Page 65 of His Rejected Alpha Mate
My visions ramped up with the news that Chase was awake. All I got were odd flashes that I didn’t understand. From them, I knew Angelica would be fine. I’d seen her as an adult, whole and healthy. She was laughing in the vision, her bright amber eyes glowing, auburn curls resting on her shoulders. Seeing that glimpse made it easier to be apart from her, but didn’t stop me worrying completely.
Blake’s return to the house broke the somber mood with some good humor. He was in his wolf form, his head sticking out of the window of the truck his escort drove him home in. His tongue lolled, and he gave a wolfy grin when he saw us watching him.
Though we’d started off on less than friendly terms, it warmed my heart to see him so happy. Blake had borne the stress of the illness, what it was doing to his pack, his worry over Kade, on too young shoulders. It was a lot for any alpha to bear, but one of just twenty-two? It was far too much.
The Luna obviously knew what she was doing, as Blake led his pack through this crisis with grace. He’d called in favors, elevated the often overlooked omegas and guided his other alphas into a new outlook. Gone were the days of omega oppression in the Sweetwater pack.
Not that there weren’t issues. Even a week after Chase and a few of the other betas had woken, we were still learning of issues Roan had to deal with within the house. I saw the guilt plain on Deke and Blake’s faces for having to leave Kade’s best friend behind. Kade struggled daily without his best friend and assistant.
It had taken me a little while to get used to the idea of Kade’s ex having such a close relationship with him now that he was mated, but when I saw them together, Kade, Blake, and Roan, it all made sense. There was so much genuine affection and trust between them. Blake knew that Roan would die before causing Kade any pain. It made me wonder if I was just a little jaded from a life with Rincoln to not see just how different this generation of alphas was from the ones before.
Papa, Poppy is here to see you.Kade used the pack link since I was resting on my bed. I’d been finding it harder to sleep since Dakota had visited. The first night apart had passed with me waking on the hour every hour, despite his scent everywhere. The second night, I got up at three am, lit a scented candle and changed the sheets. Then I went looking for Deke. He’d been sitting up waiting for me, probably sensing me moving about. After adjusting the bed into two singles again, he’d blown out the candle and gotten into his bed.
My guilt at needing the crutch of Deke’s friendship and touch ate at my peace of mind. I’d had a tearful conversation with Dakota, where he’d confessed that his bear might not have liked it, but as a man, he did. He graciously accepted my need, my fox’s need, for the affection that my close friendship with Deke gave me.
Still didn’t make it any easier to sleep.
Each night I lay awake holding onto Deke’s hand like it was a lifeline and listening to the man’s steady breaths in the dark.
I’m just coming.I replied, using the link, grateful to have its reassuring presence. My movement to sit upright halted when I felt a nudge. The previous little flutters hadn’t been strong enough to consider them true movements.Hold on a sec, I need to call Dakota.
Why? What’s wrong?Deke asked, on alert for danger.
Nothing, just gimme a sec.
The phone rang and rang. I was just about to hang up and send a text when a breathless voice answered. “Hey, Jasper. I’ll just go and get Dakota.”
It took me a full minute to recognize the voice. “Oh, hey, Chase. How are you?”
“Doing good. This is the first day I’ve been allowed to leave our room.”
“Still no sign?”
His voice was filled with sadness. “No.” I heard the sounds of movement and Chase put on a fake cheery voice, “here he is, bye Jasper!”
“Hey.” The sound of my mate had me slumping back against the pillows.
“Your son is doing somersaults inside me.”
Dakota sounded amused when he said, “is that right?”
“It is. I thought I felt him before, but he’s insistent on playing with my bladder and what feels like my kidneys right now.”
“Dad said all was looking good when he checked everyone over yesterday. Thanks for the scan pictures you texted.”
I cringed when I thought about Aldrin lying to save worrying Dakota. My blood pressure had been a tad high. The extended separation caused physical effects. “You’re welcome.”
There was a pause. I hated how stilted our conversations had become. We were in a holding pattern until there was a change with the patients. “Oh! Ívarr said that the spore levels appear to be dropping. He’s been taking samples from everyone he comes into contact with, blood, hair and oral swabs. If they continue to fall, you might be able to come for a visit if you wear a mask and stuff.”
The baby wiggled, clearly sensing my delight. His grandad and grandpa had already confirmed what Angel had told us, that we were having a boy. “That’s amazing news!”
“It is, plus you are getting to a further stage than that poor omega that lost hers. I can’t believe that’s eleven weeks down already. Our little man will be here before we know it!”
I smiled. The first real one in days. “I can’t wait until we can go shopping properly and set up his room.”
“We have to wait for Angel to help, though. She will love picking out things for him.”
My smile fell a little. The new baby made me happy. I was truly excited to meet our son, but I hated every reminder that our family wasn’t whole. “I’d better go. Poppy is waiting for me.”
