Page 14 of Convincing the Heartbroken Beta

Cam scratched his cheek with one finger as his gaze roamed the room. He cleared his throat again. “Well, I’m glad you’re feeling better. Um, but anyway, Sascha? Alpha Brandon is ready to leave. He sent me to get you.”

Sascha swallowed past a lump in his throat. Not that he’d been counting on his mate to be falling all over him—and Sascha certainly wasn’t clamoring after him either—but seeing Hawk and Jasper together the day before had made his situation even more depressing. So far, Cam had seemed more interested in him than his own Alpha.

“Sure. Guess I’d better follow orders.”

Jasper shot him a look as Cam’s eyes widened.

“Has he been pushing you around?” Jasper glared at him then gave Cam the same treatment. “Because I’ll kick his ass.”

Sascha choked back a laugh. “Yeah. Good luck with that.” He reached over and took his friend’s hand. “I appreciate the thought. I’m sorry, I think it’s the pregnancy messing with me. I’m all weepy and cranky.”

Cam spoke up. “Don’t apologize. You have every right to feel how you feel.” Both he and Jasper gaped at Cam. Cam’s cheeks flushed. “I’m just saying.”

Jasper cocked his head. “Hmm. Maybe you’re not so bad.”

“Jasper!” Sascha couldn’t figure out why his friend was being so mean to Cam. The past was the past. “Hawk’s your fated mate. He’s crazy about you, you have everything you’ve ever wanted. Cam’s been going out of his way for me, above and beyond. If I didn’t have him right now, I’d be miserable.”

Jasper arched his eyebrows and the red in Cam’s skin deepened. Heat crawled up Sascha’s neck in response.

“What I mean is… Well, Cam’s a good guy. That’s all.” He frowned at Jasper. “So be nice.”

“Don’t fight.” Cam shifted back and forth on his feet. “It’s okay, I understand.” He turned to Jasper. “You have a right to how you feel too. And you don’t have to worry about me. I’ve been over Hawk for a long time.” His shoulders dropped. “I just didn’t want to admit it to myself.”

Jasper groaned. “Gods, now I feel like a total asshole.”

“Please don’t,” Cam pleaded. “I think it’s awesome how connected you guys are. I’ve never seen Hawk so happy, and that’s all that matters to me.”

They all started as a horn honked right outside the bedroom window. Jasper slapped a hand to his chest.

“Is that the bossy Alpha?”

Cam gave them a weak smile. “Yeah. I think he was anxious to get moving.”

Jasper rolled his eyes. “Apparently.” He regarded Sascha. “Take care of yourself and call me.” Jasper leaned forward to give Sascha a hug. “I still don’t understand why you have to go so far away.”

Sascha swallowed hard as he hugged Jasper back. He wished he could confide in him, share his fears about his and the baby’s future.

“I’ll be safe. You have Hawk to protect you.”

Jasper whispered against Sascha’s ear, “I wish you’d already found your fated mate. Because when you do, you’ll feel safer than you ever have.” Jasper squeezed him tighter. “I’m sure the gods will bring him to you soon. Who knows? Maybe that’s why you’re going to Denali Junction. Maybe he’s waiting for you there.”

Sascha sniffed, the tears building again. “Yeah. Maybe.”

* * * *

“Well, here we are.”

Brandon pulled the truck into the long driveway that led to his home. He and his father had built the A-frame, chalet-style structure when Brandon was in his teens. The house had replaced the smaller cabin he’d grown up in with his mom and two sisters.

‘Son, you’ll be taking over as Alpha eventually. I want you to have a nice, new home to raise a big family of your own in someday.’

The avalanche had taken his parents from him only a few years later. Since he’d known there wouldn’t be a big family to raise the way his father had hoped, he’d invited his sisters to stay for as long as they wanted. But of course, they’d found their mates of and left him to live alone in the empty house that would never hear the laughter of children.

As he parked the SUV, it occurred to him that that was no longer the case. At least one child would fill the home with joy. His eyes burned as tears formed, but they weren’t of sadness. He rubbed his chest as he swallowed them down. Even if Sascha didn’t want anything to do with him as a mate, maybe he’d at least let him be a dad to the baby, not shut him out entirely.

“Wow, this is beautiful.” Cam leaned forward in the passenger seat, gazing up at the house through the windshield. He peered over his shoulder at Sascha, who’d been asleep in the back seat for most of the drive. “Isn’t this a great place? I bet you’ll love it here.”

Sascha answered in a small voice, “Yeah. Sure.”