In the past, Liam had heard other omegins talk about not understanding true love until they held their child in their arms for the first time, and he hadn’t really believed them. Just because you birthed a child didn’t mean you’d automatically love them, especially if you weren’t complicit in their creation. He’d been skeptical.

Until a tiny little boy was put into his arms, and Liam held his son for the first time. The little life he’d been handed was his. The baby had come from him and no one else. And dear goddess, Liam loved him. He loved him, wanted him, and he’d die for the little man he’d known for exactly thirty seconds. And he wasn’t ashamed of crying over the little boy whose eyes were barely open.

Dr. Troi appeared on his other side, a big grin on his face. “He has the omega birthmark, and he looks incredibly healthy. Congratulations, Liam.”

“Thank you.” Liam could barely get the words out for the tightness in his throat. He was crying tears of utter joy, and he couldn’t look away from his son.

My baby boy. I’m an omegin now.

“Isa?” He looked up to find his alpha watching him, pride radiating in his smile. This child wasn’t Isa’s by blood, but maybe Isa would help him raise the boy. “He’s here.”

“Yes, he is, and he’s perfect,” Isa replied. A single tear fled down his right cheek. “You did so well, Liam. I’m so proud of you.”

“I want to keep him. I wasn’t sure until I held him, and I can’t believe I ever questioned it.” He held the infant close and inhaled his unique omega scent, still very faint, but it would grow stronger as the boy himself grew. “Goddess, I love him so much.”

“Of course, you do. He’s part of you. Now you need to come up with a proper name.”

Liam’s heart squeezed with bitterness. “It’s usually the alpha who does that.”

“Well, this little man is all yours, Liam, and no one else’s. You get to name him.”

I want him to be yours, too, Isa.

“You also don’t have to decide right away,” Aiko said, “but I do need him for a few minutes. We need measurements, and he needs a proper bath.”

“Okay.” It broke Liam’s heart to be separated for even a moment—they’d been stuck together like glue for the last eight-plus months—but he knew his baby would be safe. He allowed Aiko to take him, and then Dr. Troi helped him through the rest of the post-birth process.

By the time they were done, the baby was back in Liam’s arms, swaddled in a new blanket, with a little green stocking cap on his head. “Seven pounds, six ounces, and eighteen inches long,” Aiko reported.

Liam breathed him in, so happy when those tiny eyes scrunched, then opened. “They’re blue,” Liam said. “My eyes are brown.”

“A newborn’s eyes are often blue or gray at birth and can darken over time,” Aiko said.

“He looks like you,” Isa said, tracing a thick finger across the baby’s cheek. “I mean that, he truly does.”

Liam snickered. “It’s not as if I remember what his sire looks like, not really. What do you say, little man? How about helping me honor a friend?”

“A friend?”

He met Isa’s gaze and smiled. “I want to name him after Laine, but with a Y. Layne.”

Isa blinked hard. “I think that’s a perfect name. Layne Haley.”

Layne Haley Higgs sounds so much better, but I don’t know if you want that.

“Do you want to hold him?” Liam asked.

“Oh, no, you enjoy your boy. You’ve worked hard to get him here. How about you rest for a while, and I’ll go tell your friends who’s finally here.”

Liam’s smile faltered. “Oh, uh, yeah, that’s fine. We’ll be here.”

“You were amazing, little one.” He leaned down and kissed Liam’s temple. “I’ll be back soon.”

“We’ll be moving Liam to a regular room in a few minutes,” Aiko said. “Everyone can visit him once he’s settled.”

“All right then,” Isa replied. He paused at the door to toss a casual wink over his shoulder at Liam before leaving.

A casual wink.

Liam pushed back a wave of grief. Isa didn’t want to hold Layne, and he was acting like they were simply friends, when Liam wanted so much more. Maybe it was post-birth hormones, but he wanted his alpha to lay a claim on him. On both of them.

He doesn’t want us, not like that.

It didn’t matter right now. The one thing that mattered most was in his arms, blinking sleepy eyes at him. “I love you so much, Layne,” he whispered. “We’re all we need, little man.”

“Before you’re discharged, we’ll help you get used to nursing him,” Aiko said. “It can be a little tricky at first.”

“Thank you.” Alarm raced down his spine like ice water. “Crap, I don’t have anything. Not even diapers. I didn’t know if I wanted to keep him, so I didn’t buy stuff, and I don’t have anything for a newborn.”

“You’ll be fine. We can send you home with some things, and I’m sure that alpha of yours will take care of everything else.”

Liam frowned. “He’s not mine. We aren’t mates.”

“Have you told him that?” The beta nurse grinned at him. “Anyone with eyes can see he adores you. You two worked like any other mated pair I’ve seen give birth in this hospital. Being mates is window dressing when two people are drawn to each other.”

“He isn’t drawn to me like you think. I had the baby of another alpha. He wouldn’t even hold Layne.”

“Listen, I can’t begin to understand the whole alpha/omega mating thing, but I do work with people day in and day out. Particularly, I work with alphas and omegas who are expecting. Don’t give up on him too soon, okay? There’s something there.”

Liam only nodded and held his son tighter.

A few minutes later, Liam and Layne were in a wheelchair and being taken to a private room. Once they were settled in bed, Layne started crying. The orderly backed out, but Aiko stuck around and showed Liam how to get Layne to attach to his nipple and feed. His breasts had swollen significantly during labor, and it was uncomfortable, but also natural. Exactly what an omegin should be doing for his boy.

“You’ll need to supplement your milk with formula, or donated breast milk,” Aiko said. “Your body simply won’t produce enough to keep little Layne properly fed.”

“Makes sense.” A baby sucking on his chest was definitely the newest, weirdest sensation of Liam’s life. Aiko also showed him how to burp during feeding, so he’d be less gassy at the end and less likely to vomit anything back up. Once little Layne had his fill, Aiko opened the door to visitors.

His room flooded with Demir and Liam’s omega friends—everyone except Reid—and Liam lost a bit of time to congratulations and hugs, as well as thanks for honoring their friend’s life with Layne’s name. Jaysan was standoffish, but smiling, and Liam soaked in the collective joy in the room.

“I’m so glad you’re keeping him,” Kell said on Jax’s behalf. “We all are.”

“Once I saw him, I couldn’t not keep him,” Liam said. “But that means I didn’t prepare. I don’t have anything.”

“You’ll be fine. We can collect our hand-me-downs, and get whatever else you need from the store.”

“Kell’s right,” Brogan said. “Peyton has already outgrown his newborn onesies, so you can have those.”

“Besides,” Braun said, “I heard Constable Higgs conspiring with Tarek, and we’re really good about helping our friends. When Jax first came to us, we had him a room, a crib, and a baby bag by the end of the day.”

Jax signaled his agreement. Liam didn’t know a lot of the language yet, but he’d picked up the basics over the last few months.

“I have credit,” Liam said. “If anyone goes shopping, please use my card.” He’d gotten his provincial credit card re-issued about a week after his rescue and the money, surprisingly, hadn’t been touched. It hadn’t increased at all, because when Lawry sold him, Liam was reported as mated, so he no longer received the monthly stipend. But he did have his own money.

“We’ll make a list of what you need,” Kell said. “Don’t worry, you won’t go home with nothing, I promise.”

Liam gazed at the faces of his friends, overwhelmed by the support and generosity of these men. It wasn’t lost on him that Isa was standing out in the hallway with the other alphas. Sure, the room was a little crowded, but it hurt that Isa was keeping his distance from Liam and Layne.

A lot.

Tarek got called away for work, and he was replaced by Kell’s mate Ronin. Ronin arrived with a brown diaper bag full of diapers, bottles, formula, wipes, and other things, and Liam nearly started crying again.

“I told you we take care of our friends,” Kell said. He leaned closer to whisper, “I’m so glad you had a smooth birth and are keeping him.”

“Me too, thank you.” Even if Isa didn’t want them, even if his stay in the Higgs house was now coming to a slow end, Liam didn’t regret keeping his baby. They’d get by, no matter what happened in the future.

After a few more minutes of joyful chatter, the room cleared of everyone except Braun, who sat on the bed next to them. With so many people in the room, Liam had been insanely protective of Layne, but now that it was just two of them, he was more comfortable allowing Braun to hold the newborn.

“So Constable Higgs coached you through the birth, huh?” Braun asked with a smirk.

“Doesn’t mean anything.” Liam picked at a bit of blanket lint. “He won’t even hold Layne. I offered.”

“Doesn’t mean anything,” Braun retorted. “Maybe he’s scared of getting too attached to Layne. I mean, you guys haven’t talked about the mating bond yet, right? He could be just as worried as you that you don’t feel it back, and if he bonds with Layne, he also risks the chance of losing him if you leave.”

“I don’t want to leave. I love living with Isa and Demir. They’re wonderful to me.”

“So tell them that. Make sure they know you aren’t going anywhere. I mean, it’s not like anyone fostered you guys on the condition that you leave once you’d given birth, right?”

“Right. But now that Layne is here, I could go into heat anytime between tomorrow and three months from now, and what if he doesn’t feel the bond? How will I find an alpha who does that I trust enough to mate?”

Braun shrugged. “If you don’t find a bondmate this heat, maybe your next. It’s going to be harder on you, though, because you did technically mate with Layne’s sire.”

Liam frowned. “Yeah, well, I’m just glad it wasn’t a bondmate, or I’d be losing my mind missing him, simply because of freaking omega biology.”

“Yeah, you would. I miss Tarek like crazy while he’s at work, and there is nothing like knowing you’ve got someone who’ll take perfect care of you during heat.”

He’d have to take Braun’s word on that.

“Listen, I have to get to work,” Braun said. “If you need anything, even someone to vent to, call me. And good luck with Layne.”

“Thanks.” He accepted his baby back, happy to have him in his arms again.

After Braun left, Isa stepped tentatively into the room. “How are you doing?”

“I’m a little tired, but I feel okay.” Liam patted his round belly. “Can’t wait for this thing to go down.”

“I can imagine. It’s wonderful to see such a big support system rallying around you both.” His tone was as tentative as his posture, and it made Liam’s heart sink.

Was this some sort of buildup to “now that the baby is born, let’s see about getting you a proper alpha and out of my house”?

“It’s nice having friends again,” Liam said. “I wish Reid had come, but I understand why he didn’t. Not just that we fought, but he can’t have very good memories of giving birth.”

“I imagine not.”

He had to try one more time. “Are you sure you don’t want to hold Layne? I trust you not to drop him.”

Isa’s lips twitched. “Thank you, but not right now. Did your nurse indicate how long you’d have to stay in the hospital?”

“No, but it’s what? About three o’clock in the afternoon? They might keep us overnight, I guess.”

Before Isa could comment, someone knocked on the door. Aven, Tarius and Demir came inside, Tarius armed with a stuffed giraffe toy and a shopping bag. The two eldest congratulated him and cooed over how gorgeous Layne was.

“Dad called,” Tarius said, “and told us you were keeping the baby, so we stopped by the store and picked up some clothes and formula, because we weren’t sure what you needed.”

Liam’s eyes burned. “You didn’t have to do that, but thank you so much.”

“Hey, you guys are family now, right?”

I want to be, but I’m not so sure your sire does.

“They most certainly are family,” Isa said.

Liam met and held his gaze, and Isa’s eyes glowed with something Liam couldn’t name. But he liked it. It was fierce and protective, but still hesitant. As if Isa was scared to claim what he clearly wanted.

“Don’t worry,” Demir said, oblivious to the undercurrent in the room, “we’ll make sure you have a crib and everything at the house before you bring Layne home.”

“Thank you,” Liam said. “For everything.”

“It’s no hardship, little one,” Isa said. “No hardship at all.”

* * *

Everyone warned Liam that the first few days adjusting to a newborn were the hardest, but Liam didn’t believe it until he lived it. The hospital had kept him overnight and released him early the next morning, and by the time Isa drove them both home, there was a crib and stocked changing table in Liam’s room. Having him close by for now was easier than keeping him across the hall in Aven’s old room, especially since Layne was up every three hours.

Feeding, diaper, feeding, diaper. Darkness, sunlight, didn’t matter. Liam’s life revolved around his baby, and that was fine. He was exhausted, but happy to have his son to dote on, and to occasionally nap when Layne napped. Demir helped a lot. He seemed to get a kick out of assisting in bottle feeding Layne when Liam was empty, so Liam let him. It gave Liam precious minutes to rest.

Isa, though…on his third day home with Layne, Liam put his baby down for an afternoon nap and allowed himself to feel his frustration and anger over Isa. The man was as kind as usual, generous with his time and attention, and he even helped prepare the bottles sometimes, but he refused to actually hold Layne.

At breakfast this morning, Demir had even commented about the kid not having cooties, and Isa simply laughed it off. But now, hours later, with the baby asleep and the house empty, Liam could think. Maybe Braun was right, and Isa didn’t want to get attached. But why not? Liam was perfectly happy here, and he had no reason to leave, unless he was kicked out.

But Isa showed no signs of becoming tired of having an omegin and his newborn underfoot. He certainly wasn’t participating in Layne’s care very much, but that also wasn’t his job. Isa was not Layne’s sire, and he was not Liam’s mate. He was simply Liam’s guardian, tasked to look after Liam until Liam found his future mate.

Still, the distance fucking hurt.

Isa would come home in a few hours, and with the weekend looming, maybe they could finally talk about this like adults. Liam was tired of waiting for Isa to come to him, and he couldn’t go on not knowing what Isa truly wanted.

Liam really should take Layne’s naptime as a chance to nap himself. He was a bit lightheaded from lack of sleep, his nipples were tender from nursing, and the oatmeal he’d eaten for breakfast had been hours ago. But he’d neglected cooking for the last few nights, and he wanted to start this weekend off on a good note. So he put off sleep in favor of snacking on some grapes while he searched the freezer.

Chicken breasts would thaw in the microwave, so he got on that, and then made a marinade to give them some flavor. He was no gourmet, but he knew his way around spices and vinegar. Once the thawed chicken was marinating in the fridge, he started peeling potatoes, since they were the only fresh vegetable in the house.

They needed groceries badly, so he put aside the potatoes and started making a list.

His peace didn’t last much longer. A distant cry made Liam groan. He pushed away from the kitchen table, but as he began to rise, the world tilted sideways, and then the floor rushed up to meet him.

* * *

Isa whistled his way up the pathway to the front door, happy to be off an hour early. Liam hadn’t left the house since coming home with the baby, and Isa planned to treat the family to a nice meal in the backyard. Probably barbecue takeout, because he didn’t think they had much in the house to cook. He would have suggested a restaurant, but newborns weren’t supposed to be out and about much for the first week or two, because their immune system was still adjusting.

The weather was turning warmer as they eased into the middle of spring, and today had been lovely, with a break in the rainy season. The patio furniture should be dry enough.

He turned his key and entered the house to the familiar sound of Layne crying. But he paused in the foyer, because the pitch of the baby’s cry was higher, more desperate. “Liam?” He shut the front door and headed directly down the hallway toward the bedrooms.

The door was half-shut, and Isa pushed it open, expecting to find Liam trying to hush Layne. Instead, the wailing baby was alone, little fists waving in the air above him. Fear clutched Isa’s heart with icy fingers. “Where’s your omegin, little man?”

Without thinking, Isa picked up the squirming bundle and tried to shush him. A saggy diaper seemed to be the problem, but where was Liam? Isa checked the bathroom, but it was empty, so he retraced his steps only to stop short, his chest flaying wide-open in panic.

Liam was on the kitchen floor on his side, his back to Isa, and he wasn’t moving.

“Oh shit, Liam?”

Isa dropped to the floor beside him, careful not to jostle Layne too much, and immediately checked Liam’s pulse. Steady and strong.

“Thank goddess. Liam?” He carefully rolled Liam onto his back, and Liam’s eyelids fluttered. The younger man groaned. “Liam, are you hurt?”

“Uh, don’t think so.” Liam was pale, but he opened his eyes and blinked. “Shit, Layne. I’m sorry.”

“For what? What happened?”

Twin spots of color darkened Liam’s cheeks. “I think I fainted.”

“You fainted? Do you need me to take you to the hospital?”

“Goddess, no. Please, take care of Layne. I’m okay, I promise.”

Isa was skeptical, but Layne had a healthy set of lungs, so he took the newborn back to his changing table and fixed the diaper problem. Layne still wasn’t happy, though, so he returned to the kitchen, where Liam was sitting in a chair, hands folded on the table and his forehead resting on them.

The position worried Isa, but he’d been told to tend to the baby first, so he did as his omega asked. He warmed a bottle and fed Layne. The baby was so small tucked into the crook of his arm, but he settled quickly, happily sucking away at the rubber nipple. Isa smiled at the way the milk frothed at the corners of his mouth. It had been so long since he’d fed a baby. Not since Demir outgrew it and started eating solid food.

Isa found himself humming an old song Herris used to sing to their boys, until Layne was full and falling asleep. He turned to find Liam staring at him like he’d never seen Isa before. “What?” Isa asked. “I have three kids. I helped.”

Liam frowned. “I didn’t get that impression.”

“You didn’t?”

“It wasn’t as if you helped me at all.” The hurt in Liam’s voice woke up his inner alpha. “I mean, I get it that Layne isn’t your kid, but you’ve been distant since the hour he was born.”

“I didn’t mean to be.” Except he kind of had.

“Do you not want us anymore?”

Isa’s mouth fell open, shocking rolling through his system. “Of course, I do. Liam, I am so sorry I made you think I didn’t.” He eased into the chair next to Liam, but didn’t offer Layne back. Liam still looked so fragile and exhausted, and damn Isa for not realizing sooner how much Liam needed him. He’d been too wrapped up in trying to distance himself, in case he lost them both.

“Are you offended that some random alpha is his sire?” Liam asked.

“Goddess, no. I care for you both so much. I don’t care who Layne’s sire is. Not even a little. That’s not…I’m sorry. I was keeping my distance, and I’m sorry.”

“But why?”

Isa studied the exhausted omegin who’d already passed out once today. This wasn’t the time to drop something as big as the mating bond on Liam. “Tell you what? Let’s table this conversation until tomorrow. Right now, you need to get some rest. I can look after Layne for a couple of hours.”

“Are you sure?”

“Positive. Here.”

He passed Layne over to Liam, and once he was sure Liam had a tight grip, picked them both up in his arms. Carried them directly to Liam’s room, so he could tuck Liam into bed. “Get some sleep, Liam, please. This is my fault for not helping you, so allow me to help now. I’ll take care of Layne, I promise.”

“Thank you.” Liam kissed the baby’s forehead, then allowed Isa to take him. “If you drop him, I will murder you with my bare hands.”

Isa grinned. “Three kids, remember? I’ve got this, I swear. Now sleep.”

Liam let out a big yawn, and then rolled onto his side. Isa used his free hand to draw the curtains, and then shut his door completely.

In the hall, Isa studied the sleepy baby in his arms. “Looks like it’s you and me tonight, little man.”

Layne gurgled, and his eyes drifted shut. Isa took a moment to study Liam’s son. He did look like Liam, from his dark hair to the delicate shape of his nose, and he had Liam’s darker coloring, too. Isa inhaled deeply to pick up his faint omega scent, and something inside of Isa snapped into place.

Liam was his, ergo Layne was his, too. Isa didn’t give a flying fuck who the boy’s sire was; Layne was Isa’s. He’d raise this child like he was Isa’s own blood, and when the time came, Layne would get the very best mate possible. A kind alpha who would treat Layne like the prince he was.

And Liam…Isa wanted to spend the rest of his life making Liam happy. He wanted to mate with him, to possibly have another child together, to be a family with Isa’s three beta sons. The six of them as one unit. Period.

When Demir arrived home two hours later, he nearly tripped over his own feet when he saw Isa holding Layne in one arm, while Isa checked the baking chicken breasts with the other.

“Is Liam sick?” Demir asked.

Isa chuckled. “No, he’s sleeping. He’s exhausted, and I realized I wasn’t pulling my weight around here, so I sent him to bed. We can look after Layne for one evening.”

“Good.” Demir eagerly took Layne from him. “You were kind of being a lazy jerk, Dad.”

“I know I was, and I’m sorry about that. I apologized to Liam, and I’m apologizing to you, as well.”

“Thanks. So why were you?”

Isa shut the oven door so the chicken could cook a while longer. “Because I was afraid.” He turned to face his son, who looked incredibly natural holding a newborn. “I was afraid if I got too close, I’d admit what I want, and maybe Liam doesn’t want the same thing.”

Demir narrowed his eyes. “What do you want?”

“Liam. And Layne. If they’ll have me.”

“Seriously? You do want to mate with Liam?”

“I do, as I said, if he’ll have me. Tomorrow, Liam and I are going to talk about it. When he’s well-rested and able to think clearly. I don’t want his decision to be based in desperation for childcare help, or a solid place to live. I want him to choose me, not just an alpha.”

“That makes sense, and for what it’s worth, I think he wants you back. For you, not for just having a house he can live in and a kid who likes babysitting.”

Isa grinned, then reached out to ruffle Demir’s hair. “You’re a great kid. Have I said that recently?”

“No, and it always bears repeating.”

“Brat. You watch the baby, I’ve got to finish dinner.”

“You gonna wake Liam to eat?”

“Briefly. He needs to keep his strength up, but the plan is he gets a full night’s sleep, okay?”

“Deal.” Demir glanced at Layne. “Dude, we’ve got this. No problem.”

They did have this. It was time to step up and prove to Liam that Isa was an alpha worth accepting.

Starting with a healthy dinner.