This was not helping. Beau’s temper was starting to flare. “You don’t know I would regret it.”
“Perhaps not,” Loriun shot back. “But I cannot allow you to take the risk—”
“Allow?”Beau yelled. “You’re not going toallowme to do what I want with my own body?”
“This is not about controlling your body.” Loriun’s voice grew louder. “This is about protecting you from a life you do not want.”
“How the hell do you know what I want?!” Beau’s hands curled into fists. “You’re acting like this is somethingyou’regoing through, but this ismyproblem,mychoice,mylife! And you don’t get to fucking tell me what I can and can’t do about it.”
Beau’s limbs trembled with fury, as he shoved the car door open.
“Xui’asi bua, where are you going?” Loriun snarled.
“I’m calling Jaime to pick me up!” Beau bellowed. “I don’t want to look at you right now. Go home.”
A long hiss of frustration slithered between Loriun’s teeth. “Fine. Call me if you need me to come get you.”
The tires spun in the gravel lot, and Loriun tore off down the road.
Beau jammed his phone to his ear. “Jaime? I’m at Poseidon Clinic. Can you pick me up?”
“We’ll be right there, give us five minutes.”
They made it in three. Beau slung himself into one of the middle seats in their silver minivan.
“Beau!” Jaime said, eyes wide. “What happened?”
Beau opened his mouth, and burst into tears.
∞∞∞
“First the mating mark and now this?” Vuos growled. “Loriun is acting like an uncontrolled adolescent.” The enormous Mer sat perched on a pouf by the window. Behind him, a curtain of pothos and spider plants swayed in the breeze.
“I can’t believe he mated youandgot you pregnant on your second day here.” Jaime’s expression was slack with shock. “The clinic confirmed it?”
Beau slouched deeper into the sofa in Jaime and Vuos’s living room. The space was decorated with dark wood and rich, brown tile floors. It was cozy. “Yeah. I’m definitely knocked up.”
“Xua’asi bua,”Vuos swore, getting to his feet and beginning to pace.
Beau gave a humorless laugh. “That’s what Loriun said too. What does it mean?”
The emerald-scaled Mer paused. “Xui’s hole.”
Another wild laugh left Beau’s lips.
“It’s still early, so you have options,” Jaime said, resting a hand on Beau’s knee.
“I know. That’s what we fought about.” Beau sighed. “He wants me to terminate. Says he doesn’t want to risk me regretting having a baby so early, or carry ‘his mistake’ or whatever.”
Vuos scoffed, but said nothing.
Jaime scowled. “It isn’t up to him. He’s already done enough damage.”
“But Jaime…” Beau sat up, desperation clutching at his lungs. “I don’t know what to do. What should I do?”
Jaime let out a breath. “I can’t make that decision for you. But I can give you some insight.”
“I’ll take whatever you can give me.” Beau ran a finger along the throw pillow beside him. The red velvet left a track behind.
