But we aren’t there anymore. We’re free, and our emotions should be, too.
When I tell her as much, she admits she told them the truth yesterday. “Including your fear of bonding with them?” I ask her with a raised brow, calling her on the secret I know she kept to herself. When she looks away, I sigh. “If you don’t tell them everything, how can you expect them to ease your fears?”
Needing to give her time to think, and to relieve the pressure the baby has put on my bladder, I kiss the top of Omen’s headand push to my feet. “You deserve an adoring pack, Omen. They may have royally messed up before, but even I can see they would scorch the earth to make you happy.” Shepherd appears, having watched me from the other side of the patio. His hands grip under my arms and easily lift me, a scowl plastered on his handsome face. I pat his cheek and wink, adding, “And if they decide to act like imbeciles again, Shep here will kick their butts, right, Alpha?”
He quickly agrees, turning to glare at each of my sister’s mates. Omen giggles, the sound much lighter than her voice was a few moments ago. When Kaitlin calls out to ask her to swim, I can’t hide my smile. This is what she needs. What we both need is to heal from our pasts. Packs who adore us, kids to spoil, and each other.
Chapter Twenty
My bossat the hospital called yesterday and asked me to come in for a meeting. As I drive across town, I already know what she’s going to ask. I’ve been on leave for months now, focusing on Hannah and the kids.Do I plan to come back to work?
The question has been running in circles through my mind. I love helping others, and working as a nurse enabled me to do that. The long hours weren’t an issue when Shepherd worked as much in his undercover operations, but things are different now. We have a daughter at home, a pregnant mate to care for, and one day soon, we’ll have a newborn to cuddle. I still have my work with the community center and the DAU, so it isn’t like I’m abandoning my dreams. Just adjusting to focus on what is most important.
After the meeting, all I feel is relief. I quit, leaving my position open for one of the hospital’s many applicants to take. It feels right. Good, even. The lack of doubt and guilt tells me I’ve made the right choice. Pulling out my phone to call Hannah and ask if she wants me to grab lunch, I frown when I see a calendar notification on the screen.Is there an event happening this week that I forgot about? Swiping it open, I nearly drop my phone when it loads.
Holy. Shit.How the hell did I not realize?
Fuck,that isn’t good.
Instead of dialing Hannah, I call Shepherd. He is meeting with Donovan today to go over some things, but answers after the first ring. “What’s wrong, Omega?”
“H-heat. I just got the notification, I should start pre-heat soon.”
The swearing I expect never comes. His steady voice fills the line instead, full of heat. “I can’t wait to spend days stuffing your pretty ass with my knot.”
Dammit, now I’m leaking slick. I was not prepared to be turned on in public today!
“Shepherd! Ugh, you know I want that too, but Hannah!”
He hums, reassurance pulsing down our bond and helping to calm me from the burgeoning panic building in my mind. “Talk to her. She can’t take part this time, but she’ll understand. Heats are a fact of life with an Omega mate, Baby.”
“I know that,” I grumble as I climb into the car. My head leans against the steering wheel, a hundred what-ifs flying through my brain. “The timing, though. She could go into labor any day. Maybe I should use suppressants.”
“No,” he growls. I swear he can feel my wince at the thought of using drugs to skip my heat. I’ve tried using them before, when I was at the Omega Academy, and it wasn’t a pleasant experience. The way they made me feel… it was awful enough that I never want to repeat it.
But if I have to choose between bad suppressant side effects and missing our son’s birth, the choice is simple. I’ll suffer through anything as long as I can be by Hannah’s side.
“Go home and talk to our mate. Tell her about your experience with the suppressants and your upcoming heat. I’ll be there as soon as I can.”
My head bobs in agreement, and I mindlessly start the car. Panicking won’t help the situation, but getting home to my angel might.
I’m still fretting over things when I walk through our apartment door half an hour later. A tiny body collides with my legs, and Kaitlin beams up at me. “Foster’s home! Mommy’s making us grilled cheese!”
Worries bleed away as I sweep her into my arms and tickle her sides. The sound of her laughter drowns out the thoughts screaming in my mind. “Grilled cheese, huh? Your favorite!”
“Oh, you’re back early!” Hannah exclaims as we spin into the kitchen. Her smile is the most beautiful part of my day. I can’t help but press a quick kiss to her lips, making her grin grow wider. “I’m making lunch. Would you like some?”
I’m hungry, but not for food, is what I want to say, but I can’t, not with little ears listening in.
“You two eat. I’ll heat something later.”
Hannah finishes plating their food and sends Kaitlin to wash her hands. “What’s wrong?” She asks, wrapping her arms around my waist. I spin her so that her back is to my chest and drop my hands to the bottom of her baby bump. She groans when I hold the weight, face buried against her throat, so I’m pressed as far against her body as I can be.
“My heat should be starting soon.” The words are muffled against her skin, but she hears them all the same. I peek my eye open to study her face when she’s quiet for too long. Her lip is trapped between her teeth, and her eyes are closed. “I know you can’t be there. Both because of this little one, and because you aren’t ready yet.”
“But you want me to be there?” she asks in a whisper.
Pressing my lips to her shoulder, I nod. “I do. When you’re ready.”
