Who was he, really? Was he the man who’d held Zeller and sworn he would fight for their love? Or was he the man who’d left without a word?
Despite those questions, Zinn’s heart leapt at the sight of him. He hadn’t lied when he’d told Calder he would always love Valentin. There was anger there too, and confusion, but more than anything, Zinn ached to touch him. To feel the warmth of his skin, to make his presence even more real.
Gentle fingers squeezed his shoulder. Calder. The man who had given him another chance at life, at fatherhood. And although his body vibrated at Valentin’s nearness, his inner omega never wavered in understanding. Calder was his alpha too.
The air filled with the smell of pine and clove…and smoky sage. Zinn closed his eyes, breathing in the scent he hadn’t imbibed in eight years. Beneath his arm, Ryde tensed.
“What’s going on?” the boy asked as the silence lingered. “Who is the man?”
Valentin’s eyes were trained on Ryde, full of wonder and longing.
“Um,” Zinn faltered. “I think we are all just a little surprised that we ran into this…old friend of mine.”
Behind him, a light pat grazed his upper back. The calming energy of the omega bond traveled through him. It was the nurse who tended to Ryde earlier. Zinn had been terrified that his son’sinjury was serious, and the omega had offered his support. Just as he offered it now.
The kinship omegas felt when they shared physical touch was something Zinn had rarely experienced. He’d had so few omegas in his life, so little opportunity to make those connections, especially since his omega father was not one for affection.
“I have a few more questions for Ryde, if that’s okay,” the nurse said kindly, rubbing circles over Zinn’s back. “Hey, Ryde, how about you come with me to the desk, and we can talk for a few minutes?”
Zinn turned to him. “Thank you.”
“Perhaps your group would prefer to move to the private waiting area,” the omega said, gesturing to a nearby door. “I can keep the patient busy.”
At the nurse’s concerned expression, Zinn became aware of the other people in the room. Everyone was staring at their awkward standoff.
“We’d appreciate the opportunity for privacy,” Calder said. “Thank you for watching out for Ryde.”
Calder ushered them all into the small room. It barely accommodated five bodies, so they remained standing. Calder gave reassuring biceps taps to Wes and Assa as they passed, and Zinn felt a rush of gratitude when he offered a genuine smile to Valentin.
Had he expected Calder to be aggressive, for him and Valentin to growl at one another? No. They were alphas, not animals. But a certain wariness would be fair. And probably it was there, beneath the surface, but he appreciated that Calder remained his usual steady self. Valentin returned his smile, hesitant but honest.
Calder shut the door.
Valentin gave tender looks to Wes and Assa, who stayed quiet but nodded encouragingly. Zinn realized Valentin was the alphathey were dating. The thought made his stomach swoop. They’d been within arm’s reach for months.
“Can I hug you?” Valentin asked him.
Zinn dipped his chin, and a second later, Valentin’s arms surrounded him, pressing their bodies tightly together. Despite the physical differences Zinn noticed earlier, the clinch felt familiar. Perfect. He recalled their first forbidden embrace in his bedroom. Holding Valentin now felt like getting back something he’d lost.
Something he’d been searching for.
“I’ve missed you so much,” Valentin murmured in his ear, combing his fingers through Zinn’s hair. “I worried and wondered and thought about you every day. There were some days the missing you got so bad, I could barely stand it.”
Zinn’s body was stiff at first, but as the words poured from Valentin, he couldn’t help the relief that coursed through him at knowing the alpha was healthy and whole, and that he’d missed him.
Images flooded his mind, overwhelming him. Long conversations in the library. Walks in the garden. Watching the alpha from his window. Valentin, arriving aimless at the estate and finding direction in the vision of their future. Zinn, discovering his full-throated voice after seeing his strength reflected in Valentin’s eyes. The cat they’d shared. The secrets they’d shared.
The heat they’d shared.
Calder, Wes, and Assa hung back, allowing their reunion to play out unimpeded.
“I can’t believe I’m holding you,” Valentin continued, his grip remaining tight. “I had to leave Bellwether, to stay safe, but I tried to find you. I never gave up hope. And I would have looked forever.” Finally, he pulled away and peered at Zinn’s face, keeping his arms around his waist. “I can’t believe you’re here.”
“Same,” Zinn whispered.
Valentin touched their foreheads together before hitching his neck toward the lobby. “I can’t believehe’shere.”
“His name is Ryde,” Zinn said solemnly. “And he’s beautiful. I just met him last week.” He motioned to Wes and Assa. “You know his parents.”
