York frowned as he rolled out some dough. “They’re my friends, not yours.”
“I can’t be friends with them?”
“It feels weird when you’re their friends,” York said. “You’re, like, twenty years older than all of us.”
Micah grimaced. He hadn’t needed that reminder. I know I’m old. “But friendship transcends all ages. Remember the stories I read you about the old beta sitting outside the corner store?”
York peeled the dough off the cutting board, laying it flat in a pie dish. “But that’s a really old beta. Like, eighty. You’re forty.”
“So I fall into a no-man’s land?” Micah asked dryly. “Where I can’t have friends younger or older than me?”
Friends were one thing, though. Alphas were a completely different story. Alphas and omegas came together to form bonds, and mate. And Micah was... not so good for child-bearing anymore. Kai and Spike were still too young to even think about settling down.
“Maybe older friends.” York looked thoughtful. “I don’t know. What do you have in common with us, anyway? Aside from chemistry.”
Micah gave a dry laugh. “Spike jokes a lot. And Kai likes country music.”
York made a face. “Ew. I did not know that about Kai.”
“So yes, we have some things in common.”
“Get your own friends,” York said.
“One day, you’ll find an omega for yourself, and you won’t care so much about who I’m friends with,” Micah told him.
“I’m never finding an omega.” York scowled. “Don’t need one.”
“That’s what you say.”
They fell into silence. Micah stirred more oregano into the pot; York blind-baked the pie crust in the oven. This was something they’d done together every weekend, and thrice a week before Kai and Spike had moved in.
Over the last week or so, Kai and Spike had been helping out in the kitchen, and York had grumbled at their presence.
“If I ever find another alpha...” Micah began, his heart thudding. “You’ll be okay with that, right?”
It was the first time he’d ever admitted to anyone, that he might be seeing someone now. That this thing with Spike, at least... it was real.
York looked askance at him. “How are you so sure he’d stick around?”
Well, there was that, too. “What if I’m fairly sure?”
York stared harder. “You’re actually seeing someone? I don’t smell any alpha on you.”
His gaze dropped to the bonding mark on Micah’s neck, and Micah couldn’t help his blush. He’d been looking at it in the college restroom mirrors. It still felt strange, having Kai’s bonding mark on him. Spike had wanted to leave one, too.
“I don’t know if I’m really seeing th—anyone,” Micah said, catching himself at the last second. “I’m just... testing the waters.”
“I thought you gave up.” York turned away from the oven, scrutinizing Micah. “Last year, when you got back from Cole and Levi’s wedding, you sobbed all day.”
Micah winced. The sort of love that Levi and Cole shared... Micah had witnessed it over the years. He’d been so envious.
For decades, he’d wondered what it would be like, having an alpha think the world of him. And in the nine years since the fire, Micah had felt ugly and unloved and lonely.
Spike and Kai gave him hope. The trail of juniper on Micah’s cock—he hadn’t erased that. He’d kept it hidden away, a secret reminder that he belonged.
“I... started seeing someone again,” Micah said. “A couple of people. It’s not set in stone or anything.”
York eyed him. “Is that why you’re erasing their scents? So they don’t know about each other?”
A laugh burst out of Micah’s chest. That was the last explanation he would think of. “No, that’s not it. I have my reasons.”
York narrowed his eyes. “What if they’re both bad eggs?”
“They’re not.” For a moment, Micah wanted to tell his son, I’m seeing your friends. Spike is my alpha. I don’t know if Kai will be.
The words sat heavy on his tongue.
York looked uncertain. “If you get married, things will get weird.”
“I guess that depends on how you define ‘weird’. But no, I don’t think we’ll get married.”
“Good.” York stepped close, peeking at the pie filling. He grabbed a spoon for a taste, his warmth reassuring next to Micah’s side.
York was... opinionated. He was also fiercely loyal to Micah, growling whenever any passers-by on the street stared too long at his dad. Sometimes, Micah watched his son, and wondered how he’d ever managed to raise such a beautiful child.
Other times, he remembered scrimping and saving, telling York, This is all the food we have, so we shouldn’t waste any of it.
After the fire, most of Micah’s savings had been wiped out by the hospital bills. When they’d first moved into this place, all they had was a mattress on the floor, and a cardboard box they’d eaten their dinners on.
“You make the best pot pies,” York said, stealing another spoonful of filling.
Micah whacked his arm lightly. “If you keep eating it now, there won’t be any left for the pie.”
“Sure there will. You’ll make more.” York grinned.
Micah leaned against him, just savoring these small moments with his son. Before York found out about Kai and Spike, before things changed.
How much time until the inevitable happened?
His heart wringing, Micah pushed the thought away, looking up when the front door clicked shut. A pair of voices floated through the kitchen doorway; Kai and Spike set their things down in the living room, turning on the TV.
Micah’s heart quickened. He wanted to step out of the kitchen, just to say hi. To see Spike brighten, and Kai’s appreciative gaze stroke down his body.
“If you don’t need any help right now, I’ll go chat with them,” York said, meeting Micah’s eyes.
“Sure.” Micah pulled the pie dish out of the oven, scooping pie filling onto the crust. Then he laid the second dough layer over the filling, and popped it back into the oven.
He thought about warm lips on his skin, soft smiles and solid chests. Conversation broke out in
