“Hmmpphh,” he exaggeratedly mimicked a sigh, then curled his lip. “Thatsound. It’s irritating.”
“You’re irritating,” I snapped back at him, the pinnacle of maturity.
Rolling his eyes, Dexter asked, “Aren’t you supposed to be following a lead on the blockers today?”
Feeling argumentative, I folded my arms and demanded, “Weren’t you the one who said we’re not detectives?”
“It’s notmybrothers making us do this.”
“They’re not—you know what? Fuck you.” I stood up, feeling a surge of what I knew was irrational rage. “I’m going. At least I’m being useful.”
He also pushed to his feet, closing the space between us and jabbing his index finger into my chest. “I’ve been putting in just as much effort as you have, and you know it.”
I didn’t have a response because, yeah, he was right. He had been visiting all the little townships nearby as well. Whoever was selling the blockers had covered their tracks, though, andnobody seemed willing to talk to us given our connection to the pack Alpha, and to Eric, who had made his stance on the use of blockers during the Unlocking parties very clear during the last pack meeting.
Ugh. Eric.
Just thinking his name reminded me that I still hadn’t gone to ask about birth control.
I’d been putting it off because I didn’t want him asking questions. He knew I wanted to stumble upon an alpha and satisfy my omega’s dreams of having kids, so me asking to be put on the pill he and Brandt had created was probably going to spark his curiosity. And Eric, once curious, was a pain in the ass.
But I had told my mates that I would do it, so that’s what I set off to do.
“You want to go on the pill?” As expected, I could hear —and see— Eric’s curiosity piquing. He leaned forward in his desk chair, dangling his hands between his legs with his forearms braced on his knees casually. But his gaze was sharp and assessing. “The last time we talked about it, you were just as gung-ho about finding an alpha and having an instant family as Brandt was.”
I cleared my throat as my own gaze skittered sideways. We were in his office in the clinic, a space that screamed ‘medical facility’. There were framed posters of deconstructed anatomyon the walls, and plastic models of various body parts on his shelves. An exam bed was pushed against the far wall, and there was a set of scales on the floor, as well as one of those retractable height measuring charts set into the wall. It was all very Eric.
“Yeah,” I said, my eyes locked on one of the anatomy posters, “I know.”
“So,” he prodded, “what’s changed?”
Half-truths weren’t reallylies, were they?
I shrugged and forced myself to look back at him. “I guess I’ve decided that maybe it would be better to get to know an alpha first, you know? I mean…I’m only four-hundred-ish. Why rush it when —if— fate does give me the answers to my wildest dreams?”
“Hmm,” he didn’t sound entirely convinced, but I knew there was nothing tangible for him to grasp onto if he wanted to call me out on my bluff. Eventually exhaling, he sat back and nodded. “Okay then.”
I blinked. Was he really letting go of it so easily?
Chuckling at my obvious surprise, my younger brother shook his head. “People change their minds about having kids all the time. And, with how much time you’ve been spending with Bran, well, I can’t say I’m surprised that you’re finally on the ‘take precautions’ bandwagon with me.” He turned to type at his computer, then shot a conspiratorial wink over his shoulder. “Don’t worry; I won’t tell Bee that his kids have put you off desperately wanting your own.”
“That’s not—” I protested, then shut my mouth with an almost audiblesnap. It wasmucheasier to let Eric believe that my skittishness on the topic was for fear of upsetting Brandt ratherthan the fact that I was hiding an alpha from him. I breathed out slowly. “Thanks.”
Sorry, Bee.I mentally apologized to Brandt for using him and his kids as scapegoats. Scapedragons? Scapeunicorns? Whatever.
“Honestly,” Eric continued as he tapped away at his keyboard, “Even with the nanny, I have no idea how he and Micah do it. I mean…five kids under the age of two?” He shuddered. “Our niblings are cute and all, but…no thanks, right?”
“Fiveisexcessive,” I had to agree, my shoulders slowly coming down from around my ears as I relaxed into the chair beside his desk. “I’m pretty sure they’re knee-deep in diaper changes at this point.”
“Ugh,” Eric’s face scrunched, “I just don’t see the appeal. Don’t get me wrong, I am happy that Brandt and Micah are happy, but…”
“You’re not the super paternal type, I know.”
“I’m not the at all paternal type,” he corrected me.
My lips twitched as I looked around his office again. The posters and models were all heavily focused on the human reproductive system, with some hand-drawn posters of what he and Brandt had determined to be the male omega reproductive system thrown in as well.
“So…you specialize in reproduction and fertility, but you don’t like babies,” I teased.
