Chapter 27

My hands shake as I lean against the bathroom counter.

I didn't even help unload my new belongings from the vehicle. I snatched up the pharmacy bags and bolted for the bathroom in the pack bedroom. If the test I took at the office in Chicago was right, then Ranger is locking up my baby's father in his torture dungeon.

Maybe I should take one or two more tests, just in case the first few are wrong?

No, three seems like a good number.

I'm pretty sure this is all a big mistake.

"Laken," Tanner calls through the closed bathroom door. "Are you okay? I dropped your new clothes in the closet."

My heart pangs, and my chest gets so tight that it's hard to breathe.

I totally fucked Tanner over, and I didn't even mean to.

My doctor should have told me during my appointment that, if my suppressants were failing, it was likely my two-in-one birth control could fail too as a result of my body fighting the absorption of the medication. Telling me after the fact seems like a huge failure on their part, but I guess it doesn't even matter, especially if I was already pregnant that day.

"Aww, shit." Tanner turns the handle, coming in. "I can feel you panicking in the bond. Don't stress. If I can deal with Ranger, I promise to try to put up with Locke. I get it. The omega builds their pack." His hands land on my hips, and he uses his nose to nuzzle my hair away from my neck. I can feel the exact second he spots the pregnancy tests as his confusion rings in the bond. "Not to sound like a know-it-all, but I think it's way too soon for it to show if me and Ranger knocked you up."

"No, you're right. It definitely would be," I admit, spinning in his hold. "The nurse said something right before the ambush, and I just really need you to not freak out right now."

Tanner's head tilts, and he's so freaking handsome that it takes my breath away. Or I guess that could be the sheer terror at having to tell him what the nurse said.

"Modern medicine has come a long way," he says, shrugging. "We're bonded for life. There's no use freaking out now, although, hopefully it's something that can be cleared up by a nice round of antibiotics?—"

My fingers land over his mouth, hushing him.

I don't know whether to laugh or cry.

He's so sweet, and I don't deserve him at all.

"It's a whole lifelong commitment if I decide to keep it," I choke out. "I was pregnant before I was kidnapped. Or that's what the doctor's office said on the phone."

His jaw legitimately falls open around my fingers. "Oh, shit. That's not where my head went at all."

I honestly don't know what to say.

"But you've been having some pretty strong waves of heat," Tanner says with wide eyes.

"It felt that way to me too." My shoulders bounce. "I don't understand it, either. That's why I peed on three different sticks. Maybe they got my test results mixed up with someone else's?"

"What do the tests say?" Ranger shoves into the bathroom and crosses his arms.

Locke's massive frame is immediately behind him, but rather than coming inside the room, he leans against the doorframe, quirking an eyebrow.

Tanner leans around me, checking the tests. "They're still percolating."

"Well, I wouldn't be shocked if you are pregnant. You smell exceptionally sweet to me, which would naturally draw alphas to you without conscious thought. As far as the waves of heat, Vale also experienced something similar during her pregnancy." Ranger steps over to my side and glares at Tanner so effectively that my newly bonded alpha steps aside. "Unbonded omegas are at higher risk for miscarriage. It's likely why your system is trying to entice the compatible alphas it knows are within reach." He pulls me to his chest with a hand on my ass. "We have an appointment in two days, but I can call Cooper Garza and pressure him into having his brother see us outside of office hours."

My fingers brush the soft material of his shirt as I stare up at his handsome face. "Us?"

He nods, nuzzling his cheek to mine. "You're my wife, which is convenient, since I'll need to add you to my health insurance plan."

"Yeah, we've got a positive on two out of three. The one with the hourglass is still thinking," Tanner says, running his hand down my spine. "Okay, so, that's actually all three. It just popped up, and it says 3+ weeks."

"Have you given any thought to if you'd like to continue or terminate the pregnancy?" Ranger asks.

My head spins at the question.

Locke growls.

"You'll not pressure her one way or the other," Ranger growls back.

"I think I would like to go to my nest now." My voice comes out as numb as I feel.

Emotionally, I'm to the point where I'm ready to crawl into a hole and die. I don't know what to do with myself.

"I'll come with you," Tanner says.

Ranger nods, kissing my forehead. "I'll speak to Cooper and give Patrick Garza a call. The kidnapping was physically taxing on your body. We should see if the pregnancy is healthy, and you can go from there."

My stomach churns.

Holy shit.

This is a nightmare.

I'm so overwhelmed that I bolt toward the door to the nest without a backward glance.

Locke came all the way out here to save me and…

I don't know how I'm supposed to face any of them after this.

Wrapping the soft, cable knit blanket around my shoulders, I curl up into a ball facing the wall.

Tanner said he would join me, but honestly, I wouldn't be shocked if he straight-up ran. Bonds can't be dissolved once initiated, but the farther the physical distance, the more muted the bond becomes. There are also drugs that can be taken to help soften the link.

He has every right to hate me.

Not to mention Locke.

I'm not sure what to do with myself, but all I really want is to talk to my sister. I miss my mom so much at times like these. My shoulders tremble as I try to keep myself from completely falling apart.

It's hard to admit that I made such poor choices, and now they're affecting my future.

What Ranger said made it sound like my system was faking waves of heat to try to lure compatible alphas to lend me their pheromones…

I don't even have my phone to do research.

I'm overwhelmed and isolated, and emotionally, I feel like shit.

I have no idea what comes next.

"Aww, I'm here," Tanner says, scooting up behind me on the mattress. He pulls my hair to the side and kisses my cheek before sliding his hand under the blanket and resting it on my stomach. "The world is really piling it on right now, huh?"

"Please don't be nice to me," I whisper, sniffling. "I don't know if I can handle it."

"You're really stuck in your feelings. Come on, roll over and face me."

My head shakes.

How am I supposed to look him in the eyes?

"I didn't know. I just need you to know that I wasn't trying to trap you into anything."

"All right, that's about all I can handle of listening to that." He works his hand between my hip and the mattress and rolls me to face him, but he doesn't stop there. He hoists me onto his chest, and my knee slots between his. "Remember, beautiful, we've got a bond. You don't have to plead your case or convince me of anything because I can feel it. I'm thinking your anxiety is keeping you from blocking your thoughts and feelings because I'm getting everything in the bond."

"Shit, I'm so sorry." I bury my face between his side and his arm. It would be nice if I could hide right now.

"Yeah, I can feel that too, but I need you to work on relaxing for me." He nuzzles his cheek to the back of my head, since my face is buried in his armpit. "We don't even have to talk about the pregnancy stuff if you don't want to. Tell me where your head is at with Chicago Guy."

I snort, twisting until my cheek lies on his chest. "I like Locke, but he and I were just getting to know each other without Will as the common denominator to bring us together."

"He seems like he's pretty connected in his own right." Tanner rakes his huge palm up and down my back. "I'm not going to lie, he bossed his way right in to save you today. If I were you, my panties would have been wet. It was impressive."

I laugh, but there's no humor in the sound. "I got him tangled up in all of this. Any of you could have gotten hurt, and it was totally unnecessary."

"That's one way to look at it," he acknowledges. "If you'd had open access to a telephone, would you have called him to update him on the situation?"

I nod. "Yeah, just so he would know that he didn't have to worry."

"Right," Tanner says. "The way I'm looking at it, and go ahead and correct me if I'm wrong, but that makes the ambush not on you. If Ranger hadn't vetoed your ability to communicate with the outside world, you would have updated Chicago Guy?—"

"Locke," I say, running my fingers over his muscular chest.

"Locke," he growls. "Whatever. I'm trying here, but you're still not allowed to like him more than you like me."

"Tanner," I whisper, pushing up on my knees. My hand moves to cradle his cheek, and his beard scratches against my palm. "Never. You're important to me. I'm sorry for everything. I feel like I rushed you into bonding me."

"I'm a grown-ass man. We're compatible on some deep level you hear people talk about." Tanner chuckles. "You think you pressured me into something? Let me tell you, my instincts wouldn't shut up about trapping you so you couldn't escape." His hands slide down to cup my ass. "Things are moving fast, but that has a lot to do with our biology. Could we have gone the pining and fighting our impulses route? Yeah, probably, but I'm all about gratification."

"And you're not having any regrets?" I ask, studying his blue eyes.

"Not a chance."

My heart races as I try to feel him out in the bond. "Do you have an opinion on what I should do if I am pregnant?"

"Sorry, firecracker. I'm pretty sure that ship has sailed. Three tests would be a lot of false positives. But no, I don't think I should have an opinion. Not until you decide what you want to do."

"We're bonded," I remind him. "That means every choice I make impacts your life too."

"It does," he agrees easily. "I think I'm biased. I was an oops—basically a mistake. My mom never hid that fact. She always told me I was a surprise that she embraced but that my dad wasn't ready for." He glances away, staring at the wall. "I also know how much she had to sacrifice to keep me. I'm here for you, but I'm never going to be as well off as your husband or, by the looks of it, Chicago Guy."

I use my hand in his beard to turn his face and push my mouth to his, trying to shove all my appreciation into the kiss. Everything about Tanner puts me at ease. He's just so steady and comforting.

He growls and tightens his hands on my ass as I slide my tongue around his. The kiss goes on until I'm grinding over him and gasping for air.

I pull back.

He grins up at me with a sexy smile that makes my legs shake. "Goddamn, Laken. You're so fucking beautiful it takes my breath away."

I can't help but smile back.

I'm so freaking grateful that I was able to snag him for my pack.

Tanner's chest vibrates with a ragged purr, and my entire body lights up at the sound.

"Are you purring for me?" I ask, smiling lazily.

"Just hush and enjoy it." He pulls me down, and I scoot back a little so my face can rest against his sternum. It really does instantly set my system at ease.