32. Chapter Thirty-Two #3
“After the baby was born, and Zeller hit every dead end trying to get information on him, he took to his suite and wouldn’t come out.
He refused to participate in any of the society events our fathers tried to drag him to.
Father and Daddy believed he would eventually move on and go back to the life he had before the baby.
But he never did. He stayed in his room and seethed.
He had his books and his art, but he was a shell of the person he’d been.
Our fathers couldn’t bend him to their will, but they also wouldn’t emancipate him.
I think they were worried about what he might say to the media.
So they hatched a new plan to protect their image, planting the seed that their poor, unfortunate son had issues.
That was why he was never seen in society.
If he attempted to reveal our parents’ misdeeds when he self-emancipated at twenty-five, he would fail.
He would be labeled as someone with mental problems.” Asher looked at Assa.
“So, yes, if Zeller had undermined that narrative by searching for you two earlier, making his situation public, I believe they would have done whatever they could to stop him. Put him in an institution. Or something worse.”
Assa sucked in a breath.
“So Zeller left home at twenty-five?” Wes asked.
“On his birthday. Didn’t tell anyone ahead of time. Just walked downstairs that morning and said he was leaving. I wasn’t there that day, so I didn’t even get to say goodbye.”
“He sounds very brave,” Assa said. “To strike out on his own like that, after everything that happened.”
“Very brave,” Asher agreed. “He didn’t leave with much. Only pocket change and some clothes.”
“Do you know where he went?”
“No. After a few weeks, our parents searched for him—quietly—but were unsuccessful. They had the resources to look harder, of course, but didn’t want to draw attention.
I imagine they thought he would come home quickly, but he never did.
And he didn’t go to the media like they’d been so worried about either. He just vanished.”
“He didn’t confide in you his plan to leave?” Assa asked gently.
“No.” Asher sighed. “We were close growing up, but he never forgave me for not helping him escape when he was pregnant. I was his sounding board because I was the only one who acknowledged the birth, but that wasn’t much. Not enough for him to keep me in his life, anyway.”
“But something’s changed? You must have a lead on him since you think he’s figured out our identities now. That’s why you’re here?”
Asher nodded. “A few months ago, a private investigator came to our town in Warburton asking questions about Zeller’s baby.
He tried to interview Antoni and some of the household staff.
He visited all the adoption agencies and the hospital.
That’s how I found out. A buddy of mine works in the emergency department. ”
“You think Zeller hired the PI?”
“I can’t imagine who else it would be.”
“The alpha father?”
Asher scowled. “No. He’s not in the picture. I already said. Besides, some of the PI’s questions included information only Zeller would know.”
Wes steepled his fingers. “You came all this way and revealed this entire story to us because an investigator was asking questions?”
“Not just that. The PI, Dawson, is based out of Bellwether Province. It makes me think Zeller is here. That would explain why we never found him in the past two years. None of us thought he’d leave Warburton.
” Asher scraped his hand over his jaw. “Seems I’ll never learn my lesson about underestimating my little brother. ”
“Just because the PI is based here doesn’t mean Zeller is,” Assa reasoned.
“But it’s far more likely.” Asher could not disguise the hope in his voice.
“Did this Dawson person find out anything useful?” Wes asked.
“Not to my knowledge, but assuming he’s the one behind it, my brother’s not going to give up. And for Ryde’s sake, you deserve to be prepared.” Asher straightened his posture. “I found a job in Bellwether so I can look for Zeller. I miss him, even if he can’t forgive me.”
“Forgiving family members who’ve hurt you is tricky,” Assa said. “Time sometimes helps.”
“Perhaps,” Asher allowed, then cleared his throat. “I realize I’ve given you a lot of information, but if you think of more questions, I’ll be around.” He stood, prompting Wes and Assa to do the same.
Assa wrung his hands together. “Even if your brother finds us, he can’t do anything about Ryde, right? I mean, I feel for Zeller, I truly do, but our adoption was legal.”
Asher’s expression turned thoughtful. “The adoption papers themselves are legal. You had no knowledge that the birth certificate was forged, and you’ve been model parents for eight years. I doubt any court would intervene. As unfair as it seems, my fathers had the right to give Zeller’s baby away.”
“Not if the baby’s alpha father didn’t agree. That could negate the adoption if it came out. If he makes a claim,” Wes interjected.
“Not to be a broken record, but he isn’t in the picture.”
“Still—”
“Don’t borrow trouble.” It was as forceful as Asher had been all night. “I’m just hoping that if Zeller finds you, you’ll be gentle with him. He doesn’t know most of the story I gave you, and he didn’t ask for any of this.”
“Of course.” Assa put a hand on Asher’s forearm. “You have our word.”
“Thank you.” Asher glanced toward the den and Wes wondered how he felt, knowing that his biological nephew was in there, eating pasta and oblivious to the drama.
“Asher?” Wes asked.
“Yes?”
“I thought of another question.”
“Okay.”
“We have a big birthday party for Ryde happening at the end of next month.”
Asher shrank inward. “That’s nice.”
“March 30 falls on a Saturday this year, so we lucked out and can have the party on his actual birthday.”
“Oh.”
“But March 30 isn’t his birthday, is it?”
Asher shook his head.
“When?”
“April 30.”
Wes had always known the baby they’d been handed on May 1 was a newborn, but having it confirmed was a gut punch.
After closing the door behind Asher, he and Assa sat back down on the couch. Wes pulled his husband to his side. He thought about getting some pasta, then realized he had no appetite. It was almost surreal hearing Ryde’s laughter from the den.
Long minutes passed before Assa said, “At least we know now. We don’t have to wonder.”
Wes released a lengthy exhale. “True. And it sounds like nothing can be undone. The adoption was legal, and Ryde’s been safe with us for eight years.”
“Zeller—” Assa paused as if he was getting used to the name “—might show up on our doorstep one day, and we should be ready for that.”
Wes pinched the bridge of his nose. How did you prepare for something like that? Especially after everything Asher told them. Zeller’s baby had been stolen from him. He’d endured unimaginable suffering. What would they even say?
“We’ll need to be easy with him. Careful, like we promised Asher,” Assa said. “If this happens, we’ll figure out the right thing to do. Zeller is not our enemy.”
“No. He’s Ryde’s birth father. And that means something.”
Wes and Assa agreed that there was little else they could do that night. They joined their son in the den, watching a cartoon they’d seen a dozen times before.
Later that evening, as they prepared for bed, Assa let out a short chuckle as he turned down the lights.
“What?” Wes smiled.
“Nothing. Just thinking. Is it wrong that I don’t feel as terrible about tonight as I probably should?”
“What do you mean?”
“It’s like when we were trying to hide being poly. The hiding and worrying about people finding out was worse than when it actually happened. I’ve been curious about Ryde’s birth parents for so long, it’s a relief to finally have some answers.”
“Even if it opens up a whole new set of problems?”
“Even then.” Assa slid under the covers and snuggled into Wes. “One thing I’ve learned in life is that there’s always another shoe waiting to drop. If Zeller shows up, we’ll handle it. I believe that.”
“Me too.”
“And in that spirit—” Assa glided his hand up Wes’s thigh. “We should text Valentin. Ask him to get together again.”
“You think so? He hasn’t reached out to us.”
“I doubt that’s because he’s not interested. He’s probably leaving the ball in our court. Or something came up for him. But one thing I’m sure of is that he wasn’t pretending that night.” Assa kissed Wes’s neck. “And I can’t stop thinking about how hot it was.”
Wes shivered. Truthfully, he hadn’t been able to get the alpha out of his head either. But he was also a practical man. “We have a lot going on. With Ryde’s birthday. And now this news from Asher.”
“We do.” Assa pulled back to look him in the eye. “But maybe tonight was a reminder that nothing is guaranteed. I don’t want to stop living our life because something bad might happen. I’m finally not constantly worried that everything’s going to be taken away, and I won’t go backward.”
“You’re right,” Wes said, awed by Assa’s ability to turn the lessons learned from his shitty childhood into strength. “Let’s text Valentin tomorrow.”
Wes pulled them into a spoon position. He’d never felt so in sync with his husband, and he had a feeling they would be relying on that strong bond to guide them through whatever came next.
He thought of Asher’s reaction to seeing Ryde.
It was a little disconcerting that there was an omega out there, maybe even in this province, who looked exactly like his son.