Charlie’s eyes go wide and he snorts. “How the hell does that sound amazing? I sneeze too hard and Oli has a full-on anxiety attack.” He shakes his head. “I don’t know how anyone ever gets used to this.”
I laugh softly, leaning into his sweet scent. “I’ve wanted that kind of connection since I transitioned,” I say. “Since I was twelve. I’ve always wanted to be mated.”
Charlie looks at me with something close to sympathy. “Yeah, well… you had time to want it. I didn’t.” He swallows, his voice dropping. “I spent my whole life thinking I was just a short, anxious beta. Turns out I’m not even that. I’m a male omega now. Lowest of the low.”
My head snaps toward him, heat flaring up my spine. I smack his arm—not hard, but not soft either. “Don’t youever say that again,” I snarl. “And if you do, I’m telling Oli.AndMyrick.”
Charlie blinks, caught off guard, then raises both hands. “Okay! I surrender. I won’t say it again.”
Down the hallway, Rhett’s voice booms. “We are not bringing your entire shoe collection, Myrick! Stop trying to add things.”
Myrick makes a dramatic noise. It feels exaggerated, like the beta is trying to cut the tension, but guilt still surges through me again, sharp and unforgiving. They’re all giving up everything—everything—to keep me safe.
Charlie must sense the dip in my mood, because suddenly he says, “You wanna know the craziest part?”
I blink. “What?”
“Becoming an omega means I can literally have a baby.” He shakes his head, laughing under his breath. “I was just a normal guy a few months ago. Worried about nose hair and early male-pattern baldness. And now? I might grow a whole-ass person inside me.” His eyes go comically wide. “That’s really fucking weird.”
I slip my fingers through his thick hair and grin. “Well, at least the baldness thing’s off the table.”
Charlie’s boxy smile returns. “Small miracles.” He laughs.
There’s a knock at the door—sharp, impatient—but before I have a chance to panic, the handle turns. The chain snaps taut with a metallic clang, stopping whoever’s on the other side from barging in.
“What the fuck?” a voice barks on the other side of the door.
Rhett’s already moving, a blur of alpha intensity as he storms through the house. “Brock,” he growls. “When will you learn how to fucking knock like a civilized person?” He unhooks the chain and throws the door open.
An alpha stands there, tall and broad-shouldered, wearing the exact same scowl Rhett has when he’s annoyed—but this one’s tinged with a smug grin. “I did knock,” Brock says, voice full of cocky satisfaction.
Myrick rushes down the hallway like a kid on Christmas morning. The second Brock sees him, the alpha’s whole face lights up. He opens his arms without hesitation, and Myrick walks right into the hug like they’ve done it a hundred times before.
“Thanks for coming,” Myrick says, voice muffled against Brock’s shoulder.
“I wouldn’t dare to let you down,” Brock replies, but then his eyes narrow at Rhett. “Plus, I couldn’t pass up an opportunity to give myperfectbrother shit about histwoillegal omegas,” he quips.
Rhett’s expression is completely flat, not amused in the least. “This is serious,” he says firmly.
But Brock snorts like it’s no big deal. It’s weird, but I kind of like him. He’s got such a light energy. So wildly different from Rhett, despite the fact that they look almost identical…except the hair.
But I definitely prefer my silver-fox.
Movement near the doorway catches my eye. She’s a tall blonde and clearly a beta. She smiles as she steps inside, sharp-eyed but warm, wearing a worn leather jacket and the kind of jeans that say she doesn’t take shit from anyone.
Rhett steps aside and motions to her. “Please, come on in.”
“Thanks,” she says easily, stepping right up to the living room archway. “Wow,” she hums. “This place is beautiful.”
Brock throws an arm out to gesture at her. “This is mystunning woman, Melissa. Don’t try to shake her hand—she doesn’t believe in handshakes.”
But before anyone can test that, Melissa proves him right by pulling Myrick into a tight hug with surprising force. “You must be Myrick.” She looks the beta up and down. “Brock said you were gorgeous.”
“Uh…thanks.” Myrick laughs, caught between being charmed and alarmed.
Then Oli rounds the corner, wiping his brow with the back of his hand.
Brock’s face brightens the second he spots Oli. “There he is,” he says, moving toward him with a sly smile. “The guy with all the fucking secrets.”
