Oakley spun and stalked to the door, pausing before he left the room.“Glad you didn’t die.”
After he was gone, a few seconds ticked by in uncomfortable silence. Dash slowly turned to gaze at his papa, who stared down at his hands like they were the most interesting thing in the room.
“Do you agree with Oakley?”
His papa searched his face a moment. “I think it’s a bit more nuanced than that, but he does bring up a fair point.”
Dash pulled his gaze away, ashamed. Not of his omega side—but of disappointing his papa.
“I can’t imagine having lived nearly thirty years and then to suddenly find out I’m not who I thought I was,” Papa said. “Itwas a seismic change, and it has likely eroded your view of self. When you came home, I could tell you were in pain. I tried to get you to talk about what happened—to help you work through it—but you refused every effort I made.”
“Ididask for your help.”
“To get scripts forHeatexandScentexso you could continue to pass as alpha and pretend nothing had changed. The next time I brought it up, you shut me down so hard I never spoke of it again. Then today, we find out you have a mate we’ve never met and we might be grandparents.”
Might?What did that mean?
“It’s doubtful I’m pregnant. I was told it would be a minor miracle.”
Thank heavens.
Yet, he felt an odd longing within. A part of him that almost wished he was. To give Emerson a son and to become a family at his mate’s side. Emerson had the makings of an incredible father. He shoved the ridiculous thought away. It could never happen, so why consider it?
“I assume they did blood work to find out?” Dash asked, needing to know for certain that he was in the clear.
“You’re not. That’s a blessing.”
Dash frowned at his papa.“Meaning?”
“You’re not ready to be a papa,” Papa spat.
Dashdidn’twant children. So why did his papa’s claim bother him so much? “Is anyone ever really ready?Were you?”
His papa scoffed. “What if you had an omega child? Would you love him? Or would you raise him to be self-loathing like you are?”
Dash blanched. “I’mnotself-loathing.”
“Then what doyoucall it?”
Dash blinked a few times. “I don’t feel any connection to this omega part of me. That’s all it is.”
“And how would you even know which part of you is omega?”
Dash rolled his eyes.
“We’re more than our heats, Dashiell,” His papa rose and walked closer to the side of the bed. “We’re smart and creative. We’re brave and we’re kind. We’re protectors of the innocent and nurturers of the soul. We love with our whole hearts.”
“Alphas have the capability of all that, too.”
“Exactly my point,”his papa said. “We’re all the same. Just some of us come in smaller packages.”
Dash sighed.
“We’re also stronger than what we’re given credit for. We’re the life-givers and without us, this world ends.” His papa cupped his cheek and turned his face towards him. “That strength resides in you. You might have learned of it late, but it has been there all along. You were given the gift of walking through both worlds, yet you reject one side. Which is your right, I suppose. You can identify as whomever you choose. But what I won’t have is a son who sees me as weak. Not after all I’ve lived through and survived.”
Dash held his papa’s gaze. “I’veneverseen you as weak.”
Papa lowered his hand. “Good.”
