Page 37 of I Dated a Holiday Hero
“You had me. I was gone. I disappeared. I died. And they brought me back over and over while you raged outside.”
“What kind of male are you looking for?”
“Breathing and present are the two criteria I am looking for. I don’t even need to keep him. I am just getting the urge to have a child, and I need one of them to accomplish it.”
“Them?”
“An alpha. I am an omega but a sleeper one because I have been able to hide my nature for my entire life. Now, I am done hiding. My mom would be so proud. She was kicked out of her home for getting pregnant, and we made our home in the deep ocean.” She set her cup down on a nearby table.
“What? Why didn’t I know that?”
“You never asked. You expected resistance, so I gave you resistance. I should have just taken all of you. You would have gotten bored and moved on.”
He stared at her. “How did I not know?”
“I think part of you did. That is why you hovered around me and were so sweet. An alpha taking care of their omega. All the cuddling and fussing were nice.”
He swallowed. “Let me do it again.”
Keera reached out and took his hand. “No. I learned exactly how vulnerable I was that last time. You left, and the monster dragged me into the shadows.”
He asked the question she was braced for. “You didn’t fight?”
“He stung me with a paralytic that nearly killed me. I was trying to heal, but everything moved so slowly.” She squeezed his hand. “Even the screaming turned into a single exhale.”
“I am so sorry to have asked. It was a reflex.”
“I know. Zera’s been asking around the reapers if they want to take care of a badly damaged omega but let her live and work in Aksalla. This isn’t what she normally does, so things are going slowly. Mistress and breeder contracts are more involved than escort contracts.”
Worro closed his fingers on her hand. “I would take care of you.”
“Would you? I tried that once before, and it didn’t work out so well.”
“We could have a little boy or girl. I would treasure all of you.”
She froze. “They didn’t tell you.”
“What?”
“I was pregnant.”
The slight, coaxing smile on his lips straightened. “What?”
“About six weeks. It stopped before it really started, but they told me during recovery. I had no idea. I thought they told you.”
Tears welled in his eyes, and she set his coffee aside and held him. His alpha nature had failed her at every important turn. He whispered, “I understand now. I failed you.”
“I loved you, Worro, but the trust is gone.”
He nodded and swallowed. “What is your scent?”
She chuckled. “Fresh coffee and ocean air. Not a very pretty scent.”
His eyes widened. “You couldn’t shift to get away because you were pregnant.”
“That’s the hypothesis.”
“I will find you a mate. Why are you looking at reapers?”
