Jax regretted the burger and fries he’d eaten the moment he left the safety of the meeting room and followed Tarek down the hall to the stairs. He knew this moment would occur eventually, but he’d ignored it for as long as possible. Now that it was here, he wanted to find a dark room and hide from his nightmare. But he couldn’t hide anymore. Not from this, and not from the horrors of the last year of his life. He still owed Tarek details of the fights and his treatment, and he’d do that eventually.

Today, he had to face the monster who’d taken him against his will and laughed at his pain.

Tarek led him into a small room with a wide, two-way mirror that was cast in darkness. Jax stuck close to Tarek, because he trusted the man, and he didn’t know the second alpha in the room with them. And the space got even smaller when Constable Higgs joined them a moment later.

I will not throw up, I will not throw up.

“This is provincial prosecutor Don Awless,” Tarek said, nodding his head at the stranger. “Mr. Awless, this is our witness, Jax Orris.”

“I’d say it’s a pleasure to meet you, but the circumstances are terrible,” Awless said.

Jax nodded his agreement.

Tarek pressed play on a recording device and said the date. “I’m here with Don Awless and Senior Constable Higgs, as well as witness Jax Orris to do a visual identification on a suspect accused of sex trafficking and rape. Our witness is nonverbal, and his identification will be recorded orally by Constable Higgs.”

Higgs flipped a light switch on the wall, and the other side of the mirror became visible. Five men of similar height, size, and age stood against a wall, all of them in bright yellow jail jumpsuits. Jax didn’t have to look at the other four, because his eyes went straight to the man from his nightmares. A man Jax couldn’t refuse because he had no voice. And he’d been too sore and weak from losing the fight to do anything other than submit.

Jax turned away and pressed his fists into his eyes as old terror washed over him. His entire body ached with phantom pain, and he desperately needed his alpha. But Karter wasn’t there, because he’d been ordered to stay away.

“You’re safe, Jax,” Tarek said. “He can’t see you, and he won’t touch you again.”

Not physically, anyway, but just the sight of the man made Jax ill.

“Do you recognize one of these men?” Higgs asked.

Jax nodded.

“Our witness has indicated yes. Which one, Mr. Jax?”

It took everything he had to turn around and face the mirror again. Jax glared at the monster who couldn’t see him and held up three fingers.

“Mr. Jax had indicated he recognizes the third man in our lineup. Let the record also show that man in Senior Haus Iverson.”

“That’s good, Jax, thank you,” Tarek said. He flipped the switch and the room went dark again.

Jax let out a long, shaky breath.

“Well,” Awless said, “I’ll be prosecuting this man for the next two years, at the rate new charges are being applied. Two more counts of rape and sex trafficking to the docket.”

“It’s amazing the evil some men are capable of,” Higgs added.

Tarek growled. “I look forward to that man spending the rest of his miserable life in prison for the harm he’s caused.”

“We all do,” Awless said.

Jax thrust a note at Tarek. “Can we go please?”

“Yes, we can go,” Tarek replied. “One sec, I need to make sure the hallway is clear.” He poked his head outside, then held his hand up in a staying gesture.

For a moment, Jax didn’t understand. Then he realized the lineup suspects were probably being moved, and the very last thing Jax wanted was for Senior Iverson to see or scent him. Although his scent had changed since mating with Karter, so he’d be harder for any alpha to identify by scent alone.

Deep down, Jax was ashamed of himself for agreeing to mate with Karter for that added level of protection against men who might seek to do him harm. But he couldn’t change things; all he could do was be the best omega possible to his new mate.

A mate he desperately needed to hold him again, so he waited impatiently for Tarek to announce they could go. And he practically ran back upstairs to the meeting room. He hugged his mate and his son, absorbing their love and strength into himself. Karson blew bubbles and seemed generally happy to see his omegin again, and Karter watched him with affection in his eyes, and a deeper alpha need to avenge Jax’s pain.

This wasn’t something Karter could fix, but he adored his alpha for wanting to.

Bottles of water appeared on the table, and then they were alone in the room for a while.

“I hate that you had to go through that,” Karter said. He combed his fingers through Jax’s hair. “But I love knowing how fucking strong you are, Jax. To have survived what you did and come out in one piece.”

“I couldn’t give up. If I gave up, Karson died.”

“And you’re both alive and healthy, and I will do everything in my power to make sure you both stay that way. Starting with a safer place for us to live.”

Jax sat up straighter, curious about this plan. “Safer than living with Dex and Serge?”

“Yes. Don’t get me wrong, they live in a good neighborhood, but it’s not good enough. And I don’t want to make Tarek’s friends targets, especially if the break-in at my place wasn’t a random act of vandalism.”

Anxiety jolted down Jax’s spine. “You think someone is targeting you?”

“It’s a possibility, but there is also no evidence to suggest it. Constable Higgs is leading the investigation, so if there is any link between the break-in and one of my current cases, he’ll find it.”

Jax wished he had the same confidence in the other constables that Karter had. Right now, the only two authorities he implicitly trusted were Karter and Tarek.

They spent about an hour in near silence, with Jax writing more detailed accounts of the places he remembered living, as well as the fights themselves. He used the photos of the two omegas Tarek had identified to jog his memory—not that it needed much jogging. Those fights were seared into his memory. Every punch and kick. Every cry of pain, both his and his competitor’s. The false sense of victory when Jax put the other omega down.

He wept a few tears as he wrote, and Karter lovingly brushed them away.

Someone knocked, and then Tarek opened the door. Two men and a baby stood behind him, and they didn’t look happy. Jax’s heart lurched. He remembered their faces from a photograph he’d seen in their home the morning he’d broken in. He’d hated stealing from them, but he’d needed formula and diapers for Karson.

“This is Piotr and Sandoval Berg,” Tarek said. “This is Jax Orris, and his mate, Karter Jenks.”

All three men entered the room. No one made a motion to shake hands, but Karter did stand and moved behind Jax’s chair in a wonderfully defensive position. The Bergs moved stiffly, their expressions flat. But the moment Piotr looked down and spotted Karson sleeping in Jax’s lap, his face softened.

“I needed to see you,” Sandoval said. He shifted his own child from one hip to another.

Jax nodded his understanding.

“He’s really mute?” Piotr asked.

“Yes,” Karter snapped. “The bastards who held him captive cut his vocal chords.”

Jax reached back to squeeze Karter’s wrist, silently asking him to stay calm and dial back his anger.

“You destroyed my sense of safety,” Sandoval continued. “I’m terrified for my son now.”

“I can’t give back what I took from you. It’s much bigger than a can of formula. All I can do is apologize. I would do anything to protect my son.”

“Except go to the authorities?”

Jax shrugged. He couldn’t change that he’d hidden for so long, instead of coming forward.

“He had valid reasons for not trusting us,” Tarek said. “And he still isn’t completely safe, not until the men who had him are found and arrested.”

Jax wanted to ask exactly what Tarek had told these people about his history. Probably enough to get the point across, as Tarek seemed too professional to give away too much about a case.

“I’m confused about something,” Sandoval said, looking past Jax to Karter. “You were the first constable we spoke to about the break-in, but Constable Bloom just said you and he are mates?” He pointed at Jax.

“It was extremely unexpected,” Karter replied. He rested a warm hand on Jax’s shoulder. “But that’s why I turned the investigation over to Constable Bloom.”

“Bondmates?”

“We are.”

Sandoval looked thoughtful, but didn’t inquire further. An awkward silence fell over the room, until Karson started squirming and crying.

“Is he hungry?” Karter asked. “I can go fix a bottle.”

Jax patted Karson’s behind, but the diaper felt fine, so he nodded yes.

“We’ll leave you to your son,” Piotr said. “Thank you for meeting with us. We won’t be pressing charges, and I hope you find the men who hurt you.”

“Thank you,” Karter said, because Jax couldn’t. Not with words, but Jax put that thanks into his smile.

Karter followed them out, the diaper bag slung across his shoulder like he was used to carrying one around the office. Jax held a note out to Tarek.

“Thank you for arranging that. It gave us all closure.”

“It was my pleasure,” Tarek replied. “Do you feel up to writing more about your experiences?”

Jax would rather gouge his eyeballs out than relive his past, but this was important—not only for when the two bastards were caught, but maybe some innocuous detail could help them locate Udall and Dent. So he wrote, and when Karter returned, he let Karter feed the baby while he wrote more. He wrote until his hand cramped and there wasn’t much more to say.

Tarek did ask questions here and there, wanting clarification of details, such as scents or sounds he might remember. Jax had a strong sense that the second location had been industrial, rather than a house, and he recalled an odor like burned plastic—a detail Tarek seemed excited about.

They were free to go around dinnertime. Dex was already home and cooking, so Jax put Karson down in the crib, then went to the couch to relax. It had been a draining day, and he could easily sleep for ten hours straight. Too bad having an infant made that an impossible dream.

Karter joined him with two beers, and Jax took an eager gulp the moment it was in his hand. “I know our mating was a little sudden,” he said, “but I’d love for you to meet my family soon.”

Jax nearly dropped his beer. “Your father won’t want to meet me.”

“Maybe, maybe not, but he can’t do anything about us being mates. It’s legal and binding as soon as we register your new name.”

“Jax Jenks?” Dex said with laughter in his voice. “Don’t you like your mate at all?”

Jax wheezed at the ridiculous sound of his mated name.

“Oh shit.” Dex started laughing in earnest. “You aren’t the only one. I just realized we’re going to have Braun Bloom and Kell Cross. How did you three manage that?”

Karter joined in the laughter. “When you put it like that…goddess, that’s a funny coincidence.”

“Jax Orris Jenks doesn’t sound so bad. I like it.”

“Orris was your first mate’s name, right?” Karter asked.

“Yes.”

“Do you want to keep it, or go back to your family name?”

Jax hadn’t given it much thought. He’d been Jax Orris for more than six years. Going back to his family name of Marika hadn’t occurred to him at all. A family who’d never come here to visit him, and who’d easily bought the lie about being mated through the halfway house.

“I want to keep Orris, if that’s okay.”

“Of course, it is. We can file the paperwork tomorrow, and I’ll call Omegin about a good night to come for dinner.”

“Okay.” Jax wasn’t fond of the idea of confronting a man who’d already slapped Karter once for standing up to him, but Karter wanted this. And it was appropriate to meet his alpha’s family now that they’d mated.

As they sat down to eat supper, Jax couldn’t stop doubts from creeping into his mind. Had Karter agreed to mate with him to prove something to his sire? Was this some sort of adult rebellion that could blow up in both of their faces? Changing Jax’s name was necessary in the long-term, sure, but doing it right away and before meeting the family? Did Karter need those papers to dangle in front of his father’s nose?

He hated thinking the worst of Karter, but he didn’t know how to bring it up without sounding accusatory. Jax couldn’t add the nuance of emotion to written words the way he could with his voice, and he didn’t want Karter to misunderstand his concerns. Maybe it was best to let it lie for now. It wasn’t as if Jax hadn’t used Karter, too, in his own way, in order to further disguise himself from anyone who’d seen him fight.

Maybe they’d both mated for the wrong reasons, but it was done, and Jax would do whatever he had to in order to create a good life for Karson.

* * *

Tarek tried not to take his work home with him, but sometimes he couldn’t shake something he’d heard or seen. Or in today’s case, read. Jax’s detailed accounts of those omega fights were heartbreaking. He couldn’t imagine trying to hurt another pregnant man while being pregnant himself. Protecting your body and your baby against someone doing the exact same thing.

His heart broke for every omega who’d suffered thanks to Udall and Dent. Hopefully, the omegas they still had wouldn’t suffer much longer. Awless was working out a deal with Ferral’s lawyer, so the man would start talking soon. Despite his piss-poor performance in prosecuting Kell last month, Awless was a shrewd lawyer and he had a keen sense of justice. Sometimes Tarek wondered if the man had tried to throw Kell’s case on purpose.

He wasn’t at all surprised to see Kell and Braun cooking dinner, while Branson played in a bounce seat. He scooped his nephew up, then walked over to kiss his mate.

“You look shredded,” Braun said. “Bad day?”

“Talked to Jax more about his captivity.” Tarek kissed him again, because he need that connection. “It sucked.”

“I bet. Have a beer and relax. Ronin should be home soon, and then we can eat.”

“Yes, dear.”

Tarek fetched that beer, noting Kell was being unusually quiet. He simply stirred a pot of stew, his mind apparently elsewhere. But after living in terror of his first mate for three years, the younger man was going to have off days. Sometimes the most random things would send him into a panic that only Braun or Ronin could calm.

Ronin showed up five minutes later, so Tarek set the table. The four of them eating here had become an expected routine, and it was time to break their housing plan to the brothers. Tarek waited until they’d all been dished up steaming bowls of beef stew before announcing, “Ronin and I have an announcement to make.”

Kell looked directly at Ronin and said, “You’re pregnant, aren’t you?”

Braun busted out laughing and nearly choked on his stew.

“Why, yes, I am, how did you guess?” Ronin deadpanned.

“Harlot!”

“Watch your language, there’s a baby present.”

Said baby was happily gumming away at a cracker.

“No, no one’s pregnant,” Tarek said, giving Braun the side-eye. “We changed what our Realtor is looking for in terms of new living quarters.”

“We?” Kell asked. “I didn’t know you were selling too.”

“We’re selling the cottage?” Braun asked. He looked devastated.

“Yes, but for a good reason, I promise,” Tarek replied. “We want to buy a house for the five of us. Either one big space, or two homes side-by-side. That way, our family is close and you two never have to be apart again.”

Braun’s green eyes got impossibly wide, before going soft with affection. “You’d sell your house for me?”

“Anything for you, firecracker. I mean that.”

“Oh, Tarek.” Braun flung himself at Tarek at almost the same moment Kell embraced Ronin. Over Braun’s shoulder, he caught Ronin’s eye and winked. This was definitely the right course of action.

The rest of supper was excited talk about what they should look for, and Tarek loved seeing Braun so animated and on-board with the idea. They’d lose the privacy they were used to, but it was worth it to make his mate happy.

Kell and Ronin went home after a few hands of pinochle. Tarek headed toward the couch, expecting Braun to follow so they could watch television together, but Braun hung back. He started wringing his hands, and that was never a good sign.

“What’s wrong?” Tarek asked.

“Nothing’s wrong, I, um…I, uh, bought a home test.”

Tarek snapped to attention. “A pregnancy test?”

Braun nodded. “Kell kind of bullied me into finally buying it, but I didn’t want to take it until you were home.”

He walked to his mate and pulled him into his arms. Braun sank against his chest, his small, lean frame trembling. “No matter what the goddess blesses us with, I love you and nothing will change that.”

“I know. It’s stupid to be so nervous about this.”

“Given your family history, it’s perfectly normal to be anxious about getting pregnant.”

“Thank you.” Braun sighed heavily. “I guess I should go do the peeing part. The box says you have to wait five minutes to get a clear indicator.”

“Okay.”

Braun disappeared into the bathroom, then emerged a few minutes later. He put on the oven timer, and then came back to Tarek for physical comfort. They stood there, the seconds ticking by, and Tarek’s own anxiety grew. Whatever happened, they’d get through it with love and respect—and possibly a lot of prenatal vitamins.

“How has it only been three minutes?” Braun said. “This is torture.”

“On the bright side, more than half the time has elapsed.”

“Not helping.”

“Does it help if I say I’m nervous, too?”

Braun tilted his head up. “Really?”

“Yes. As much as I’d love to see you carry my child, I’m just as scared of the idea of losing you in childbirth. I can’t imagine living without you.”

“I can’t imagine leaving you. But life is scary and unpredictable. We’ve only known each other for a few months, and you’ve already been shot once. And then I think about Jax losing his first mate in an accident, and I get scared. I love you, Tarek. So much.”

“I love you, too, firecracker.”

The oven timer dinged.

“Oh shit.” Braun rested his forehead against Tarek’s chest. “I can’t look.”

“Let’s go in and look together.”

Tarek gently nudged Braun forward, and they walked into the bathroom. The white stick lay on the sink. Braun tried to back away, but Tarek kept a firm hold, his own stomach erupting with acid.

One end of the stick had an open space and two blue lines on it.

“What’s that mean?” Tarek asked.

Braun looked up with wide eyes. His voice hitched when he said, “We’re pregnant.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes, I’m sure.” Braun shoved the box at him. “Two lines is pregnant. I’m having a baby.”

“Holy shit.” Tarek stared at the box, the directions blurring under a sudden film of tears. Happy tears, terrified tears, he wasn’t sure. “Holy shit, we’re having a baby.”

“I think I need to sit down.”

Tarek did one better—he scooped Braun right off his feet and carried him to the sofa. Settled them so Braun was on his lap and a blanket tucked up around them. They didn’t speak for a while as they absorbed the news. A baby. His and Braun’s baby. They’d gone bare during heat one time, and it had been enough.

And, considering the fact that Branson was not biologically the son of Kell’s dead mate, it meant that the fertility issues were likely not Kell’s fault. The Etting brothers were apparently very fertile, which could be a problem for Kell when he mated Ronin. He’d nearly died giving birth once, and his doctors had advised against a second pregnancy. But insemination was required for a true mating to occur.

That was not an issue for Tarek to fix right now. His only job in this moment was to be there for Braun as he came to terms with this news.

Their lives were about to change in drastic new ways, and Tarek would have to navigate these new waters for both of them.

Anything to make his omega happy.