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He knocked again, only to get the music turned up louder in response. Avery knew he should respect his brother’s space, but there was a part of him that just needed his brother to know it was okay. Lake had done nothing wrong.
We did nothing wrong.
Wilder’s words whispered through his brain.He could’ve caught me in my lie.
Avery glanced down the hallway, shocked Wilder hadn’t yet come out.
“Lake… I just want you to know it’s okay. I’m not mad or anything. What you saw… it was…”Natural.An omega with his alpha. “Was just something that happened. Wethoughtthe door was locked.”
Finally, the door opened a couple of inches. “The lock’s been messed up on that door for a while.”
Avery’s face warmed. “Oh. I didn’t know.” He searched his brother’s face. “Are you okay?”
“I’m fine,” Lake said, unable to look Avery in the eyes.
“Why are you hiding out in here, then? There’s a party downstairs.”
“I was looking for you. Making sure you were okay. And then I found you…and him.”
Avery closed the door behind him and eyed his brother. “I didn’t mean for you to see that. I’m sure it was shocking.”
“Do you like him?Like him, like him?”
Avery shrugged, unsure what to say. “I suppose I do.”
“Is he your alpha?”
Avery met his brother’s curious stare. “That doesn’t really matter.”
Lake sat down on the edge of his mattress. “If he is, does that mean you’ll give up pretending?”
“Would that bother you? If I did?”
“You’ve gotten this far. Why stop now?” Lake asked.
Avery sat down on the gaming chair opposite the bed. “Can I tell you a secret? One you have to promise to keep or else. You can’t tell anyone, including Uncle Gray, Rohan, or Auggie.”
Lake nodded, a hint of a smile to his lips.
“Wilder…ismy alpha.”
Lake was silent a moment. “How long have you known?”
Avery considered how much truth he was willing to give Lake. “Since pretty much the beginning. Jamie’s funeral.”
Lake grinned. “And that didn’t stop you from going to college?”
“I wasn’t ready to give up that freedom.”
Lake searched his face. “I wouldn’t want to, either.”
Avery craned his neck. “It’s been hard. Pretending who I was for this long. What you saw today was me having a weak moment. There are so many emotions circling me right now.”
“Like what?”
“Well… I’m excited, of course. I worked hard to get here. And then there’s terror… now that I have this degree, I have to go out there and get a job, more than likely in the AQ.” He searched his brother’s face, looking for a glimmer of understanding. “There’s also a little sadness.”
“Because papa and daddy aren’t here.”
