Page 130 of His Forsaken Alpha

“Speaking of grandpapas,” Avery said, rising with Emory in his arms. “I hear they’re some of the best burpers around.”

Wynter lifted his arms for the babe, excited to finally get a chance to hold his grandson. His face almost hurt from the wide smile crossing his face. “Oh,absolutely…theyare.”

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Avery laid a thin blanket over Wynter’s shoulder before offering the tiny bundle.

Wynter choked back tears. “He’s…beautiful,Avery.” He glanced over at Cavanaugh, who wore an odd expression—and he immediately sensed his alpha imagining him holding Wilder all those years ago. How much he’d robbed Cavanaugh of. It broke him. Wynter fought another round of tears. He’d never be able to make it up.

Emory cooed, and Wynter refocused on the babe, his heart full—yet weighed down, all the same. He’d never truly understood the concept of bittersweet until that moment, or how far the spread of love and pain could sway.

“We’ll see you all soon,” Gray said before hugging Avery close and then squeezing Wilder’s shoulder. “Let me know when you go to Blacksburg so I know to check in on Avery.”

“I doubt we’ll be gone more than a day,” Wilder said. “At least, I won’t. I have no desire to spend too long away from my omega and our babe.”

Once Rohan and Gray departed, Avery stifled a yawn.

“Sorry,”Avery said. “I’m a bit sleep deprived right now.”

“Why don’t you go take a little nap while you can? He won’t need to nurse for a little while now,” Wilder said. “I’ll take care of him.”

Avery looked hesitantly at the babe in Wynter’s hands. Wynter stiffened. Of course, Avery didn’t trust him. While it hurt, Wynter understood. He’d yet to prove himself.

“I’ll hand him back to Wilder if that makes you more comfortable,” Wynter said.

“No, it’s not that,”Avery assured him. “He’s been at my side since we got home.” He chuckled. “It shouldn’t be that hard to walk upstairs and take a nap, but it’s killing me to think about it.”

“Says the omega who wasn’t sure he wanted children,” Wilder murmured with a grin.

“You didn’t want children?”Wynter asked, a bit surprised.

Another of his terrible assumptions. He’d thought Avery a gold digger who’d lied about being an omega to get closer to alphas.Gods, I sound just like Papa.

“I didn’t want to bea breeder.The idea that my sole duty in this world was to provide my alpha with a home and children made it hard to breathe. I wanted an opportunity to prove I could be more than that,” Avery said. He turned to look at Wilder. “I wanted children… someday. After I’d had time to establish myself.”

“I think you did more than that,” Cavanaugh said. “And you opened the door for many, many more to follow behind you. I’m in awe of you, Avery.”

Wynter eyed Cavanaugh. Memories of their conversation on the train whispered in his mind. He’d been so single-minded in his own sorrows. Avery had actually done something to make their world better.

“Emory’s a lucky little boy to have you,” Wynter said, fighting more emotion. “You’ve given him a chance for a different future.” While there was no way to be sure yet, Wynter sensed Emory would grow to be an omega. As tiny as he was, there was little doubt. “I wish I had had the courage to do something even half as important for my children.”

Emory barely burped, the sound low.

“Oh,I think you can do better than that,” Wynter murmured to Emory, continuing to pat the little one’s back. “We can’t have you up all night with a bellyache.”

“Oh, he candefinitelydo better than that.” Avery smiled at Emory before his gaze whipped back to Wynter. “As far as the question of your courage, I had a papa who wasfiercein his love of my brothers and I. A loving father who treated my papa as an equal and his omega children with kindness. Theybothtaught us we could be more than this world saw us and to demand respect in every way we could.” Avery eyed Wynter. “I didn’t fully appreciate them for how amazing they were until it was too late.”

“I’m sorry you lost them,” Wynter said.

“Me, too.” Avery smiled wryly, appearing to fight back his own emotions for a couple of seconds. “But I also know I had anadvantage in this world. There are too many omegas who grow up in houses like yours. How can a man ever fly when his wings were damaged by those meant to help spread them wide?”

The backs of Wynter’s eyes stung as he held Avery’s tear-filled gaze.

“Emory’s wings will be even wider than mine, I hope, though I don’t have my parents here to help me ensure that happens.” Avery smiled.

“I want to help you,” Wynter whispered. He looked down at the sweet boy in his arms. “And help him fly.” Yet he worried. The past cast such a long shadow over everything in his life. Would he ultimately fall back into bad habits and cause more pain than good? He couldn’t allow that to happen. He needed to learn from his mistakes and move forward somehow.

“Wynter, I know it’s not really my place,” Avery murmured. “But you mentioned feeling better after your stay at the treatment facility, and how you’d hoped to continue that once you returned home. It’s not too late for that. To seek help.”

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