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Wilder chucked Lake’s chin. “Now that he’s here, I can’t imagine your brother not in my life. I can’t wait to hold our son in my arms.”
“Really?” Lake asked.
Wilder nodded, smiling. “Really.” He eyed Auggie, who looked like he wanted to be anywhere but there in that moment before focusing on Lake. “The plan is to get your brother out in time for us to be a familyverysoon.”
“I hope so,” Lake murmured.
Wilder’s head popped up as the elevator car’s doors opened with aping.“Me, too, kid. Me, too.”
23
“Here’s a picture of the baby,” Wilder murmured, pressing his phone against the glass.
Avery cooed. “He’sbeautiful.”After a moment of staring, he looked past the phone at Wilder. “Gray’s in good shape?”
“He made it through very well.” Wilder paused, looking uneasy.
“What?” Worry flooded Avery. He spied something in Wilder’s eyes. “What happened?”
“It’s not my place to say,” Wilder replied.
“Tell me! I won’t be able to sleep a wink if I’m worried about him.”As if I sleep a lot these days.
“This will be their last child. No more.”
Avery frowned. “Why?” Gray had endured enough, but there was something final about the way Wilder said it.
“Apparently, he’d had all the children he could. They took his womb.”
Avery winced. “I love that he has the wonderful little family he always wanted. Hopefully, he’s at peace with that.”
“He seemed sad at the news, but the joy of Emmanuel’s birth was enough to push the darkness away, it seemed. He’s in wonderful health, as far as I know.”
Avery sighed, relief flooding through him. “Good.” He glanced at the phone again before Wilder lowered it. “He’s small. Might be an omega.”
Often, it was hard to determine a newborn’s status, unless they were tiny or huge. Big babies were almost always alpha, and the reverse, omega. Occasionally, there were betas who were either big or small for their size, which made it harder to determine some children. Once they reached a few years old, it was typically easy to figure out.
“He was a tiny thing. I was terrified to hold him.”
Avery smiled, imagining Emmanuel in his arms.
Imagining their own child there.
Wilder glanced over his shoulder briefly. “I didn’t come alone tonight.”
“Oh?”Avery sat forward, curious who had come along. While he knew it was too soon for Gray and the baby to be there, he couldn’t help but hope he’d get a better glimpse of his new cousin.
Lake appeared behind Wilder, his eyes red-rimmed.
Avery frowned. “What’s wrong with Lake?”
“I think you and he need to talk,” Wilder said before rising and handing the phone to his brother.
He then urged Lake forward, as if his brother didn’t want to speak to him. Avery frowned, growing concerned. Had something happened? The boy was following in his footsteps. Avery’s stomach twisted.
Lake sat, lifting the phone to his ear, but said nothing.
He wouldn’t look Avery in the eyes. Avery had noticed his brother had seemed distant at the trial, as well, but he’d been so focused on his predicament, he’d shoved the thought aside.
