I nuzzled into his hair and couldn’t help a soft growl. He smelled of sex and heat, and I knew it wouldn’t be long before I was inside him again.
I closed my eyes and held him close while he slept. He was mine—my mate, my omega.
My Randy.
My thoughts drifted to claiming him the night before; the way he’d screamed in ecstasy as his bonding point gave way under my teeth—how stunning the angry mark already looked on his skin.
It would fade to a beautiful silvery scar, a daily reminder of our bond.
Mine.
I shifted, keeping him spooned against me, and allowed my hand to drift to his stomach.
He’d shared his fear a few days prior that it might be difficult for him to get pregnant due to his age. But I trusted that we’d made it happen—that our first child was already growing inside him.
Randy shivered in my arms, and I nuzzled into his neck to find the skin cool.
I carefully got out of bed and cursed at the chill air that surrounded me. My cock, especially, was unhappy with being removed from its warm spot nestled against my mate’s ass. But it would be there again soon enough.
I pulled on a robe and slippers, then made my way downstairs to get the fire started again.
I wanted my mate comfortable as we enjoyed the remainder of his heat.
∞∞∞
~March~
Jessie and Yazmín’s house was filled to the brim with friends and family for her presentación. There had been a small church ceremony earlier in the day for those closest, but the party had been opened to a much larger crowd.
I couldn’t keep track of the people I’d been introduced to, and the vibe of the house could only be described as barely-controlled chaos. People called to each other in an ever-changing blend of Spanish, Spanglish, and English, while a steady stream of food came from the kitchen.
Michelle, Marco, and an assortment of cousins somehow avoided being stepped on as they played and wound through the adults. They regularly got yelled at to go play outside, but kept finding their way back in.
Yazmín relaxed on the couch, seemingly comfortable with her baby making the rounds as she was passed from person-to-person.
Kerry… was the opposite of Yazmín. He clung to his newborn and had only let the baby out of his sight a handful of times. Though I wondered how long he’d really be able to hold out against the forming line of aunties ready to get their baby fix.
An older woman—whom I believed was one of Yazmín’s abuelas—started to edge closer to Kerry, eyes on the baby.
Kerry—seemingly over being the center of attention—suddenly said something in Spanish.
Yazmín cackled at the same time that a dozen tías turned to face my omega.
I recognized the danger and scurried out of the way as they descended on Randy, hands on his stomach and at least one praying over him.
“What did you do?” Randy cried.
Kerry smirked. “Nothing much. I just told them that you’re newly pregnant, and at thirty-seven… you need all the blessings for a healthy pregnancy.”
“Why would you do that?”
“They’re your family, too,” he replied with a laugh. “Well… Kinda… Don’t you think they’d want to know?”
Randy turned to me, desperate pleading in his eyes. “Alpha…”
I shook my head and let out a nervous laugh. “I value my life, thanks. I know better than to get between a group of women and their target.”
“Good call,” Jessie said, slinging an arm across my shoulders. “Yazzy’s family areunstoppablewhen there’s a new baby in the mix. Randy’s in the safest possible spot, but you’d be trampled.”
