“I know. Just… don’t ask questions, okay? I’m not accusing you of anything. I just needtoknow.”
The developed test was still on the sink, and on his way out the door, Adrian grabbed it. He didn’t want Gabriel to see. Gabriel’s eyes followed him all the way out of the room. Not even the closed door between them convinced Adrian that he wasn’t still beingscrutinized.
Hewasn’tpregnant.
Water ran. The toilet flushed. The bathroom door opened. Gabriel stepped out through the door and handed his capped test to Adrian. “I did what youasked.”
“Thankyou.”
“It’s going to come up negative.” Gabriel leaned against the doorway on the opposite side from Adrian. “We went to the doctor just the other week and he checked. Do youremember?”
Fear made Adrian want to snap, but he reeled himself back for Gabriel’s sake. They weren’t kids anymore, and Adrian was never going to let his temper push Gabriel away again. “I do remember. I just want toseeit.”
Thirty seconds passed. Then sixty. One minute bled into two, yet still the test didn’t develop a second blue line. Adrian tapped his foot nervously against the floor, watching for the first hint of blue to appear, but he sawnothing.
“Is it negative?” Gabriel came to stand by Adrian’s side and peered over his shoulder at the test. “See? One line means negative. I’ve taken these testsbefore,and—”
“It can’t be right.” Adrian squeezed his eyes shut and let his head fall back against the door frame. “The test needs to have two lines. It’sfaulty.”
“…No?” Gabriel touched Adrian’s arm. “Adrian?”
“I know you aren’t pregnant, but I also know the test is faulty. There has to be twolines.”
“Adrian?” Gabriel’s voice rose in pitch, distressed. “What’s happening? Why are yousosad?”
Trembling, Adrian turned his test so the result window faced Gabriel. He saidnothing.
“Two lines?” Gabriel’s hand tightened on Adrian’s arm, but Adrian couldn’t bring himself to look at his brother. “You and yourboyfriendare…?”
“We only had sex once.” Tears beaded in Adrian’s eyes despite his best attempts. “It was only the one time. I wasn’t even in heat. It’s not right. It can’t be right. I… I don’twantthis.”
The mood grew somber. Gabriel ran his hand affectionately down Adrian’s arm, then let their bodies part ways. The distance was only momentary—in the next second, Gabriel pushed himself against Adrian’s side and wrapped his arms around Adrian’s waist. The small gesture of compassion was too much. The first tears slid down Adrian’s cheeks, interrupted by a choked sob that rang through the empty hallway of therightwing.
“Shh, it’s okay.” Gabriel rested his head on Adrian’s shoulder as Adrian dissolved into tears. Racking, ugly sobs rattled Adrian’s chest, and he clung to Gabriel like if he didn’t, his tears would wash him away. “It’s okay to be sad. It’s scary. It’s always scary. But this is what we were born for, you know? We’re just doing what our bodies want us to do. It isn’twrong.”
There was so much wrong with what Gabriel had said, but Adrian didn’t have the strength to correct him. Right now, all he could do was beselfish.
How was he supposed to take care of a baby when he couldn’t take care of his own brother? He’d hurt Gabriel so badly that Gabriel had run away. Whatever abuse Gabriel had gone through to make him think that pregnancy was an omega’s lot in life was directly because of Adrian’sactions.
And now he was supposed to bring a baby into theworld?
How the hell could he be a good father when he was such a lousybrother?
“You don’t have to be sad.” Gabriel stroked his back, but it gave Adrian little comfort.Hewas supposed to be the one who was strong, not Gabriel. “Your boyfriend will look after you. You don’t have to do thisalone.”
But Gabriel didn’t understand. Hecouldn’tunderstand.
Sterling wasn’t going to look after him. The only person who could look after Adrian washimself.
And if the positive test in his hand said anything, it was that he was doing a shitty jobofit.
12
Sterling
The tap squeakedas Sterling twisted it shut. The sound was grating to his ear, and he made a mental note to take a look at it tomorrow—he lacked the energy to deal with householdmaintenance.
The shower door opened with a push of his palm, and Sterling snagged a towel from the nearby rack and brought it to his face. In the fogged mirror, he caught his blurred reflection. A smudge of water-saturated blond. Pale skin. A human figure. Sterling crossed the bathroom on bare feet and ran his towel across the mirror to get abetterlook.
