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Two beta security guards rushed over. “Gentlemen, I am so sorry,” one of them said to Jax and Niall. “I am happy to stay with you for the remainder of your visit to ensure you remain unbothered.”

The other guard spoke in a low tone to the angry alphas before escorting them and their wailing toddlers out of the building. Jax shook his head. Ruining your children’s day so you could shout at a six-year-old. These pro-alpha idiots were out of control.

Jax wanted to leave and return to the relative safety of their apartment, but he knew it would be beneficial to salvage whatever sense of normalcy he could for the kids.

They stayed another hour before allowing the security guard to walk them to their car.

The boys asked to stop for ice cream, but both betas were eager to get behind a locked door.

They compromised by going through a drive-thru for soft serve.

From the passenger seat, Niall turned his head around to the boys, calmly eating in their boosters. He asked Garin and Kino, “What made you think of calling us ‘Dad?’ That was a very clever thing to do.”

Garin took a lick of his cone before answering. “When I saw those guys come into the tunnel, they seemed fine at first, normal. But then I could tell by their faces that they recognized us. It doesn’t happen a lot, but there was one other time in the grocery store—”

“Except that time, the man was nice,” Kino picked up the story. “That time, it was a beta, and he saw us, and we were with Daddy, and the man shook Daddy’s hand and said ‘nice to meet you’ and ‘thank you.’ But just now, those alphas got mean looks on their faces and we knew it wouldn’t be good.”

“Well, that was some quick thinking,” Niall said. “And it got us out of the tunnel.”

“I still don’t understand,” Zayne said, sticking his tongue out to catch a dribble of soft serve.

“You don’t need to.” Garin handed his brother a napkin. “Your big brothers will keep you safe. Always.”

“I know,” Zayne answered solemnly.

“Still,” Jax said from the driver’s seat. “I think it’s a good reminder for all of us to be more careful, at least for a little while. Especially you three.”

“Yes, Garin,” Niall spoke directly to the boy.

“I know you’re always going to protect Zayne, but he needs to understand that there are people in the world who are upset with your parents right now.

Those men back there were obviously inappropriate, but they seemed to be mostly bluster, like Landry’s father.

But there are some folks who are genuinely dangerous.

We need to make sure we are extra vigilant. ”

“Okay,” Garin said seriously.

“We understand,” Kino agreed. “Also, I didn’t like having to pretend, either. I’m proud to be Daddy’s son.”

Jax’s heart melted.

“Of course you are!” Niall said. “And I know for a fact that he is very proud to be your daddy.”

Once home, Niall wasted no time texting Teal. Teal replied that Sorcha was asleep, and a few seconds later, Niall began video chatting with the husbands. Jax set the boys up in the second bedroom to watch a movie so they could speak freely.

Jax sat next to Niall as he gave Ronan and Teal the rundown on the aquarium incident.

“You truly would have been proud of all three boys,” Niall said. “They really took it in stride.”

“It sounds like it could have been worse,” Ronan allowed, and Jax noticed how tired he looked. “But it kills me that it happened at all. I hate that our boys can’t even have a normal day at the aquarium because of our choices.”

“That’s how I feel, too,” Teal lamented. “It was all well and good when the twins were babies, but now they have to deal with this vitriol. All because I wanted to have my career.”

“Hey now,” Niall chided. “I know this is scary, but those boys love you. And even though they’re only six, it’s obvious how proud the twins are of your accomplishments.

Zayne will be also once he understands. More than a few folks at the aquarium came up after the incident and told the boys how grateful everyone is for your hard work. ”

“Not to mention how the twins behaved in public, as alphas,” Jax added thoughtfully.

“They are walking, talking reminders of exactly why you deserve to win the Bannon case. So many young alphas are raised to be chauvinist alphaholes. Garin and Kino prove there’s a better way.

They are six and made a grown man look stupid and childish. ”

“It was pretty epic,” Niall said, grinning.

“I’m wondering if we made a mistake not having bodyguards for our children,” Teal said, rubbing his chin.

“We’re the famous faces. We figured they would be okay if they weren’t next to us.

Like how you didn’t have any trouble at the carnival a few days ago.

But we were fooling ourselves to hope they wouldn’t get recognized eventually. ”

“I agree,” Ronan said. “High Court starts in two days. I think we should keep the boys close to home through the tribunal. School, and that’s all.”

Jax turned to Niall and asked, “There’s security at their school?”

“There is,” Ronan answered through the screen. “In theory, they are there to protect all the students, so the twins don’t feel stigmatized, but the guards are focused on our boys.”

“Well, we will do everything we can to help,” Jax affirmed. Looking at Niall, he mused aloud, “Maybe I should stay home this week. I can call in to the job site with an emergency.”

Before Niall could respond, Teal’s elegant voice came from the tablet. “Thank you for being willing to help, Jax. I’m so glad the boys have you in their corner now, along with Niall.” Jax felt the warmth of the omega’s bright eyes on him.

“It’s not a problem,” Jax replied gruffly. “Your kids are easy to like.”

“It’s true,” Niall said. “Jax is already quite attached. I’ll send you some pictures I took today of him being a human play structure for them.”

Ronan chuckled. “I can imagine. And I agree with Teal. We’re grateful we’ve gotten to know you better, Jax, especially during this stressful time for our family.”

“I appreciate that,” Jax mumbled. With a clearer voice, he added, “And we’ll get them home safely tomorrow. You have my word.”

“Definitely,” Niall said. “Don’t worry about that at all.” Smiling mischievously, he stared straight at the tablet and added, “You two just focus on taking care of your sweet little omega neighbor.”

Ronan barked a laugh, looking sheepish, but Teal winked at the camera, saying silkily, “Oh, don’t worry, we will.”

Niall and Jax chuckled before saying goodbye.

“I guess that answers that question,” Jax said.

“What?”

“When you said Ronan and Teal were helping Sorcha with his heat, I wasn’t sure—”

“You thought there was a possibility they were doing something other than fucking his brains out?”

“I mean, yes.”

“It would be pretty painful for an omega to get through a heat without being fucked. And since Ronan and Teal are okay being non-monogamous, it would have surprised me if they weren’t taking this opportunity to have a lot of fun.”

“And you’re okay with that?”

“What do you mean?”

“You know, since you used to be with them?”

“Are you asking if I’m jealous?”

“I suppose.”

“Babe, be honest. When you picture Ronan and Teal in your mind, guiding sweet little Sorcha through his heat, filling his hole, making him scream, what does it make you feel?”

“Hot.” Jax didn’t hesitate. “Horny.”

“Exactly. That’s how I feel too. I ended things with Ronan and Teal.

I don’t begrudge them their happiness. Not to mention that from what Teal said, it sounds like they didn’t have a choice.

He didn’t give me all the details, but I think Sorcha’s uncles put him in a bad spot, and Ronan and Teal couldn’t really do anything other than what they're doing.”

Jax huffed. “That’s what some men talk about in the beta neighborhoods, especially the beta isolationists.”

“What?”

“They say it’s disgusting the way omegas go into heat and basically become slaves to their bodies. Alphas too.”

Niall shook his head. “Dummies.”

“I wish I could tell those stodgy old men that it’s just as natural for omegas to heat as it is for betas not to.”

“Not to mention that without heats, there wouldn’t be any, you know, people .”

Jax hummed. “There is that. I never said the logic was sound. Quite the opposite.” Seriously, he added, “I hope Sorcha’s okay. And I'm grateful I was there today with you and the boys when those alphas showed up.”

“Ah, babe, I can’t tell you how much it means to me that you care about those kids the way I do.”

“How could I not?”

The betas spent an hour reading fairy tales to the boys after dinner.

Niall watched from the doorway as Jax tucked them into bed.

Zayne slept in the middle of the trio, bracketed on each side by his older brothers.

It had been a long day, and neither man was surprised when the kids closed their eyes immediately.

But the tiny omega was at least somewhat awake, because as Jax pulled away, he whispered, “G’night, Jaxey. Love you.”

Jax startled for a moment before running a hand through Zayne’s soft curls. “Sleep well, buddy.”

After tiptoeing into the hallway, leaving the door open a crack, Jax and Niall retreated to the second bedroom.

“My heart almost burst with Zayne just now,” Niall said.

Slipping his pajama pants on, Jax looked thoughtful as he replied, “You know what’s weird is that I almost said it back. Not because of a reflex, either, but because I…actually felt it. In the moment. Felt like I love that kid.”

“That’s not weird.” Niall insisted. “It’s awesome that you and the children have taken to one another so quickly.”

Jax turned it over in his mind. Contemplating. Standing up straight, he continued, “Even right now, I have this urge to sort of camp outside their door. After today, the assholes at the aquarium. I want to protect those kids from all that nonsense.”

“Well, maybe it’s not complicated. I’ve loved those boys for years, and you love me. So you were primed to love them.”

Just as he had at the barbeque, Jax sensed his world expanding.

He didn’t say it out loud but admitted to himself that the best way to describe how he felt about Garin, Kino, and Zayne was family .

How that had happened so quickly, he had no clue.

It didn’t matter. It made his boyfriend happy.

And it made Jax feel closer to Niall and, in a way, to Ronan and Teal as well.

Niall was right. It didn’t need to be complicated. He knew he would do anything to keep those boys safe. And that was all he needed to know.

Jax emailed his boss to say he’d be unable to travel to the Hampson Towers site for the next two weeks. He asked for understanding because he was experiencing an emergency.

A family emergency.