The relief from knowing Andy is safe is finally starting to set in. I’ve been so tightly wound over the past few weeks. Now that I’ve him seen with my own eyes and know he’s happy and safe, I can finally breathe again. Seeing him with another omega and playing the role of the doting daddy was a bit of a shock. He’s barely eighteen, and it’s hard for me to imagine him with a baby, much less one that he’s raising with an omega.

Freddie will have as difficult of a time as Andy will when it comes to getting jobs and earning respect in this fucked up society. But I would never say that to my brother. As long as he and Freddie are happy together, I’ll do whatever I can to help them. If they need a place to stay, they can stay with me. I’ll sleep on the couch when I’m at home, but I won’t lose my brother again. I can’t. He’s all I have left now that my parents have shown their true colors. I can’t imagine looking at them ever again much less being a part of their lives. No, it’s just me and Andy…and I guess Freddie and their baby.

“Ethan.” Andy’s voice stops me just before I reach the waiting room. When I turn around, Andy barrels right into my chest, wrapping his arms around me and holding me tight. “God, E. It’s so good to see you.”

Where was this reception when I saw him earlier? I ball my fists up against his back and just hold him tight. “You too, Andy. I’ve been looking for you for weeks, and I’m just so fucking glad you’re safe.”

“I’m sorry I was so distracted earlier.” Andy’s head pushes against my chest and then he suddenly rubs his eyes over my shirt before pulling back. “When Naheed told me you showed up and Freddie went into labor and you brought them here, it was too much for me to take in. You know how I get. I just needed to take one thing at a time and getting Freddie comfortable was the less daunting of the two.” He gives me half smile that makes me want to ruffle his hair with my fingers like I did when he was little.

I don’t understand what would be daunting about him seeing me? Honestly, I thought he would be happy. I imagined him being excited to see me and wanting to come live with me. This doesn’t make any sense. “Why, Andy? Are you mad at me? Did I do something?”

“No, not at all.” He looks down at his feet and then back up at me. “I think I was just…embarrassed.”

My jaw drops, shocked by what he’s saying. “For what? You didn’t do anything wrong. Mom and Dad are the psychos here.”

“I know. I guess I thought maybe you’d think less of me once you found out I was omega. I know I shouldn’t have thought that, but getting my status was pretty shocking. I didn’t know what to think…and then the way Mom and Dad reacted changed my whole view of everything. I didn’t feel like I had an identity anymore, and I didn’t want to burden you with my problems when my own parents didn’t even want to deal with me anymore.”

“You’ll never be a burden to me.” I wrap my arm around his shoulder and pull him to my side again. “You’re my brother, and I love you. I’ll always be here for you, no matter what. Don’t ever disappear on me again, okay?”

Andy nods without making eye contact and lets out a shuttering breath. “I’m sorry you were worried, Ethan. I wanted to call, but I don’t have your number memorized and my phone broke.”

“Oh, that explains it. Mom said she paid your phone bill, but every time I called, it went straight to voicemail.” I hate the way my voice cracks with my vulnerability. “I figured you had blocked me or just didn’t want to talk to me.”

Before he can respond, the buzzer the nurse gave Andy starts to vibrate and lights begin to flash. Andy’s eyes go wide as he looks down at it. “I’ve got to go, but you’ll be here when I come back?”

I squeeze his shoulder. “I’ll be here, bud. Go get that baby.”

Andy’s grin is wide as he bolts back toward Freddie’s room.

* * *

Two hours later, Andy comes back into the room with red eyes and a huge smile. “It’s a boy!”

Max, an omega who credits Freddie for his decision to stay at Omega House when they were rescued from the same breeding farm, jumps out of his chair and throws his fist in the air. “Yes!”

Jace, Naheed’s mate, groans. “Damn, I totally thought it was a girl.”

Max saunters over to Jace with his palm held out. “Pay up, buddy. Twenty bucks.”

Naheed shakes his head with an indulgent smile and pulls out his wallet. “You got lucky, kid.”

“Or maybe I’m just smart.” Max shrugs as he waits for his payment. “Freddie makes boys. It seemed like the obvious answer.”

“What do you mean?” I’ve been trying not to be overly intrusive in their banter while we’ve been waiting, but I’m curious about that comment. “Does he have other kids?”

The smiles in the room all fall and Naheed gives a stern look to each of his friends. “Um, that’s something you should ask Freddie.” Then he looks back to Andy. “Is he ready for visitors?”

“Yeah, they’re doing some standard blood and hearing tests right now, but Freddie said he wanted to show off his little man as soon as the doctor is out of there. They told me to give them twenty minutes.”

I’m surprised to see my watch reads 3:45. I’ve been at the hospital all day and haven’t eaten any real food since breakfast. Standing up, I stretch out my arms and all eyes turn to me. “I’m gonna run to the cafeteria for a sandwich. Anyone want anything?”

“I’ll go with you.” Andy is at my side, looking as emotionally and physically exhausted as I feel. “I’m starving.”

We take the stairs to the basement level where the cafeteria is. Neither of us say anything until we get in line at the grill.

When I notice Andy studying the menu like it’s in a different language, I rest my hand on his shoulder and give him a small shake. “My treat. Get whatever you want.”

He glances at me for a second but quickly looks away. “I have money. It’s okay.”

“How?” It isn’t really any of my business, but if Andy’s been on his own for almost a month, that three hundred dollars has to be long gone. And there are only a few ways a homeless omega can earn cash on the streets. None of them are good.

“Mom and Dad gave me a few hundred bucks when I left, and I had some money saved up. I thought it would go toward college, but it’s mostly been going in my gas tank.”

“So, you’ve been living at Omega House this whole time?”

The line moves forward and Andy steps up to the counter to place his order.

I’ve never been good at being patient, but I don’t press him for an answer until we’re both seated at a table with cheeseburgers and Cokes. After we’ve each had a few bites, I ask again. “You’ve been living at Omega house since you left Mom and Dad’s?”

Andy shakes his head as he chomps down on his burger then he seems to contemplate his answer. “I’ve technically been living in my car, but I finally found the courage to go to Omega House about a week ago.”

“Your car?” I feel sick just thinking about all the shit that could have happened to him while he was sleeping on the side of the road. “Why? Is Omega House full or something?”

“No.” He takes a drink of his Coke then sits back in his chair with his arms over his chest. “But I still had money and it seemed wrong to take a bed from someone who needed it more than me while I had other options.”

“Andy, sleeping in your car isn’t another option. That should have been your very last resort. It must have been freezing!” The late winter was already starting to ease up but thirty and forty-degree nights were not uncommon in this area.

“I turn the heater on every hour or so to warm up. And there’s a mall with a well-lit parking structure I can park at. They have a security guard who drives around all night, and I gave him twenty bucks on my first night to ignore me. It’s been working out pretty well.”

“I want you to live with me.” I wrap both hands around my cup to keep from reaching out to him. Andy is an adult now, and I can’t make him do anything. But I’m not above begging. “You can have the bedroom since I’m almost never home. When I am home, I’ll sleep on the sofa bed.”

“I can’t leave right now.” Andy looks pained as he gives me the news I really don’t want. “I promised Freddie I’d help him with the baby. I can’t just ditch them and go live in some nice apartment while they’re still in a shelter.”

“So, you guys are pretty serious, then? You’re ready to be a dad?”

Andy pauses mid bite and pulls his burger out of his mouth, the imprint of his teeth visible in the bun. “What?”

“You and Freddie? I figured since it’s only been a week, maybe it was more of a fling. But if you’re serious about being together, he can come too. You guys can raise the baby in an apartment instead of an omega shelter.”

Andy cocks his head and then busts out laughing. “You think we’re a couple?”

“Aren’t you?” Now I cock my head, recalling everything I’ve witnessed in the past seven hours. “You’re his birthing partner.”

“God, no. I just thought it’d be cool to witness childbirth.” His eyes glaze for a second. “And it was. But no, we’re not into each other. He’s definitely looking for an alpha.” Andy’s cheeks pink up and his eyes lock on the fries left on his plate.

“What?” He’s definitely hiding something.

He shrugs. “I dunno. I guess I am too.”

“You want an alpha?” I’m not surprised, but Andy still seems too young to be thinking about someone to settle down with. “Now?”

“Not necessarily now.” He pops a fry into his mouth and takes his time chewing, probably thinking about how best to respond. “But, yeah, eventually. Maybe not too far into the future.”

Wow. This is one mind-blowing revelation in a long list of mind-blowing revelations I’ve experienced over the past few weeks. “What about college?”

Andy gives me an incredulous smile. “Really, E? You think college is still in my future? I’ll be lucky if I don’t spend the rest of my life bagging fries at a drive-thru window. I’m gonna try for my GED but that’ll probably be the end of my educational road.”

“No, Andy.” I lean forward so I’m as close to him as I can be from across the table. “You are going to college. I don’t care what you study, but you are going to have the future Mom and Dad promised you. The future you were heading toward just a few months ago. I’ve got plenty of cash saved up from tips, so I’ll pay your tuition myself if I have to. But I will not let you become another omega statistic. You are going to be amazing and successful. I promise.”

“Thank you, Ethan.” A tear escapes Andy’s eye, but he doesn’t bother to wipe it away. “That means a lot to me. But I can’t just leave Freddie right now. Maybe in a few months, but not right now. He has daycare lined up and Naheed might have a job for him, but I don’t want to move out of the area until I know he’s fine. I promised.”

I rest my forehead on my palm and rub my temple with my thumb. “What if I move here and get a two-bedroom apartment? You can each have a room and I’ll crash on the couch when I’m in town. I average like three to four nights home per month, so you guys can have your space.”

“Really?” Andy is more surprised than he should be.

Did he really think I was just going to walk away and leave him to sleep in his car every night? “Yeah, really. What do you say?”

He finally relaxes and grins broadly. “That’s amazing. I need to talk to Freddie, but I think he’ll be okay with it.”

“Good.” I pick up my burger to take another bite, relieved that negotiation didn’t take longer or end differently. “I’ll start looking at places tomorrow.”