Page 41 of Pumpkin Patch Pack
After he leaves, the three of us sit in heavy silence.
“What do we do now? She knows we know she’s an omega. She might try to run.”
“We don’t let her,” Rowan says firmly.
“We can’t force her to stay,” I counter. “That might be why she’s running.”
Rowan’s jaw tightens. “So we just let her leave? Potentially go back to whoever hurt her?”
Liam starts pacing again.
“Weconvinceher to stay,” I say. “We show her that she’s safe here. That we’re not like whoever she’s running from.”
Liam stops and looks at me, “You should go to her first. She trusts you more.” A shadow crosses his face.
“She might be afraid of alphas after whatever happened to her.”
Rowan considers this and reluctantly nods in agreement. “Take her some food,” he suggests, already moving to the refrigerator. “The chicken soup she liked before.”
Ten minutes later, I knock on Emma’s cottage door with a food basket.
“Emma? It’s Theo. Can I come in?”
There’s a pause, then a weak “Yes” from inside.
She’s sitting in bed, propped against pillows, her hair pulled back in a messy bun. The fever flush has faded, leaving her pale but alert.
“I brought a visitor who’s been inconsolable without you,” I say.
Maple trots straight to the bed and hops up despite her stubby legs. She immediately curls against Emma’s side, resting her head on Emma’s lap with a contented sigh.
A smile breaks across Emma’s face as she strokes Maple’s head. “I missed you, too, Troublemaker.”
I set the basket on her bedside table. “Brought your favorite soup. And some of those scones you liked.”
“Thank you. For everything. Dr. Mitchell told me you all took turns… watching over me.”
“Of course we did,” I say, settling carefully into the chair beside her bed. “We were worried sick about you.”
Her eyes drop to her hands, where she’s patting Maple. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to cause trouble.”
“You’re not trouble, Emma.” I lean forward, trying to catch her eye. “You’re important to us. How are you feeling?”
“Embarrassed,” she admits quietly. “Anxious. Confused.” Her fingers continue their gentle movement through Maple’s fur. “I suppose you all know now.”
I nod, “That you’re an omega? Yes.”
She tenses visibly, her hand stilling on Maple’s head. The goat bleats softly in protest until she resumes petting.
“I never meant to deceive you all. I just—I’ll leave.”
“You don’t have to explain,” I interrupt gently. “And you definitely don’t have to leave. Not unless you want to.”
Her eyes meet mine, searching. “How can you say that? I lied to you. I put your farm at risk. What if I’d gone into heat during a public day?”
“First of all, you didn’t lie. Your application said ‘beta-preferred workplace,’ which is technically true. You prefer working with betas, I assume.” I give her a small smile. “And second, we all have secrets, Emma. Things we’re not ready to share.”
She looks at me. “There’s more, isn’t there? Dr. Mitchell said something before he left. About how I shouldn’t be able to smell you all through the suppressants.”
