Then it hit me.
“Oh my god. Is it because I finally uploaded those videos from Halloween?”
I frantically clicked my channel page, checking the stats. Sure enough, the newest videos I'd uploaded on a whim yesterday caught traction. They racked up the hits—and with it, the ad revenue exploded.
“Ah! I remember this,” Edgar said brightly, pointing at the thumbnail. He was actually in the thumbnail picture too, but the camera didn't pick him up. “This was when I protected you from the land-lord. Why does he look like a blob?”
“I blurred him out for privacy.”
“Ah, and this video is from when I ate those cookies!”
“That's right. Man, I posted the videos because I hadn't uploaded since moving in and a couple people asked where I'd gone... I had no ideathiswould happen.”
Edgar puffed out his chest. “Of course they'd be popular! You've got a bonafide phantasm on your hands.”
I laughed. “People are probably blowing up in the comments saying it's fake.”
“Let them.” Edgar smugly wrapped his arms around me and kissed the top of my head. “You know the truth.”
* * *
8 Months Later...
“Higher...higher... to the left... No, wait, I liked it better to the right. There!” I clapped my hands together.
Edgar gestured to the thin rectangular trophy on the shelf. The clear gem in the center sparkled in the daylight. It was the highly coveted Viewtube diamond-tier award for having ten million subscribers.
“Like this?” Edgar asked.
“Perfect. Thanks for your help.”
Edgar floated down from the wall. “Of course. I'm not making my nine-months-pregnant omega go up any ladders, awards or not.”
I gazed up at the wall, running my gaze along all three awards. I'd received the one for a hundred-thousand subscribers months ago, back when my first videos of Edgar blew up. It didn't take long for that to spill over to one million subscribers. That happened around the same time my belly started to swell from pregnancy. Finally, just a couple weeks ago, I hit ten million subscribers—a number that utterly boggled my mind. Viewtube sent the award in the mail and it arrived earlier that morning. Edgar eagerly placed it on the achievements wall with the rest. He was always my biggest supporter.
“What's next? Fifty million subscribers?” Edgar asked.
“I don't think there's an award for that. Besides, I'm okay with slowing down my Viewtube career.” Looking down at my beach-ball sized belly, I smiled. “I'm officially on paternity leave until... Well, until I feel like making videos again. Now that I'm not struggling to make money, I want to spend all my time with our baby.”
A tender expression spilled over Edgar's face. He put his arm around me and I leaned into his body with a content sigh.
“Feel like sitting down?” he asked.
When I nodded, Edgar led me to the nearby armchair. I sank comfortably into the plush cushion. A moment later, Edgar propped up my feet on a matching ottoman.
“Foot rub?” he suggested.
“Oh, yes, please.”
I moaned as Edgar's cool phantasm fingers worked their magic on my sore feet. It was impossiblenotto have those while carrying all this extra weight, but Edgar was always quick to offer back massages or foot rubs, so I couldn't complain.
I closed my eyes and let my alpha's soothing touch seep throughout my body. It had almost been a year since we met. I couldn't believe how much my life changed since that fateful night. I fell in love with my fated mate, moved into this beautiful home, and we had a baby due any day now. The awards on the wall were nice, but the life I'd created with Edgar was what I truly treasured.
“Say, Edgar... How are phantasms born, anyway?” I asked. “I know you manifested and all, but was there a catalyst?”
He didn't pause massaging my feet to respond. “It's a mystery for the ages. I simply rememberbeing.”
“I wonder how our baby will be born,” I mused, slowly running my hands over my belly. “Will they pop into existence? Or will they be born the old-fashioned human way?”
