Isa needed to put a cap on his anger, because he was scaring Liam, and he never wanted to do that, but the legal paperwork in front of him had his temper at full-boil. How dare another man try to claim his bondmate? No fucking way was that happening ever.

“What do you mean?” Tarek took the paperwork, his own expression shifting into disbelief and anger. “You have to be kidding me.”

“This Mancini is deranged if he thinks he can win this,” Isa snarled.

“Win what?” Liam asked, his broken voice softer than usual. “I don’t understand.”

Isa looked around, then gently pulled Liam off the patio and into a quiet corner of the yard. Tarek followed them, still holding the papers. “I don’t completely understand, either, but someone is claiming they have legal custody of both you and Layne.”

“What? How’s that possible? I don’t have any family members named Hank Mancini.” Liam paled so quickly that Isa had an arm around his waist instantly, in case he passed out. “Oh fuck. The halfway house.”

“He’s insane,” Tarek said. “If he’s the alpha who impregnated you against your will, he’s facing rape charges. No way he’ll gain custody of anyone. The court can’t possibly count that mating as legal.”

“Oh goddess, what if they do?” Liam asked. His cheeks were red, and he clutched Layne like the baby was going to disappear into thin air. “No.”

Tarek glanced around the yard. “Ronin!” He waved him over.

Isa wished he’d thought of that. Ronin was an incredibly talented lawyer. He’d help them figure this out. Ronin and Kell came over together, and Kell bolted to Liam’s side.

“What’s going on?” Kell asked. “Liam?”

Liam leaned into his friend from the side, because his arms were full of baby, and Isa let him go. Isa explained what they knew, while Ronin read the paperwork. Kell led Liam a few feet away, probably so their roiling alpha anger didn’t keep upsetting them both.

“The paperwork is legit,” Ronin finally said. “I’ll file a counter-suit immediately, but the court will require a DNA test on Layne, to prove Mancini sired him. If it does prove that, we may have grounds to prosecute for rape.”

“May have grounds?” Isa asked.

“We don’t have much in the way of solid evidence. The only person who could verify what happened while Liam was in heat is Lawry, and Lawry’s long dead. If we can find evidence of a cash transaction between Lawry and Mancini the same week as Liam’s heat, that might be enough to prove conspiracy.”

“In Liam’s statement,” Tarek said, “he says he did not verbally consent to Lawry that an alpha could touch him.”

“True, but again, Lawry’s dead, so it’s he said/he said. If Mancini can convince a judge that both Lawry, who was Liam’s legal guardian at the time, and Liam himself consented to the mating, he could have a case. Especially if Mancini provides the legal mating document that he and Liam would have signed to make the mating binding to the courts.”

“Liam never mentioned signing anything after his heat finished,” Isa said. He swallowed hard before dropping the bomb he’d already lobbed at Tarek earlier. “We’re bondmates. Liam and I, we both feel it.”

Ronin’s eyebrows rose. “That’s a new wrinkle.”

“But it means something for us, right? We obviously haven’t acted on it, because Liam was pregnant, and he hasn’t had a new heat since giving birth.”

“Legally, the mating bond isn’t required for an alpha/omega pairing to be binding. Look what happened with Kell and Krause.”

“Exactly!” Isa stabbed his finger in the air. “They weren’t bondmates, and look at the hell Kell went through for years. I won’t allow that to happen to Liam. I won’t lose him. Maybe it’s unfair of me, because I had one mate, but I love him, and I won’t let him go without a big damned fight.”

A hand wrapped around his, and Isa pulled Liam into his arms. He didn’t give a damn who saw, or who knew what anymore. Someone wanted to take his bondmate away, and that was flat-out not happening. Not while Isa had breath left in his body.

Kell stood nearby with Layne in his arms, his expression fierce as he looked at Ronin. “Could this person actually take Liam and Layne away from us?”

Ronin put an arm across his mate’s shoulders. “There’s a chance. I don’t think he would have filed and named himself Liam’s rapist unless he thought he had a chance.”

“But why me?” Liam asked. “Why now? Brogan wasn’t served. No one’s tried to take Laine’s baby away from the couple who adopted him. Why is this guy going after me?”

“I intend to find out,” Isa replied. “You and Layne aren’t going anywhere except home with me.”

“It’s the weekend, so I probably won’t be able to find much out tonight,” Ronin said. “But if you want me as your attorney, this one is on the house.”

“I appreciate it.”

“I don’t want to jinx it, but congrats on finding your bondmate. Some of us were honestly starting to wonder what was going on between you two.”

Kell looked at his feet.

“How much do you want other people to know what’s going on?” Tarek asked.

“As little as possible,” Isa said, and Ronin nodded his agreement.

“You can tell Braun,” Liam said. “I don’t want you or Kell to lie to him. He’d want to know, anyway. He’s my friend.”

“He’s also five months pregnant and doesn’t need the stress,” Tarek added with a frown.

“Everyone is going to find out at some point.”

“I think this news has put a damper on the festivities,” Isa said. “Ready to go home, Liam?”

“Definitely.” Liam took Layne from Kell and kissed the baby’s chubby cheek. “My little man, we’re staying exactly where we are. No one’s taking us away from Isa and Demir. No one.”

“No, they aren’t. Thank you for the food, Tarek. I’ll see you at work at the start of the week.”

“Yes, sir.”

Isa collected the diaper bag, then led his men to the car. He hated cutting out of the barbecue early, but all he could think about was getting his bondmate and their son safe at home as soon as possible. Liam was no longer in the party spirit, either, and he sank into the front seat, visibly miserable, and Isa needed to fix it somehow.

“The good news is, Mancini cannot simply come and take you from me,” Isa said as he drove. “I have legal custody, and that is binding unless he can legally prove he has any right to you or Layne. The first step is a DNA test.”

“But what if it proves Layne is his?”

“Then that is legal proof he has a claim to Layne. However, it does not prove you mated willingly. It isn’t enough to make you hand over your child, or yourself. I will not let him touch you again, Liam. That is a solemn promise.”

Liam gave him a watery smile. “You can’t promise that. Not if the courts side with Mancini. I heard you guys talking. It’s he said/he said now that Lawry is dead.”

“There is also the fact that he raped you, and then he left. He didn’t stake his claim as your mate. He didn’t take you with him from the halfway house. His motive right now is completely unknown. If he didn’t want you then, he’ll have a hell of a time explaining why he’s trying to claim you now.”

“That makes sense.” Liam released a long, mournful sigh. “Just as I was starting to be happy. Truly happy, this fucking happens.”

“Don’t let this ruin your happiness, Liam. Hold onto the joy of knowing Dent and Udall are behind bars, and the other men involved are being punished. Hold onto the joy of finding your bondmate.”

Liam nodded, but didn’t reply. He didn’t say anything else, until they were home and Layne was napping in his crib.

“What if we mated before this went to court?” Liam asked.

Isa nearly dropped the beer he was removing from the fridge. “What if we mated?”

“Yes. We both feel the mating bond, and I know I want to be your mate, Isa. There’s no doubt in my mind.”

“But you need to be in heat for our scents to mingle and for the bond to be complete.”

Liam blushed, his dark skin lightly pinking. “Both Kell and Jax told me their heats were spurred on by being close to their bondmates. Physically close. Intimate. If I go into heat, and we mate, doesn’t the claim of a bondmate supersede Mancini’s claim? Especially if I argue that I didn’t consent?”

“He could claim we mated simply because of this lawsuit, seeing as we didn’t tell our friends until after you were served with papers.”

“But Demir knows. You told him weeks ago.”

“I did.” Isa was no lawyer, but he knew enough about the law to see all kinds of loopholes and arguments both lawyers could use to get their way. A lot of the outcome here would depend on the judge assigned to their case. A progressive judge would have more sympathy for Liam. A conservative judge would more likely side with Mancini’s claim, no matter how it occurred. “I have to admit, I’ve never heard of a situation like this before.”

Liam snorted. “You mean an alpha who mates and breeds an omega, only to leave him behind like the fucking coward rapist he is?”

“Pretty much.” Isa pulled Liam against his chest and held him there with both arms around his back. “He abandoned you, Liam, and if there is a precedent out there that will help us, I have faith Ronin will find it.”

“I’m scared.” He buried his face in Isa’s armpit.

I’m scared, too, little one. But we’ll fight this, and we’ll win.

Isa couldn’t imagine any other outcome.

* * *

Liam was napping in his room, and Isa had just finished giving Layne a bottle when all three of his kids showed up. Demir stowed barbecue leftovers in the fridge, while Aven and Tarius descended on his spot at the kitchen table.

“You and Liam are bondmates?” Aven asked. “Seriously?”

Isa simply raised an eyebrow at his eldest. “Yes. And?”

“He’s the same age as Tarius, Dad. That’s really weird.”

“It’s biology, Aven, nothing more. I know it’s non-traditional, but I do love him. Not just as a housemate, but romantically, and he loves me.”

Aven pulled a face.

“How come you couldn’t tell us?” Tarius asked. “Why did we have to find out because of gossip at a barbecue?”

Isa groaned. “There was gossip?”

“Yeah, someone overheard you tell Constable Bloom and that lawyer you guys were bondmates. People tend to talk about that kind of stuff.”

“I’m sorry you didn’t hear it from me.” And Isa was genuinely sorry. “I intended to tell you boys when the time was right, but Liam wanted more time. Privacy. After everything that’s been taken from him by force, I wanted to let him make these big decisions.”

“So you lied to us?” Aven asked.

“I omitted the truth, and yes, I know that’s a form of lying. I’m sorry I hurt you boys. I was trying to protect my bondmate, and that’s a strong urge.”

“Alpha/omega stuff is weird,” Demir said from the other side of the kitchen.

Isa nodded. “It can be very weird, and sometimes it’s both unexpected and undefinable. After Herris died, I never expected to feel the mating bond with another omega. I’d resigned myself to being alone for the rest of my life, and that’s what made me so bitter for so long.”

“And then Liam came along,” Tarius said.

“Exactly. It took us both time to realize what we felt, because we were both, technically, previously mated. But the pull became undeniable after Liam gave birth.”

“Why did you guys leave the barbecue so abruptly?” Aven asked. “People were whispering, especially the homeowner and his mate. Did something happen?”

Isa explained the lawsuit as succinctly has possible, and he was heartened to see outrage from all his boys.

“That’s pretty sick,” Demir said. “Ten months later and he wants Liam? Fuck that.”

He didn’t have the heart to challenge his son for the cussing. “My sentiments exactly. It’s going to be a tricky case, and I need to know you three support us.”

“Sure we do. Liam’s like a brother to me, and I know that sounds gross now that he’s your mate and all, but I don’t want him to leave.”

“Me, either,” Tarius said. “Yeah, you mating someone my age is kind of creepy, in a way, but when you guys are together it’s obvious you love each other. I’m with you guys.”

“Yeah.” Aven looked less convinced, but he held Isa’s eyes and nodded. “Where is he, anyway?”

“Napping. It’s been a stressful afternoon,” Isa said.

“Can I have Layne?” Demir asked.

Layne wasn’t quite asleep, so Isa transferred the precious boy to Demir’s arms. He’d gotten so natural with the infant that Isa believed he’d be a great dad one day. Doting and attentive.

“So what do we do to help Liam?” Tarius asked.

“Right now, just be his friend. I’ve already got a lawyer looking into what we need to do. Our first big play is a DNA test, because if that comes back not a match, the lawsuit is baseless.”

“And if it’s a match?”

“Then we take the next step. Knowing you boys are on our side is a huge relief. And I know it won’t be easy seeing me with a new mate, but I love him.”

“You deserve to be happy, Dad,” Demir said. “So does Liam.”

“We all do,” Aven said softly.

Isa studied the sadness in Aven’s eyes and, not for the first time, wished his eldest still confided in him like he used to. He wished a lot of things were like they used to be.

But not Herris.

As much as Isa still loved and missed his late mate, that was his past. Liam and Layne were his future. And he’d do everything necessary to protect that future.

* * *

Liam bolted upright in bed, heart slamming into his ribs, a cold sweat breaking out over his skin. He was alone in his room, darkness peeking through the curtain, so it was late. The house was quiet, so what had woken him so suddenly?

My dream.

He’d been locked in a room, weeping, while a stranger left with Layne, laughing the entire way about all the babies Liam would make for him now.

“Isa?” His ruined voice barely carried across the room. He considered the bell, but this wasn’t an emergency, and he didn’t want to scare Layne awake, so Liam carefully climbed out of bed. He noted the time on his alarm clock—just past ten. He’d slept the day away. While he’d been getting more regular sleep now that Isa was actively helping him take care of Layne, stress still wore him out, and today had become incredibly stressful.

He crept out of his room, unsurprised to find the kitchen dark and quiet. Demir’s door was shut, and a beam of light shined out. Liam moved down the hall to Isa’s door. It was half open, so Liam peeked inside. Isa was asleep under the covers, Layne nestled in the crook of his arm. Layne was awake and calm, his big, round eyes gleaming in the dim moonlight from the window. His eyesight wasn’t developed enough to see Liam, but he must have sensed his omegin was close, because Layne squawked his baby laughter.

Isa startled and woke, one hand protectively covering Layne’s middle.

“Hey,” Liam said.

“Oh, hey.” Isa blinked stupidly at him for a moment. “You’re up.”

“I’m up. I didn’t think I’d sleep so long. Thank you for taking care of Layne.”

“It’s never a hardship.” He lifted the covers. “Care to join us?”

Liam smiled at the tentative offer. “Just sleeping?”

“Just sleeping. I’ll keep my hands to myself, I promise.”

“Okay.” Liam wasn’t sure if he was still tired, but he couldn’t turn this down. He slid under the covers so Layne was between them and scooted close without touching. Isa’s comforting scent surrounded him, and as he got comfortable against a pillow, he turned his head to meet Isa’s eyes.

In the dim light, Liam really studied his bondmate. Small brackets around his eyes, light flecks of silver in his hair. A bit thick around the middle, but Liam liked that. It gave him more to cuddle. He adored everything about Isa Higgs, especially his determination to fight for Liam and Layne to stay in his life.

“The boys know we bonded,” Isa said. “Apparently, some rumors began rumbling around the barbecue, so they stopped over to talk. They support us.”

“Really?”

“Yes. We all acknowledge it’s unusual, but they’ll fight with us, Liam. They’ll fight for us.”

“I’m glad. I’d hate to come between you and your sons.”

Isa brushed his fingers across Layne’s still-bald head. “I have another son to worry about, too.”

“Yes, you do.” Liam threaded his fingers with Isa’s, and he brought them to rest over Layne’s belly. “I can’t believe this is happening.”

“You need to be more specific, little one. I’m quite happy this particular thing is happening.”

Liam chuckled. “Me too. I mean Mancini trying to ruin our happiness.”

“We’re going to fight. No matter what it takes, we belong to each other. I promised you once I’d keep you safe, no matter what, and that no other alpha would touch you again. I very much intend to keep that promise.”

“Thank you.” Liam leaned up kiss Isa on the mouth. A soft kiss he deepened long enough to put the taste of his alpha back on his tongue. “Think we’ll be tempting my heat if I stay the night?”

“Don’t care. I want you here. In my bed.”

“So do I. My alpha.”

“Sleep, my omega. We’ll worry about the rest of it tomorrow.”

“Together?” Liam asked.

“Together.”

Please, goddess. I need him so much. We both do.