CHAPTER TWO

Mir hung around outside, waiting for Tav to finish his early chores instead of going back into the house alone. Their home, their sanctuary, had been invaded by a stranger, but this wasn’t Mir’s home, it was Tav’s. He had every right to have his sibling and as many other people here as he wanted, and Mir wouldn’t say a word about it, especially as they’d already punched his guest. They winced at the memory. After all that had happened, Mir still hadn’t learned to curb their violent impulses. Omegas really were as stupid as alphas said, or maybe it was just Mir in particular. They’d been damn fast with their fists when a proto-alpha too.

Boots sounded on the cobbles behind Mir as they stood, fingers entwined in the chicken wire that kept the poultry safe from wandering predators. Breaching Mir’s personal space, Tav stopped a mere inch away, bathing them in his body heat and calming scent, but he didn’t touch them. Yesterday, and for several weeks before that, Tav had touched Mir almost unconsciously every chance he got.

Clayen’s presence was already changing their dynamic, but they understood Tav’s embarrassment over his odd housemate. Mir didn’t doubt that their sleeping arrangements would change tonight. Tavish had told his sibling they weren’t mated, and alphas and omegas who weren’t a couple didn’t sleep together except for sex. With their huge belly, sex was clearly off the menu, just as it’d been since they’d met.

Tonight, Mir would be back in the guest room, alone with the specters of the past, that was, if Clayen wasn’t using that room. They was Tav’s family, after all. Mir was merely an omega in a bad situation that the former beta doctor was assisting. Yes, Mir had given Clay that explanation, but Tav hadn’t denied that they were anything more than doctor and patient. Tavish claimed they were at least friends, but it seemed he didn’t want to admit that to his sibling here. Mir wondered if Tav could smell their sadness.

“Come on, let’s go get some food.”

Mir turned toward the house with a nod. There was nothing to say. The brief illusion of holding a little power had vanished like morning mist. Mir and the babies were living here on Tav’s charity, and he could do whatever he liked.

“You don’t have to worry about Clayen,” Tav murmured. “They’re harmless. Mouthy, manipulative, and a little shit at times, but harmless.”

“I shouldn’t have hit them,” Mir whispered.

“Yeah, you should have,” he said and draped an arm over Mir’s shoulders. The casual contact, right in front of the house, had anxiety draining away faster than any grand speech or declarations of affection could have done. Tav cared, above and beyond his family ties. Their chest warmed. There was far more here than mere charity. They just needed to start accepting that rather than doubting Tav at every turn.

“Clay deserved it for baiting you, but it was far more about me than you. They was testing my emotional control and trying to work out what sort of alpha I am. One of our relatives is an ‘attack first, ask questions never’ type. The others usually give you time to explain yourself before they go for the throat.”

Mir’s next step was a little shorter, at the reminder of how violent most alphas were. “You have lots of alphas in your family?”

Tav shrugged. “It’s a big family; we’ve got lots of everyone. Most betas do a similar thing, working out how far they can push an alpha before he boils. Clayen is just less subtle about it than I was as Taven. They is also faster and a lot funnier. One or the other ability gets them out of most of the problems they land in, and our father gets them out of the rest. Little bugger has always managed to wrap Father around their little finger. Good punch, by the way.”

Being reminded that they’d struck a beta had Mir’s heartbeat racing. Sometimes the alphas thought it was funny when Mir hit the betas in Hell, but the betas always got their own back, one way or another. Mir could take most beta punishments, but they wasn’t only responsible for themself anymore. One punch, one kick, could…

Without thought, their hands went around their belly, and they hunched their shoulders.

Tav stopped, turned Mir toward him, put both arms around them, and rested his cheek on the top of Mir’s head. A deep sense of rightness flowed through Mir as they leaned into him, accepting his offered comfort, but they needed Tav to understand.

“I’m so bloody awful at all this. Even after everything that has happened, I still can’t behave like a proper omega. What if I hit someone, and they hurt the babies? I’ve never been able to keep my mouth or my fists to myself. Makish loved it when I was a child. He said I’d be an alpha people would respect because I stood up for myself and the twins. He expected me to change as soon as I manifested as an omega; I wish I had. Life would have been so much easier.”

“Makish is your father?” Mir nodded. “Well, as a doctor, my incredibly well-educated, certified opinion was that he was an idiot. Alpha, beta, or omega, this is who you are, and if you hadn’t smacked Clay, I would’ve done it. I love seeing your spirit.”

Puzzled yet again by this odd alpha, Mir leaned back so they could see his face. “You do?”

He smiled and moved a strand of hair that was threatening to poke Mir’s eye. “I do, and I’d like to see more of the real you. Just try not to beat me up in public. It’s bad for my stick-up-the-ass image. Besides, I bruise easily.”

Mir laughed and thumped him gently on the arm before they carried on back to the house. The sky appeared a little brighter than a few minutes ago. With Tav by their side, Mir thought they could do this.

Clay proved to be rather a good cook as they served up three heaving plates.

“I would have given you the biggest one, Mir, but I didn’t want to step on any alpha toes, you know how sensitive they can be once they get bollocks.” They winked at Mir as Tavish pretended to scowl.

“Am I forgiven, pretty lady with the mean right hook?” Clay asked and batted their eyelashes at Mir.

“I’ll think about it,” Mir told them with a smile. “But I ain’t no lady. Call me that again, and I’ll knock you on your ass for real.”

“Noted. How soon are you going to pop? You’re already bigger than Natelle when she’s about to pop a singleton.”

As Mir had a huge mouthful of eggs, Tav answered. “About six weeks at a guess.”

Clayen frowned. “Don’t you know?”

Mir tensed and lowered their fork back to the plate. Discussing their past would never happen, but just the mention of the babies” sires” sent memories spinning.

Tavish glared at his sibling. “Why are you here, Clay?”

“Can’t your favorite sibling pop in just to see how my now much bigger brother is doing? No one in the family has set eyes on you in three years.” Clay said as if butter wouldn’t melt in their mouth.

“Perelle is my favorite, and you’d better start talking before I throw you out on your ass. I know you, Clay. You never shift your backside unless someone kicks it or there’s something in it for you, so spill.”

Clay sighed and put down their glass of apple juice, giving puppy dog eyes that Tor and Cor would be proud of. “You’ve changed, Tavvy, you know that, right?”

Tav got up, went around the counter, fastened his fist in the front of Clay’s shirt, and started towing them toward the front door. Mir couldn’t help grinning. Watching the siblings interact was entertaining, and they was learning more about Tav with every passing minute. Maybe having Clayen around for a while wouldn’t be so bad.

“Ok, ok, you’re right. Father sent me. Langish is getting an official omega, and Father wants the whole family lined up to impress her folks at the guardian change ceremony.”

Mir’s heart rate accelerated. Tav”s leaving?

Tavish didn’t hesitate. “Not interested. I haven’t spoken to Father or Langish for years. They didn’t care about me after I said I wouldn’t affiliate and become their pet doctor, and I don’t care about them.”

Clayen scratched their head, and Tav’s eyes narrowed. “Spit it out, Clay. What have you done that I’m not going to like?”

“If you had let me in on what had happened, this wouldn’t be a problem, but you didn’t, so it’s not my fault. Father didn’t have an address to send the summons he laughingly calls an invitation, and he had this idea that I might know where you were, so…”

“You’re fucking kidding me. Tell me you didn’t give him my address?” Mir’s gaze darted between the siblings. From their expressions, this was not good news.

“You know what he’s like, Tav. Besides, the hospital said you were on a sabbatical doing research. I thought you were elbow-deep in some provincial health center, ministering to the great unwashed.”

Clay’s whole body squirmed as they spoke. “And don’t tell me you would have damn well lied to him if he had his face stuck in yours, unless it was a life-or-death situation.” Clay’s nose wrinkled. “Well, you might do now, seeing as you have balls and all, but I’m not a bloody alpha, and he still scares the shit outta me. Do you even remember how big he is?”

Tavish was a big alpha, but Mir had seen bigger ones, like The Owner. When that blue-eyed fucker got angry, people died. Clay clearly wasn’t intimidated by their sibling, even though Tav was glaring at them with his fist in the beta’s shirt. Even though the alpha aggression wasn’t directed at them, getting in the middle of this sibling dispute wouldn’t be healthy. The window of the guest room and the paddock of ponies called loud and clear, especially as the siblings seemed to have forgotten Mir was even present.

“Besides, at the time—” Clay continued, their cheeks getting redder with each word uttered, either due to fear or the fact that Tav was cutting off the circulation to the beta’s head. “—I didn’t know about you growing nuts or your knocked-up Amazon omega. If you have trusted me enough to damn well tell me, I might have kept my mouth shut.”

Tav’s gaze shot to Mir, and he released his sibling as if Clay’s shirt had suddenly gotten red-hot. Tav’s hand found his hair, swiping through the dark strands as if he wanted to pull them out. “Yeah, I remember. But I’m not a beta anymore.”

“Well, I am, and he’s still bigger than you.” Clay did a full-body shudder. “He still hasn’t given up the habit of finding excuses to punishment fuck beta asses when Natelle has buns in the oven.”

Mir knew exactly how that felt, and they wouldn’t wish it on anyone, especially when they wasn’t drugged up to the eyeballs. Tav’s father sounded like he was as much of a dick as the alphas in Hell. Perhaps he’d even been one of the sadistic fuckers who took a turn with Mir. They certainly didn’t want to meet this brutal alpha.

“Yeah, yeah, I get it,” Tav said. It’s just that I don’t want anything to do with those uptight, holier-than-thou, traditional values the lot of them constantly shove down everyone’s throats. That’s why I refused to affiliate, that and what he did to Mother.”

Tavish puffed out his chest and put on a haughty voice. “The individual does not matter; it is only the family line that is important. An alpha’s concern must be the legacy he leaves behind. He must not let emotional attachments distract him from his God-given purpose. Betas must be loyal, omegas must be obedient and grateful, yadda yadda yadda.” He dropped the pose. “It’s such a load of bullshit. There is no way I’m putting myself through that again. Besides, I’m needed here.”

They both glanced toward Mir, who still stood by the corridor to the bedrooms. Knowing Tav would give chase if they ran, Mir’s feet stayed rooted to the floor.

“So I’ve sat on that stinking train all this way, then suffered a bony, not to mention gassy, rented horse for the last three hours, for absolutely nothing?”

“Yep,” Tavish said brightly. “You can give Father, Langish, and anybody else that asks, any sanitized version of ‘fuck off and leave me alone,’ you like as long as you keep my manifestation and Mir to yourself.”

The red-haired beta threw their hands in the air. “Christ, Tav, I can’t bloody well do that! Father can smell me lying a mile off. He’ll have me strung up in the barn for everyone to have a go at before you know it.”

Tav didn’t appear moved by his sibling’s dramatics in the least. “That’s bullshit, Clay, and you damn well know it. This is me, Tav, you’re talking to. I know you, remember? Me getting balls doesn’t change that. You’ve always been able to wrap Father around your little finger when you really wanted to, you devious little git. I bet you’re still in the house, right?” Clay averted their eyes and shrugged a little. “Any other betas apart from Daven still living there? No? I didn’t think so.”

Even Mir knew that a beta sharing the house of a wealthy alpha was unusual.

Clay’s shoulders dropped in defeat, and they looked up at their alpha brother with a vulnerable expression. It reminded Mir of the way Tor and Cor had pouted to get Mir to do their chores when they’d been studying hard. Mir never would have thought about trying it on Makish, but it seemed Clay thought it’d work on their older sibling.

“What if I want you there? Perelle and I need some backup against Natelle’s squad. The old witch is pressuring Father to get rid of her. She’s seventeen now.”

Tav’s face fell at the mention of an omega sibling, but Mir was pretty sure an omega who’d been born into such a wealthy family wouldn’t end up as a proving house whore or somewhere like Hell.

“He said no,” Mir said quietly. Tav smiled at them, but Clay, for all his initial friendliness, banter, and plea for support for his sister, ignored Mir completely. Mir knew why. The opinions of omegas didn’t matter to most betas any more than they mattered to the majority of alphas. Clay was just using this Perelle as an excuse to cover their own selfish backside.

Tav simply raised his eyebrows at his sibling. “Any other arguments you’d like to trot out before we get on with our day? You’re welcome to spend a night or two, but I won’t be revisiting this. I’m not going anywhere. End of discussion.”

Clay huffed like a spoilt child, even though they appeared to be in their mid-twenties, just like Mir.

“Oh, come on, Tavvy. You can’t possibly leave me alone with them; it’ll be hell on Earth.”

Mir just stared. These two really had no idea about what life was like for other people. On one hand, they wanted to rub it in their faces, to traumatize them, to make them know, but they knew that the compassionate Tav would jump on his white horse, even if that horse was actually black, and try to charge to the rescue. And no matter who Tav and Clay’s family were, Mir bet the Owner would still crush them like bugs. Mir’s lips remained sealed, and they prayed Kev’s end had been swift.

“Just watch me,” Tav growled. “Perelle’s a big girl, and she’ll probably be glad to get away from Natelle if she gets the right alpha. And that’s not really in doubt, is it? I bet Father”s had dozens of offers for her. An omega with two alpha brothers is quite a catch. Plus, why the hell do you think Father will listen to me anyway? I refused to affiliate, remember?”

Clay dropped the act as if it had been a jacket that no longer went with their current outfit. The ‘blood stripe’ on their pants showed just how proud the beta was of their relationship to the head of their family, or perhaps they simply liked to remind others of their importance.

“Fine, have it your way, but your invite is in the post. If you tell him no, or you pretend you didn’t get it, you’ll be getting a visit. Father is determined that we show a united front, and a high-status beta, meaning you, not me, is definitely part of the arsenal he wants to present to the opposition. He fully intends to drag your ass to the ceremony personally if you don’t agree. I just came to warn you. I assumed, maybe wrongly, that you’d prefer to see me on your doorstep as a surprise visitor rather than Father, Natelle, several betas, and half a dozen brats. Sorry for caring.”

Tav closed his eyes, his jaw tense. He couldn’t actually be considering this, could he?

“So that’s a yes?” Clay said brightly. Tav let out a heartfelt groan.

Mir swallowed. Just because Tav was going, it didn’t mean they had to.

“I’ll stay here,” Mir blurted. “I can watch the stock. I’ll be fine, I—”

Mir could literally see Tav pulling on his doctor”s coat. “It’s not safe for you to tend to everything, what with your advanced pregnancy. I know I said we probably have six weeks before you deliver, but triplets often come early, and I’d never forgive myself if something went wrong.”

Clay piped up. “You heard Mir; they can cope. Stop treating them as if they’re an idiot, and you really should consider coming along as a couple. I’m sure you can find someone to look after the animals for a week or so.”

“I’m not going anywhere,” Mir repeated. “Go on your own, Tav. I promise I’ll be fine.”

Clay turned to Mir, and for the first time, Mir saw their family resemblance. Each sibling had features similar to the omega in the portrait above the fireplace. Tav had her lip shape, but Clay had her eyes.

“You do know that when he turns up, all bollocked up, our father will try to fix him up with a stuck-up rich bitch just like he did with our brother unless he brings an omega he’s already mated.” Clayen’s green eyes settled pointedly on Mir.

“There is no bloody way I’m exposing Mir to those assholes.” Tav’s forefinger jabbed toward his beta sibling’s chest. “Natelle would rip them to pieces. Besides,” Tav’s jaw tightened. “I don’t have paperwork, and Mir’s is… unavailable.” Tav clearly didn’t want to tell Clay about Mir’s past, even the little Mir had told him. “Use that big beta brain of yours, Clay. How do you think I’ve kept my manifestation quiet? The sire of a newly proven alpha always gets a copy of the proving certificate. If Father knew, he’d be crowing it from the highest spire in Malthus City.”

Clay raised their eyebrows at the revelation. “Firstly, I don’t think you’re giving Mir their due. If anyone is going to get ripped to pieces if they go toe to toe, believe me, it won’t be your Amazon. I take it Mir’s never hit you? They have a serious right hook, and I should know, even though I didn’t get beat on nearly as much as you did when we were pups. Secondly, if you’re not proven, you can’t be Mir’s guardian or claim those babies, and you want to, right?”

Mir watched Tavish intently, but he didn’t hesitate. “One hundred percent.”

Clay leaned forward, gaze locked with Tavish’s. “I can sort out two sets of paperwork, but only if you pick it up in person. If you don’t agree to come, it’s no deal, and you’ll have Natelle and Father on your doorstep within a week.”

Tavish pulled his hand down his face, and Mir knew Clayen had both of them by their metaphorical balls. Forged paperwork could be the answer to all their legal problems. It could mean no one could send Mir back to Hell or to Makish, and no one could claim the triplets as theirs, unless they somehow forced a DNA test, and why would they if the paperwork appeared correct?

Although meeting Tav’s wealthy, condescending family was the last thing Mir wanted, it sounded like the only solution to keep the babies safe for life.