Page 169 of Pack Baby for the Silver Foxes

“Mary is our omega,” I said.

He flinched.

“She’s our scent match. She’s carrying our children. She’s the woman we love.”

Lincoln looked at me. “If you demand that we abandon her to prove we love you, we won’t do it.”

“Then you’re choosing her.”

“We’re choosing not to let you turn love into a weapon,” I said. “That’s not the same thing.”

“Feels the same.”

“I know.”

His face crumpled, and for one second I saw the boy before he stepped back from us. “I can’t look at you.”

Lincoln’s hand twitched, and I caught his wrist gently. Not because Damien didn’t deserve comfort, but because he hadn’t asked for it.

“Then don’t,” I said. “But hear this. We’ll call you tomorrow. And the next day. And the next. You can answer or not. You can rage or not. But we’re not disappearing because you’re angry.”

Damien stared at the floor.

“And Mary?”

“We’ll go to Mary when she lets us,” Lincoln said.

“What if she doesn’t?”

“Then we keep loving her from whatever distance she requires,” I said. “The same with you.”

“My father didn’t want me because I was a beta, and my mother always told me to be good so you’d want to keep me. Mary turned up in a hotel and she didn’t have to do anything.”

The room went quiet for a moment. Then I sighed.

“We always wanted you, Damien. You’re our son,” Lincoln said.

“You called yourself ‘bonus dads,’” he whispered.

I shook my head. “No, Damien, you’re playing with the truth. We were only ever allowed to be bonus dads because you had a dad. It hurt at first, but for us it was just a word, we got used to it until you started using it against us. Don’t now complain about what you wanted because we always gave you everything you asked for.”

He dropped his head. “I know. I’m fucked up, aren’t I?”

I smiled. “You could do with a few lessons in humility.”

He grinned. “Just a few?”

A tiny breakthrough, hopefully one we could work with.

I reached out and pressed my hand on his shoulder. “We love you, you know that, don’t you? You’re our son, you always will be.”

Damien laughed, but tears spilled. “Don’t.”

“We do love you,” Lincoln said. “We have loved you since you were a small boy with more pride than sense and a backpack bigger than your body. We loved you when your mother left. We loved you when you chose Boston. We love you now, even while you are being a complete little shit.”

Damien’s mouth trembled.

I cleared my throat. “Maybe that was a bit harsh.”