“I, er…” She clears her throat. “Yes and no?”
My eyes widen.
“I mean, it’ll probably be, erm, intense at first. But you’ll end up enjoying it. A lot.” Her cheeks flush. “Sorry, I don’t… I don’t know how to talk about this as well. Your mates, or, well, Maliki, maybe, would be better at explaining it?” She frowns. “Assuming Hades has told him. Um. Do you plan to…?”
I stare at my sister, unsure of what she’s trying to ask me. “Do I plan to ask him about it?”
“About seeing you through it, yeah, that’s what I’m asking. Or maybe you don’t know yet. And that’s fine. But I would… you should at least talk to him. Or them. Or…” She closes her eyes. “I’m not very good at this, am I?”
“Well, it’s not like we’ve ever talked about sex before, so.”
Her dark lashes flash open when I saysex. “Serapina.”
“What? That’s what we’re talking about, right? I’m going to go into heat and have sex. And maybe get pregnant.” My eyes widen again. “Oh, thorns. I’m going to have a baby!”
I palm my belly.
I realized this the other day.
But it… it still shocks me.
“I’m not ready.” I don’t want a family yet. Or I don’t think I do, anyway. I don’t even have mates. Or amate, singular.
Except Hades. Kind of.
I frown. “Did Hades and Persephone have a baby?”
“No,” Morpheus says softly, clearly listening to our conversation. Or maybe it’s because I squealed the question so loudly that he chose to answer it. “Alphas can control procreation during a heat. It isn’t easy, but it can be done.”
“Persephone never wanted a child?” Alina asks, sounding surprised.
Morpheus angles his head toward her and lifts his hand to shield his eyes as he opens them to look at her. “Apparently not.”
My sister stares at him. “Oh. I… I thought all Omegas valued the creation of life.”
He glances at me before refocusing on her. “Some are not ready, as Serapina has mentioned. And a good Alpha knows how to respect an Omega’s choice.”
A tremble works through me at his words.Morpheus is a good Alpha, some part of me acknowledges.A very good Alpha.
He hasn’t pressured me into anything at all, just treated me respectfully and with care.
“Alina,” a deep voice murmurs as Orcus mists onto the beach with a very awake Thea in his arms. The little one takes one look at her mom and releases a bellow that has Orcus wincing. “Our daughter is hungry.”
“And demanding food,” Alina replies, clearly amused. She sets her drink to the side and stands. “Sorry, Sera. I?—”
“It’s okay,” I interject as Thea grows louder. “Go take care of your precious one.”
Alina was in the process of taking the baby into her arms when I spoke, but looks at me with intrigue.
It takes me a moment to realize why—my word choice.Precious one. I’m pretty sure I’ve never referred to my niece that way. But she is precious, even with her hungry cries.
Though now that my sister is holding her, the tiny bundle seems to be somewhat more content.
“I think she just wanted snuggles,” I say, amused as Thea nuzzles into my sister. But then I note the way she’s seeking with her mouth and chuckle. “Okay, no. She’s definitely hungry.”
Alina stares at me for a beat and then smiles. “I think you’re more ready than you realize.”
“For what?” I ask, confused.
