“It’s not very common,” Ronan said seriously. “And we don’t want you to discuss this with anyone at school, at least for now. There’s a lot even Daddy and I don’t know yet. We’re taking it day-by-day. All we’re sure of is that Sorcha will be a part of ourfamily, so we’re asking you boys to be kind to him and get to know him.”
“I like Sorcha,” Zayne chirped, apparently now able to pronounce his name correctly. “He can stay in my room if he wants.”
Ronan’s lip twitched. “Sorcha is going to stay in the spare bedroom for now. This will be a big change for him. A big change for all of us. And like I said, we don’t have all the answers yet.”
“Do you smell Sorcha, Papa?” Kino asked. “Like the way you smell Daddy?”
Ronan smiled at his perceptive child, recalling that most of what passed for sex education at the elementary level was rudimentary information on scenting and the biological differences between the genders. The twins would have learned by now that one way alphas and omegas knew they were compatible was if they smelled extra good to one another.
“Yes,” Ronan replied. “As a matter of fact, your daddy can smell Sorcha too, even though they are both omegas. Which is very rare, so they’re lucky it worked out that way.”
“Sorcha can smell me as well,” Teal added with a measure of pride.
Kino nodded pensively, as though attempting to line up this information with what he’d been taught. Ronan sighed. He’d known this would be the toughest part. It was certainly a big lift to ask three little boys to make sense of the situation when the adults were essentially improvising as they went along.
Niall piped in his support. “Gents, I’m looking forward to getting to know Sorcha better. I’m a beta, so you know I can’t smell anyone, but I still think Sorcha is one of the coolest omegas I’ve ever met. In fact, I’m going to ask him to teach me about making furniture.”
“I wanna know too,” Zayne said. “I like making things with my hands.”
“Maybe he can read books with me,” Kino said.
“I bet he’d enjoy that.” Teal smiled. “I’m sure there are lots of fun things you can do with him.”
Garin’s doubtful expression remained. “I don’t know,” he said. “It still seems weird to me. And our family is already super weird, having such a famous omega daddy.”
Teal’s face fell, but before Ronan could take his oldest twin to task, Garin followed his words up quickly with, “Sorry, Daddy. That’s not how I meant it. I’m not trying to make you feel bad. I love that you’re so smart and important. Just sometimes I get tired of having to…having to…”
“Stick up for me?” Teal asked.
“Yeah,” Garin said, contrite. “Sorry.”
“I understand, son,” Teal hushed out, petting Garin’s head. “And I appreciate you being honest about how you feel. But I’m going to ask you to be extra mature and take me at my word that bringing Sorcha into our family right now isn’t really a choice. I don’t expect you to fully understand, but please believe me when I tell you that Papa and I need to do this. We know it affects everyone in this room, but we honestly think it’s for the best.”
Garin’s lips pursed. “Okay,” he conceded, still seeming skeptical.
“Son, you know that Daddy and I always do what we think is best for you boys, and that we love you very much, right?” Ronan asked.
“Yes, Papa.”
“Then I’m asking you to trust us, and to try and see Sorcha coming into our family as a good thing, even if it’s tricky. Can you do that?”
Garin nodded his head, looking first at Kino and then at Zayne before shrugging and speaking for all of them. “Okay. I guess we can just be even weirder.”
Ronan snorted as Niall and Teal cackled. The boys joined in their laughter.
Chapter Twenty-Three
Teal
Teal laid a gentle hand atop Sorcha’s head, running his fingers through the silky blond hair covering the pillow.
He whispered into the sleeping man’s ear, “I hope we did right by you today, my darling. When you wake up tomorrow, everything will be different. Your uncles will be gone and they can never degrade you ever again. And Ronan and me and our boys are going to be there to love you and cherish you and give you all the care you’ve never had. Goodnight.”
Teal peeked into the boys’ room to find them fast asleep before heading into his own bedroom.
Ronan sat up against the headboard, his naked chest displayed deliciously. “Did you check on Sorcha?”
“Mm-hmm. I think he’ll be recovered by tomorrow.”
