“So you’re against me being married to the father of my child?”
Father stilled. The empty tumbler he’d been holding slipped through his fingers, falling onto the rug with a thump.
Daddy’s mouth dropped open before he squeaked out, “What?”
Zeller looked beseechingly at his omega father before sitting down next to him and clutching his hands. Daddy had failed him so many times, always deferring to and siding with his husband. Maybe this was the moment he could finally be in solidarity with his son.
“I had a breeding orgasm during my delirium,” Zeller explained as Daddy gazed at him, wide-eyed. “Valentin tried to get through with condoms, but I was in pain. I don’t remember much from that day, you know how it is, but I remember that discomfort. So he went bare and…and now there’s a good chance I’m carrying his child.”
Father banged his fist against the wall. “Fuck!” he shouted. “Fuck!”
Zeller and Daddy flinched.
“I’ll just bet he thought you needed him to go bare!” Father yelled. “Fucking low-life opportunist. Saw a chance to permanently entrench himself in our family and acted on it. Probably ditched the condoms as soon as you went into delirium. Heck, for all we know, he planned this whole thing.Talks about books and loves your artwork,” he snarled. “That fucker saw dollar signs.”
Zeller’s inner omega raged at the derogatory words spoken against his alpha. He wanted to shout and demand his father take them back. Instead, he forced himself to be calm. His parents would never listen if they could dismiss his reactions as hysterics. Father put little stock in omega minds and fortitude—Daddy was proof of that—but Zeller had never felt so much derision from his alpha parent as he did now.
“This was my plan,” Zeller began calmly, “and Antoni agreed. He was the one who dismissed the staff and protected my privacy. Valentin didn’t even know what was going on when he showed up that day. He’s not greedy or conniving. You know what a hard worker he is, how competent. He didn’t have everything handed to him as a kid. He’s just trying to better himself, make some money and go to college.”
“The easiest way for him to change his circumstances is to marry up.”
“Think what you will, but with all due respect, you’re wrong.” Zeller released a measured breath. “And regardless of how we got here, I’m likely going to have Valentin’s baby, and I want to marry him. I understand you had plans for me, but is this really so awful? I’m sorry my chosen husband is not one of your associates’ sons, but at least I’ll be happy. And he will take care of me.”
“With our money.”
“If that’s an issue, I guarantee you Valentin will want me even if you cut me off. It’ll be harder, but we’ll manage.” Certainty laced Zeller’s words. If anything, his being from a wealthy family seemed to make him less desirable to the alpha.
Father and Daddy shared a long glance, having a conversation with their eyes before the older omega ended it with a nod. Zeller tried to take hope from that nod. Maybe Daddy would finally come through for him.
“Alright—” Father released a lengthy breath. “How about this? If you are not bred, then you agree to wait and meet some more alphas, just to see if you might find a spark with someone else.”
His father’s quick change of tone filled Zeller with unease.
“Okay,” he replied carefully. “It’ll be a waste of time, but okay… And if I’m pregnant?”
Again, his parents shared a meaningful look.
“If he’s bred you, then we will listen to him and evaluate for ourselves whether he’s a worthy partner. If you can convince us that you are truly in love, we’ll consider allowing a marriage between the two of you.”
There was something unsettling behind his father’s words.
But they were the right words, exactly what Zeller had hoped for. So how else could he respond?
“I agree.”
Chapter Twelve
Calder
Light rain began to fall near the end of the service. The guests shivered in their coats and huddled beneath umbrellas as cemetery workers lowered the casket into the ground.
Calder could not bear to meet the eyes of the dozens of folks who spoke, one after the other, telling stories about Denni and his many virtues. Resting a hand on his sons’ shoulders, he felt the weight of the boys’ tears as they said goodbye to their daddy.
The heaviness of his grief contrasted with the bright outfits of the funeralgoers, but Denni had been adamant before he passed—this should be a celebration, not a somber farewell.
Calder had attempted to respect his husband’s wishes. Last week, he sent a message letting their friends know that Denni wanted all the colors of the rainbow represented today. Calder’s red button-down honored that request. It also correlated with the ferocity of his anger.
At the world. At the injustice. At stomach cancer.
