Pierce said nothing as he sat beside me. I rested my head on his shoulder, and he laced his cool fingers between my warm ones.
“What happens if this doesn’t work?” I asked miserably. “Or what happens if Margaret… dies before I can give birth?”
Pierce’s expression was tight. “We have a stockpile of blood wine in a cellar, but it’s not enough to last forever. Sooner or later wewillneed live hosts to feed from again. Without Margaret and without a dhampir, it’s over for us.”
I shut my eyes. I didn’t want to lose Pierce - or Theo, or Adriel. As stupid as it might have been, they already felt like my family.
“I lost my family once before,” I murmured. “I’m not going to let it happen again. Give me that pregnancy test.”
I grabbed the bag and stormed to the bathroom. Filled with determination, I ripped the packaging apart. There were multiple test boxes in the bag, but for now I just needed one - and hoped that itwasthe only one I would need at all.
I’d taken a few tests in the past, before meeting Pierce. It was rare for an omega to become pregnant outside of a heat, but it did happen, so I wanted to be prepared. Thankfully, I’d never become pregnant back then, since I didn’t want children. But now Ididwant them, and prayed for a different result.
Please be positive…
Anxiety balled in my stomach. Margaret must have still been waiting in the hall. I didn’t know what would happen to me if my results were negative. Would she kill me on the spot? Maybe that was extreme, but for once, it wasn’t just my apprehensive brain thinking up the worst case scenario - Pierce said himself that Margaret seemedofflately. Who knew what she was capable of?
But a negative result wouldn’t just affect me. It would spell doom for Pierce and his brothers, too. I couldn’t let that happen.
Please, god, let there be a damn baby inside me…
I almost didn’t want to open my eyes. Finally mustering up the courage, I peeked an eye open.
My breath caught in my throat.
I threw the test and ran out of the bathroom. Pierce barely blinked at me in confusion and anticipation before I leapt at him, throwing myself into his arms.
“Benji?” he said. “Is everything all right?”
I glanced up at him with tears in my eyes. His expression flickered from confusion to anxiety.
“What’s the result?” he asked.
I couldn’t hide my smile any longer. “We’re gonna have a baby.”
“Oh!” Pierce cried, and he smiled brightly in return. “That’s amazing news!”
He hugged me, nearly picking me off the ground, and I had a brief moment to marvel at his strength before he kissed me, and all thoughts went out the window.
“I’m so proud of you,” Pierce murmured.
“I didn’t do anything,” I said with a laugh. “You’re basically the one who did all the work.”
“Nonsense. You’re going to be the one doing the work for the next nine months,” Pierce reminded me, and I groaned playfully.
“God, you’re right. I forgot about that part.”
A rapt, irritated knock from the door drew our attention. Pierce, with his aura of stress lifted, strode over and opened it to let Margaret inside. Behind her was Theo and Adriel, who the younger brother must have fetched in the meantime.
Margaret’s voice was icy cold. “Well?”
“Benji is pregnant,” Pierce told her. The sly, satisfied tone of his voice didn’t elude me, and I resisted the urge to chuckle.
Instantly, Margaret’s whole demeanor changed. Her eyes widened and softened. She didn’t have long fangs or claws, or generally look like she wanted to rip my face off. She walked slowly towards me with her arms out, and to my total surprise, hugged me. From the corner of my eye, I saw even Pierce look shocked.
“Oh, Benji,” Margaret said. “How wonderful. What a good omega you are.”
“Um… Thanks?”
