pressing their foreheads together.
“Mine,” Brad growled, dragging his wrist down Ian’s neck. “I’m keeping you by my side for the rest of my life.”
“I like the sound of that.” Shaky, and still disbelieving, Ian leaned into his alpha. “I... kind of wondered if you were going to do this. I mean, there was Levi—”
“Levi was just a babysitter.” Brad rolled his eyes. “C’mon, Ian. ‘Sides, I fired him.”
“You make it sound so terrible.”
Brad nudged him. “It’s the same whether I fired him or let him go or ended his contract.”
Ian chuckled. “Then there’s Olivier at the music shop—”
“I think Olivier has his own problems.” Brad shrugged. “I’ve known him a while. He isn’t interested, anyway.”
Ian sniffed, disgruntled. “You’ve thought about courting him?”
Brad scratched his head. “Eh. I don’t know. We’ve just never clicked that way. Feels like he’s waiting for someone else.”
That made Ian perk up, curious. “Really?”
He thought about the lonely omega behind the music shop counter, the way Olivier had looked at his photo. “He really wants a family, I think. He really liked that picture of Gwen at the fire station.”
“Huh, really?”
“Yeah. He was looking at my belly as though he wanted a child.”
Brad shrugged, looking thoughtful. “Can’t say I’ve ever noticed. I’ve never been pregnant when I go there.”
Ian laughed then. “You, pregnant? Do you want to be?”
Brad chewed on his lip, running his warm palm down Ian’s belly. “Not particularly. I mean, if there were no other choices and I desperately wanted a baby of yours, sure. But other than that... nah.”
Ian grinned. “Imagine you and me both pregnant at the same time.”
“That’ll be fucking weird, Ian.” Brad frowned. Then he scooped Ian into his arms, dropping him right in the middle of the bed. “I prefer the impregnating part.”
He grabbed Ian’s ass, pushing his fingers between Ian’s cheeks. Ian gasped, spreading his legs.
These last couple weeks, Brad had been careful in bed. Xavier had gotten big, and Brad was wary of hurting him somehow during sex.
It was still good, though, Brad going slow, caressing Ian’s body, stroking him firmly until he came. Then he would hold Ian, and they’d fall asleep all knotted together.
The bed smelled like them now; so did the house. Ian had loved building the nursery with Brad—it was so much better than when he’d been alone with Gwen.
Ian rolled onto all fours, resting his heavy belly against the mattress. Xavier kicked, and Ian grunted.
“It’ll be soon,” he said. “Dr. Smith said he’ll be here in a couple weeks, but I think he’ll be early.”
“Yeah?” Brad grinned. “You know when he’s coming, too?”
Ian shrugged. “I’ve been having cramps the last couple days. They’ve been sporadic, though.”
Brad growled, climbing onto the bed after Ian. Then he fitted his chest against Ian’s back, reaching around to support some of Ian’s
