Charles stared down at the latest letter from the Futurus Initiative Advisory Board. The threats had gone from vague to overt, promising “decisive administrative action” if he didn’t return to his post, despite the fact that he’d been handling everything remotely for the last several months.

Part of him wanted to let them follow through on those threats. He was almost tempted to fly back to London just to see their faces when he handed in his resignation and wished them luck finding a CEO who was masochistic enough to deal with their bullshit on top of everything else.

But there was the matter of his research, and while Tyr and Jaspar had asked nothing of him during his time within their home, he knew that the work they were doing was important. He’d met others like him, sigmas who’d been through the maze of identity confusion he was only beginning to come to terms with, and their stories had convinced him that the time for living in the shadows was over. They had more courage than he could fathom, and some had lived through unimaginable abuse as a result of failing to meet the standards for the Alphas and omegas they were initially perceived to be. If Charles could give their stories a platform, it was the very least he could do.

“Another angry letter?” Tyr asked sympathetically.

“I’m afraid so,” Charles said, tossing the letter in the kitchen trash can. “But I was already thinking of going back soon.”

Tyr’s eyes filled with worry. He and his mate had opened their home to Charles and given him the sanctuary he hadn’t even realized he needed. In the Emerald Pack, he had room to breathe, to think, to be. For the first time, he was beginning to have an inkling of who he was when no one was looking, even if the what was still a bit vague.

Sigma certainly fit him better than Alpha ever had, if only because there were no preconceived notions of it. The others he had met were as varied in temperament and physical qualities as the humans were. They greeted him as a person, not as a class or a job title, and he felt more of a community with them than he ever had in his own company or the various packs he’d been passed around in his youth.

“Are you sure you want to do that this soon?” asked Tyr. “You’ve been so sick.”

“I’ll see what the doctor says,” Charles promised, rubbing his hand over the swell beneath his sweater. He was nearly five months along, and while the baby was healthy by all accounts, he had been sick more often than not, despite following the doctor’s detailed care regimen. “She’s going to try a new medication, so if it works and I’m healthy enough for travel, I’d like to go.”

“But you’re obviously pregnant. You’ll have to come out as sigma.”

“I know,” said Charles. “But I’m tired of hiding. You and Jaspar have given me a chance to rest, and for that, I’m eternally grateful. But I can’t give up the platform I have now if it means the chance to help the others who’ve been so good to me.”

Tyr hugged him tightly. His energy was always comforting. Charles could see how it healed both physical and emotional wounds so easily, and over the years, Tyr had mastered his natural gifts and turned them into a calling. He and Jaspar had fully embodied their role as the verum pair, and it inspired Charles to step fully into his own role, even if it was only to give others like him a voice.

“We’re proud of you, Charles. I hope you know that you are always going to be a part of this pack, and our family.”

The omega’s words warmed his heart and filled him with pride and the sense of belonging he’d never thought he would feel. “Thank you,” he said, smiling at Tyr as he pulled away. “I love you both, but if these three months have taught me anything, it’s how to listen to my own internal voice. It’s telling me that Futurus isn’t done with me, as much as I might like the idea of stepping down. The company has the potential to change the future, and I can’t risk letting someone who would use that power for their own gain to take control again.”

“Another Anton,” Tyr murmured.

“Or worse. Besides, your father gave his marching orders and I am not foolish enough to defy the great Mitchell Teak, even if he is a ghost,” he teased.

Tyr laughed, his eyes glinting with moisture. “I thought you didn’t believe in that kind of thing.”

“I didn’t, but I believe in you,” Charles said with a shrug. “And I’ve always believed that the most meaningful research is always on the edge of whatever we believe to be possible.”

“I guess we’re both taking a leap of faith, then,” Tyr said with a nervous sigh. “I just know when the time comes, my other dad is not going to take the news well.”

Charles was about to respond when his phone rang. “Oh. That’s Avery. I forgot I promised we’d talk this afternoon.”

“Go ahead, answer it. I’m sure he’s worried since you haven’t talked to him after your last appointment.”

Charles nodded. He answered the phone and smiled as Avery’s picture came up on screen. The omega was holding his daughter, who stared at the screen like it was a magic portal and gurgled.

“Hi, Jade,” he cooed, waving to the infant. “You’re getting so big!”

“Tell me about it. And she refuses to be put down while I’m cooking,” Avery said, gazing down at his daughter adoringly before he turned back to the screen. “How are you doing, sweetheart?”

“I’m feeling a little better this morning. The nausea meds still aren’t doing much, but the dizziness is better.”

Avery frowned. “I know you’re in good hands, but I still can’t help but worry. You’re sure you’re not ready to come home?”

Charles hesitated. He’d grown closer to Avery during the time he’d been away than he had the entire time they’d worked together, and the idea of being around someone who understood not only the company culture they’d both come from but first-time parenthood was appealing. Nonetheless, it would mean being around Myron and he hadn’t talked to the other sigma in months.

Not that he’d given Myron the option. In the beginning, it had hurt far too much to stay in contact, and he knew that if he did reach out, he would eventually give in to Myron’s demands to find out where he was. He would go back to Southbend and spend the rest of his life knowing that Myron might never have wanted him back at all if it wasn’t for the baby.

But it was Myron’s baby, and Charles knew it was wrong to keep them apart. Whether Charles wanted him or not, he deserved to be a father to their child. Even if he did decide to go back to Inara.

“Not yet,” he answered. “But I am thinking of going back to London.”

“London?” Avery cried.

“The board is in conniptions, but I won’t be going alone,” he promised.

“That’s for damn sure,” Tyr interjected. “He’s got a hellhound and the Alliance army looking after him.”

Charles sighed, moving the phone so Avery could see the other omega as well.

“That’s good to hear,” Avery said, grinning. “Hi, Tyr. Good to see you again.”

“Likewise. You tell that brother-in-law of yours that I’ve got a bone to pick with him myself when we finally meet.”

Avery snickered. “I’ll do that.”

Charles groaned.

“You know,” Avery said, growing serious, “I know you’ve got a lot on your mind right now, but Myron hasn’t just been spinning his wheels this past few months.”

“I know,” Charles murmured. “I heard he made some personnel changes back at corporate.” He appreciated everything Myron had done to make his job easier from a distance, without having been asked. He just knew it didn’t mean anything about their relationship and wasn’t going to let himself hope that it did.

“It’s more than that. He’d kill me for telling you the details, but I don’t think you two are ever going to get on the same page if you’re not even talking, so I’m making an executive decision.”

“What is it?” Tyr asked eagerly.

“Myron left the pack.”

“What?” Charles asked in disbelief. “What do you mean he left?”

“There’s another pack that needed some serious housecleaning, and Myron stepped up. He knew you weren’t going to be okay with coming back here permanently, all things considered, so he’s been trying to create a place where you and the baby will be safe and comfortable, if you want to.”

“He’s doing that because of me?” Charles couldn’t hide his shock.

“He knows he screwed up,” Avery said gently. “And he knows one grand gesture isn’t going to fix it overnight, but he’s trying to put you first the way he should have done months ago. I’ve never seen him like this. He’s like a completely different person.”

Charles swallowed hard. He wasn’t sure what to say. No part of him believed that the actions the other sigma had taken were actually because of him, but he did believe that Myron was doing it for their child, and in a way, that meant more.

Avery looked back toward the kitchen door. “Oh. I think that’s him. He was supposed to meet later with Nicholas about something.” Avery turned back to the screen. “I don’t want you to feel pressured if you don’t want to, but do you want to talk to him?”

Charles hesitated. Tyr gave his arm a squeeze to reassure him. “You don’t have to.”

Before Charles could decide, he saw Myron enter the room and look straight at Avery. “Hey, where’s —” He froze when he saw the phone. “Oh. Sorry, I didn’t mean to interrupt. Is that Charles?”

Avery looked like he wasn’t sure how to answer, and the hope in Myron’s voice sealed his decision. “It’s okay. I’ll talk to him.”

“I’ll give you some space,” Tyr said, kissing Charles on the cheek before he left the room.

The sigma smiled and steeled himself to face his mate again, even if it was through a screen.

“He says he’ll talk to you,” Avery said, passing the phone to his brother-in-law.

As soon as Myron took the phone, Charles realized there was nothing that could prepare him. The other man had the same effect on him over the phone as he did in person, and Charles felt himself wishing he’d taken a little more care with his appearance since he’d been too sick to do anything more than get dressed that morning.

“Hey,” Myron said, his green eyes piercing through the screen as he stared at Charles like he was holding some sacred relic in his hands. “God, it’s good to see your face.”

Charles willed another layer of stone to form around his heart so the other man’s words couldn’t get to him. The kind ones were almost as devastating as the cruel ones, and they made those hurt even more. He had no doubt that it was only a matter of time before Myron’s doubts got the best of him again, once the excitement of becoming a parent took second place to the realization of all he was giving up, but next time, it wouldn’t catch him by surprise.

“You look well,” he said, deciding that was a polite yet safe answer. “Avery tells me you moved out.”

Myron scowled over at someone across the room. Evidently, Avery was listening in. “I was hoping to tell you that myself, but yeah.” His tone grew softer. “I know you don’t want to come back right now or even to tell me where you are, and I’m not going to try to force you, but if you change your mind, I want you to know that there’s a place for you in Gray Hollow where you’ll be comfortable. Where we can be a family, if you ever want that again. And if you don’t…” He cleared his throat and the emotion in his voice hit Charles deep, no matter how well he’d tried to protect himself. “I’ll find a way to deal with that, too. But I want you to know I’m trying.”

“I do,” Charles said, giving himself time to make sure that when he spoke, he did so with clarity and composure. “And I appreciate everything you’re trying to do. I would never want to keep you from your child if you want to be part of their life.”

“Of course I want that.” Myron sounded horrified. “Charles, I love you. I know my actions didn’t show that before, but you and this baby are the most important things in my life. I’ll do whatever I can to prove that to you.”

His words sounded sincere, but so had his others.

“If you really mean that, then I guess we could try,” Charles said hesitantly. “I’m going back to London for a little while, but maybe we can meet to talk about the baby when I get back.”

“London?” Myron’s tone shifted from tentative to authoritative. “You can’t go back there, Charles. It’s not safe.”

“I’m not going alone. Jaspar is going with me.”

“Jaspar? Jaspar Amari? That’s who you’ve been staying with?”

So much for that secret. “He and his mate have been very kind. They run something of a sanctuary for other sigmas like…” He trailed off before he could say “us.” Just because he’d come to terms with his new identity didn’t mean Myron had.

“I should have known,” Myron said, shaking his head. “Avery said it was someone he trusted completely.”

“They run a tight ship, so I knew the baby and I would be safe here,” said Charles. “But the board is panicking and I’m going to have to come out eventually.”

“You’re going to tell them what you are?”

“It’s not just me. There are so many others, and until their stories are heard, they’re never going to feel like they have a place in this world,” he said quietly. “I have to use my voice to change that, even if it costs me my job.”

Myron frowned. “Let me do it. It’s my job to represent you. You don’t have to do this alone.”

Charles hesitated. “I don’t know, Myron…”

“I know you don’t trust me, but we have to start somewhere. Please, just let me come to you so we can talk, and we’ll go from there.”

The idea of seeing Myron in person again was both terrifying and comforting. Charles couldn’t change the way his heart longed for his mate, even if his head knew better. “You’d come here?”

“Are you kidding? If you were hiding out in Hell, I’d book a one-way ticket right now.”

Charles almost smiled, but thinking about Myron’s words that night made it easier not to. “Well… I suppose it would be easier to speak in person.”

“I’ll leave on the next flight,” Myron promised.

“What about your pack?”

“It’s still a work in progress, but I’ve got a beta I trust to keep an eye on things while I’m gone. Stay put.”

Charles blew air through his nostrils. Myron might not have been an Alpha, but he was certainly as bossy as any Charles had ever known. “Goodbye, Myron. I’ll see you soon.”

“Count on it.”