Chapter Nineteen
Riley
I was still in shock about what Colin had shared with me. It was hard to think about anything but what he’d told me about possibly being pregnant. The very thought of that defied everything I knew.
“Everybody still treating you well on social media?” Colin asked, leaning against the door between our rooms.
I was playing my guitar and working on some new material. I glanced up and stopped strumming. “You mean about coming out?”
He nodded.
“I haven’t checked it in a few hours.” I smoothed my hand over the frets.
“No?”
“I’ve had other things on my mind.”
He moved into the room. “I would have thought you’d be watching that like a hawk.”
“I was. But then you told me about… you know… and it’s hard to think about other things.”
“I see.”
“It’s not like you told me you were Mormon or something.” I wrinkled my brow.
“Coming out is huge for you though.” He perched on a chair across from me.
I set the guitar aside. “It pales in comparison to having a kid with you.”
He dropped his gaze. “Maybe I’m not pregnant and you’ll be off the hook.”
I frowned. “What does that mean?”
“If I’m not pregnant, you don’t have to be stuck with me.”
I shook my head. “I want to be with you. Baby or no baby. My feelings haven’t changed.”
He hung his head. “Okay.”
There was a knock on the door, and Colin moved to answer. When he opened it, Blade and Wyatt were standing there. My mouth dropped open, and Colin took a step back.
“Wh… what are you doing here?” Colin’s voice went up an octave.
Blade stepped into the room looking sheepish. “We were in the neighborhood.”
I was still so shocked to see them I just stared.
Wyatt followed his boyfriend in, carrying a car seat with Peter, who was sound asleep. Wyatt grimaced, looking uneasy. “This wasn’t my idea. Sorry to just barge in like this.”
Blade laughed awkwardly. “I needed to talk to Colin in person.”
Colin’s face was a picture of confusion. “Okay.”
Blade moved toward me, holding out his hand. “It’s great to see you again, Riley.”
I found my manners, and we shook. “Yeah, um… it’s good to see you too.”
Blade faced Colin. “Had any interesting conversations lately?”
Colin frowned. “Do you mean about the solar eclipse omega thing?”
Blade’s shoulders relaxed, and he turned to me. “Sorry about that. I didn’t know if he’d had the little talk with you yet or not.”
I grimaced. “Oh, you mean that talk.” I nodded. “Yeah, he did.”
“How did it go?”
Colin ran a hand over his hair. “It went about as well as a bizarre conversation like that could go.”
“I still suspect this might all just be a dream.” I sighed.
Wyatt glanced down at his sleeping son. “Trust me, it isn’t.”
Blade widened his eyes as he faced me. “So you probably have a million questions.”
“At least.”
Wyatt pulled a small white box from his coat jacket, and he tossed it to Colin. “Compliments of the house.”
Colin studied the little box, and his face flushed pink. “A pregnancy test?”
“Yep.” Wyatt nodded.
“Jesus, this is weird.” Colin scowled, still looking embarrassed.
“Oh, baby, I feel you.” Blade grinned.
“What do I do?” Colin held the box against his chest.
“You pee on the little stick thing.” Blade put his arm around Colin’s shoulders. “Here, I’ll show you.”
“What?” Wyatt squawked. “No you won’t.”
Blade laughed. “I just mean I’ll read the directions. I’m not gonna whip it out and demonstrate.”
Colin laughed uneasily. “This isn’t awkward at all.”
They went into Colin’s bathroom, and I met Wyatt’s gaze. “You guys flew all the way over here because of this?”
He shrugged. “We had a few days off and didn’t know if you’d taken the news well. After what Colin went through with his brother, we figured he needed support.”
“I feel bad you made that long trip.”
“Don’t. We didn’t trust Colin would tell us the truth. If you’d rejected him, he’s a proud little shit. He might not have been honest, and we couldn’t stand the idea of him struggling with something this huge on his own.”
“Wow. You guys are good friends.”
Wyatt shot a glance toward Colin’s room. “He’s a good guy. He’s been through hell.”
I sat on my bed. “Can you tell me a little more about what happened with Garrett?” I sighed. “Colin just tells me snippets.”
“Sure.” Wyatt set the baby seat on the ground, and he sat in a chair opposite me. “Where should I start?”
“I guess I want to know more about Garrett and Colin.”
“You mean them being solar eclipse omegas?”
I nodded.
“They didn’t know they were solar eclipse omegas. Apparently their parents didn’t even know.”
“Is there a way to tell?”
“The light icy-blue eyes with the dark ring and the birthmark on the right hip are the only physical signs.”
I frowned. “Seems a little unfair if they only find out what they are after they become pregnant.”
“I agree. I wish the Ancients didn’t see the need for such secrecy.”
“How exactly did Garrett die?”
Wyatt sighed. “Garrett’s alpha, Alan, threw him out when Garrett told him he was pregnant.”
“What?” I scowled. “Why?”
“He was a dick?”
I studied him, feeling sick at what Garrett must have had to go through. “I understand being confused and in denial for a minute, but for God’s sake, Garrett was pregnant with his child.”
“He didn’t care. He rejected Garrett and took up with some other omega.”
“Shit.”
Wyatt grimaced. “Garrett was too prideful, and he didn’t tell Colin what was happening. Colin went looking for his brother, and he found him after months of searching. But by the time he got to Garrett, he was so sick there wasn’t anything anyone could do for him or the baby.”
“Jesus.” I cringed. “That’s horrible.”
Wyatt nodded. “Yeah. If his alpha had been a man, he’d have stepped up and taken care of his omega. But he didn’t. He threw Garrett out and just pretended it had never happened. Garrett couldn’t work once he started showing. He just got skinnier and more sickly as time passed.”
“God.”
“I know it’s hard to hear.”
I dropped my hands in my lap. “How did Colin meet you and Blade?”
“It was while we were in the mountains giving birth to Peter.” He glanced at his sleeping son. “My mom had us go there. She knew about solar eclipse omegas. She knew Blade was pregnant before we did. She’s in contact with the Ancients.”
I frowned. “Wow. I wasn’t even sure the Ancients really existed.”
Wyatt lifted his brows. “They’re alive and well. They know whenever a solar eclipse omega is born, but they don’t reach out unless the omega becomes pregnant. Some solar omegas never have babies.”
I rubbed my head. “This is all so much.”
Wyatt pulled his dark brows together. “Too much?”
My face warmed. “No. But you have to admit, this is some heavy shit.”
“Maybe you can’t handle it. If you’re going to flake on Colin, tell me now. We’ll take care of him if it’s too much for you.”
I scowled. “I’m not going anywhere.”
Wyatt grinned suddenly. “That’s more like it.”
I studied Wyatt. “Did you believe Blade when he told you he was pregnant?”
“Like I said, my mom told us he was pregnant. We didn’t have a clue what was going on at first.” He sighed. “She knew about the compound and all of it.”
“So you two just went to that place without knowing anyone?”
“It’s how it’s done.” He shrugged. “The solar eclipse omegas can safely have their babies under the supervision of doctors who understand their unique physiology.”
“And then what?”
“Some omegas give the babies up for adoption to others at the compound. Others do what Blade and I did and return to their normal lives, saying they’ve adopted a baby. We loved being in the mountains but wanted to get back to our normal lives. Many of the omegas stay and live there.”
“And Colin went there with Garrett?”
“He did. But it was too late.” His mouth drooped. “Colin stayed there after Garrett died. He could grieve where people knew all the circumstances of his brother’s death. He didn’t have to pretend.”
My heart ached for Colin. I couldn’t even imagine what he must have gone through. No wonder he hadn’t trusted me to step up.
“We got close with Colin while we were there. When he felt ready to get back to the real world, Blade and I offered to help him get a job and get back on his feet.”
“I’m so glad he had you two.”
“We’re happy to know him.”
I studied the sleeping baby. It seemed insane to me that Colin and I were going to be parents. “I’m kind of scared to be a dad.”
“I was petrified.” Wyatt smiled. “But then the baby arrived, and it all felt right. You’ll have three months to get used to the idea.”
“Three?” I widened my eyes. “Not nine?”
He shook his head. “It’s only three with solar eclipse omegas.”
“Jesus.” I groaned.
He chuckled. “I was scared shitless too.” He glanced toward Colin’s room. “The trick is not showing your omega. They need our strength. Colin will depend on you a lot. As scared as you are, I can guarantee it doesn’t compare to the terror he feels.”
I nodded. “Yeah. I get it.” Carrying the baby in his body would affect Colin way more than me.
“He doesn’t think you’ll be there in the end.”
I frowned. “What?”
“I can guarantee that no matter what brave front he’s showing you right now? He thinks you’re gonna bail when it gets tough.”
I lifted my chin. “But I’m not.”
“He doesn’t see it that way, I’m sure. Everyone’s always left him. His mom was technically there, but distant, his dad left him, and Garrett ran from him and then died. Colin doesn’t believe anyone will stay.” He grimaced. “It’s actually kind of heartbreaking. He acts so tough and like he doesn’t need anyone. But of course he does. We all do.”
“I’m not going anywhere. I really care about him.”
Wyatt leaned toward me, his jaw tense. “Words won’t mean shit to him. There’s only one way to prove that you care about him.” He exhaled roughly as he held my gaze. “Stick around.”