Page 129 of His Surrogate Omega

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Two ends of the spectrum…

Gray awoke, feeling groggy and hurtingallover. He lifted his head slightly—and saw Jamie lying in his hospital bed, too. Jamie wasn’t the only one. Two tiny babes lay between them, swaddled in soft blankets, and sleeping away.

“They’re beautiful,” Jamie whispered, tears in his eyes. “You made beautiful babies, Gray. I knew you would.”

Gray caressed one soft cheek and then the other, adoring these little ones. He cringed at the thought he would have to hand them over and walk away. Tears burned the backs of his eyes at the thought.

“What’s wrong?” Jamie whispered, frowning.

“I have to let them go.” His face twisted in pain, the instinct to hold on to them screaming in his veins.

“No, you don’t.”

Gray ignored Jamie. “I knew it would be hard… and I was sure I could do it…” He closed his eyes tight before letting one tear go. Gray reopened them and smiled at Jamie. “I’ll figure out a way. Because you deserve this family.”

Jamie took one of Gray’s hands and squeezed it. “No… you don’t have to let them go.”

“Ido. We have a contract… and now that they’re here… they belong to you.”

Jamie smiled and began to cry. “I love you so very much.”

“I love you, too.”

“I love you… because you still have hope… even when you can see that there’s not much more time.”

Gray stiffened. “Stop.”

“I promised I would try to hold on until they were born,” Jamie whispered. “And I did as I promised. I see they’re beautiful and perfect in every way, just as I knew they would be. But I see what comes next, too.” Jamie’s face twisted in anguish. “It’s time.”

Gray fought back the tears, begging himself not to sob. His face screwed up, and he shook as he tried not to cry. “Don’t leave me. I can’t lose you, Jamie. I love you too much.”

Jamie pressed a kiss to each of the baby’s foreheads before leaning over and pressing his lips to Gray’s. “And I love you, my brother. I leave this world knowing you and Rohan will take great care of these sweet blessings.”

“No,” he whispered.

Jamie laid his head down and smiled… and closed his eyes.

For the last time.

Gray sucked in a breath, his lungs burning.

No… no…

A sob wracked his body as he sensed the stillness coming from Jamie’s body. He leaned closer, lifting a hand to search for a pulse… a breath… any sign of life.

“No, damn you, no!”

Gray lifted his head and looked behind him. Rohan slept, all sprawled out on a recliner. “Rohan!”

Rohan’s lids fluttered, and he opened his eyes. After he scrubbed at them, he looked at Gray, confused. “What’s wrong?”

“Jamie.”

Rohan slowly rose to his feet and rounded the bed. He saw Jamie lying there and reached over to check his mate. His hands stilled… just before he dragged Jamie’s body into his arms, tears sliding down his face.

An anguished roar rose from his lungs as the pair of them slowly slid to the floor together, Jamie wrapped in Rohan’s strong arms. Gray wanted nothing more than to slide down there and hold his friend, too.

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