18. Binnie
They all left the church together as one very obvious mob, attracting many looks as they passed. Binnie and San hovered close to Deke and Ollie while they walked. Binnie couldn’t help but wonder how long Bas and his girlfriend had stood there listening. Had they heard Ollie imply he was a beta? If she was some kind of doctor and she knew that Ollie was pregnant after hearing that beta comment, she was going to have a lot of questions.
Seth might have been able to fool Deke’s dumbass brothers into thinking the heartbeat they clocked was coming from him and not Ollie, but it wouldn’t be so easy with a literal doctor. San’s unease thrummed through their mating mark, making Binnie’s muscles ache like he needed to stretch or run. He was restless.
They slowed beside a late model silver Mercedes, one a couple years newer than Binnie’s own. Bas stopped walking and leaned against it. The girl—his fiancée if the large diamond on her left hand was any indication—did the same, her face serene but her eyes sharp. She dressed with the casual confidence of a rich girl who’d never once had to look at a price tag. Her caramel-colored boots were Prada and her white sweater dress was just ugly enough to let him know she’d bought it for the label, not the looks. She carried a YSL bag that was one shade lighter than her boots.
Everything about her screamed money.
She reminded Binnie of his grandmother, though he couldn’t place exactly why. Maybe smart women with money had always intimidated him? But that was a discussion for him and his future therapist. They had much bigger issues to worry about at the moment.
Deke’s brother also looked like he had money, but he didn’t look like he came from money. It was a subtle distinction but an important one. Where the girl’s tan looked like it came from sunning herself on a yacht off the coast of Belize, his looked like it came from laboring in the sun. His clothes were expensive, but his nails were a mess, his knuckles scarred. He’d clearly had a tattoo lasered off the back of his hand. His dark hair was styled into what Binnie was sure was an expensive cut, but his bottom two front teeth were crooked. No braces or veneers for him. It was the little things that gave him away, but only because Binnie, too, came from money.
They were an odd couple, but nothing about them seemed malicious. Deke clearly didn’t feel the same. He stood, arms crossed over his chest, his posture defensive, taking in both his brother and the girl carefully, narrowing his eyes at her engagement ring, before dragging his gaze to his brother’s once more.
“Deke, this is my fiancée, Winnie.” Bas cleared his throat before seeming to correct himself. “Uh, Dr. Winifred Hearst.”
She winced but looked amused. “Wow, baby. That didn’t sound pretentious at all.” She looked at Deke. “Call me Win, please. Winnie makes me sound like a cartoon bear and Winifred was my great-grandmother’s name. She was an awful person,” she said breezily, then gave them an easy smile.
The others smiled back politely. But not Deke. He looked her up and down like he was scanning her insides, like he might be able to sense something rotten within her if he just looked closely enough. She eyed him back curiously, eyes eventually falling to Ollie with an even warmer smile—the type one saved for babies and puppies. The hair at the back of Binnie’s neck stood on end.
Once more, Deke stepped in front of his mate, body half covering the older man like he needed protection. Ollie curled his arm around Deke’s waist like he was reminding him to relax.
They had all fallen into this slightly intimidating semi-circle formation around Bas and Win, but the two didn’t seem at all bothered by it. San leaned against Binnie, back to chest, his pulse rabbiting beneath Binnie’s fingers where they encircled his slender wrists even though his expression appeared serene. San’s edginess worsened with each passing minute, making Binnie hold him tighter. It was clear his mate wanted to put a barrier between Deke and his brother the way Deke had done with Ollie. Binnie didn’t blame the baby alpha. He knew what it was like to never, ever be able to trust your own family.
Saint and Seth stood to Binnie’s left, Seth’s gaze glued to Win but Saint facing away from all of them, watching the church entrance closely. Oh, right. They were supposed to be scanning the crowd for any unusual behavior. At least one of them hadn’t forgotten their ulterior motive for the evening. Loch and Fen were on Binnie’s other side, standing just behind Deke and Ollie.
“So, talk,” Deke finally said.
“I—” Bas started, then cut himself off. The guy really seemed nervous. Binnie almost felt sorry for him. Almost. “I just wanted to say I’m sorry? I guess?”
“You’re sorry…you guess?” Deke echoed, giving him a flat stare. “For what, exactly.”
Bas scrubbed his hand over the back of his neck, shifting his weight from one foot to the other, his voice gruff. “For…not standing up for you. For just existing in that place and not trying to protect you more. I should have—I don’t know—tried to take you with me when I bailed a few years ago? I just had no idea what the hell I was doing.”
Binnie watched the slightest flicker of hope appear in Deke’s eyes before that mask of indifference slammed back into place like iron bars.
Deke shrugged. “It’s not a big deal. Can’t change the past. Let’s just forget it and go our separate ways.”
Deke turned as if to leave, but Bas lurched forward, closing a hand over his shoulder. “Please, don’t.”
The whole pack stiffened around them, a low rumble of warning leaving Loch’s chest. Bas released Deke and stepped back, putting his hands up in mock surrender.
“Don’t what?” Deke asked, shaking his head. “Did you think you could apologize and everything would just turn into some kind of movie ending? What do you want me to say? I get that we were all in a shitty situation, but I took the worst of it and you all just…helped him torture me.” Bas opened his mouth as if to protest, but Deke cut him off. “Maybe you weren’t as bad as the others but you were his favorite and you didn’t even try to stop him. You didn’t even comfort me when I was little.”
Bas shook his head, his distress causing his whiskey scent to grow sour, pungent and sharp in Binnie’s nostrils. “I know. I know. But can’t we at least…try to be friends? Have dinner occasionally? I’m getting married soon and”—Bas’s gaze dropped to Ollie’s belly—“I’d like to at least meet my niece or nephew.”
Ollie stiffened at that, his startled gaze flying to Bas’s. To the older man’s credit, he looked sincere. But it was impossible to truly know anyone’s real intentions.
Win’s eyes lit up, and she bounced on the balls of her feet. “I knew it. When are you due? Do you know if it’s a boy or a girl? Oh, I just love babies. Do you have a doctor? What’s their name? I might know them.”
How did she know it? She was a beta, right? She couldn’t smell it on him. She couldn’t hear the heartbeat. Binnie shook the thought away before his questions grew obvious. His facial expressions were sometimes too loud.
Nobody spoke for a minute, but then Ollie began to stammer. “I-I’m not that far along. I don’t have a doctor…uh, yet.”
“Oh,” she said. “I know some great ones. Obstetrics works closely with my specialty.”
“What is your specialty?” Fen blurted, glancing at Seth quickly.
“I’m a neonatologist. I work mostly in the NICU. Sick babies. Preemies. That sort of thing,” Win said.
The way Fen and Seth lit up would have almost been comical if the outcome wasn’t so high stakes. They couldn’t afford to trust the wrong person. The wrong doctor. Not when Ollie and the baby’s lives were at stake.
“I—My case is a little, uh, difficult,” Ollie said.
Win frowned. “How so?”
“He’s high risk,” Seth said, cutting in. “He, um, has some health concerns.”
Win nodded in understanding. “Oh, that’s okay. I know some excellent doctors, some of the best in the country, even. I’d be happy to offer up some names if you like?”
Ollie’s hand rose and then fell heavily like he was going to say something but then changed his mind. “Uh, yeah. Maybe.”
“You can’t tell the others about this,” Deke said, glaring at his brother.
Bas’s gaze bounced from Ollie to Deke to the church entrance and back, his confusion palpable. “Uh, sure. It’s not like we see each other much. Can I ask why?”
Deke’s shoulders went back. “I don’t want any of them harassing Ollie. My life is no longer any of their business.”
Bas seemed to chew on that for a moment, looking at Win, who gave a barely perceptible nod towards Deke, like she was reminding him that his brother still waited for an answer.
“Yeah,” Bas said. “Of course. I haven’t seen or heard from any of them in months anyway.” When Deke continued to glare at him, Bas squeezed his shoulder once more. “You’re too young to be this stressed, kid. Are you still working at the co-op? Still doing the makeup thing?”
Deke flinched at Bas calling it his “makeup thing” but otherwise had no reaction. He shook his head. “I’m taking a break. I’ve been, uh, helping out a friend.”
Bas nodded. “Where are you living now?”
“With me,” Binnie volunteered before Deke could fumble over that answer, too. “I’m Corbin. You can call me Binnie. He lives at my place. We all do.”
While it was no longer standard practice for all packs to share a home—it wasn’t like there were a lot of multi-family homes around—it wasn’t so uncommon as to draw suspicion.
“So, you’re the pack leader?” Bas asked, uncertain.
“No, that would be me. Lochlan Cafferty. This is my mate, Fen,” Loch said, stepping forward and offering his hand. Bas shook it firmly, nodding at both him and Fen.
Bas looked around. “But you’re all his pack?” They nodded. “Five alphas to three omegas. That’s…unusual, no? Are there more of you at home?”
Binnie wasn’t sure what was so unusual about it. Sure, even the smallest registered packs usually had a beta or two thrown into the mix. It helped to have a few neutral parties around to help cooler heads prevail. And, to be fair, they had started with one beta, but that ship had gotten pregnant by their super alpha.
But Binnie would keep that knowledge to himself.
“It’s hardly headline worthy,” Saint muttered, still not looking in their direction.
“Of course not. I just…I’m just surprised.” To Deke, Bas said, “Can’t I be a little shocked that my baby brother is presented, mated, and sealed to a pack? It’s…I just didn’t think that would be a thing for you so soon. You wanted to be an actor…to do special effects makeup and stuff. I figured you’d take off to the other coast.”
Deke’s scent soured. “Yeah, well, I didn’t see you as some corporate suit driving a fancy car and marrying a doctor, so…I guess we’re even.”
Bas’s eyes went wide. “I’m—hey, I’m not trying to start a fight. I support your choices. Seriously. I wasn’t judging you.”
“Given your other brothers’ behavior, you can see why he’d be leery of that,” Loch said, closing the distance between him and Deke, standing at his back beside Ollie.
Bas tilted his head, studying Loch before looking at the others. “Can you introduce me to the rest of the pack?”
It wasn’t an overtly odd request but Binnie glanced at Loch quickly. Deke hesitated for a moment before mumbling his way through introductions, saving Ollie for last. Ollie nodded to both of them but kept a safe distance, still half-shielded by Deke’s body.
“Nice to meet you all,” Bas said, arm tightening around Win’s narrow frame.
“Where are the others?” Deke asked suddenly. “Why were only Bas, Peter, Roan, and Joah at the funeral?”
Bas frowned like it hadn’t occurred to him, then shrugged. “Honestly? Who knows. They could be knocking over the liquor store on the corner or passed out in the church basement on sacramental wine. Those losers are always getting into shit they shouldn’t. You know that.”
“I guess,” Deke said begrudgingly.
“Do you want to grab coffee or dinner at that diner off London?” Bas asked, then looked at the others. “Um, all of you?”
“Not tonight,” Deke said before anyone else could answer. “We—I think I’ve had enough family for one night and Ollie’s tired. We worked all day.”
Bas’s disappointment was palpable. “That’s fair. Can—Can I at least give you my new number?”
Deke hesitated before nodding. “Yeah, sure. Whatever.”
Deke pulled his phone free, opening it and swiping to the contacts, then handed it to his brother. Bas quickly typed his number in, then called his own phone, ensuring he still had Deke’s correct number in his contacts.
Before anyone could even guess his next move, Bas handed Deke’s phone back then wrapped his arms around his baby brother in a bear hug. Deke couldn’t return the hug or reject it as his arms were trapped at his sides, but there was no missing the way he stiffened awkwardly. It was over before it really started, Bas stepping back and saying, “We’re gonna go. Win has a shift tomorrow anyway. But I want to get coffee. Soon. Maybe just the two of us? To catch up?”
“Yeah, maybe,” Deke muttered, threading his fingers through Ollie’s before turning and gently pushing past Fen and Seth without another word, heading towards their vehicles. They all hesitated for a moment, giving Bas and Win nods as they turned to follow.
“It was nice meeting everybody,” Win called as Bas’s car chirped, letting them know it was unlocked. But then, suddenly, she called, “Wait!”
Everyone stopped and watched as she opened her expensive bag and rummaged around in it before giving a triumphant cry. She jogged the few short steps to Ollie and pressed a small rectangular object into his hand. “Please, call me if you need anything. I really can help you find a doctor.”
Ollie gave another stilted nod, staring down at her business card, then they all stood watching as Bas helped Win into the passenger seat before closing the door and heading to the driver’s side. They continued watching in silence until the car pulled out of sight before they all piled into the massive SUV that had brought them to the church. Loch drove with Fen in the passenger seat.
Binnie, San, and Saint sat in the second row with Ollie squeezed between Seth and Deke in the third. The SUV was only a temporary fix—a government-issued vehicle Binnie occasionally brought home when they needed to go somewhere as a group.
Tactically, Loch thought it was a nightmare. The entire pack traveling together made them one massive moving target, but, tonight, they’d risked it for Deke’s comfort. Soon, it wouldn’t matter, though. Once Ollie’s baby was here, they’d have to take separate vehicles to allow for a car seat.
Binnie’s heart tripped at the thought. There would be a baby in the house soon. A tiny little helpless creature relying on all of them to keep them alive. Life really could turn on a dime.
Only once they were safely on the road did Deke start fussing over Ollie, asking him if he was alright, running his hands over him like he’d been physically assaulted. Ollie assured him he was fine before a comfortable silence fell over them once more. Binnie stared out the window, the street lights strobing into the interior as they passed.
“Do you think she’s trustworthy?” Seth finally asked, breaking the bubble of quiet.
“Win?” Ollie asked. “I don’t know. Is anyone?”
“Do you know much about her?” Fen asked.
Deke shook his head. “I don’t know anything about her. I didn’t even know she existed until you guys did. Last I knew of Bas, he had a huge fight with my dad and bailed in the middle of a job after telling him he’d found some kind of sales job. My brothers were constantly mocking him for having to wear dress clothes. I don’t know what he does now.”
Silence fell once more, but Fen’s phone light and rapid typing let Binnie know he was already scouring the internet for information. The kid’s thirst for knowledge was unquenchable.
“I found something,” Fen said.
Seth snorted. “That was fast.”
Fen huffed a laugh. “Yeah, well, her father’s rich as fuck so there are tons of articles on him. But there’s one on her specifically.”
“What’s it say?” San asked. “Give us the highlights.”
Fen scanned his phone. “Um, she is respected in her field, blah, blah, blah. She graduated top of her class in both undergrad and med school. Did her fellowship at the top pediatric hospital in the country. She works at the university hospital and also volunteers at several low income clinics for free…pride of her family…calls her specialty a calling.” Suddenly, his inflection rose. “Oh, this is interesting.”
Seth sat forward to hook his chin over Binnie’s shoulder as if trying to get closer to Fen. “What? What’s it say?”
“Says she considers it her calling after her mother died in childbirth and her newborn sister followed shortly after due to inadequate medical care at a local hospital. Apparently, her daddy later bankrupted the hospital in retaliation,” Fen explained.
“Who’s her daddy?” Saint asked, then dropped his head like he hated himself for asking that way.
“Hold please,” Fen said, typing rapidly once more. “Uh…father is Alexander Hearst. He’s the CEO of Veritas Biotech, a pharmaceutical research company here in DC. He comes from old, old money. Like Mayflower money. Inherited the company from his father but—like his daughter—was a bit of a prodigy. Too smart to be considered a nepo baby, I guess. Rebranded in the nineties after a large portion of the company was bought out by a large corporate investor. The article uses words like ‘visionary’ but also mentions questionable ethics and shadowy dealings.”
“Doesn’t every pharmaceutical company have those?” Deke asked, sounding huffy.
Binnie nodded. “Sure sounds like it.” He shifted slightly in his seat, jostling San’s hand slightly where it sat against his thigh. “Does it say anything about Deke’s brother?”
“It doesn’t mention him by name, only says her fiancé comes from ‘humble means,’” Fen answered.
“Ouch,” Ollie mumbled. “Rude.”
Fen nodded in the dim light, eyes still focused on his phone. “On the Veritas website, it shows him listed as the VP of Strategic Development.”
“What the fuck is that?” Seth asked.
Fen snorted. “No idea at all.”
“Do we trust them?” San asked. “ Can we trust either of them with our baby?”
Ollie’s scent soured quickly. “Does it even matter?”
“What? What do you mean?” Deke asked, panic creeping into his voice.
“They know I’m pregnant. If they go digging, they’ll see I’m listed as a beta. She’s a doctor. That’s going to ping as weird to her immediately. Even if we don’t trust her, she already knows too much,” Ollie said ominously.
“Speaking of…does anyone else think it was weird she ‘knew’ Ollie was pregnant before Bas said anything?” Binnie asked.
“What do you mean?” San asked, frowning.
“I mean, she’s a beta. How would she know Ollie’s pregnant?”
“Maybe she could tell the usual way?” Seth suggested. “Like, she is a doctor. Maybe Ollie just looked really…glowy?”
“Mm,” Binnie said, noncommittal.
“I should have never let you come,” Deke said.
The tension in the car thickened as they drove the rest of the way in a now very uncomfortable silence. Once they reached the driveway, everyone climbed out except San, who held firm to Binnie’s hand. Only once they were alone did San voice his concerns.
“Do you think we just made a huge mistake?”