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“I just wanted to check that you were okay and if Victor was treating you right.” Zack gazed at his twin in confusion.

“Of course. Why—”

“Because we can see your bite mark.”

“Shit.” Zack had forgotten. “Everyone?” he asked weakly. They’d all seen it? Alphas nearly always bit their omega, not the other way around.

“Asher would never poke at anyone’s sore spots and Martin won’t understand the significance.” Riley shrugged. “None of my business. Just wanted to check in to make sure it was…consensual.” Even Riley winced at the word as Zack felt the flush heat his skin.

“I—” Zack sat back down. “Yes, it was, but I didn’t expect to want it.” Christ, could this conversation be any more uncomfortable?

Riley slapped him on the back good-naturedly. “I really don’t want details, trust me. I just wanted to check in. Make sure we didn’t have an alpha wolf to beat up.”

Zack grinned and stood back up. “Nah, I think Alex could take him.”

“The disturbing thing is,” Riley agreed. “It’s not going to be long until you’re probably right.”

Chapter Sixteen

Mowasn’tsurehowhe was supposed to stay awake for this meeting, but apparently Noah had requested him, so coffee it was. He hadn’t even had a chance to process what had happened during their weeklong sex-fest, and guilt swamped him. If Khloe hadn’t gone missing, he never would have met Zack or Victor and it was wrong that anything tied to her disappearance could make him so happy. Because he was. Both hismateswere incredible. It was true that he loved Khloe and had spent a long time trying to find her, but this family was all he’d ever wanted when he finally acknowledged his own wasn’t gonna cut it. Khloe would love them as well, or at least the Khloe he remembered would.

He looked up as Noah came in and sat down just as he heard a car in the driveway. “Just remember, nothing you feel is wrong.”

Noah scoffed.

“And if you need some backup with whatever decision you make, just squeeze my hand.”

“And sing songs?” Noah said.

“I see the sarcasm is strong with this one,” Mo said in his best Yoda voice and for a moment Mo got a genuine smile. Or he did until Riley walked in.

“I’m subbing for Asher, who would normally take point, but as he’s been away, we thought this would work better.”

Noah shrugged as if he didn’t give a crap, but Mo knew differently. He knew Noah was all bluster and defiance because he was nursing his heart, and Mo doubted his presence was going to help. He didn’t know why Noah kept asking for him because the couple of times they’d spoken, Noah had seemed resentful. In fact, the only person… Mo opened his mouth before he judged the irregularity of it. “Noah, would you like Alex to sit in? He wouldn’t be able to participate, but—”

“Yes,” Noah blurted out and without a word, Riley got up and left. In a few seconds, Alex returned with Riley and deliberately walked around the table to sit next to Noah.

“If Noah’s father objects to your presence, you will have to leave.”

Alex nodded once, then got up and helped himself to juice, getting one for Noah as well without asking, and setting it down. Mo just had time to take his seat as Asher showed Helen Reynolds and a man Mo knew was Sean Pearson into the kitchen, before Asher then left. He greeted Pearson friendly enough, but he didn’t stand and neither did Riley. He was too busy watching for Noah’s reaction. It was telling when he leaned a fraction closer to Alex.

He caught the subtle shake of Victor’s head to tell him Pearson wasn’t a shifter.

Then he acknowledged how obvious it was that Pearson was his father. One blue and one golden brown eye. Mo sighed internally.

Helen started. “Mr. Pearson, we’re here to discuss the best thing for Noah going forward. Your business travelling and long absences are, I admit, my biggest concern.” The only reason family services had any sway was because Pearson had on paper abandoned Noah.

Sean Pearson barely so much as flicked an eyelash, which to Mo seemed very strange. He expected the businessman to seem insulted when Helen didn’t pull any punches, and apart from an off-hand greeting hadn’t so much as tried to hug Noah. “Yes,” he said mildly. “I realize I’m not in the position to offer the most stable home life for—” he hesitated, “a troubled teen, but as he is my son, I had no choice.”

Mo gaped and shot a stunned look at Riley. The man just told Noah he was an obligation, and nothing more, and if what they suspected had happened with Noah’s foster-mom was true, Pearson was lying. He sensed Alex move slightly and knew if Alex was going to become the alpha everyone expected him to be, his protective instinct toward Noah would be off the charts.

Even Helen seemed a little taken aback. Riley cut in smoothly. “Then perhaps we can offer a compromise, with Noah’s consent, obviously. As you know, Mr. Pearson, we are a fully registered foster home and have been for over twenty years. My suggestion is that Noah live here while your business commitments remain so pressing.”

Helen frowned and Mo understood. People couldn’t use the foster system as simple childcare when it was convenient, but Noah was a shifter and as such, needed to be with other shifters. Helen knew that. He assumed that while he’d been otherwise engaged upstairs, Noah still hadn’t shifted, which meant they still didn’t know what type of animal he was.

And for a long moment Mo wondered how his life had changed so much that he wasn’t shocked that Noah would become an animal, but was more concerned with what type he would change into.

Sean Pearson flicked a glance at Noah, then seemed to focus on Alex. “I’m sorry, but why is another child here?”