“Real life is messy Max.” The alpha lay on the couch with his mate cuddled into his side. He had removed the nugget from around his neck after the fire and he unconsciously went to stroke it whenever he was deep in thought.

“That’s an understatement.”

“The episode with your father… sorry… Richard, or should I say, Dick, has been traumatic for everyone.”

“Never to be repeated, hopefully.” The omega struggled to sit. “Seb, don’t hate me, please.”

What now? Nothing good begins with ‘don’t hate me’.

“But us… our relationship… I feel as though it’s tainted. That Richard is the reason we met stains my precious memories. I’m sorry.”

The alpha punched the cushion under his head. His pulse raced as it did the day Max fled the farm and an unpleasant taste coated his tongue. Fear. “Max, I…”

“He pushed us together hoping it would reveal a secret that had been hidden for decades.”

And it did.

“We were the puppets, and he was pulling the strings. He juggled so many lies.”

“Definitely.”

“I adore you and our daughter, but the memories of when we mated, instead of being something I can relive, have been spoiled.”

The alpha struggled to sit as he lifted his mate’s chin and stared into the stunning blue eyes. “You told Richard you thought of Magda the moment you entered my kitchen.”

“Yeah.” A dreamy look crept over the omega’s face.

I can’t tell him. He has to say it.

“So, what was that? Can you remember?”

Taking a deep breath, the omega rattled off three words. “Warmth. Contentment. Safety.”

“Is that it?” Please don’t stop. “Nothing else?”

“It was…”

Closing his eyes, Seb pictured the sunny morning when Max first stepped into his home. Images of his mate fluttered through his head like a breeze billowing a curtain. He recalled the omega’s intoxicating scent which changed with his emotions. His breath smelt of mint. Just as it does now. Something deliciously soft, pressed against his lips. Say it.

“… love.”

And Seb exhaled and opened his eyes. “That was us, Max. Nothing could overrule our instincts and affection. Richard put us in the same location, but it was your heart…” The alpha placed one hand on Max’s chest. “…and mine…” He rested a palm on his own heart. “…that made the connection. They speak their own language, one that the Richard Sharpes of this world cannot understand or interpret.”

“Love.”

“Yes.”

“Forever.”

“For eternity.”

Max kissed Seb a second time. “Secrets!”

“Huh?” Where’s he going with this? “Yeah?”

“You always maintained that damned gold was a fake.”

“I told everyone the same thing. I didn’t know the story behind it but I understood it was significant because my grandfather kept it and never sold it. He even named his boat ‘The Little Nugget’.

“Was he thumbing his nose at Richard by doing that?”

“Perhaps. He said it was his first discovery, but it was theirs—his and your grandfather’s.”

“Why did he lie and pretend it was just his?”

“Some secrets are not meant to be shared.” Did you hear that, Max? Telling me may have put me in danger. And you and Magda. Grandfather always hid things, and I did—and do—the same. I was the nugget’s caretaker. I kept it close to me, and it led me to you.

“Such a long, painful, roundabout journey.”

“What happens to the nugget, Max.”

“I don’t want it.”

We can’t toss it and it’s too painful to keep that damn thing. “How about a charity?”

Max was silent.

“Is that a no?”

“Yes.”

“What?”

“Orphans. Orphans and omega widows.”

“Done.”

“No. Getting back to you withholding information.”

Damn, I thought I’d gotten him sidetracked. “Mmmm.”

“Be more open. Share things with me. I’m your mate.”

Seb sat up. “Okay, but if we do this, you have to admit you have plenty of flaws too.”

“Plenty?”

“Some.”

The omega giggled.

“I’ve missed your laugh.” Seb placed his lips on Max’s brow and inhaled the coconut fragrance from the shampoo. “All right, I’ll admit to my mistakes.”

Max smirked. “This’ll take a while.”

“Hey, I’m serious.”

“Me too.”

“As well as being secretive, I was a complete ass to reject you after we mated. It was unforgivable and while I regretted it the second I’d done it, you made it right and brought us together.”

“And?”

Maybe this wasn’t such a great idea. “I was jealous of Dray but…” Seb stared into his mate’s eyes. “… I was justified. He was lying, and he had feelings for you.”

“Possible.”

“Your turn.”

“I was also jealous of the unnamed omegas who came before me.”

“To be honest, I enjoyed that. I loved teasing you about it.”

The omega gave his mate a playful smack. “In that case we can strike that off my naughty list.”

Seb pretended to consider it. “Nah. We’ll leave it there. Anything else?”

The omega took his mate’s hand. “You probably know what I’m about to say. I second-guess you. I’m always quick to criticize.”

The alpha sighed. “It’s irritating, but I can live with it. And I need you to kick me in the ass when I mess up.”

“No. I don’t want Isla to internalize that because it’s what I did. I never measured up. My f… my… Richard Sharpe took me as a substitute for a chunk of metal, and he was disappointed ‘cause I never shone as brightly. I could never be a suitable replacement. And even though I hated the way he treated me, I did and do the same thing to you.”

“Fair enough.”

Seb, Max, Isla and Trixie drove over to a neighboring farm belonging to their friend, Sam. It had been months since the piglet could fit into the backpack and now she was too large for their new motorbike. The last time they tried to get her on, her weight toppled the bike and it had collapsed with her sprawled on top.

With their extended family living with them and close by, they had bought a new car, though occasionally Seb and Max would sneak off on the bike for a few hours.

Seb had built a granny flat for his mother-in-law with a walkway connecting the two buildings, and Magda was now at home preparing dinner. Cooking was her second passion—her first being her son and granddaughter—and she made the evening meal most nights with Max sitting beside her drinking tea.

Tonight, Mary and Tony would dine with them. Seb had offered to build the elderly couple another house on the farm, but they had decided to buy a home in Roselake where they could start a new life. I suspect they need space and time as they adjust to their place in the family.

Tony had constructed a new fort close to the beach, and the flag that fluttered from the top had ‘Max’s Fort’ scrawled across it. The older alpha was now working on a second fortress for Isla.

“Where’s mine?” Seb had pouted. “Don’t I get one too?”

“Of course, but you can make it yourself.”

Max giggled, and the alpha had chased his mate into the lake, resulting in a fierce water battle.

Trixie’s squealing at Sam’s pigs brought Seb back to the present as he pulled into his friend’s driveway. Time to work. Sam’s irrigation pipes were clogged with silt after heavy rain, and he needed Seb’s help to clean them.

Max used the baby as an excuse to stay inside. “Isla’s napping, and I’ll keep Trixie with me.”

When the two alphas returned to the house discussing the damage the unseasonably heavy rain had caused, Max was changing the baby’s diaper. Snowball, Sam’s cat, was curled on the couch next to the omega.

Good, he’s distracted with Isla. Perhaps he won’t notice.

“Did Trixie sneak out with you?” The omega scanned the living room and pointed to a half-eaten apple on the floor. “That’s strange. She normally eats her snacks.”

She’s lost interest in apples.

Sam cleared his throat and shot Seb a quick look. “She’s with Harold.”

The omega frowned. “I’ve never met him. Who is he?”

“He’s a boar.”

Max laughed and shook his head. “That’s okay. Trixie has a huge personality. I’m sure she’ll keep him entertained.”

Seb scratched his ear. He won’t like this. “Max, Harold is a b-o-a-r, not a b-o-r-e.”

“Huh?” The omega put Isla over his shoulder and rubbed her back. The baby reached out her hand and grabbed her father’s hair.

Seb observed his mate’s face change from confusion to realization to horror.

“What? What! No!”

His shriek startled the baby, and she cried out.

“I’m sorry, Isla.” Max kissed his daughter’s forehead and handed her to Seb.

The alpha cuddled the little girl and whispered to her as he put a hand in front of the door. “Don’t, Max.”

“Please, Seb. Let me out.”

“Max,” the alpha pleaded with the omega. “It’ll upset you.”

“Trixie’s my baby too. And this is not happening.”

The alpha sighed and waved his mate through the doorway. This won’t be pretty.

“Trixie! Trixie, where are you?”

Seb followed the omega and buried his face in his daughter’s hair. “Daddy’s going to yell, Isla. Don’t be scared.”

Max stormed onto the porch. “Trixie?” As he caught sight of the pig, his voice changed. “Trixie. Trixie! Stop that right now.”

Seb put his hand on his mate’s shoulder. “It’s time, Max. She’s a big girl.”

The omega shook off the alpha and raced into the yard. “Trixie! Come here. I’m ordering you to leave that pig and come home with me. Get away from that boar.”

Sam poked his head through the doorway and eyed the two pigs. “She’s grinning.”

The omega swirled around, his cheeks bright red and a vein pulsing on his forehead. “She most definitely is not.” Flinging himself back toward Trixie and Harold, Max leaned over the wooden fence separating him and his pig.

“Trixie! I demand you stop that. Oh no!” Max covered his eyes.

Oh God, I can’t watch this. “Isla, don’t look.”

“Ewww!” Max and Seb moaned in unison.

“It seems Trixie has found a beau, Max.”

“No!” With his bottom lip quivering and his eyes glistening with unshed tears, the omega hunched his shoulders. “She’s my baby, too, Seb. This can’t be happening.”

“She’ll always love you—love us—but…”

“No buts.”

Seb stifled a grin. No butts. “In life, there are always buts. Life is one pig butt.” Shit. “I mean big butt.” Fuck. Stop, Seb. You’re making it worse.

“Come inside.” The alpha put an arm over his mate’s shoulder and with one final glance at his darling Trixie, Max allowed Seb to guide him into the living room.

“We’re going to need a bigger house.”

Seb grinned and imagined wriggling pink piglets. But he paused as a thought struck him. I’m not sharing a bed with Harold!

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