Page 72 of The Omega's Alpha
I held a cloth to Bram’s omega line to soak up any fluids coming from it. When I pulled the cloth away to check, he’d separated almost all the way across, but the inner line, the one on his womb, was only open an inch.
“Not long now,” I told him, which was only a little bit of a lie.
“You’re never touching me again!” Bram yelled and glared up at Duke. “Why did no one warn me? It didn’t hurt like this last time!” A contraction came on and cut off the rest of his diatribe, too busy panting through the pain to continue yelling at his dismayed mate.
I heard a small snicker from Bax, and looked up from mopping up the leaks to see him and Jason exchanging amused glances with each other. I frowned at them, but the corner of my mouth twitched and I bowed my head to hide it from Bram.
A gush of fluid soaked my towel on the next contraction and fifteen minutes later, Bram and Duke were the proud parents of a little baby boy omega.
“Now all we need is a beta and we’ll have the whole set,” Duke said, and got an elbow in the gut from his exhausted mate. “What? You were the one who started all this.”
Bax looked up at Duke with a laugh. “Probably not the best time to suggest getting him pregnant again. His line hasn’t even sealed yet.”
Jason came over to gently drape a light blanket over the baby. “So he doesn’t get chilled,” he said.
“Hey, baby boy,” Bram whispered, a light in his eyes that I’d only ever seen in a parent’s.
“I think he has your hair,” Duke said, and slipped his finger inside the tiny hand.
“He’s gorgeous,” I said, and meant it.
Bram’s eyes flicked up to mine and I realized he’d asked me to come so I could watch this with the knowledge that maybe someday it could be me lying in that bed. Strange how, a year before, I would have been angry at his presumption. Maybe the wounds were healing. Maybe I hadn’t been as grown up then as I’d thought I was. Or maybe it was hope, shining a soft, wondrous light over this beautiful scene and whispering promises of what could be. I smiled at him and he smiled back, then his gaze was pulled away from mine, back to the tiny life lying on his chest and the rest of us were forgotten.
Chapter Fifty-Nine
Seosamh handedme another basket full of letters as I walked through the office to check Quin’s schedule for the day.
“More RSVPs?” I groaned, and took them back to the apartment to look through.Oh, good, the contractor is coming.Winter Moon also sent a yes but Montana Border was a no.Not surprising.
I’d just set that last one aside when Seosamh showed up in the door with wild eyes and a startled expression. “Holland, Quin’s not answering his phone. I think you need to take this call.”
“What is it?” I asked, getting hurriedly to my feet. A chill ran over my skin as all the possible emergencies that could happen ran through my mind. “Is it another fight?” There’d been a serious fight five days ago that had landed a dozen of the young shifters, male and female alike and from both packs, in Mercy Hills’ holding cells.
“No,” he said in a strangled voice. “It’s the White House.”
Oh, for fuck’s sake—really? I didn’t have time for dumb jokes. “Did Abel put you up to this? It’s not funny.”
He shook his head, slowly like a sleepwalker. “No, I’m serious. He called to accept his invitation.”
The room spun around me and I had to lean on the table for a moment. “You’re kidding, right?”
“No.” Some of the frozen astonishment on his face faded and he began to grin. “You’re going to have the President at your mating!”
I was going to have to take this—Quin was on the far side of the enclave looking at some damage to the wall that would have to be fixed. There was no way he’d could get back fast enough. “Can you send it through to his office phone?”
“You’ll take it? Or do you want me to try to get one of the alphas?”
“No, I’ll have to talk to him.” I swallowed hard against the lump in my throat and headed toward the office door. “Go, Seosamh!”
The phone started ringing just as I got to Quin’s desk. I sat down, pushed my hair back out of my eyes, and picked up the receiver. “Good afternoon, Holland Mercy Hills speaking.”
“I’m sorry,” came a woman’s voice. “I was looking for the Alpha. I believe his name is Tarquin.”
“Quin’s out of the office at the moment. I’ve sent someone to look for him. Can I help you?” It was probably a polite refusal, Seosamh had just got it wrong, was all. My heart pounded—Mercy Hills absolutely wasn’t ready for this.
“Oh, are you the other party to the…you call it a mating, right?”
“I am.”Get to the point!
