Fated to the Warrior Wolf (The Hunted Omegas #3)

28. Leigh

TWENTY-EIGHT

Leigh

G ael’s comforting warmth soothed something inside me I couldn’t name. Was it our mate bond, struggling into place? I didn’t know, but I knew that I wanted to be in his arms. I wanted to soak up his scent, his touch, his strength… I wanted him . Like I wanted air.

But as we walked toward the atrium door, realization struck. “Wait! Everybody—for just a second, please.”

They all turned to look, and I cast a nervous glance at Gael. I should have probably run this past him first, but…

“We’re mates,” I blurted before I could chicken out. Shay gasped and grabbed Dirge’s hand. “We don’t have marks yet, but our scents have changed, and I wanted y’all to know.” I laughed, then, as the tears started to fall. It felt real on a different level, telling our pack mates.

Gael squeezed me a little tighter as everyone congratulated us. Brielle whacked Kane on the arm to put her down so she could come hug me, and I squeezed her back so tightly, I was worried I’d crack one of her ribs. Shay and Oli also offered hugs, as the men offered Gael celebratory slaps on the back—he hadn’t put me down, so his hands weren’t free to shake— and then we dispersed, Gael following Oli down yet another hall I’d never been in.

“How big is this fucking castle?” I muttered as Olivia ducked into a side door, which opened onto a large, clean, and bright clinic. Windows overlooked a small creek, with trees casting shade in the morning sun.

“I don’t know. It’s bigger than anything I’ve ever seen,” Olivia said as she directed Gael into an exam room. The lights were dimmer there, with an ultrasound machine parked next to a medical exam table, and a large flat screen hanging on the wall. He set me down gingerly on the table.

“I’ve been keeping up my studies in here while the rest of you are working on pack business. I don’t have much to do for the pack at the moment, but they’ve got an excellent medical library I’ve been using. And Brielle has been spending an hour or two with me each day, so I’ve learned a ton already. Here’s a blanket.” Olivia handed me a soft blue, waffle-weave blanket. “I’m going to go wash up really quick, and I’ll be in to do your scan. If you can go ahead and roll down the waist of your pants and lift your shirt, I’ll be right back.” She smiled warmly before stepping out.

“She’s good people,” I said as I exposed my belly per her instructions. I wasn’t anxious about it, despite Gael’s hovering next to me at the exam table. He looked like he’d seen a ghost. “I’m okay, you know. Brielle took care of whatever that episode was.” I wanted to reassure him, but also, I’d expected that an omega pregnancy would be difficult. Bri’s mom had struggled, so this wasn’t an out-of-nowhere surprise.

I looked down at my palm, the glow soft but evident in the low lighting. I’d taken off the bandage for our exercise class. I hadn’t wanted anything to interrupt the flow, and the sticky bandage was distracting. Also, the glue was icky. I understood the need for discretion, though, so I’d put one back on before the next time I left my room .

“I know, but that was the worst five minutes of my life.” His voice was deep, earnest, as he clutched my hand like it was going to disappear on him as soon as I finished fixing my pants. “No more exercise. Or anything strenuous.”

I rolled my eyes. “Gael, I understand it was scary, and I’m not saying I’m going to push it, but no exercise? It’s healthy during pregnancy. Not to mention, it’s my job. I’m a trainer. And this morning was a test, to see what kind of programming I could put together to have a class here so I can work. I don’t think our pack issues are going to be resolved overnight, and I have to have an income to save up for Petal, and make sure she has everything she needs.”

“Petal?” he asked, stroking his thumb over the back of my hand.

“She seems too tiny to be a whole flower,” I said with a shrug.

“I like it.” He smiled for a second, then grew more serious. “But, Leigh, I can take care of everything you and Petal could possibly need. I’ve got money. Let me take care of you.”

“I have no interest in being a kept woman.” I meant it as a joke, but he looked offended.

Shit . Am I ever going to stop putting my foot in my mouth?

“You can do anything you want, once the baby comes. I’m not trying to tell you how to live your life. I get that it’s not my right. But… I was terrified. Look at what it did to Brielle trying to get you back. Leigh, I thought you were going to die or lose the baby. You were so still. I can’t… I just can’t see you like that again. Not if we can prevent it.”

Damn. I was a major bitch. “I didn’t know that I would faint. I swear to the Goddess, I would never do anything to hurt the baby.”

“I didn’t think you would, but also, I care about you, not just Petal.” He squeezed my fingers. “When Shay said she needed me, I didn’t ask about the baby. I felt like shit when Olivia told me the baby was fine, because it wasn’t until she said it that I even remembered the baby. I was scared something had happened to you. You know that, right?” I thought about the question.

Did I know that? Or did I think that Petal was the only reason he stuck around?

If I was honest with myself, it was the latter. He and I weren’t in a good place before Petal made her presence known. And now we’d come so far, but did I trust it? Could I let myself?

I wanted to trust it. I pulled him down closer to me, dragged in a deep lungful of his scent, grounding myself there against his neck.

“Okay.” I whispered the words, scared to say them any louder. “But you should know that I’m not well off. I’m not comfortable with asking you to support us after the baby comes, but… I also don’t want to endanger her or push Brielle too far.”

All the tension seemed to whoosh out of him at once. “Thank you. But don’t worry about the money, seriously. I’ll get you your own credit card, and you can have mine until it comes in. Anything you or the baby want, you don’t even have to ask.”

Tears prickled my eyes. Not because of the money. Money didn’t seem to matter at all to the men of Pack Blackwater. But he wanted to take care of me, and I’d been alone for so long. I had my friends, of course. They were my sisters. But this was different.

He was choosing me, knowing that I was flawed. Knowing that I had baggage, and scars, and… he was picking me anyway. That meant a lot more than being picked because I had a nice ass in a bar. A hell of a lot more.

“Would you two like a few more minutes? There’s no rush at all,” Olivia said. She was so kind.

“No, please, come in!” I pulled back from Gael’s neck and swiped at my cheeks. “I think we’ll both be anxious until we see Petal in all her floaty glory.”

Olivia laughed and gave us both a warm smile. “I understand. Pregnancy is a beautiful time, but sometimes it’s scary. Hopefully, this will set your mind at ease.” She pulled a bottle of gel out of a warmer as I lay back on the exam table. I kept Gael’s hand tight in mine, not letting him go now that I had him.

She squirted the gel on, and I held my breath as the probe started to glide over my skin, black-and-white blurs appearing on the big screen. But within a minute, she stopped, and a sound like a galloping horse came over the speakers.

“There she is,” Olivia said, a little choked up. “She’s measuring about nine to ten weeks, and her heartbeat is perfect.”

I sobbed with relief as anxiety I hadn’t let myself feel broke in one big rush. Gael wrapped me back up in his arms, and I went gladly, belly goo and all. She was safe. She was ours, and we were all going to be okay.