“No matter what,” Roger said firmly. He squeezed me again and then took a half a step back, once again holding my hand. He tugged me over to sit on the bed and settled in beside me, his arm around my waist. “Why didn’t you tell me you were pregnant?”
I shook my head, feeling the tears starting to well in my eyes again. “I didn’t know until after you were gone, I swear.” I tried to muffle a sob but failed miserably. “I still don’t know how I can be pregnant.” I shrugged helplessly.
“You didn’t know you were an Omega?” Roger asked, his voice curious.
I shrugged again. “Until I came here I had never even heard of Omegas,” I admitted. “I still don’t know how I can be one. I’m not a shifter.”
Roger’s brow twitched but he didn’t comment on that, instead changing the subject. “I know I was your first lover,” he said, still quiet. “Was there anyone after me?” He hesitated and then pushed on, “I’m still going to claim the baby. I just don’t understand how this happened because I know we used a condom.”
I shook my head. “No. No one else.” I lowered my eyes, heat flooding my face. “It..wasn’t really something I wanted to try again.” Roger seemed to choke on air, but he didn’t speak. “The prophylactic was damaged,” I explained. “My..my father found it on the floor of the truck the next day and it had a tear in it. He was..angry. He thought I’d taken advantage of one of the local girls.”
Roger didn’t respond and I finally risked a glance at his face. It was clouded with anger but when he spoke, it was as gentle as always. “When you got here,” he said quietly, “you had..injuries. Your penis and scrotum were bruised and swollen. Was that because of the condom he found?”
I nodded. “The Shaman used a rod on my genitals every other day,” I admitted, my words barely audible. “In front of the entire clan. He said that since I hadn’t treated them as private parts that must mean I wanted my sins to be punished publicly.”
“That fucking bastard,” Roger swore under his breath. “And the wounds on your knees?”
“I had to kneel on uncooked rice and pray that God would forgive me at all times that I wasn’t given other tasks to do,” I said quietly.
“Oh, baby,” Roger’s voice was thick and when he pulled my hand to his lips, I felt wetness on his cheeks. “I am so, so sorry that I put you in that position.”
“If they find out..” I had to stop and force myself to breathe before I could continue. “If they find out, they’ll take the baby.”
“Your family?” Roger all but spat the word.
I nodded. “Two of the girls had babies without being married and the Shaman took the infants before having the girls removed. He says that the offspring are the property of the clan.”
Roger met my eyes, confusion and anger warring on his face. “Who was the father?”
I shrugged.
“What happened to the girls?”
I shrugged again.
Roger raised one eyebrow. When he spoke again, there was a compelling note in his voice. “You don’t know or you don’t want to say?”
“Both,” I admitted. “I don’t know for sure but there were whispers about them being sacrificed to cleanse the clan of their sins.”
“Jesus Christ,” Roger huffed. “I promise you that regardless of whether or not you accept my suit, no one will lay a hand on our baby.”
“Your suit?” I repeated. “I don’t understand?”
Roger slid off the bed to kneel before me, clasping our hands together. “I’m asking you to accept me as your Alpha,” he explained. “To allow me to protect you and our child.”
“Does that mean that you want to marry me?” I asked, still confused.
“No, not exactly,” Roger said swiftly. “I’d be accepting the responsibility of caring for you and the baby,” he clarified, “but it isn’t the same as a marriage.”
“I think I understand,” I said finally.
“Good,” Roger said, smiling up into my face. “So, we can tell Chuck that you’ve accepted me?”
“No,” I said quietly, forcing the words past my lips. “I appreciate your offer, but I don’t believe I can accept it.” I stood and stepped past where he knelt on the floor, staring at me in shock, and opened the door. “If you don’t mind, I think I’d like to be alone.”
ChapterFive
Roger
