Sorcha scoffed. “You are, if you’re insinuating I have a more important part in the boys’ life than you do. As though the fact that I share Ronan and Teal’s bed somehow trumps the fact that the kids have known you since they were born… Don’t step back now, Niall,” he said, straightening. “Don’t step back, ever. The boys need all of us, just like Teal does. That’s why Jax needs to be there, too. Because the kids are starting to love and trust him as well.”
Jax’s cheeks flushed as he looked at Sorcha gratefully.
“Sorcha is right,” Jax said. “All three of us should be there, but Niall should take the lead since he’s more adept at speaking with them and catching their subtler signals. Sorcha and I are still learning.”
In the end, the men hadn’t needed to game plan their discussion with the children. After Niall gave them the basics, that their daddy was in the hospital and it appeared he had beenpoisoned, Garin and Kino’s subsequent interrogation directed the conversation.
“Who gave daddy the poison?”
“Are the police going to keep him safe?”
“Will the doctors fix him?”
“When is he going to come home?”
“How long is he going to be sick?”
“Can we see him in the hospital?”
Zayne stuck his thumb in his mouth and watched from the side. Once the men finished answering the twins’ questions, Zayne crawled into Jax’s lap, likely because Jax was the closest adult to him.
“Jaxey, why do bad people want to hurt Daddy?”
Niall’s eyes filled with tears at the tiny omega’s innocent question. He remembered the night a few weeks ago when the boys had cried in their papa's lap, worried about their daddy. And now their worst fears seemed to have come true.
Jax opened his mouth to answer, but Garin cut him off. “Little brother, we’ve talked about this. Daddy is a very important omega.” Garin and Kino moved to stand on either side of Zayne, leaning against Jax’s thighs.
“Daddy’s tribunals make it easier to keep omegas like you safe,” Kino added.
“I know,” Zayne said, his upset escalating. “But if Daddy is making things better, why do people want to make him sick?”
Garin rubbed his little brother’s back. “Because some people don’t want omegas to have all the same rights as alphas. They’re wrong, but that’s the way it is. Do you get what I’m saying?”
Niall shared a pained look with Jax and Sorcha. They’d all worked hard to protect Zayne, but reality had come crashing into their home, first with the brick, and now this. The expression on Zayne’s face was devastating as the little guy processedhis brother’s words. But for his own safety, he needed to understand. At least a little.
“You’re saying it’s hard to be an omega?”
“That’s right, Zayne,” Garin stated seriously. “And there’s a lot you don’t need to worry about right now. But Kino and I are going to keep you safe. Promise.”
Kino’s brows furrowed. “But Papa promised to keep Daddy safe. And now Daddy’s in the hospital.”
“Daddy is in the hospital,” Niall said. “But he is also safe.”
All three boys looked like they wanted to say more but didn’t. Niall suggested they use Zayne’s drawing paper to make cards for their daddy.
The men left the kids in the living room and went into the kitchen, out of the children’s earshot. Sorcha leaned heavily against the counter and put his face into his hands. When he peered back up, tears streamed down to his jaw.
Jax put his arm over the omega’s shoulders, pulling him close.
Sorcha leaned his head into Jax’s chest as the big beta ran a hand through Sorcha’s blond locks.
“I’m okay,” Sorcha mumbled. “I almost tried to explain more to Zayne, as an omega, but what would I say? That it’s not so bad? That it’s easy being the gender people look down on?” Sorcha swiped a hand across his brow, his melancholy quickly morphing into indignation. “At least Zayne gets to be respected in his own house and has a future to look forward to. For me, it was never taught. Being less-than was something I just always knew, not something I ever had to digest or make sense of. Thank the stars Zayne is growing up in this family. Where we can make sure he always knows his worth.”
Jax held Sorcha in a tight hug. “Of course we will,” he said. “And I’m sorry you didn’t always know how amazing and worthy you are. At least now you’ll be cherished and respected for the rest of your life. By all of us.”
Sorcha looked at Jax, cupping his palm softly against the beta’s firm jaw. “I’m so glad you’re part of this family, Jax.”
“Me too.” Niall wrapped his arms around both men. “And I’m never stepping back,” he whispered.
