“I’d hoped that maybe what was true for Hakon would be true for all of us, that our children would share DNA from both fathers…but they don’t.”
“I know. I’d hoped the same when Sando tested Kateb.”
“It’s so unfair that I’ll never have children of my own. I know Jax is my son, but he’s not mine biologically. And it shouldn’t matter, but it does.”
“It does matter, and you have every right to be angry and upset and hurt.”
“Thank you. It means a lot to me that you acknowledge that.”
Bray gently pulled Kean’s head back, meeting his eyes. “I wish that I could give you that. A baby. A child. I would do anything to make this possible. I’d move heaven and earth for it.”
Kean’s smile was soft. “I know, Bray. I know you would.”
“I have to go, but we’ll talk more when I get back, okay? I’m here for you.”
Kean lifted his mouth for a tender kiss. “Yes, alpha, you are. I love you, Bray. Be safe.”
“I promise…and I love you too.”
His throat tight, Bray quickly turned around and marched off. If he stood here even for a minute longer, he might not be able to. When he reached the gate, Palani and Sivney stood waiting for him with Lidon.
“Sorry, I needed to…” What excuse could he give for being late? What could be more important than this mission? His mates. They came first, which meant he didn’t have to lie. No one would have an issue with that. “I needed a few more minutes with my mates.”
Palani shot him a look of pride. “I’ll gladly wait for that.”
“Same,” Sivney affirmed.
Bray took a deep breath, then asked Lidon, “We good to go?”
“All’s green. Be careful…and come back safely.”
They all shed their shorts, then shifted in a flash. Bray took a moment to revel in the sensation of being wolf. As a wolf, he always felt so strong and free. He stood still as Lidon fastened the little bag around his frame, then waited as the pack alpha did the same for Palani. Sivney didn’t have one. Because he was much smaller, the weight would bother him, but now he also could shift first and help Bray and Palani.
With a last nod from Lidon, they were off, Palani taking the lead and Bray at the rear. That way, he could keep an eye on Sivney, physically the weakest of the three of them. The omega had no trouble keeping up, however, and they reached the city limits just as night fell. First, they headed for the McCains, Sven’s birth parents. The streets were deserted, desolate in the weak light from the street lanterns, half of which were broken. Apparently, the city still had a curfew.
They stayed off the roads as much as possible, opting to go through back yards and small alleys, the occasional sports field or parking lot. Various roadblocks had been set up, forming a circle around the city center. They were lit up, though, making them visible from afar and thus easy to avoid.
When they ventured deeper into the city, Bray noticed some changes compared with last time. The stores and gas stations that had been looted and left behind half-destroyed and burnt down had been boarded up or torn down. A large supermarket that had been a hot mess with smashed-in windows and evidence of a fire on one side looked cleaned up and open for business. It was closed now, but a quick peek inside when they trotted past showed half the shelves were stocked again.
A sign on the door said “Entry with government pass only.” What the fuck did that mean? What kind of government pass could one need to go grocery shopping? The thought was chilling.
The street the McCains lived on was dark, all the street lights out. It allowed them to run through the gardens unnoticed until they reached the right house. Traces of light spilled through the drawn curtains, so it looked like the McCains were home. Good.
Palani lay down low, and Sivney snapped the ties that had secured an envelope to his back. With one flick of the omega’s sharp teeth, it came loose and tumbled to the ground. Sivney picked it up with his teeth, then trotted to the front door and deposited it on the first step of the small stoop. That was the first part of their mission accomplished. Things had been easy so far, but Bray didn’t count on it staying that