Ruari received a call two weeks later that his test results had come in, and that Dr. Magnusson asked him to stop by the clinic at his earliest convenience. It was a hassle, making that whole trip again, but he didn’t hesitate, not after the doctor had confirmed it sounded like he had the symptoms of the gene. He needed to know for sure, and if he indeed did have the gene, he needed advice and as much of it as he could get.

So Ruari made the long and complicated trip to the clinic again, happy that Jax was a lot less fussy than last time. When he walked to the clinic’s entrance, he caught himself looking around to see if he spotted Kean. The beta had been such a big help, and he had been so nice about it too. Ruari had been forced to accept a lot of help over the last few months, but sometimes, people made it feel like they were doing you a favor, rubbing it in. Kean hadn’t been like that at all, and Ruari’s heart had melted at the tender way the man had held his son.

But he knew he shouldn’t be on the lookout for Kean. Even if they had shared a connection, and Ruari was willing to admit that they had, he wasn’t in a good place for a relationship right now. Plus, he wasn’t even sure if Kean was single, and if he was, what man would want an omega who already had a child? And not just that, but a child from an alpha whose name he didn’t even know. That was what he kept telling himself as he forced Kean out of his mind.

He didn’t have to wait long for the doctor to see him, and Enar got right to the point. “I'm sorry to inform you that you do have the gene, Ruari,” he said. “I'm sure you must have a lot of questions, and we are here to help you in any way we can.”

Ruari wasn’t as shocked as he had expected himself to be, maybe because over the last few days, he had already come to accept this diagnosis. That didn’t mean he didn’t have questions, however. “Is it hereditary?” he asked. “Or can only omegas get it?”

“We don’t know yet,” Enar answered. “So far, we have tested a few dozen kids of gene carriers, and none of them have tested positive, but there were few omegas among these babies. In fact, we suspect that gene carriers are far more likely to have alpha sons, as the rate of alphas among those babies was statistically significantly higher than among the general population.”

Ruari let out a sigh of relief. At least his baby would be okay. “But you’ll still test him, right?”

Enar nodded. “Absolutely. In fact, we would like your permission to enroll him in a series of tests. Both of you. I have an associate who is doing research into the gene and who could always use more participants.”

“What is the goal of that research, finding a cure?” Ruari asked.

“Ultimately, yes. In the short term, we would be happy to learn more about how the gene works, how it affects the body, and how we can ameliorate its effects. The strong heats are not only a nuisance, as you know better than I do, but have led to dangerous situations and sadly, many cases of sexual assault and rape.”

Ruari swallowed. Even though his first heat hadn’t been a good experience, and his second had not been as satisfactory as he had hoped, at least he hadn’t gone through the horrors Enar was hinting at. Even in his situation, that was something Ruari was grateful for. No matter how much he struggled, things could be a lot worse.

“I would love to participate in the research, but if it means coming to the clinic on a regular basis, that might be a problem. I don’t have a car and the public transport here is not a walk in the park, especially with a baby. And I expect it only to become more of a hassle the older Jax gets.”

“I understand, and before we get into that, we have more test results to discuss.”

“The dizziness,” Ruari said.

“Yes. You’re anemic, probably still from giving birth. I can prescribe iron supplements for that. But you’re also malnourished, Ruari. You’re not giving your body the nutrition it needs. Vitamin supplements can help, but I would like to look at your eating habits to combat this in the long term. You need more vitamins, more calcium, and more proteins.”

Ruari shrunk in his seat. How the hell would he be able to afford it? He barely had money left as it was, and he had to prioritize Jax’s formula and diapers. “I’m… Healthy food is so much more expensive,” he whispered.

Enar’s expression showed nothing but understanding. “Bad luck Jax wouldn’t take to breastfeeding, huh? Formula costs an arm and a leg.” He leaned forward, his eyes kind. “You don’t need to tell me anything you don’t want to share, but are you in a position right now where you can take good care of yourself? Because having this gene alone has a lot of implications for the future, especially around your heat, and you’re not in a good physical condition to begin with.”

Ruari leaned back in his chair, rocking Jax, who had fallen asleep against his chest. He had taken him out of the sling as soon as they had arrived, because he’d read that it wasn’t healthy for their bones to be carried in a sling for too long.

How much would he tell the doctor? How much could he tell him? The man had patient confidentiality, but this was a private clinic on private property, and Ruari knew damn well different rules applied here. And if his father ever found out, Ruari had to wonder if the good doctor would be strong enough to resist the pressure his father would put on him to disclose Ruari’s records. And then he would be up shit creek without a paddle.

But what was the alternative? He left home with enough financial reserves to last for a little while, but the bottom of those reserves was in sight. He’d need to start looking for a job soon, which presented so many complications he didn’t even know where to start. Moving to another city was still his best option, one where his father had less of a reach and network, but how would he manage that without a car? And without money, because the little he had left was not enough to finance a move.

Even with the changes in the law the government had made, the system was still stacked against omegas like him. He didn’t have any work experience, and he wasn’t suitable for many jobs because of his status as an omega. Many employers were still hesitant to hire omegas, and there was now the added complication of him having these intense heats, where he apparently attracted every alpha in a five-mile radius. How the hell would he be able to hold a job under those circumstances? And that didn’t even include finding a babysitter for Jax he could trust.

All that time, Enar had patiently waited for Ruari to answer, and he was grateful for that moment to gather his thoughts. He shook his head. “Honestly, I feel like I’m drowning right now. I’m running low on money, and I don’t know what to do. I doubt it will be safe for me to have a job where I’m around people, especially alphas, so I’m lost on how to make this work.”

Kean had been feeding the chickens when his phone had buzzed, and to his surprise, it had been Enar. He wasn’t sure why, but his first thought had been that the call was about Ruari. He hadn’t been able to put the omega out of his mind ever since he met him, thoughts of his sharp blue eyes, and his tight body, and that sweet baby popping up in his head all the time. It was a strange combination, these thoughts, the first two making him rather horny whereas the latter made him dream about being a dad—in itself a new experience.

It had confused him, this strange attraction to someone he’d just met, especially since he was still with Bray. Sort of. They hadn’t spoken since their talk three days before, Kean’s back still painful enough he didn’t want to even consider having sex. Was his attraction to Ruari proof he should forget about Bray, that he’d been wrong about their connection? 

Within seconds of taking the call, he was surprised to discover his instincts had been right. Enar was calling him about Ruari, asking Kean to give him a tour of the ranch and explain how they operated.

“He needs a safe place to stay,” Enar explained. “I talked to him about staying here at the ranch, at least until he’s figured some things out. He seemed very interested, but before he can make a final decision, I'd like for him to have a tour and know more about the way we operate. By the time you’re done, it will probably be too late for him to head back using public transport, so can you either give him a ride back to the city or offer that he can spend the night? You may want to put him up with Sando. I think knowing there’s another omega staying here will help Ruari feel safe.”

“You want me to tell him about the pack?” Kean asked, just to be sure how much he was authorized to reveal.

“Yes. We’ve discussed it, the four of us, and we want everyone who considers living on the ranch to be fully informed. There’s a legal aspect, to be sure, but to us it’s more about their well-being. If we advocate the importance of making informed decisions, for instance for omegas when it concerns their bodies, we need to set the right example.”

Kean couldn’t deny that made total sense, even if being so open about the pack scared him a little. He’d learned about the attack on the ranch months ago, and even though they had received no threats since, it was still a concern. Especially now that the rise of the Conservative Wolf Party had agitated the Anti-Wolf Coalition and all its rather short-tempered members, the news of the Hayes pack’s existence falling into the wrong hands could lead to violence. Still, he would follow Enar’s instructions.

“Sure, no problem. Give me a few minutes to finish what I was doing and get cleaned up. I’ve been working all morning, so I’m pretty sure I stink.” 

There was no way he was showing Ruari around looking and smelling like this. Granted, it wasn’t as bad as it was on certain days, since he hadn’t done any deliveries or procedures on animals today, but he still was sweaty, looked like he hadn’t showered in a week, and smelled like a farm. Or, a farm animal, more precisely.

Enar chuckled. “Are you sure that’s the only reason you want to get changed?”

Even though Enar couldn’t see him, Kean blushed. Was he that transparent? “Why did you ask me to give him the tour?” he asked instead.

Enar’s voice was soft and kind as he answered. “I thought you two had a connection, and it seems to me Ruari could use a friend.”

He didn’t elaborate, but they both knew how much Kean had overheard while Enar was examining Ruari. Enough to realize Enar was right and that the omega had been through a lot.

“I’ll be there as soon as I can,” Kean promised.

He didn’t care what Enar would say or think, but Kean did take a shower before he headed to the clinic. It was a speed-shower of the two-minute variety, but it was enough to at least smell a little better and not have his hair look like he’d put his fingers in a socket. He threw on a clean pair of shorts and a fresh shirt and rushed over to the clinic, where he found Ruari in the waiting room, Jax strapped to his chest in a sling.

Kean shoved his hands into his pockets, suddenly more self-conscious than he’d been in a long time. “Hi.”

Was it his imagination, or did Ruari look a little flustered as well?

“Hi,” the omega said back.

“Enar said you wanted a tour of the ranch?”

“He suggested you could do it. I hope that’s not too much of an inconvenience for you?” Ruari said.

Kean thought of the long list of tasks on his to-do list and shook his head. “No, not at all.”

They walked outside, where Kean matched his pace to Ruari’s much shorter legs. He showed him the fields first, as they were closest, then led him toward the area where the animals were. 

“This is mainly where I work all day,” he said. “We have a chicken coop that provides us with fresh eggs daily, we have cows for milk and to slaughter for meat—though we outsource that as I don’t slaughter—we have pigs and goats, basically every animal you would expect at a working farm. And we’re looking into buying horses, as well as some tom cats and a few guard dogs. And maybe some other animals, I don’t know yet. The goal is to make the ranch as self-sufficient as possible, especially in terms of food.”

Ruari looked around with more than just a polite expression. “You do all of this by yourself?”

Kean nodded. “For now, yes. But I need to talk to my brother about finding me an assistant. It’s getting a bit much for me to run by myself.”

He couldn’t interpret Ruari's expression, but it looked a lot like he was impressed. They walked closer to the main house, and Kean pointed out all the buildings they had built. “That’s Omega Two, one of our omega buildings. It’s not finished yet, but it should be in a week or two. We have another one that is finished and suitable for omegas to live in, called Omega One. There’s one omega living there right now named Sando.” 

“Why are these buildings separated from the main house?” Ruari asked.

Kean shot him a careful look, I’m sure of how much detail he should provide. “For safety reasons,” he said. “Since Enar and Palani are both so closely involved in the research into the gene, they’re expecting gene carriers to live here. That means they would need to stay away from any alphas during their heat, which is why they built these houses so they're disconnected from the main house. Not that all the alphas are in the main house. There are many people living here on pack land, and most of the single men live in dormitory style cottages with four people, spread out all over the pack land. We call them bunkhouses.”

Ruari studied him out of the corner of his eye for a second or two. “Is that where you live?” he asked, and Kean wondered if it was an indirect way of inquiring whether he was single. Or was he overthinking things and attaching meaning to an innocent question?

“Yeah, I share a bunkhouse with another beta, with room for two more. I could’ve moved into the main house since my brother is there, but…” He stopped talking, unsure if this was a topic he should bring up with Ruari. He wasn’t sure if his negative experiences in the past with alphas had traumatized him in any way, and Kean didn’t want to stir up any bad memories or make him feel uncomfortable.

“But what?” Ruari asked.

Well, he would find out at some point if he moved in, Kean reasoned. It wasn’t like it was a secret, and the men talked about it amongst themselves all the time. “There are two groups of mates living in the main house, first of all the pack alpha and his three mates, one of whom is my brother. Then there’s Grayson, an alpha who lives there with his two mates, Lars and Sven.”

Ruari looked at him quizzically. “Yeah, so?”

Kean wasn’t shy about sex, but this was a rather awkward situation with a man he had just met, in a context where sex was not an expected topic of conversation, and with someone he liked. Was he about to ruin his chances of anything more with Ruari? He would have to risk it, because lying was not an option since Ruari would find out the truth himself soon enough. It was a rare day when you didn’t spot someone getting it on.

“Let’s just say they all have a voracious sexual appetite,” he worded it carefully. When Ruari still looked confused, he added, “And they don’t always bother to retreat into the bedroom before they engage in said activities.”

Ruari's eyes widened, and then he smiled. “Oh, that has got to be awkward when it’s your brother.”

Kean grinned, relieved that Ruari had taken it well. “You have no idea. Bray, our head of security, and Lucan, who I share housing with, are in the same position, as Grayson is his father. And to make it even worse, Grayson’s two mates are Enar’s brothers. It’s all super complicated, these relationships and family lines,” he said when Ruari frowned. “But they all love each other very much, so we try not to make a big deal out of it, but it made me decide to not live in the main house. There are only so many times you can see your brother sexually active before it becomes too much.”

“Live porn shows in the main house, noted,” Ruari said, and Kean couldn’t believe he used the exact same expression he himself had used to describe it to Bray. “But I have another question. You’ve used the term pack a few times now. Does that refer to what I think it does? Are you guys living in an old-fashioned pack?”

“Yes. We have a pack alpha, which is Lidon, and a second-in-command, which is my brother Palani. We follow the old pack traditions as much as we can, and that means that on a day-to-day basis, we follow the commands of our alpha and his second-in-command. Pack law supersedes any other law or family bonds.”

Ruari was quiet for a bit, and Kean allowed him the time to let this unusual news sink in. “You guys must have been happy with the election results, then,” he finally said, and Kean was surprised that was the first thing he would think of. There was an edge to Ruari’s voice he couldn’t place, like he was saying more than Kean picked up on in that statement. 

The answer to Ruari’s question about the election, of course, wasn’t as simple considering what they knew about the election fraud, so Kean decided to let that go. Instead, he figured it was time to share the biggest and most shocking revelation.

“There’s more,” he said, then tried to explain Lidon’s shifting powers as best as he could.

“He can shift?” Ruari asked, shock painted all over his face. “Like, shift into a wolf?”

“Yes. So far, he’s the only one of us who can, and he doesn’t even know exactly how he does it. But I’ve seen him as a wolf, and it is the most amazing, magical experience you will ever have.”

Ruari put a hand on Kean’s lower arm and made him stop. “You’re serious? He can shift and you’ve seen it?”

Kean nodded, not surprised in the least at Ruari's reaction. It was hard to believe when you hadn’t been a part of this pack for the last month and hadn’t experienced it yourself. “Yes. I haven’t seen him shift, not the actual process, I mean. But I have seen him in wolf form, and I’ve experienced the effects of a shift. It’s quite powerful.”

“What kind of effects? How can his shifting affect you?”

Dammit, he boxed himself into a corner again. “It’s erm… It affects all of us, our libidos?”

Ruari stared at him for a few seconds, then slowly shook his head. “What is this, a pack or some kind of sex club?”