Emerson lowered his hand, stiffening at Dash’s side. He met Fitz’s gaze and held it.
“Is there a problem here, Fitz?”
“Oh, there absolutely isnota problem with Fitzgerald Walker,” Tanner said, moving to stand in front of his mate, hands perched on his hips. Tanner glared up at Fitz. “Is there?”
Fitz sighed.
“Oh, IknowI’m not mated to a bigot,” Tanner whispered hotly.
“I’mnota bigot,” Fitz argued. He lifted his gaze to Emerson. “I’m not. I’m just a bit… shocked. And terrified of what might happen to you.”
“Seriously,” Lucas said, eyeing Emerson. “No way you’ve truly considered the consequences.”
Fitz turned his attention to Dash. “And you. You’re willing to go to prison?For him?”
“We won’t have to,” Dash replied.
“Living in denial isn’t going to save you two,” Lucas said.
“We won’t have to… because I’m an omega,” Dash said, standing a bit straighter.
Emerson froze for a second, confused at Dash’s announcement. After all the denials, why was Dash saying that? He shook his head, staring down at his mate’s defiant expression.
“He’s not,” Emerson told his brothers without taking his gaze off Dash. “He’s an alpha.”
“I’m not,” Dash told them. “Well, I am.” Dash drew in a deep breath and released it. He snuck a peek at Emerson before continuing. “I learned a few years ago that I’m a hybrid. It’s a rare condition. I look like an alpha on the outside, but inside, I have omega biology. I’m both alphaandomega.”
“Oh,” Emerson’s papa said, sitting down on the edge of Randall’s bed with a stunned look on his face. “Wow.”
“And I’ve asked the doctor who just checked in on me to submit reclassification papers so that Emerson and I won’t land in prison for being together.”
Emerson shook his head. “Dash,no…”
“Weknow who I am,” Dash said. “That’s all that really matters. I don’t care what the province thinks I am. If changing a box on a form allows us to be together, then I’ll be classified as an omega and learn to live with that.”
“I don’t want you to lose your identity because of me,” Emerson said.
“But I’mnotan alpha, Em. Not fully. I’m something in between and I need to come to terms with that. Yes, I feel a stronger connection to my alpha side, but I don’t want to spend the rest of my life hating the other part of me, either. Especially when it’s the part that binds us together.” Dash leaned into Emerson. “I don’t know if I’ll ever connect with my omega side, but I hope to find peace with it, at the very least.” Dash eyed Emerson. “Is that okay? I know you’re not attracted to omegas and I’m risking pushing you away, but I hope you can see that it’s the only way forward for us, Em.”
Emerson cupped Dash’s cheek, needing to emphasize the words that came next.
“I love you.Exactlyas you are. Regardless of whether you’re alpha or omega or something in between. I want youin any formfor the rest of our days.”
Wetness shone in Dash’s eyes. “I want to be free to love you out loud—because I don’t think I’m going to be able to hide it very well. Or for very long.”
Emerson nuzzled closer, rubbing the tip of his nose against Dash’s. He kissed his mate tenderly. And hugged him, forgettingthe ribs he’d bruised. Dash grimaced, a light groan coming from him.
“Fuck,I’m so sorry,” Emerson said. “I forgot I’d beaten the hell out of you.”
“You didwhat?”his papa asked as he helped Dash back into the wheelchair.“Emerson Eugene Walker!”
“Eugene?”Dash whispered, a grin on his lips.
“He nearly died from smoke inhalation, Papa. I had to give him CPR—and I bruised his ribs from the force of it. I didn’tliterallybeat him.”
“Don’t scare me like that,” his papa said. “I was about to beatyoufor hurting your mate. I taught you better than that.”
“Yes, you did,” Emerson said.
