Page 92 of Mating Mia
“No, it’s okay, Mom! You did what you had to. I know that now. And honestly, if you hadn’t sent me away, I never would have met Kane, or Finn, or Jace. Or Ash,” I say, smiling, the sadness lifting. “I’m okay, Mom. Really.”
She nods, but her eyes are glossy again. “I just wish I could have been there for you. For all of it.”
We eat in silence for a minute, the only sound the clink of our spoons and the rain still tapping at the windows. Eventually, she asks, “And Finn keeps mentioning Justin. Was he… Did he hurt you?”
I flinch, even though it’s been more than a year since I’ve seen him.
“Towards the end, yes,” I say. “Before that, it was verbal. He made me feel like shit. Like I wasn’t good enough for anyone. Like I should be grateful he even wanted me.”
Her expression shifts from sorrow to something darker, a flicker of anger. “Don’t ever believe anything he said,” she says, voice low and fierce. “You are a treasure, Mia. Omegas are the rarest, most cherished members of any pack. Anyone who says different is a fool.”
I nod, tears blurring my vision. “Thank you,” I whisper.
She squeezes my hand again. “Now. Tell me about the wedding. When’s the big day?”
I laugh, the sound surprising both of us. “Soon,” I say. “Probably in a couple weeks. I just found out this morning that I’m pregnant again, and I want to get married before I start waddling.”
“Oh my god, Mia,” she says, her eyes glowing.
I nod, unable to stop grinning. “Finn said he could smell it on me. He’s never wrong.”
She laughs, dabbing at her eyes with her napkin. “I can’t believe it. I’m going to be a grandma twice over. This is the greatest news.”
I sip my water, then ask, “Are you and Dad going to have more kids?”
She hesitates, biting her lip, and I realize she’s blushing to my surprise.
“Actually, yes,” she says, her voice barely above a whisper. “I’m pregnant too. About two months. I wanted to be sure before telling you the news.”
I almost drop my spoon.
“Are you serious? That’s amazing!” I lean over the table to hug her, and she hugs back, both of us laughing and sniffling at the same time.
“I’m so happy for you,” I say, settling back in my seat. “I mean, it’s going to be weird having an uncle or aunt younger than Ash, but?—”
She laughs, a full, open sound that makes the old ladies in the corner glance over.
“I might’ve gotten started a little late,” she says. “But I wouldn’t trade it for anything.”
I finish my sundae, then sit back, suddenly exhausted. “I forgot how tiring it is to be pregnant. I can already feel it.”
She nods, swirling her spoon through the dregs of her sundae. “It’ll get easier. The second time, you know what to expect.”
We lapse into a comfortable silence, watching the rain and the traffic, the world going on as if nothing extraordinary is happening. But for the first time in my life, I feel like everything is exactly as it should be.
“I never thought I’d meet another omega. I mean, besides myself. It’s kind of cool,” I say after a while.
She smiles, eyes soft. “Omegas are rare. Most of us end up in packs, or we hide what we are. It’s safer that way.”
I nod. “Do you ever have trouble with your scent? Like, when you’re in public? Sometimes I feel like everyone is staring at me.”
“There are scent blockers. Pills, sprays. And heat suppressants, if you need them. But you have to get them from wolf territory.”
I gape at her, fascinated. “There’s so much I don’t know,” I say. “So much I still have to learn.”
She laughs, brushing a stray hair from my face. “That’s the fun part. We get to figure it out together.”
twenty-five
