Page 37 of Golden Valley
Ricky hadn’t heard Alex fuss, so Morgan was probably being sweetly oversensitive, but in case their baby really was anxious, Ricky said, “There are a few songs he likes. I can sing to him if you really think he misses me.”
“Both of us would enjoy that.”
“My voice isn’t very good,” Ricky warned.
“It’s my very favorite sound in the world,” Morgan responded, sounding sincere.
His Alpha was the kindest, most genuine person Ricky had ever met. He made no mention of Ricky’s many mistakes, and instead, accepted him with open arms and showered him with affection and praise. And rather than being angry or frustrated at Ricky for getting pregnant without telling Morgan that was even a possibility, he was overjoyed at having a child. Overwhelmed with gratitude, Ricky’s eyes filled with tears. He turned his face into the water, got himself under control, and then started singing nursery rhymes to his mate and his son.
***
The morning and afternoon had gone better than Ricky had expected. The Alpha house had been full, an ever-changing stream of shifters coming to eat or meet with Morgan or Lillian or to spend time with one another. Not all of them had spoken to Ricky directly, but he no longer received hostile looks. Having his parents there helped. They were kind and friendly and not at all intimidating, so the pack warmed to them easily and that translated into thawing around him.
Morgan had stayed by his side the entire time, even bringing him into the office for meetings. When Ricky quietly suggested that the pack members wanted to talk to the Alpha and wouldn’t feel comfortable with someone else there, Morgan reminded him that he was the Alpha’s mate, which meant he’d know everything Morgan would know about the pack. It seemed he was right because nobody blinked at Ricky’s presence in the room and they all treated him with respect.
The biggest benefit was getting to view his mate in his role with the pack. Morgan had told him he hadn’t wanted to be pack Alpha, but he was clearly suited to it. He was attentive, kind, and thoughtful, giving sound advice and showing compassion. And every person who talked with him hung on his every word and respected his advice.
Much as Ricky liked watching Morgan, Alex eventually got tired and fussy. Not wanting to cause a distraction during a particularly sensitive conversation, Ricky whispered to Morgan that he’d be fine on his own and then slipped from the room. He had just settled into a comfortable chair in the corner of what he would call a living room, but wasn’t sure what to call because there were several rooms in the Alpha house that met that description, when he heard a familiar voice.
“Mind if I sit with you two?”
He looked up to see Lillian the Golden Valley Beta. When they’d come across each other throughout the day, she had smiled at Ricky, but he was still wary of the woman who was one of Morgan’s closest and oldest friends and who had warned Morgan not to trust him. It probably wouldn’t have been as hurtful if she hadn’t been right. Not that Ricky had been intentionally dishonest, but he regretted the way he’d behaved back then.
“Uh, sure.”
Lillian sat in the chair nearest to him and then bent down to the ground. “He lost his sock.” She sat up and handed Ricky a tiny white sock.
“Oh, yeah. That, uh, happens.” They seemed to slip from Alex’s feet as often as they stayed on.
“I remember those days.” She stared at Alex’s foot as Ricky slid the sock over it and then she raised her gaze to his sleeping face. “He looks so much like Morgan.”
His nervousness immediately was replaced with pride. “I know, right?” Ricky glanced down at his son. “I think that all the time. And when he’s awake, you can see his eyes are the exact same brown.”
“I noticed that earlier.” She flicked her gaze to Alex’s foot and then back up to Ricky’s face. “I noticed his birthmark too.” She tilted her head toward Alex. “The golden star on his foot is exactly the same as Morgan’s birthmark.”
Morgan had a birthmark in the crease of his thigh right by his testicle. Ricky had seen it in the woods the previous night when he had been on his knees with Morgan above him, moaning out his pleasure, but he hadn’t noticed that it was star shaped. He remembered his conversation with Ray and wondered if Lillian was trying to upset him. He had thought she was warming up to him so he couldn’t help being disappointed.
“I didn’t realize Morgan’s birthmark was the same shape as Alex’s,” he admitted. “It’s in a pretty hidden spot and I haven’t had the chance to see it in the light.”
“Oh,” Lillian gasped. “I didn’t mean it like—”
“Your mate mentioned that you and Morgan were…together when you were younger.”
“We were, but that’s not why I brought it up and it isn’t how I know about his mark.”
“It isn’t?” Ricky arched his eyebrows disbelievingly.
“No.” Lillian leaned closer and put her hand on Ricky’s knee. “I know we got off to a rocky start and I’m sorry. I didn’t handle things well when we met, and I wasn’t a great friend to Morgan after that.” Her eyes became glossy and she cleared her throat and sat up straight. “If I’d listened to him instead of being so paranoid, I would have realized how much he was suffering and I could have helped him get you back and then he wouldn’t have—” She lowered her face, her hair falling in a curtain, and sniffled. “He is the most selfless person I know. He never asked me for anything. Never asked anyone for anything. The only thing he ever wanted for himself was a mate, and when he needed me, instead of helping get you back, I let him down.”
For the first time, Ricky realized he wasn’t alone in his guilt about what Morgan had endured. Lillian had been the one to end the fight between Keith Iredell and Morgan, which meant she had been the one who had found him badly injured.
“It wasn’t your fault.” Tears streaking down his face, Ricky raised his shaky arm and put his hand on Lillian’s shoulder. “I’m the one who left.”
“You left after I said those awful things. You heard me, right? When you were in the office that night. Ray told me you overheard.” She sat up and wiped at her face. “I don't know how I could have questioned Morgan. He’s right about everything all the time. Seriously, I’ve known him my whole life and not one time has he been wrong.”
“He is really great.” Ricky turned his head and rubbed his face against his shirtsleeve to dry the tears.
“I would have described it as annoying, but I guess that’s why you’re his perfect match. The point is, I shouldn’t have said what I did that night. I shouldn’t have even thought what I did that night. It was stupid and mean and I’m so sorry.”
