Chapter Twenty

“What are you thinking about?” Maxwell asked on our walk to the healer. We held hands, taking our time. Before I could answer, he pulled us into the park and sat down. He cupped my face in his hands and leaned down to kiss my lips slowly. He had been extra loving since our talk the other day. “Tell me again.”

I rolled my eyes and laughed. “Which part?”

Honestly, I couldn’t blame Maxwell for needing reassurance about me or our relationship and I’d decided that night, after our talk, as I slept in his arms with his babe in my belly, I would never deny him any amount of words telling him that I was staying. I was his, and we were going nowhere without our alpha and daddy. He growled a bit, making my cock stir.

“You know what.” I sighed. My bear’s growls did things to me. “I love you and I’m never leaving your side, Maxwell. Now, come on, before we’re late.”

“Hmm, do we have to? It’s our only day off. We can stay in bed and I can make us some French toast…”

I pouted out my bottom lip. “Don’t you want to hear our little one’s heartbeat?”

Max cocked his head to the side. “They can hear it already?”

I nodded. “That’s what Quinn said when I made the appointment. He said I was far enough along for us to hear it.”

My alpha sighed. “Listen to the cub and then all the breakfast. You haven’t been eating enough to grow a bear inside you.”

He took my hand once again, and we headed up the main road toward the clinic. There was only one in Oliver Creek, but I knew from the reviews that omegas and alphas and anyone else around came to Oliver Creek for their patient care. There was nowhere else I wanted to go for our prenatal care or even our entire family’s care after reading everything about him, not to mention Angelle’s glowing recommendation.

She’d already sent us a congratulations card with a baby gift and promised to crochet a blanket for our little one.

Inside the clinic, we sat on a love seat to wait while Quinn’s mate Aster got us signed in and took all the pertinent information. Even though it was early, the place was busy. “This way, you two.”

Aster led us to the back room while a small family came in and took our place right away. The room with the ultrasound machine was painted a pale green and had an array of healthy green plants along with soothing music filtering through the speakers above us.

“Are you nervous?” Maxwell asked even though he didn’t have to. As my mate and a bear in general, he could scent my anxiety, and I could certainly smell his.

“Yes. But I’m just excited to see if they are healthy. I want our family to be well.”

“They will be. Don’t you worry.” He squeezed my shoulders and placed a kiss on my temple. “We’re going to do everything we can to make sure you are both as well as can be.”

Gods, I couldn’t have asked for a more loving alpha. I’d never planned for him, but he was more than my wildest dreams could ever make up.

A knock at the door startled us both and made us laugh. We really were new parents. New mates. New everything.

“Sorry to make you both jump. I’m Quinn. And you must be Pike.” He slipped his soft hand into mine, instantly making me feel calm and at home. The reviews were right. Quinn put us both at ease.

“Let’s sit down and talk a bit. Do you know the date of conception?”

The questions went on for a few minutes and, once they were done, it was time for the heartbeat check. Quinn came to stand beside me on the exam table and looked up at Maxwell. “Max, I’m going to touch your omega, but I promise you it’s only clinical, and I’m trying to do so to care for your young. Everyone clear on that?”

His words spilled out with such a level tone. Clearly this healer had met with some grumpy alphas.

“Yes. Of course,” Max answered and took my hand in his.

Quinn explained everything he did, getting a short nod from the both of us before proceeding. “I’m looking for the little one…” A speedy, whooshing sound filled the room. “There we are.”

Max took a few steps from the table. “Is that? It’s so fast.”

Quinn nodded. “Your cub has a good, strong heartbeat. Wee ones always have a speedier heartbeat than ours. Quinn pushed a few buttons on the screen. “I’ve emailed you a recording so you can listen anytime you want. Now, you can sit up, Pike. Max? Do you want to clean up your male?”

That snapped Max’s attention back to me. I think hearing the heartbeat had shocked my alpha. He had stared into oblivion since the whooshing started. “Yes. Me. Yes.”

Max helped me clean up, and I pulled down my shirt.

“Sit back down. Let’s go over some things.” We took a seat and waited for Quinn to continue. “Your weight is good. Baby’s heartbeat sounds fantastic. I’ve emailed you some instructions for diet, and you can pick up some prenatals right in the front. Aster will have them in your new parent pack, but you will have to purchase them after today. There is one thing in particular I would like to discuss with the both of you, considering your unique situation.”

“Unique situation?” I asked.

“Yes,” Quinn said, chuckling. “You both work and own a coffee shop and as your care provider, I’m going to ask that you cut out the caffeine as much as you can.”

I didn’t know why but the notion made me stand up. “I…are you serious?”

Maxwell and Quinn tried to cover their laughs and failed miserably. “No double espressos for you,” my mate said.

Sitting down, I blew out a breath. “I can do it. For the baby. What else?”