Page 23 of How to Rescue Your Surprise Baby

There were four men in total, pale and wide-eyed. Omegas, judging by their small bodies and lack of muscle. Heavy iron shackles were wrapped around their ankles.

“Is the baby okay?” A worried omega peeked out from behind the closer two.

Telos blinked. They were going to pick him up, weren’t they? Except now wasn’t the time to engage with them; he had to find Estie first.

He rolled over onto his hands and knees, surveying the room. Four concrete walls closed them in; there were no windows to the outside, and two buckets sat in the corner. Empty bowls were stacked in another corner. Ten or so babies squirmed around on thin mats, with another five cradled in the omegas’ arms—one each, although the omega with missing fingers had two in his lap. None of their babies had red hair.

By the time he’d finished his survey, all four men were stiff, eyeing him warily.

“Ivo,” the worried omega murmured uncertainly.

“Yeah,” one of the closer omegas said. He had one eye scarred shut, and he was covered in mottled, silvery scars. He grabbed the friend who had gotten up with him, pulling him a step back from Telos.

The friend hobbled and stumbled; Telos realized there was something wrong with his leg. That was Walren, then, with a short leg and no knee. Ivo with the scars and blind eye, Nat with the missing fingers, and Killian was the worried one with some kind of PTSD.

Telos turned away. The omegas watched him and didn’t move, although the tension in the room ratcheted up when he approached the babies.

There were two children here with red hair. One with black eyes closer to him, and one with blue eyes further away. His heart thumped. Was either of them Estie? Samantha had said Estie had been changing herself.

Telos watched both children for a while, freezing when the baby in the far corner switched her eyes from brown to blue. He crawled carefully over to her, hands smacking against the cold floor. She looked up curiously.

“Estie?” Telos whispered.

The baby blinked at him. She had his nose, he realized. And his eyes. Estie didn’t recognize him, but when Telos turned his eyes blue and his hair red, she began babbling excitedly.

“You recognize me?” Telos’ heart swelled. Fuck. This was his daughter. His blood family. Someone he’d accidentally created, but loved anyway. He shuffled closer and hugged her to himself. Estie wriggled in his arms, and they both toppled over. “Ah, fuck.”

Metal chains dragged against the floor. All four omegas were closer now, watching him suspiciously.

“You’re not...” Ivo gestured vaguely with his hand.

Telos shrugged. “You knew the moment I looked around.”

“Who are you?” Walren asked.

“Telos. Estie’s dad.” Gods, he’d never been prouder to say those words. “She’s my daughter.”

Estie grabbed a handful of his hair andyanked.Telos howled. “Ow, fuck! Estie, no. Please. Not my hair.” He scrambled to loosen her grip, but his own wasn’t quite strong enough to pry her fingers off. “Estie.”

Estie yanked again, giggling.

“Ah, damn it. You’re going to give me so much trouble,” Telos muttered.

“This is really strange to watch,” Killian said quietly.

“No kidding,” Nat said.

With great effort, Telos dragged Estie upright, along with himself. He held her hand and kissed her cheek, before turning to the omegas. “So, Pinks sent me.”

The omegas gasped. They glanced at each other, then at the door.

“Are any of those guys able to hear us?” Telos asked carefully. In his excitement, he’d forgotten to check that first.

But no one came charging up to the cell; no one even sounded remotely suspicious in this place. He reached into his makeshiftdiapers and pulled out a tracking device, sliding it across the floor to them. “This is a tracker. They’re moving all of you in two days. Keep this with you somehow.”

Nat, with the missing fingers, frowned. “Us? What about you?”

Telos sighed. “I’m going to report back.”

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