Page 46 of His Surrogate Omega

“Shhhh….” Gray hissed looking around. He glanced through the lower floor before angling his head toward the stairs. “You boys okay up there?”

He got two mumbled calls and was thankful the boys weren’t close by.

“You know full well you can’t extract Lake from his Z-box,” Avery said. “And Auggie is never far away from Lake.”

“But you need to be careful, regardless,” Gray told him.

“I know, I know. I’m just excited.” Avery was full of boundless energy. “I need to go change into something cooler. I think we need to go out to celebrate tonight.”

“Celebrate?”

“It was a very good day, and the boys have been stuck in the house all summer.”

“Not true. They go to the summer program a couple of days a week.”

“But we don’t have the money to go on summer vacations like we used to as a family. Papa always had us going somewhere—art museums and mini-golf and out for adventures. I know they’re bored. We need to go have some fun tonight.”

“We can’t leave the quad,” Gray reminded him. “Well, at least—I can’t. And most of that stuff is in the Family Quadrant.”

“We have a bowling alley,” Avery said. “It’s cheap, and it’s fun. How about that?”

“And how much you want to bet Lake and Auggie end up in the arcade and never step out of it until we leave?”

Avery groaned. “Can we just do something and get out of this house as a family?”

Gray smiled. “Yeah. We can do that.”

Avery grinned. “Good. I’m going to change and get the boys ready.”

“Wait… before you go,” his uncle said.

Avery turned back.

Gray slid a piece of paper from his pocket and pushed it across the island. “That should hopefully help cover your first semester’s tuition at your fancy college.”

Avery walked closer and picked up the paper.

Rohan’s check.

“I can’t take that,” Avery said, shaking his head.

“You will. I’m doing this for you, Avery. I’m signing it over to you. Cash it and use it toward tuition, books, whatever it is you need. I know you’ve already taken some out of savings, but you can repay it now. I’ll be getting another one once I conceive, and another once I give birth, which should come in time for your next few semesters or close enough.”

“I can’t tell you surrogacy is a bad idea in one moment and then use the money you earn from it in another. Iwon’tbe that person.”

“Then I’ll deposit it into the family account and it’ll be yours one way or another,” Gray said defiantly. “You might disagree with me, but I won’t let you refuse this. Don’t make me beg you to let me help my brother’s children.”

Avery eyed him. From the look on his face, Gray knew he was considering his response. “Thank you for the gift. You’re amazing, Uncle Gray. And I love you for what you’re trying to do for us.”

“It’s no gift. I expect payback.”

“Oh?”

Gray walked closer and placed his hands on Avery’s shoulders. “Good grades. A degree. And once your alpha claims you, you let me remain in this house until my dying day. Fair enough?”

“And what about your alpha?”

Gray tilted his head. “I need to focus on what’s real. I need to secure a future for myself, too. You guys will one day go off, mated, and leave me here alone. I need to prepare for that.”

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