Page 31 of Omega's Bears

“Oh my God.” I need to head this off before Jack makes it an order and causes someone to stand guard over me all day. “I’m feeling much better now, Jack, I promise. I wouldn’t lie. I just want to sleep. And I don’t think I’ll be able to sleep if I feel like someone’s watching me. That’s just going to make me nervous and keep me up. Honestly, I’ll do much better if you guys give me some space for a few hours.”

“Are you sure?” Jack asks. He glances at Ryan, then at Luka. Neither of them look particularly happy with what I’m saying, and I know they’re itching to argue.

But I’ve found my voice in this clan. I’m an equal here. I just got my tattoo, and I have a bike of my own. I have a seat at the table and a voice in clan decisions. And I’m going to make my voice heard here. I wouldn’t have been brave or confident enough to do this before, but here, I am.

“This is what I want,” I tell Jack, making eye contact. “Please.”

Jack hesitates, and then nods. “All right. We’ll all go out and let you sleep, but we’ll come back a little earlier than usual to make sure things are going well.” He looks to the others. “Agreed?”

“Agreed,” Luka says, somewhat reluctantly.

“Fine,” Ryan says. He doesn’t sound happy at all, but he must realize he’s been outvoted.

And so, the men disappear down the tunnel, taking the cookpot with them to clean it out at the river. I’m not wild about that—it’s embarrassing, and I’d prefer to handle that particular cleanup job myself—but the fire is warm, and our big, empty nest is comfortable. I crawl back over to it and curl up, closing my eyes, ready for sleep to overtake me.

And then, my eyes fly open as a realization smacks into me like a boulder.

It takes me a moment to do the necessary math, but I already know my suspicion has to be correct. I’ve known it from the instant it occurred to me. And I’m shocked at my own negligence. How could I have let myself forget this eventuality? How have I failed to track the signs of my body? I should have been on the alert for this from the moment Jack and I first had sex in the woods. It’s astounding that it’s only just occurring to me now.

I’m pregnant.

I’m pregnant, and I’m almost certain that I’m carrying a litter. After all, I’m an omega. That’s what my body is made to do. I knew this day would come, of course—it’s why they took me in in the first place—but somehow, I expected it to take longer. It seemed like something my future held, not something imminent. Not something that could happen at any moment. It’s nerve wracking. This means my whole life is about to change. I’m going to carry a litter, changing my whole body. I’m going to have to go through the pain of giving birth. And after it’s all over, I’ll be a mother for the rest of my life—

I rest a hand on my stomach. It’s too soon to feel any kind of difference, any swelling or growth there...and yet, my imagination is sweeping me away. How many of them might there be? And who might they be? What will it be like to welcome these new little people into our clan, to raise them as my own and teach them everything I know? I feel a surge of sudden love that makes me gasp. These will be my babies. I’ll see my features reflected in their little faces, my mannerisms reflected in their behavior. I can’t wait to know them.

And what else will I see? Who is their father? Will they have Luka’s kind eyes and gentle demeanor? Jack’s strong jaw and authoritative sense of calm? Or will they be well muscled and temperamental, like Ryan? I don’t know which to hope for. Each of my lovers has wonderful traits that I’d love to pass along to my children.

Is it possible that there’s more than one father?

I’ve never mated before. I don’t understand how this works, exactly. I’ll need Jack to explain it. But I do know it’s possible for an omega to become pregnant by more than one man. It’s uncommon—it’s much more typical for omegas to stick with the single man who’s imprinted upon them—but my case is anything but regular. I’ve been mating semi daily with three different men. I wouldn’t be surprised at all to learn that this litter belonged to all of them.

Suddenly, to my surprise, I wish they hadn’t left for the day. I’m not feeling sick at all anymore. Instead, I’m overwhelmed with excitement. I can’t wait to share my news. Ryan will be over the moon, I’m sure, and Luka is going to be so great with babies. And Jack will be gratified to learn that the clan is expanding as planned. I know he’ll be proud of all of us.

How is it that the days keep getting better and better? Just yesterday, I was reunited with Berto’s motorcycle, able to drive it back to the den myself. I received my tattoo and felt fully welcomed into the clan. I thought it couldn’t get any better than that. But today, I’ve discovered I’m about to become a mother. Our clan is about to become a family, in every way possible. I’ve never felt this wonderful in my life.

My exhaustion, temporarily driven from me by the excitement of my discovery, is creeping back in, but before I go to sleep, I want to make sure I get something to eat. I’m responsible for other lives than mine now. I make myself a fruit plate and eat methodically, staring into the flames of our fire and contemplating the future. What will it be like to raise children? How will we travel on our bikes when we have a litter to carry? What will childbirth be like, here in the den, with only the rest of the clan to assist me? How badly will it hurt?

There’s plenty to be afraid of. But somehow, even as I ponder my fears, the only thing I can feel is perfect contentment. This is what I was made to do. This is my purpose in life and my purpose in my clan. And now, I’m going to be able to fulfill that purpose. I’m going to help the Hell’s Bears grow and thrive, and I’m going to give my mates children and raise them to be strong and wise. The future has never looked brighter.

I stretch out by the fire, humming happily, waiting for Luka, Ryan, and Jack to return home so I can give them the good news.

---