Page 90 of Slow Heat
Jason frowned. “You mean he reallywantsme to take a surrogate?”
Yosef glanced toward Bisme and shrugged. “There are many ways to want, Jason. There’s want and then there’swant. And sometimes they contradict each other. Do you understand?”
He did, actually. He wanted a child, but he wanted Vale.
Both religious and state laws around reproduction were strict. Biologically, an alpha could breed with any omega in heat. The Holy Book of Wolf made it clear, however, that in the eyes of wolf-god it was imperative to cleave to one mate, through contract or imprint. According to the faith, it was to prevent the mistreatment of wolf-god’s greatest gift to the world—omegas.
But historically, the guidelines in The Holy Book of Wolf hadn’t always been followed.
In the past, alphas, greedy for power and to replenish the population of the world, had forced omegas outside the claims ofÉrosgápeinto a kind of breeding slavery. Some wealthy alphas bought multiple omegas to breed with, despite having anÉrosgápebond of their own.
They forced the dangerous breeding onto the purchased omegas, spreading their genes and priding themselves on the number of children they produced. Then they favored theirÉrosgápe’s children in terms of inheritance, leaving those from the slave omegas at a cultural and social disadvantage despite their paters’ sacrifices.
Omegas rebelled against the unfair treatment and, eventually, there’d been an uprising from the Wolf Above Party, resulting in years upon years of religious law. This had the negative effect of squashing technological and scientific advancements, but it put an end to the use of omegas as breeding slaves. TheÉrosgáperelationship became exalted above all others, and the laws of the state were forced to echo these values.
Omegas remained the alpha’s purview, whether the relationship was contracted orÉrosgápe, but the alphas were leashed as well by requirements that they choose only one mate. Any child born outside of a contract would be a bastard denied any access to lines of inheritance. Any alpha dying childless was required to leave his belongings (after the death of his omega) to charities run by the state to prevent any attempt to subvert the laws.
These rules were sound on the surface, Jason knew, or at least better than what had gone before in that they prevented sick misuse of omegas, but they were rigid and lacked the nuance that negotiating life outside of theory seemed to require.
In his case, it meant he had to choose between having a child and experiencing the full bond ofÉrosgápewith Vale.
“Could we have a few minutes alone with our son?” Father asked, nodding toward the door to the kitchen. “I’ve left refreshments on the table. Please help yourself while you wait.”
Yosef and Bisme complied.
“Jason,” Father said as soon as the door was shut. “You must carry on the family line. This isn’t negotiable. Either he contracts for one live birth or you must consider alternatives.”
“Listen to yourself, Yule,” Pater insisted, striking a match to his second cigarette. “Do you hear what you’re suggesting? You’re telling Jason he has to put his omega’s life in danger or give him up altogether.”
“Sacrifices sometimes need to be made, Miner. For the greater good.” He stared meaningfully at Pater, like there was something else behind his words. “You know that more than anyone.”
Pater stabbed the air with his cigarette. “And who decides the greater good? You?” He snarled, “Don’t you remember what it was like when we met? How you felt, how I felt, what it meant to us—”
“Yes, of course. It was bliss.”
“It washoly,” Pater snapped.
“Yes. But we were a good match. Appropriate. From comparable families. We were the same age. You had all the markings of a good breeder—”
“And if I hadn’t? If I’d been like this man…” Pater sucked in a breath of smoke and poured it out. “If I’d refused to contract for a live birth from the start?”
“You wouldn’t have done that. You wanted to be with me too much!”
“I didn’t have any idea then that I couldn’t carry! If I had, well, you might not like to hear what I might have chosen. If I hadn’t contracted with you, I could have lived well on the allowance, continued with my music, played in the symphony, and never suffered all these losses!”
Silence fell hard. Jason shuddered at the chill. Father turned green as though he might throw up. “Are you saying you regret beingÉrosgápe?”
“Of course not. I’m saying think of all we’ve been through!”
“It’s not the same!”
“It is!” Pater got up from the table, pacing away from Father and back again. In his long fingers, the cigarette shook. “You have no idea what it’s like growing up an omega, spending your whole life knowing that you’re going to be claimed by someone, taken over body, soul, and possessions.” He took a puff from the cigarette, waving away Father’s attempt to interrupt. Smoke followed him. “No amount of fairytale spinning from parents, teachers, and books can take that terror away. The uncertainty this man has lived with his whole life? The heats he’s suffered through?”
“Oh, he fully admits he hasn’t suffered—”
Pater growled, and Father backtracked immediately. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean it that way.”
“You did. You meant it exactly that way,” Pater said coldly, freezing in place and staring Father down. “I’m ashamed of you.”
