Page 98 of The Librarian and Her Alphas

“Mate,” I whisper, and he grunts in approval.

“And you are my omega. Forever, baby.”

CHAPTER32

Lena

Amonth later, I’m back at the library, trying to get back into the routine of things before I’m due to give birth.

I adjust the pillows behind my back for the fourth time in about ten minutes, attempting again to find a comfortable position in my office chair. The babies have been restless all morning, moving and shifting and poking me in ways that make focusing on cataloging the library’s index more challenging.

Today is my last day before I go on maternity leave, and I have to make sure I get a few things done before I go. I don’t want to leave Paige and Annabelle with mounds of my work to catch up on after the birth.

I shift in my chair again, a delicious soreness pressing up from between my thighs. My alphas had taken turns knotting me half the night, even though I protested that I had to get up early for work.

“What’s got you smiling like that?” Annabelle asks with a knowing grin as she and Paige approach the front desk.

“Thinking about that man? Gunnar Thorne?” Paige teases, wiggling her eyebrows suggestively.

They knew about Gunnar since they’d met him several times as he visited the library. But they had no idea about the other two men in my life, which is good since they’ll never understand our wolf dynamics.

“Yes,” I say, smiling bashfully.

“Girl, those babies will be here before you go on maternity leave if you carry on like that!” Paige jokes, fanning her face. Annabelle and I let out whoops of laughter, the sound carrying across the library.

“Can you keep it down?” someone says, and I turn to see an elderly woman at the nearest bookshelf staring at us reproachfully.

“Sorry!” I whisper loudly, and Paige giggles.

“Well, we can’t let you leave without giving you something special.”

“You didn’t have to get me anything,” I say, touched by their kindness. My babies shift again as though they can feel the warmth radiating from my friends.

“Of course we did,” Paige says gently, handing me a large cream-colored gift bag tied neatly with a pastel pink bow. “It’s not every day that your best co-worker goes away on maternity leave.”

I place the bag on the desktop, carefully unwrapping the bow. Inside is a large hand-knitted blanket in delicate shades of ivory, pastel green, and pastel yellow, all woven beautifully together. Beneath it lie four small, plush elephants, each with a different-colored ribbon wrapped around their tails.

My throat tightens with emotion at the thoughtfulness the two women put into their gift.

“Aww! I love it,” I say, my fingers grazing the blanket’s softness. Annabelle grabs my hand and gives it a gentle squeeze.

“You deserve every bit of happiness,” she says sincerely. “We’ll miss you around here.”

“I’ll miss you both, too,” I say.

“We’re excited to meet your four babies,” Paige says, easing the sad mood just enough to make me laugh softly. “They’re certainly going to keep you busy!”

“Oh, I’m sure they will,” I say, grinning. “I get scared sometimes that I might not be a good mom.”

“Wait, why would you say that, Lena?” asks Annabelle.

“My own mother wasn’t great,” I admit softly. “One of the reasons why I stayed with an abusive boyfriend for years before I met Gunnar.”

“I’m sure you’re nothing like her,” says Paige softly, hugging me. “Even though we’re co-workers, we love you and we both know you’re going to be great.”

A profound sense of wholeness deep in my core starts flowing through me. She was right. No one had liked my mother anywhere she went, and she never had friends.

The moment is fleeting, however, when I feel a gush of liquid rush down my legs. I glance down and see that my maternity pants are soaked, a puddle of water collecting at my feet.

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