Page 38 of Surprise Mother Pucker

I was an omega, wethrivedon being cared for. It was part of our baser instincts. Alphas had the instinct to care and protect; that’s why packs worked so well.

There were still a lot of people who denied that nature. I had met plenty of alphas who were self-absorbed douchebags who couldn’t think beyond the next frat party they wanted to attend. Eli was a whole other breed of alpha, like something straight out of a romance novel.

I hummed contentedly, nuzzling deeper into his chest, huffing the smoky scent that made my body languid.

Eventually, after a few more moments of drifting in and out of sleep, I sighed. “I should get up and check on Char,” I murmured, sitting up.

Eli gently guided me into an upright position, a bottle of water appearing in front of my face. “Drink,” he ordered lightly. “You need to hydrate.”

I took a swig of the water, surprised it tasted sweet.

Eli smiled at me. “Electrolyte packet,” he explained simply.

“It’s good.” I nodded thankfully.

“How are you feeling?”

I took stock of my body. Everything was sore, but my head was somewhat clearer. “Better. Not back to full strength, but I’m on the mend.”

“In that case, why don’t you go and grab a shower while I heat up some food? There’s a veggie soup and even some Asiago bread, straight from the bakery.”

I groaned. “That sounds amazing,” I murmured. “Wait, how did you end up in the nest?” I asked, cocking an eyebrow.

Eli laughed. “I never intended to end up in the nest. I was determined to respect your space. Whenever you needed to drink or eat, I would just come to the edge of the nest and convince you to do so. But the last time I did, you grabbed me and dragged me into the nest before I could even protest. Next thing I knew, you were wrapped around me, shoving your face in my neck and making happy noises. After that, I didn’t have the heart to leave.”

“I did that?” I cried out in shock.

Eli nodded, a grin tugging at the corner of his mouth. “Oh yeah, and frankly, it was adorable knowing just how much your omega likes me.”

“I'm going to die of embarrassment,” I groaned, burying my head in his chest, so I wouldn’t have to look at him.

“Hey.” He gently tugged at my chin, forcing our eyes to meet. “I like it, and trust me, I’m just as attached to you, little omega.”

“We’ve been on two dates!” I protested.

Eli cocked his head to the side. “This counts as a third date, don’t you agree?” he asked seriously, making me giggle.

“You’re incorrigible.”

“Only for you! Now, why don’t you go grab a shower and throw on some clean pajamas, while I get the food heated up?”

“Is this your way of telling me I smell bad?” I giggled.

Eli pulled an adorable face. “You smell amazing, you always do, but I would be lying if I didn’t admit you’re starting to smell a little ripe from being sick…”

My eyes widened, and I tried to shuffle away. I had been sick for two days. I probably smelled awful. It was downright cruel of me to subject Eli to that.

His arms tightened around me as he made a dismissive noise. “I don't care how you smell. Actually, wait, that came outwrong. I do care how you smell. You smell amazing, but I don't give a damn if you smell a bit off when you’ve been sick. You’ve got way bigger things to focus on. I just thought it may be a good idea for you to take a shower before you go see Charlotte. I know babies have sensitive noses, and I'm pretty sure if Mommy smells a little sick, it could upset her.”

I gaped up at him. Had this man just straight-up fallen out of heaven? Every time he opened his mouth, he said something sweet and caring and made me feel mushy inside. He had just admitted that he liked my scent, which I supposed was a given, seeing as we were kind of dating, but it was always nice to hear it. Two, he had considered my baby and her comfort, and three, he wanted to feed me.

“You’re too damn good to me.”

Eli shook his head. “Nope, I'm nowhere near good enough, and I'm going to spend the rest of my days making you realize just what you are worth.”

Twenty minutes later, I came out of the shower, squeaky clean and in a new pair of pajamas. Now that the cobwebs had cleared somewhat, I brushed my damp hair and put it up with a claw clip. I didn't have the energy to dry it yet, so I would have to do it later.

Being sick was exhausting.

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