Chapter 2

2

C avanaugh approached the gleaming wood door he'd watched his carbon copy slip through a half hour before. He'd sat in his car, weighing whether he should go and ask his questions or not. Fear of what he might learn had left him immobilized. Fear wasn't an emotion he knew well. For several years in his younger days, he'd been embedded as an investigative reporter with a No Man's Land tribe governed by one of the most fearsome warlords. His experience had given him his first bestseller and began a career of crossing the lines into dangerous situations and returning to report back. He'd visited nearly every continent, exploring their world and reporting back on it, never afraid of the journey ahead.

Yet knocking on a door to a quaint, suburban estate utterly terrified him.

Cav couldn't walk away, either. He needed to know. Needed it as much as he needed air in his lungs. He had to have answers before he walked away, and he was quite certain Wynter wouldn't give them. It was probably best they kept their distance anyway. It had been hard enough being so close earlier that day and not being able to touch the omega.

His omega.

Though Wynter had never been his. Not truly.

Over three decades later and that fact still brought pain, the chunk Wynter had torn from his heart never truly healed. Cavanaugh clenched his jaw, unable to find the strength to lift his hand and knock. What if he was wrong?

How could he be? The man looked exactly like him. It had been like looking in a mirror, if only he'd been thirty years younger.

Finally summoning the courage, he knocked—and instantly regretted it. He eyed his rented car at the end of the circular drive and imagined racing away, forgetting what he'd witnessed. How could he forget, though? It would gnaw at him until he knew what it all meant, though that knowledge stood to hurt him even more.

Cav heard noise behind the door and when it swung open, he found his own face staring back at him.

They both stared at one another a few long seconds, silent.

"I'm sorry… I shouldn't have, but I followed you here. I had to..." Cav blinked a few times. Up close, there could be no doubts. The man was his son. "Can we talk?"

Hesitancy swirled in his replica's eyes. Finally, the young man stepped back, jaw tight, and opened a path. "Come in."

Cav stepped into the large foyer, glancing around at the wealth on display. Wealth he would never have been able to give Wynter and their son. He'd done well for himself over the years, but his millions couldn't compare to the hundreds of millions the Jaymeses had in their coffers.

"My omega and son are asleep in the family room, so we need to keep this conversation brief… and quiet."

Cavanaugh nodded. A son? He had a grandson, too? He wanted to smile, but he was too overwhelmed to feel too much of the joy that whispered through him. "Of course."

The young alpha eyeballed him from top to bottom. "Who are you?"

"I knew your papa. A long, long time ago."

"Who are you… to him?"

"Wilder? Is someone here?" a voice called out.

Wilder? "Your name is… Wilder?"

"It is." Wilder turned slightly, his handsome brow furrowed. "Coming, my love." He turned to eye Cav. "You should come in. Meet my omega."

Cav took a deep breath. It was too much, too soon, but he couldn't stop the momentum any more than he'd been able to stop the bullet that had once torn through him.

He followed Wilder Jaymes toward the back of the large home. They passed a formal dining and a sitting room, elegantly decorated. Next, he noted the entrance into a large, well-appointed chef's kitchen where two younger omegas sat eating, a beta moving about the space, cooking. Who were the other young omegas? More children? No… they were too old to be Wilder's, surely.

He and Wilder traveled on, toward a sunny family room at the back. Everything they passed spoke of money. The furnishings were fine—simple yet elegant. Warm leather and woods, mixed with soft colors and an abundance of greenery taking advantage of the light pouring in through large windows.

As soon as Cav noticed the small, pale omega resting on a chaise with a small bundle in his arms, he slowed his steps. The omega's eyes widened, his mouth falling open slightly.

He sees it, too.

"We have a guest," Wilder announced. He turned toward Cav. "I'm sorry… I didn't catch your name."

"Cavanaugh. Wilder Cavanaugh."

Wilder Jaymes' eyes widened to impossible size before a sense of numbness seemed to roll over him. "Can I get you a drink, Wile— Mr. Cavanaugh?"

"Call me Cav, please." Their first names all but confirmed who they were to one another, didn't it? It wasn't conclusive, but their resemblance and the name? It had to be. Clearly his son sensed that, too. A son. I have a son. "I drink little these days, but I believe I'll take one now."

Wilder strode to a small bar cart across the room and poured two whiskeys. Cav's gaze flitted between the babe in the omega's arms and to his son's back. Wilder returned and handed one over. "There you go."

"Thank you." Cav's hand shook slightly, the alcohol sloshing a bit in the glass. "Mind… mind if I take a seat?"

He didn't wait for an answer. He nearly collapsed into a nearby chair, the momentousness of the situation bearing down on his shoulders and weakening his knees. Cav downed the liquor in one gulp. He wiped his mouth with the back of his hand and took a breath as the alcohol burned its way down. "I didn't know. About you. Just so you're aware."

"What are you talking about?" Wilder asked, hopefully feigning the indifference he projected.

"I had no idea I had a son."

"My father died today," Wilder replied without emotion.

"The man who raised you, sure. Clearly not the man who made you." Cav shook his head. "It's like looking in a mirror. Minus thirty odd years, of course."

Wilder took a seat on the chaise at his omega's feet, his eyes glazed over. After he slowly inhaled and exhaled, he turned his attention to Cav. "Who are you?"

"Your papa's true alpha." Cav frowned. "And from what I see before me, likely your father."

Silence filled the room. It weighed heavily, making it harder for Cav to breathe.

Wilder drained his whiskey. "I think I need another."

Cav lifted his glass. "I'll take another, too." He'd curbed his drinking years before. He'd relied on it a little too often over the years to mask the pain of losing his omega. Learning he'd lost a lot more than that broke another piece inside. Drowning inside a bottle didn't sound half bad in that moment.

Wilder ambled near to take Cavanaugh's empty tumbler, appearing wary of getting too close. He reached for the glass and turned his back once it was in hand.

The babe in his papa's arms cried out, little fists punching the air.

"Excuse me," the omega said. He pulled a thin blanket over one shoulder and eased the babe toward his chest.

Cav heard the telltale sign that the infant had latched on and nursed away. He knew he shouldn't watch so closely, yet… it was his grandson.

His grandson.

A glass of whiskey slid between him and his line of sight. When he lifted his gaze, he thought he saw anger in Wilder's expression.

An overprotective alpha? With any luck that's all that was, and he hadn't overstepped.

"Sorry," he muttered, accepting the glass. He lifted it in some semblance of a cheer and downed the second one as fast as the first.

"You might want to slow down," Wilder mumbled. He gazed at the refilled tumbler in his own hand before shrugging and downing his, too.

"Good advice," Cav murmured.

Wilder winced before lowering the glass to the surface of a nearby table, his back to Cav. "Mr. Cavanau?—"

"Just Cav. That's what my friends call me."

Wilder turned and eyed him a moment, emotionless. "Cav." He drew in a deep breath. "I…" He paused, shaking his head, and likely searching for the right words to say. What did one say when faced with news like that? Cav wasn't sure which one of them was in worse shape at that moment. "I just put my father in the ground, and I don't know if I have the ability to have the conversation you likely want to have right now."

Cav rose to his feet. "You're right, of course. I'm not exactly in the right head space for that right now myself, if truth be told. You're grieving and I… I… shouldn't have come."

"Yet here you are," Wilder murmured.

"I guess… I just had to see up close. Make sure my eyes hadn't been deceiving me." He used both hands to scrub his face before lifting his gaze to Wilder. "I had no idea…" He frowned, the knowledge of what had been robbed from him cutting deep. "I… I simply came to offer my respects to someone I cared about and…" He shoved a hand through his hair. "And I found…" He searched Wilder's face. "I found you."

"Someone you cared about…" He narrowed his eyes. "My father, Warden Jaymes, was my papa's alpha. Not you."

Cav wasn't sure how to answer. They'd both been lied to. Outright lies and those of omission. He didn't want to compound that and add more to the pile Wilder's life had been built upon. "I think we're both aware that fate fucks up on occasion."

Wilder didn't respond. Only stared that steely glare.

"All I can tell you is the truth. Your papa is my omega. I'm his fated alpha."

"Yet Warden was my father," Wilder said, his expression breaking and tears shining in his eyes. "Why is that?"

"That's a long story that even I don't have all the answers for. Even if I did, you don't have the energy to hear it today," Cav said. "I don't know if I have the energy to tell it if you did."

Wilder pressed on, anger firing in his eyes. "What kind of alpha can walk away from his omega?" He glanced at his mate and child, and then back to Cav. "I can barely breathe at the thought of losing them."

Cav fought tears, a sob rising up his throat. He hadn't missed the note of condemnation in Wilder's tone. It was nothing compared to the shame he heaped on himself for not being alpha enough to win his omega's heart. "I didn't walk away, but if it helps you any, the last thirty years have been agony all the same."

Silence filled the gap separating them. It wasn't just space, but time and emotion stretched thin between them.

"Do you live here in the province?" Wilder finally asked, his tone once again numb.

"I do not. I was on a layover at the helipad when I stumbled over the news of your… father's death. I had to know." He fought back tears of his own. "I had to know that my omega was okay." He scoffed. "Like the besotted idiot I am."

Wilder glared, though Cav sensed he'd not even realized it. "Where are you staying?"

Cav shrugged. "I'd planned to grab a cheap hotel for the night and fly home to Blacksburg first thing in the morning."

Wilder stared, silent a few heartbeats. "Is that still your plan? To leave in the morning?"

Cav eyed the man, knowing there was no way he was leaving anytime soon. "I don't know. Should I?"

Pain sliced across Wilder's face. "That's not for me to decide."

Cav considered his choices for a second. Did he stay and dig into the soft, painful places and learn the truth—potentially hurting both Wilder and Wynter in the process—or did he return home and wait for them to come to him? Considering he'd just been accused of walking away, perhaps that wasn't the right choice. "I think I have too many questions left unanswered to leave quite yet."

The hint of relief he saw in Wilder's expression gave him a glimmer of hope. Cav scratched his head and stood taller. "I can leave you with my number. I'll go find a hotel and if you want to talk in a day or two… text me and I'll meet you. Wherever you wish."

"Or you could stay here," Wilder's omega offered.

Wilder's gaze flipped to the omega's, and it was clear the man didn't appreciate the suggestion.

"I think the two of you need your space right now," Cav said. He smiled palely. "Especially with the new little one around, too."

"Don't be silly," the omega replied. "This house is much too big for the three of us. There's plenty of space."

"Avery," Wilder murmured.

"No," Cav replied, refusing to cause an argument between the pair. "I'll find somewhere not too far away." He nodded to the omega. "It was a pleasure meeting you, Avery, is it?" He eyed the omega and suddenly, a realization came over him. "You're him . Avery… the one who was imprisoned not long ago. For pretending to be a beta."

The omega's face reddened. "Yep. That was me."

Cav's gaze flipped to Wilder's. "And you were his stalwart, supportive alpha, who rallied support in his favor. Support that grew to massive proportions."

Wilder nodded, his face devoid of emotion. "I suppose you could say that, as long as you know that the omegas quickly took over—as they should have."

Cav smiled inwardly, happy to know Wilder might not be like many of the alphas in Alexandria. "I just received an early copy of a book written about the Omega Rights Movement here. I haven't had a chance to read more than a couple of chapters yet… and I'd noticed the Jaymes name, but I didn't connect the two until just now. Avery Jaymes. According to the dust jacket, you started a revolution here."

"I think that's pushing my involvement a bit far," Avery murmured, a hint of a smile on his lips.

"No, it's not," Wilder replied quickly, adoring gaze locked on his omega. Wilder smiled and it was the only real smile he'd seen on his son's face so far.

It was clear there was pride in Wilder's eyes, and they both damned well deserved to be pleased at what they'd accomplished. "I was shocked it took so long for change to come and glad it finally did. Alexandria has been a backward cesspool for far too long, not that Blacksburg's much better. Hell, it wasn't even on the news there, likely because they're scared it might give our omegas ideas." He scoffed. "And my s—" He paused, smile fading some, but none of the pride ebbed. "And you were a part of that." He eyed Wilder's omega. His son-in-law. "You were spectacular from what I've heard so far. Taking on the system like you did. I'd offer to shake your hand, but you've got your hands full right now."

Avery smiled brightly, and Cav could see Wilder was a lucky man on many fronts. Not only was Avery the catalyst of enormous positive change, but bright and handsome, as well. And had given Wilder a son while changing the world? If only he'd dug into the story sooner, he might've realized who they were to him before a funeral had led him there. "Well, I'll leave you two so you can have some peace and quiet." He glanced around. "Have you got a pen and paper so I can leave my number?"

Wilder sighed, shaking his head. "Avery's right. You should stay. We have plenty of room."

"You're dealing with a big loss, and you don't need me underfoot right now." Cav wanted nothing more than to stay and get to know them better, but he wouldn't add that stress to Wilder's already overburdened shoulders.

"I insist," Wilder said, lifting a brow—as if challenging Cav to refuse.

I remember that look well. Just like his papa's. "Well, then… if you insist."

Wilder eyed Avery before returning to look at Cav. "Excuse me a moment. I'll go ask our housekeeper to set up a room for you." He strode out, broad-shouldered and self-possessed, a bearing Cav hadn't had at that age. Not that he recalled, anyway.

He turned to see Avery watching him closely. Awkward silence filled the space between, but luckily his son's omega soon focused on the baby again and took the heat off. Avery lifted the babe from under the blanket and to his shoulder, patting the infant's back.

Cav couldn't hold back a question. "What's his name?"

"Emory," Avery replied, smiling brightly once more.

"Emory Jaymes." He grinned. "It's a good name."

Emory Cavanaugh had a better ring to it.

"Emory Gilead Jaymes." Avery continued patting gently. "Emory was the name of the judge who let me off the hook, so to speak. Gilead is my father's name."

"I bet your parents are ecstatic you're home… and that they have a beautiful little grandson, to boot."

The joy in Avery's eyed faded slightly, and Cav sensed he'd just stepped in it.

"They're deceased."

Damn. "My apologies."

Avery's smile never wavered. "No need to apologize. You weren't wrong. I'm sure they are glad I was released and that they're able to look down and see me happy with Wilder and our son."

The two omegas who'd been eating in the kitchen appeared in the room, soon flanking Avery on either side as they stared at Cav with mild curiosity.

"You look like Wilder," the older of the pair said. "Are you one of the Jaymeses?"

"Not exactly," Avery interjected. "This is Wil—" Avery grimaced, turning his attention to Cav. "This is Mr. Cavanaugh. Mr. Cavanaugh, these are my younger brothers, Lake and August. They stayed here during Warden's…" He omitted the last word, as if incapable of uttering it.

"Auggie," the younger one corrected. "Don't call me August."

Cavanaugh offered a hand. "You can call me Cav, Auggie."

"Calf?" Auggie asked, giggling.

"Cavvvvv, you idiot," Lake snapped.

Avery sighed. "Why don't you and Auggie head upstairs and pack your things? Uncle Gray should be here soon to pick you up."

"I wanna stay here," Auggie said, kneeling at Avery's side to allow his nephew's tiny hand to curl over one finger. "I can help."

"Avery's got his hands full with one baby. He doesn't need two," Lake snapped at Auggie.

"I'm not a baby!"

"Oh, come now. I bet Auggie's a lot of help for Avery," Cavanaugh said, grinning at the youngest.

Auggie brightened. His teenaged brother, the opposite.

"I'm not a pretentious dickhead like you are, Lake," Auggie said.

"Auggie," Avery murmured.

"Whatever. Uncle Gray's coming," Lake spat on his way out of the room. "Come on, Auggie."

Avery eyed his youngest brother. "How about you come back next weekend?"

"Just me?" Auggie asked. "No Lake?"

"Just you," Avery whispered, smiling.

Auggie's face lit up again as he rose to his feet. "Good. Lake's an asshole."

"Language," Avery whispered. He grinned. "But, yeah, he is."

Auggie leaned down to press a kiss to the baby's forehead and rose. "See you soon, Em."

Auggie raced out of the room.

"Cute kid," Cav said, grinning. "Gotta mouth on him, though I think it makes me like him even more."

"He might only look ten or eleven, but he's actually fourteen," Avery replied, smiling at Cav's surprise. "Auggie's a sweetheart most of the time, though I think he's spent too much time with Lake—who's never been the same since…" He smiled, pain in his eyes. "Since losing our parents." Avery paused again, appearing to wrestle with his own sense of grief. "Auggie's getting a foul mouth and an even fouler attitude at times." Avery sighed. "Teenagers aren't fun."

"Being a teenager is hard enough as it is, but to add loss like that? It isn't easy at any age, but kids? That's rough," Cav murmured, remembering a loss of his own. He slid forward in the chair, getting a slightly better look at the baby. "You have a while before you have to worry about that with this one, though. He's a tiny thing."

"Newborn," Avery said. "Only a week old."

Cav smiled.

"Would you like to hold him?" Avery asked.

Cav slid back in the chair, stunned. "I'd hurt him. He's so tiny."

Avery chuckled. "Wilder had that same expression of panic when he was offered Emory the first time." He cocked his head to the side, eyes narrowing. "Literally that same exact expression." He chuckled and shook his head. "I'm sure you'll do fine."

Cav took a steadying breath before rising. Of course, he wanted to meet his grandson, but he had no experience with tiny babies. He crossed the room and stood by the chaise. "Is it okay if I steal a little corner of your chaise? I don't want to get too far away from papa."

Avery slid his legs over. "Of course."

Cav sat on the edge and allowed Avery to carefully place the little bundle in his arms.

"Make sure you're careful with his head and neck," Avery instructed, beaming as he looked down at his son in Cav's grip.

His lungs burned as he eyed his grandson. Fighting back tears, he wondered if Wilder had looked like that as a newborn. He'd never know. Never get to experience holding his infant son in his arms. Never get the chance to raise a child into a man.

Holding his grandson gave him a taste of what he'd lost. The moment was equal parts profound and heartbreaking.

"He's beautiful." Likely the most beautiful thing Cav had ever laid eyes on. Tears blurred his vision, and he willed them back so he didn't miss a second.

"Sorry I took so long, I wanted to ca—" Wilder strode into the room and froze at the sight of Emory in Cav's arms. He stood silently, his jaw tightening.

"Little one, I think I should hand you back to your papa," Cav whispered, shaken a bit by Wilder's odd reaction. He gave the infant one last look, smiling at how precious his grandson was, before allowing Avery to take the boy. He rose and eyed Wilder. "You should be proud."

"I am," Wilder murmured, a hint of annoyance in his gaze. He turned his attention to Avery. "I tried calling Papa, but it seems he's run off."

"Run off?" both Avery and Cav asked, in stereo.

"He didn't go back home to the reception. Nor did Vaughn. Gray and Rohan thankfully handled it for us and gently urged folks to leave early. Supposedly, Papa went to a hotel to avoid everyone."

"So, he's all alone?" Cav asked, worry filling him. Why he should care, he didn't know—but he did. He would always care, no matter what had transpired between them.

"Seems that's the way he wants it," Wilder said, a short inhale and tilt of the head voicing ire. "Or he wants to avoid the volley of questions about to be shot in his direction. Shouldn't surprise me. Avoiding anything emotional is his stock and trade."

"Your papa has been through a lot," Avery murmured, eyeing Cav. "And a surprise visitor from the past on top of that. Maybe you should give Wynter a little space to get his footing before you tear into him."

"I don't need advice on how to handle my papa."

"And if you were in my shoes? Would you want someone to tear into Avery?" Cav asked.

"Wynter doesn't get a pass on this," Wilder snapped. "He has a lot to answer for."

"I'm sure your papa will do that once he's had a minute to get his head on straight," Avery interrupted, lifting a brow at Wilder. "I know you're impatient. I would be, too, in your shoes. But Wynter has just experienced a major loss. Give him a day or two, at the very least."

"You're defending him? After the things he said to you?" Wilder asked Avery.

Cav wanted to question what that meant, but knew he'd cross a line asking it.

"Perhaps becoming a papa has softened me a little. Or maybe it's how much I miss my own right now and that I don't want you to lose yours, too. Was what Wynter said condescending when we met? Absolutely. But there's two sides to a story. Maybe he overreacted out of worry for you. You were shacking up with a criminal, you know?"

"A criminal? Hardly." Wilder shook his head.

"Look, you've just lost one parent," Avery replied. He took Wilder's hand in his. "You need to pause and take a breath. Before you end up saying things to your papa that you might later regret."

Wilder sighed. "I appreciate your attempt to be kind, but my papa wasn't worried about me."

"He was worried about how the world would judge him," Cav murmured, thinking out loud.

Wilder eyed him and nodded. "Maybe you do know my papa, after all."

"It's been a long time, but I doubt some things have changed," Cav replied.

Wilder crossed and pressed a kiss to Avery's head. "I didn't mean to snap at you. I'm just… frustrated."

"I know, and I forgive you."

Wilder wrapped an arm around Avery's shoulders. "I love you."

Avery closed his eyes and leaned into Wilder's hug. "I love you, too."

Cav, while pleased to see his son had a loving relationship, felt very much the interloper. He turned his back to the pair to give them a moment's privacy, unsure what to do with himself. "I'm headed outside to grab my suitcase."