The streets of Meadowfall rolled by, the roads crowded with weekend traffic. Olivier closed his eyes, trying not to panic. Their relationship wasn’t so bad for Eric, because Eric was an alpha. There was hardly anything an alpha could do wrong.
But if you were an omega and you carried your brother’s child... every insult would be directed at you.
Ollie sucked in a deep breath, his heart hammering. Eric squeezed his hand.
They pulled up at Wy’s Drive-In, a noodle place just next to the highway. A few cars had parked in the lots there; Ollie didn’t recognize them.
“They have drive-in services too, but we’re doing a table inside,” Eric said, nodding toward the restaurant. “Would be funny if we all did a family dinner in our cars.”
Olivier tried to smile, except his stomach was doing somersaults. Everyone would learn that he was pregnant. And depending on how Eric acted around him... they might realize that Ollie carried Eric’s baby.
Eric’s mom would skin Olivier with her words. And Dad would be influenced by her, as he always was.
This is a bad idea.
Eric reached over, clasping Ollie’s hand. “It’ll be fine,” he murmured.
“It won’t,” Olivier mumbled. “Sorry. I hate being a downer.”
Jenn babbled in the backseat, shaking her rattle. At least she was happy. Olivier breathed in deep, trying to calm down. He hadn’t seen his family in ages.
Another car pulled up, a scarlet one with flame decals on the side. Olivier recognized Cole as the driver, with his messy blond hair and green eyes. Cole glanced over; Eric waved.
Then Eric clicked off his seatbelt and leaned across the center console, slanting his lips. He was going to kiss Olivier. In public.
“Not here,” Ollie squeaked, shoving at Eric’s chest.
Eric paused. “Cole knows.”
“But you don’t have to kiss me in front of him!”
“Are you afraid of me, or him?”
“Him.” Olivier squirmed further down in the car seat, trying to duck out of sight. What if Cole sneered like Zan had sneered at Ollie?
Eric sighed. Then he caught Ollie’s nape and pressed a kiss to his forehead. “I love you, Ollie, but they’re gonna find out sooner or later.”
Olivier’s heart squeezed. “They can do that when I’m not around.”
“What about you stay in the car, and I’ll meet them inside?” Eric squeezed Olivier’s hand. “Think that’ll help?”
“A lot,” Olivier mumbled.
Then Cole stopped outside the window and knocked. Olivier jumped, yanking his hand out of Eric’s. Cole was here.
Eric narrowed his eyes. “Okay if I open the window, at least?”
Cole was waiting, his posture tense. Ollie didn’t dare meet his eyes. “I guess you could,” Olivier said, wishing Cole was on the driver’s side so at least he wouldn’t see his brother judging him.
Eric rolled the window down. Cole braced his forearm on the car roof, peering in. Olivier looked at his feet. Smelled Cole’s maplewood scent. Cole was far too close.
“You okay?” Cole asked.
“He’s talking to you, Ollie,” Eric said.
Olivier grimaced, his stomach twisting into knots. “Yes, I’m fine,” he squeaked.
“He’s terrified that you’re gonna judge him,” Eric said.
“More than you already are,” Olivier mumbled, wrapping his arm around his belly. There was a baby in there. A baby who would love him no matter what. Ollie tried to draw strength from that.
Cole narrowed his eyes. “I’m not judging you. I’m judging Eric for it.”
“Jeez, thanks,” Eric said. “See, Ollie. I told you.”
“Maybe let him talk,” Cole muttered at Eric.
“He’s not gonna talk if you’re crowding up to him like that,” Eric muttered back.
Olivier covered his face. “I don’t want to be here at all.”
“Why?” Cole asked.
“Everything will go wrong,” Olivier said breathlessly. “Wronger than they already are. I love Eric, Cole. I know this is wrong. I can’t help it, okay?”
It was the scene in the backroom all over again, except now Olivier was in a better position to prevent Cole and Eric from fighting. Cole paused, looking at Eric.
“See for yourself,” Eric said. “He’s not hiding from me. He’s hiding from you.”
He took Olivier’s hand gently, kissing his knuckles. Ollie’s face burned. That was far too intimate for anyone to witness.
Olivier glanced at Cole, half-afraid Cole would lash out with his words. But Cole only watched them thoughtfully, his lip between his teeth. “So... you guys are really serious about this.”
“We’ve been serious for months,” Eric said. “You just didn’t know.”
Cole frowned. “Why Eric? There’s a whole lot of alphas even in Meadowfall, Ollie.”
Olivier gulped. “I’ve wanted Eric all my life. Even... even before we knew what bonding was. I guess... I wanted him before we knew it was wrong.”
Eric turned Olivier’s hand over, kissing his scent gland. “He’s been abused, Cole. By an alpha who was supposed to care for him. And by Mom.”
Cole froze, his eyes darting to Olivier. “By Mom? Really?”
Olivier shrugged uneasily. “Remember the times your mom told you to say my handwriting sucked? And she said you shouldn’t follow me because I’m a bad example? And the time there were four Christmas cookies but I hadn’t had any, and she gave the last one to you?”
Cole winced. It had taken him years to see past his mother’s prejudices. “Yeah. I remember.”
“She called him a slut, Cole.” Eric narrowed his eyes. “She called him a lot of things when you and I weren’t around to hear. I only learned about this recently.”
Olivier flinched, expecting Cole to look at him with revulsion. But Cole only pursed his lips. “I don’t believe it.”
Eric glanced around the parking lot. “Watch the way she behaves around Ollie. You’ll see.”
Olivier groaned, his stomach flipping. He didn’t want to be shamed in front of the entire family. “I want to go home.”
“Five minutes,” Eric said. “We’ll stick around for five minutes, and you can tell me if you wanna leave.”
That sounded like a good compromise. So Olivier nodded, fidgeting. Jenn shook the rattle in the backseat.
“Ready to step outside?” Eric asked, squeezing Ollie’s hand.
Olivier blew out a breath. “I guess.”
He clicked off his seatbelt slowly. Eric jogged
