“You’re going to wear a hole in the floor,” Dex said absently, without looking up from his magazine.

“Then they can replace the floor,” Serge Freel replied.

He was on his fifth hour pacing the small family room, waiting for news on the birth of his first child. Yes, okay, so when the hospital called to notify him that Kay Mackey was in labor, they also mentioned labor could take up to eight or ten hours, so they didn’t have to come over right away.

Screw that. Serge didn’t want to miss a single moment with his son.

He’d been off-shift and had driven to the hospital after calling his husband Dex, who was at work. Dex only had two more hours until he got off, so they agreed he could finish his shift. It also gave Dex a chance to stop at their favorite taco place and bring them both dinner.

The family room still smelled faintly of their food, and Serge was getting hungry again. The small room had two comfortable chairs, a big table with magazines, and a bassinette waiting for the newborn. Dex was calmly reading in one of the chairs, while Serge continued to pace. He was too excited to sit still.

Seven years ago, when he and Dex got serious as a couple, one of the first things they’d discussed was children. Because both men were beta, they couldn’t reproduce on their own, but alpha/omega couples who were incredibly fertile—or incredibly old-fashioned and refused to wear condoms during the omega’s heat—often adopted their later-in-life children to beta couples through a provincial agency. After two years on the waiting list, he and Dex had finally been selected by the Mackey’s four months ago. Serge had been over the moon that day, but he couldn’t imagine the excitement was anything close to what he’d feel when he finally held the baby currently being birthed in another room.

The door to their room was only half-shut, and he couldn’t help another peek outside. The OB ward was always bustling, and he knew some of the nurses that frequently passed by, but no one was bringing a newborn their way yet. Serge was an ICU-certified nurse and worked on another ward, but he’d done his time in all the major departments before settling on his specialty. OB and Delivery had been one of his favorite rotations.

“Can they replace you if you die of anxiety and exhaustion?” Dee asked. “Come sit, babe. The baby will come when he comes.”

“I know.” Serge plunked into the other chair, but remained rigid. “I can’t help it. I know the adoption papers are signed, notarized and binding, but I can’t help worrying.”

“That’s because you want this so badly you’re afraid it isn’t real.” Dex put his magazine down, then reached over to squeeze Serge’s knee. “But it’s real, and we’re going to meet our son today.”

A clog of emotions tightened Serge’s throat, and all he could do was reach out and cover Dex’s hand with his. “Yeah, we are. Goddess, this is truly, finally real. We’re going to be parents.”

“I know I’ve said it before, but you’re going to be an amazing dad. You have so much love in your heart to give, and you live to nurture people. Not just as a nurse, but your friends, too.”

“And you’ll be an amazing papa,” Serge replied. He brought Dex’s hand up to kiss the back of it. “And we have an amazing group of friends who are ready to help out and answer any questions or concerns we’re going to have. Because let’s face it, this is our first kid. I may be a nurse, and you may work with law enforcement, but that doesn’t mean we know jack about raising a child.”

Dex gaped at him. “I think that’s the first time you’ve ever admitted to not knowing something.”

“Jackass.” Serge took a half-hearted swipe at his husband’s head. “Come on, it’s not as if I had any siblings to practice on growing up.”

Dex sighed. “Siblings are overrated.”

Probably. Serge had been adopted at birth by a beta couple, and their finances hadn’t allowed them to remain on the adoption list. As a child, Serge had often been jealous of his classmates who were offspring of an alpha/omega couple, because they had siblings. Sometimes lots of siblings, like Dex.

Then again, Dex had a very messy, painful history with his siblings, particularly his two alpha older brothers. Thankfully, both men had moved to other provinces years ago.

“Besides,” Dex added, “between Branson, Karson, and the kids of Braun’s other omega friends, our boy will have plenty of honorary cousins to grow up with. Even if we don’t get chosen for adoption a second time, he won’t want for friends.”

“Good point.”

Their best friends were alpha/omega couples with kids, or who were expecting, and Dex couldn’t wait to call everyone and spread the news as soon as their son was born. The second bedroom of their apartment had been turned into a nursery and was stocked with of everything they needed. The freezer was full of donated breast milk from omegins who’d given their child up for adoption, but had pumped so other adopted children could get the nutrients that formula simply couldn’t replicate. They were ready.

Now they just needed their son.

Dex cracked a mighty yawn. “I may need to seek out some coffee.”

“What if the baby comes while you’re gone?”

“Then you get the honor of meeting him first.” Dex stood and dropped a kiss on his mouth. “I’ll be as fast as I can.”

Serge watched his husband limp out of the room, leaning less heavily on his cane than in previous weeks. Dex had damaged the ligaments in his left knee nine years ago during his training at the Constabulary Academy, and while the accident had derailed his plans to become a constable one day, he still worked in their division headquarters. He’d been having pain and swelling issues with the knee recently, but after a fall in the shower turned into a much-needed trip to the doctor—and after a lot of wheedling and threats from Serge—Dex finally seemed to be improving.

Dex was as stubborn as any alpha when it came to that knee and avoiding seeing his orthopedist about it.

Now that he was alone, Serge paced again, in no danger of falling asleep, despite it being after ten at night. As a nurse, he was used to working long, odd shifts and sleeping when he could. Tonight, he wouldn’t manage a single wink of sleep until he’d met his son.

He’d liked the Mackey’s the moment he first met them. Their quartet had had dinner in a nice restaurant about a week after they were chosen as the adoptive parents. The omegin, Kay, was soft-spoken, while his alpha was brash and abrupt, but never rude. The pair already had four children, and because of their finances, couldn’t afford the strain of a fifth.

The dinner interview was mostly a formality, so they could all meet in private, before their attorneys got involved and contracts were drawn up. They’d decided that a closed adoption was their best bet—all ties cut, Kay wouldn’t even hold the newborn post-birth. Some families added a clause allowing the adopted child to meet their birth family at sixteen, but that wasn’t what anyone wanted.

Serge’s own adoption had been closed, and while he sometimes caught a glimpse of someone who looked a tiny bit like him, he’d never had any desire to find his birth family. His parents had been wonderful, and even though they’d retired to another province over a thousand miles away last year, they still kept in touch. Hopefully, one day, he and Dex could take their family south on vacation to show off their son.

A son he was impatient to meet, damn it.

The door pushed open, and instead of a nurse, Dex appeared with two coffees delicately balanced in one hand. “You’re pacing again,” he said.

“Busted.” Serge took one of the coffees. “Thank you.”

“I didn’t figure you needed the caffeine, but it’ll give you something to do with your hands while you fret.”

“I don’t fret. I’m just eager.”

“Oh, babe, you fret. Do I need to list all the times you got protective of one of our omega friends and spent hours worrying on their behalf?”

Serge grunted. “Fine, I fret.”

“And I love you for it.” Dex kissed him again on his way past to the chair. “If it helps, I spoke to a nurse who relayed that Kay is in active labor, so it should be any time.”

“Thank goddess. I’m going nuts.” And then something else hit Serge—something they hadn’t actually discussed. “Hell, Dex, who gets to hold him first?”

Dex quirked an eyebrow. “I’m pretty sure if you don’t get to hold him first, you’ll hold that against me for the rest of my life. You’ve got enough ammunition. You hold him.”

Serge laughed, then went over to plop right down onto his husband’s lap. “This is why I love you so much.”

“My charming good looks and tight ass?”

“Those things, too. You know me better than I know myself, and you’re more selfless than you give yourself credit for.”

“True. Too bad you hated me at first sight all those years ago.”

“I didn’t hate you. I hated that your two best friends were both alphas.”

Dex nodded, then nuzzled his nose against Serge’s cheek. “I thought you were snobby and uptight.”

“How did we ever manage a first date?”

“Fate, of course.” Dex held his chin loosely between his thumb and forefinger, dark eyes glistening with affection. “I truly believe alphas and omegas aren’t the only ones with a bondmate out there. As betas, we just feel it differently.”

Serge melted against Dex’s chest and relaxed into the comfort of his husband’s embrace, glad they’d taken a chance all those years ago….

…. Parties were not his thing, so why the hell was Serge standing with his back to the wall, a cola in hand, watching dozens of people who seemed totally at ease mingle, joke, and snack on the food offerings?

Oh yeah, he’d promised his best friend and roommate after Gaven tutored him for several weeks before their final exams for nursing certification. Serge had been having trouble with Pharmacology, and Gaven thought the whole thing was ridiculously easy. He’d traded the tutoring for a to-be-named-later favor, and Serge had readily agreed. Thanks to Gaven, Serge had graduated nursing school near the top of his class two months ago.

He had no idea why the favor Gaven called in was attending this party with him, because as soon as they arrived, Gaven had gone off to talk to other people he knew, so Serge held up the wall and observed.

The party was a mix of mostly betas with about a third of the guests alpha. Serge was careful to avoid eye contact with any of them when they passed him, no matter their reactions or comments. Most of the attendees were university or specialty school age, and alphas in that bracket were often on the hunt for an omega to mate with.

They also had a habit of targeting unsuspecting betas for sexual favors, and Serge wasn’t falling for that again. He’d learned his lesson, and he was done with men. Alpha, beta, didn’t care. All they did was use, abuse, and leave broken bodies in their wake.

“Hey, dude,” Gaven said as he bounced over to Serge’s spot, another beta hanging behind him. “Having fun?”

“It’s a dream come true,” Serge deadpanned.

The remark rolled right past Gaven, who grinned and tugged on the arm of his companion who, Serge noted, was leaning on a cane. “I want you to meet someone. Dex, this is my roommate, Serge Freel. Serge, this is Dex Kenward.”

Dex smiled in a charming way and held out a hand. He was tall, with a strong, almost alpha-like build, and a mop of dark brown hair. Cute, too. “It’s nice to meet you, Serge.”

“Ah, you too.” Serge shook his hand. “How do you know Gaven?”

“We met over the punch bowel,” Gaven replied. “I thought ‘this is a really nice guy who needs to meet my super-shy roommate’ and viola! Here we are.”

Serge blinked hard, not terribly surprised by this. Gaven was an excellent nurse and loyal friend, but he was flighty and high-strung most days, which was alternately endearing and irritating. “Uh, okay.”

“Fantastic. You two chat, I’ve got other people to see. Enjoy!” With that, Gaven melted into the crowd.

Dex’s smile never faltered. “I feel like we’ve been set up here.”

“Probably so,” Serge replied. “Gaven seems to have made it his mission to get me to be more sociable lately.”

“Introvert?”

I didn’t used to be. “Yeah, something like that. I’ve just been super busy with finals and now with rounds at the hospital. Apparently, twenty-four is crazy-old for me not to have found another beta to date and settle down with, which is hilarious, since Gaven is the same age and seems to have no desire to settle down himself.”

“Maybe he sees more of a desire to settle down in you.”

Serge laughed in his face, which was probably rude, but he couldn’t help it. “Yeah, no. I don’t date, and I don’t do relationships.”

Dex frowned, the scowl giving him a dangerous edge that made Serge’s entire body stiffen. “You know, there’s a way to state an opinion without making people who don’t share it sound like they’re committing a crime.”

“That wasn’t my intention. I guess I have strong feelings about it.”

“Well, since you don’t date, how about we pull back and see if being friends might work. I’m not much of a social creature myself, but I have a few close friends who are important to me. Most of them are alphas, though, so it’d be nice to know more betas.”

Serge pulled back on his instinctive need to flee, simply from that final comment. A beta good friends with alphas? That never happened, and if it did, the friendship always came with strings attached. Painful strings. Instead, he drew on the politeness his parents had instilled in him and asked, “So you know I’m a nurse. What do you do?”

“I work for the constabulary. Right now, I’m an assistant researcher in the records room, but I hope to run the place one day. I find the past fascinating, and constables are constantly needing something dug up for a case.”

“That’s an interesting career choice.” And Serge wasn’t being sarcastic. “What made you choose it?”

Dex tapped his cane on the floor. “I actually signed up for the Constabulary Academy two years ago, but there was an accident on a training course. Tore up my knee, so there went that dream.”

“Oh. That sucks. But why the academy, of all places? Why not go into a trade?”

“Because I wanted to be a constable.” Dex’s expression seemed one tic away from staring at Serge like he was an idiot. “My parents didn’t pressure me into a trade school, they supported my choice to attend university and then the academy.”

“Oh.”

“Your parents obviously didn’t pressure you into trade, so why would you assume mine did?”

Serge had angered Dex somehow, and he hadn’t meant to. Serge hated coming across as too rigid in his views on gender roles, but those were the roles he’d seen his entire life. Alpha/omega parents were highly conservative, while beta couples were more liberal. “I’m sorry I assumed anything,” Serge replied. Including who Dex’s parents might be. “It was rude.”

“Let me guess. Beta parents? You’re adopted?”

“Yes, I have beta parents. So?” And Serge hated it when people said he was adopted, as if the two men he’d called his parents for the last twenty-four years were somehow lesser than because they didn’t share his DNA.

“Just a guess on my part. You give off this only-child vibe. Plus, you’re cute when you get grumpy.”

Serge huffed.

“You wanna continue getting to know each other over food?” Dex asked. “I saw a platter of mini tacos earlier, and I want to get some before they’re all eaten.”

“Yeah, okay.”

“Gee, sounded excited about it.” But Dex also winked, and it took some of the sting out of his words.

Dex threaded his way through the partygoers with a slight limp, calling out greetings every now and again. The dining room table was covered with different kinds of food, and Dex tucked his cane under his arm so he could fill a plate with mini tacos, chips, and pigs-in-a-blanket. Serge took a single taco and a handful of pretzels, mostly to give himself something to do with his hands.

All the chairs seemed occupied, but someone noticed Dex’s limp and gave up two spots on a love seat. Serge sat next to him, keeping as much space between them as possible.

“So, full disclosure, my parents are a sire and omegin,” Dex said around a mouthful of taco—which should not have been as adorable as it was, because talking with your mouth full was gross. “I have two older brothers and one younger.”

Serge wasn’t sure how to respond to that, since Dex knew about his family already. “Are you close to your family?”

“Not as close as we used to be. My older brothers have moved elsewhere, and my relationship with my parents and other brother is strained right now.”

They weren’t good enough friends for Serge to ask for details about that, so he flailed for a less intimate topic. “Did you come to the party with friends? Or because you know the host?”

“With friends who know the host. Same as you. I tend to prefer small, intimate gatherings with close friends over big parties like this.”

“Same. I came as a favor to Gaven.”

“I was basically goaded into coming by my friend Tarek. He joked that I spend too much time in the records room surrounded by ghosts, and I’d forgotten how to be around real people. So this is me, chatting it up with real people. Hi, real person.”

Serge laughed, amused by Dex’s subtle charm and energy. “Hello back, fellow real person.” Chatting with Dex felt nice, almost normal. Despite his size, he had a non-threatening air to him, a sense that Dex was a guy you could count on in a crisis. Maybe even trust.

“Dude, there you are!”

Two alphas Dex’s age were bearing down on them, and Serge shrank into the love seat cushions. They were smiling, but predators could still smile and act friendly before they pounced.

“You went to the bathroom and never came back,” the first alpha continued. He had dark hair and a ruddy complexion, and kind eyes that were probably a trick. “Monte here thought you fell in.”

“Looks like he found a friend, instead,” the alpha named Monte said. He grinned at Serge, but Serge couldn’t help feeling as if the grin was more of a leer, and it made his gut twist up tight. “Monte Porter.”

Serge reluctantly shook the man’s outstretched hand. “Serge Freel.”

The other alpha introduced himself as Tarek Bloom.

“They’re both patrolmen,” Dex said. “The lucky bastards. Serge here is a nurse.”

“Very cool,” Tarek said. “I admire anyone who goes into the medical field. It takes a lot more intelligence than I’ll ever have.”

Serge smiled at the compliment. “Thank you. It’s a lot of work, but it’s worth it. I really enjoy interacting with patients. I start a rotation in obstetrics next week, so I’ll get to work with expecting omegas. Are either of you mated?” Betas didn’t have the same strong sense of smell that alphas and omegas did, and it was often difficult for Serge to tell, especially with so many people crammed into a single space.

“Not yet, but I have my eye on an omega,” Monte replied. “He hasn’t had his first heat yet, but we get along really well, so it would awesome if we turned out to be bondmates.”

Alphas and omegas were not legally mates until the alpha knotted the omega, condom-free, during the omega’s heat. The couple’s scents mingled and changed, making it obvious to other alphas that the omega was now claimed and off limits. While it wasn’t necessary to be bondmates for mating to occur, Serge heard it was better. The mating bond brought the couple closer, made the mating necessary and more solid.

The whole thing made Serge glad he’d never have to worry about a guy sniffing him and deciding he was The One.

No fucking thank you.

“Congratulations,” Serge said to Monte out of sheer politeness. “I hope it works out.”

“That one will probably never mate,” Dex said, pointing a taco at Tarek. “He is the very definition of a workaholic.”

Tarek shrugged. “Takes one to know one, buddy. Besides, I want to make constable by twenty-four, and to do that, I need to prove myself and study for the investigative courses I’m required to pass.”

“With all that over-achieving,” Monte said, “who’s got time for omega shopping?”

Serge flinched. Omegas were people, not an accessory you shopped for out of a catalogue. Ugh.

This was why he avoided alphas at all costs. It was inevitable at the hospital, because the majority of doctors he worked with were alpha, and they never let betas—especially nurses—forget their place. But he could actively avoid them in his social life.

“Dude, omega shopping?” Tarek slapped Monte on the back of the head. “Gross.”

“Don’t tell me you haven’t browsed the Omega Classifieds,” Monte retorted.

“I haven’t. What’s the point? If I mate, I want it to be with my bondmate, not someone I picked out of a personal ad. If that takes a few more years, then so be it.”

Serge would never admit it out loud, but he found a smidgen of respect for Tarek. Most alphas his age would be salivating for a mate, but Tarek seemed genuine. Didn’t mean Serge had to like him or be his friend, and he couldn’t help wondering the price of their friendship. He glanced at Dex, but saw only open affection for the two alphas.

And their proximity was making Serge’s stomach sloshy. “It was nice meeting everyone,” Serge said as he stood, “but I have to go. If you’ll excuse me.”

Dex caught up to him after only four steps. “Hey, can I at least have your number? Maybe we can hang out sometime?”

Serge paused only a fraction of a beat before replying, “I don’t think that’s a good idea. Goodbye, Dex.” Without giving the man a chance to argue, Serge turned and walked away. But as he exited the front door, intent on calling a cab, Serge couldn’t help feeling as if he’d left something very important behind.