Page 84 of Mating Mia
And something is definitely off.
I take the stairs two at a time, following the thread of her scent through the house.
Our bedroom door is open, but the bathroom beyond is closed, a thin strip of light visible beneath it.
I pause in front of the bathroom door to listen. The faint sound of sniffling reaches my ears, so quiet I would have missed it if not for my enhanced hearing.
Mia is crying.
My chest tightens, protective instincts surging to the forefront. I rap my knuckles against the door, keeping my voice deliberately casual. “Mia? You in there?”
A pause, then her voice, too bright, too controlled. “I’ll be out in a minute.”
But I can hear the thickness in her words, the effort it takes to sound normal. Something is wrong, and my alpha instincts won’t let me ignore it.
“I’m coming in,” I announce, not waiting for permission before turning the handle. The door isn’t locked. Our omega knows better than to try to keep us out, especially after her heat when her scent is still so potent, still calling to us on a primal level. “Mia?”
She stands at the sink, hands braced on the marble counter, head bowed.
Her face is wet, eyes red-rimmed despite her obvious attempts to wash away the evidence of tears. The sight hits melike a physical blow, my body reacting before my mind can catch up.
“Give me a minute.”
I cross the bathroom in two strides, gently turning her to face me.
“What happened?” I demand, my voice harsher than intended. I cup her face between my palms, thumbs brushing away the lingering tears on her cheeks. “Are you hurt? Did something happen?”
She shakes her head, refusing to meet my eyes. “I’m fine. Just... It’s stupid. I’m being stupid.”
“Look at me,” I command, using just enough alpha influence to ensure compliance. Her eyes lift to mine, hazel depths swimming with unshed tears. “Tell me what’s wrong. Now.”
She draws a shaky breath, her lower lip trembling.
“I took a test,” she finally whispers, the words so quiet I have to lean closer to hear them. “A pregnancy test. It was negative.”
Understanding crashes through me like a wave. Of course. The heat, our constant talk of another baby, our certainty that this time, our seed would take. The disappointment in her eyes makes my chest ache.
“Oh,” I murmur, pulling her against me. She fits perfectly under my chin, her body molding to mine as if made for it. “It’s too early for those tests to be accurate. You know that baby.”
She nods against my chest, her voice muffled by my shirt. “I know. I just... I wanted it so badly. I thought maybe...”
The bathroom door pushes wider as Finn appears in the doorway, his tall frame filling the space. A look of concern immediately crosses his face when he sees Mia crying in my arms.
“What’s happening?” he asks in a low voice, trying not to startle Mia. From the hallway behind him, I hear Jace approaching, Ash’s babbling preceding him.
Mia stiffens, clearly embarrassed to be caught crying over something she considers foolish. I keep my arm around her, a silent reminder that she’s not alone in this.
“Mia took a pregnancy test,” I explain, feeling her flinch against me. “It was negative.”
Finn’s expression softens immediately, understanding replacing concern. He steps into the bathroom, crowding the space in the way that usually makes Mia complain about “too many alphas, too little room,” but it now seems to comfort her.
“It’s too early,” he says, echoing my words as he brushes a strand of hair from her face. His touch is gentler than most would expect from the pack enforcer, a tenderness reserved solely for Mia and Ash. “Your heat just ended yesterday.”
Jace appears in the doorway, Ash balanced on his hip. Our son immediately reaches for Mia, chubby hands opening and closing in urgent demand. Mia’s face crumples at the sight of him, fresh tears welling in her eyes.
“I know it’s too early,” she says, taking Ash from Jace and cuddling him close. “I’m being silly. It’s just... I want to give him siblings. I want our family to keep growing.”
The raw honesty in her voice strikes a chord deep within me. I exchange looks with Finn and Jace, an entire conversation passing between us in seconds.
