Omega Teacher’s Secret

the dirt off his clothes. “C’mon, Gwen.”
“Wait,” Brad said, catching Ian’s hand. “You have plans today?”
When Ian looked up, Brad was studying him, and Gwen. And Ian couldn’t help hesitating, because Brad had been incredible with Gwen. Just the few minutes they’d spent together… Ian wanted to see more. Wanted to know if Gwen would feel better if she had an alpha dad, too.
I shouldn’t. It’s not like he asked to be her dad.
But the fact remained that Brad was Gwen’s father. He deserved to spend time with her, even if he didn’t know who she was. Ian squirmed. “Are you trying to ask me out?”
Brad gave a lopsided grin. “I’m asking if both of you want to go out to dinner. Wait, there’s only you two, right?”
Three, now.
Ian hesitated, sorely tempted. Not having to cook, or pay for dinner… It was a load off his shoulders. And maybe Gwen could get something really nice, for once. “Would it be a treat?”
Brad shrugged. “Yeah, I’m paying.”
Little by little, Ian’s resolve crumbled. He looked at Gwen. “Want to go out to dinner with Brad?”
“Will there be roast turkey?” She looked up hopefully. Ian wasn’t sure if he wanted to laugh, or cry.
Brad chuckled. “That’s it? Whether there’s turkey?”
“Mm-hm.” Gwen nodded, bobbing on her feet. “I like turkey.”
Ian sagged. He imagined his life governed entirely by his daughter’s decisions. Maybe it would be better than how it was now. “Sure,” he said. “We’ll take you up on it.”
And Brad’s eyes burned into him, like he was planning for more than dinner. Ian shivered. He shouldn’t respond to Brad that way. He shouldn’t be this hungry for someone he couldn’t have.
“5PM sound good?” Brad asked. He dug into his pocket, pulling out a name card. Then he handed it to Ian. “Text me a place to meet, or where you want to go for dinner.”
In fine, sleek print on the card: Brad Saxon, Violinist. Beneath that, Brad’s phone number.
“Sure,” Ian said faintly. “I didn’t know you played the violin.”
“Been doing this since I was nine.” Brad didn’t look away.
Ian gulped. He turned to leave, and Brad caught his hand. He brushed his thumb across Ian’s palm, rubbing right over the scent gland at Ian’s wrist.
“See you later,” Brad murmured.
He released Ian, and when Ian left for real this time, he felt the weight of Brad’s gaze on him, and the promise that hung between them, for later.

5
Brad
Brad paced in front of the apartment building, straightening his tie. Couldn’t stop the nervous patter of his pulse, or the thoughts that whirled in his head.
McMillan—Ian—had a daughter. He’d had a daughter for years, and Brad couldn’t get over that. How did I not know? Her name was Gwen. She was cute, fairly nice, and Brad kept going back to her age. Six years.
He’d last seen Ian seven years ago. Subtracting nine months for the pregnancy… The numbers matched up.
But it wasn’t as though Brad was the only person Ian could’ve slept with. For all Brad knew, Ian had gone to another alpha, maybe more.
Maybe Gwen wasn’t Brad’s daughter—that was probably for the best. Ian wasn’t his. There was nothing going on between them.
But if she was his daughter, and Ian was keeping secrets… what would Brad do?
Or maybe Gwen wasn’t his. The fact remained that someone else might’ve had his professor. Somehow, that nugget of information lodged in Brad’s chest, carving a rut like a stone trapped against a brake disk.
Then there was Ian’s honey scent—the unmistakable evidence that he was pregnant.
Was it because we fucked last week? Is it someone else’s?
If it were Brad’s… Brad wasn’t sure what to think of that. Sure, he’d fucked Ian. Sure, he’d gone home and jerked off, thinking about that night.
He liked his professor, and he didn’t think there was going to be someone else he wanted more.
But a child? Brad was young, he was still far too immature sometimes. Nothing about him screamed dad-material. Worse, what could Ian possibly see in him? What could Brad give a child that Ian couldn’t?
He was a firefighter. In his spare time, he busked as a violinist on the streets.
If that was Brad’s kid in Ian’s belly… He didn’t feel the least bit ready.
The front door of the apartment building opened, and Ian stepped out. Gwen skipped next to him. She had deep red bows in her blond hair, and her plaid dress matched Ian’s shirt.
And Ian… He looked stunning, with the maroon of his shirt bringing out the sea-blue of his eyes. A flush had spread across his high cheekbones, and Brad was aware that he was staring. Maybe his mouth was open.
Ian met Brad’s gaze, his blush deepening. Then he glanced down Brad’s chest, to his hips, and back up. Brad realized he didn’t have to worry about the plain button-down shirt he’d picked. Ian still wanted him.
Brad adjusted his collar. Thought about kissing his professor.
He set the thought aside for later; maybe he’d have time after dinner. Or maybe there’d be mistletoes around in the restaurant, and—and now his heart was racing.
Could’ve kicked himself for not checking if the restaurant had mistletoes.
Gods, I’m desperate.
His stomach flipped when Ian stepped up, a faint smile on his lips. “Gwen says she wants a turkey dinner,” Ian said. “I don’t think she’s talking about the kids’ menu.”
Brad snorted. Whoever her other dad was, she had some balls. “Sure. Anything you want, kid.”
Gwen frowned. “I’m not a kid.”
Brad ruffled her hair, lightly so he didn’t mess up her ponytails. He thought Ian might protest, but strangely enough, Ian didn’t. “Fine, you’re a full-grown adult like the rest of us here.”
Gwen beamed, and Ian laughed. “Way to win brownie points with her,” he said, his eyes sparkling. Brad’s mouth went dry.
Brad had seen Ian McMillan in class, he’d seen Ian’s face twisted with pleasure. But Ian smiling with delight? That made Brad’s heart trip.
Okay, so he still had that crush on his professor. He shouldn’t be making a big deal out of