I nodded, because I was curious and rolled my shoulders that felt as if someone had beaten them to death and wrenched them around the wrong way in their socket.
“It’s simple. It’s means I’m attracted to omegas exclusively but whatever hits my good spot doesn’t consider gender.”
“Oh,” I nodded. “Makes sense.”
“See, you’re learning stuff here.”
“Now that Lero isn’t in here. How am I actually doing? Is it as crappy as it feels?”
“No,” Doctor Bee shook his head and sat down on the bench across from me. “Every time you take a break, I’ve been switching it out for a heavier ball to keep you going without getting your brain involved. Ivan did you a big favor on getting you up on your feet and moving. I think as long as you follow through with your physical therapist back in the Nightshade Territory, you’ll be alright. Don’t let them go easy on you. I’ve seen some therapists do it. They get it in their heads that their clients have been through enough and the next thing you know, they’re making your life harder by not pushing you. I’m an asshole. I’ve always been an asshole. It comes naturally to me and it’s why I’m good at my job. I care more about your kid having a sire who can participate in their life than how you feel about me right now. You don’t have to like your physical therapist. You have to trust them, though. Remember that. When they send you home tomorrow, be an asshole for your own recovery. Don’t bother telling Barry if they don’t do their job right. Go straight to Xenos.”
The only goal I was willing to share when they asked me what motivated me for physical therapy was being there for my kid. Everything else felt too personal. Too raw. Hell, that almost felt too personal too. Except, the world was a lot bigger than Lero, our unborn cub, and Ivan. Eventually, I’d have to socialize with others again by doing more than grunting.
“Come on. Let’s get some more work in before they ship you home. I’ve heard the physical therapist there is good but I don’t trust anyone as much as I trust myself,” Doctor Bee said and handed off the next level of weighted ball. “This is a six month old bear cub. Be glad the ball doesn’t squirm like a baby will.”
CHAPTER TWENTY
Lero
Heartville
“If you’re here to tell me to stop babying him again…..” I started but my grandsire shook his head.
“No, keep babying him. Well, in most things, but you’ve got to let him do physical therapy. It’s hard and he’s going to get mad and you have to let him be mad sometimes.”
“Is this going to be another conversation about trauma?” I asked. “I grew up surrounded by the people and the literature.”
“No, I know you’re informed, Lero. I also know that it’s harder to put it into practice than to read about it in theory. What I wanted to ask is, how do you feel about another ultrasound? After Vallis finishes up physical therapy it might be a nice reward for him. He knows you’re pregnant. He’s seen the blood work and the sonograms but sometimes when you’re stuck in survival mode things seem abstract. Hell, for some non-traumatized alphas pregnancy seems abstract.”
“You don’t have to convince me to do an ultrasound. Is it really for Vallis or are you worried about something?”
“I’m not worried about the baby,” my granddad shook his head. “It’s time for a checkup, though, and I thought we’d takeout a few birds with one stone. I know this part of the true-mate response. You’re more likely to do things if you think it directly benefits the other. They’ve done studies on this and in alphas, single alphas with no mate – true or chosen – and no kids have slower recovery times. Omegas with young kids have the quickest.”
“In the wild, no one comes to save us,” I said.
“Well, you’re not in the wild and you had four relatives go on a rescue mission.”
“How’s Mori doing?”
“He’s back home getting things ready for his trip to London. He’s not leaving just yet, but he will in a few weeks. They’re taking a ship because the egg has grown taller than I am and Nic doesn’t want to risk a plane or an ocean pass off because flying across the Atlantic without resting isn’t probable.”
“What about the Other World gateways?” I asked, arching both my eyebrows up high onto my forehead.
“I asked the same thing but Nic’s afraid that the Other World will mess with the baby somehow. I don’t think it would but it’s not my call. That’s between Nic and Mori and they’re both grieving.”
“Yep. The day Sharon kidnapped her, she took a good ally from us all,” Grandad nodded.
“How are you holding up about it all?” I asked.
He grinned at me, “I’ll be alright. I’m not the pregnant bear.”
“You’re not a bear at all and you didn’t answer my question.”
“It reminded me of when Lotus died. They’re taking her back to London for a proper funeral too. She’s draconic. So she’ll hold and it’s disturbing to think of her…”
“In two places? Like she’s in her body, but you also saw her leave and go to somewhere she’s safe now?” I asked.
“You’re way too insightful for someone so young,” he chuckled.
