Chapter 15

chapter 15

. . .

Carmen

T wo weeks later, I stood in the kitchen with Griffin, feeling the heat from the oven warming me as we prepared a homemade pizza together.

As he chopped the tomatoes and bell peppers, I couldn’t help but watch his flexing arms under the white tank he wore.

“You look so good,” I said, and he grunted in response. “And I didn’t know you were such an expert with a knife.”

A slight smirk played at the corner of his lips. “I’m an expert at many things, honey.”

My heart raced as I imagined all the things those expert hands had done to me over the past few days when I was in heat. Warmth pooled between my thighs as I thought about my time with Logan and his pack. They had taken care of me so well during my heat, and I had gotten too comfortable with them.

It seemed too good to be true, but I wondered what would happen now that my heat was over. Were they still interested in me?

I sprinkled cheese generously over the sauce, trying to sort out my growing feelings for Griffin and the pack .

“Do you like having an omega around?” I asked.

“I’m loving it,” said Griffin. “Because I love you.”

My heart stopped as I paused with a handful of cheese between my fingers. I could hear the thunder of my heart pounding in my ears, and it made our connection feel a lot more real.

“I love you too,” I said, knowing how I felt about him. He was one of the most attentive alphas I had ever met, playing a crucial role in mending my broken heart.

Griffin smiled, then glanced down at my hand. “That cheese is melted by now.”

“Oh goodness,” I said, throwing the glob in the trash and washing my hands, my heart still racing. When I turned back around, he had already taken care of the pizza and put it in the oven. He looked at me with love in his eyes, and I nearly swooned at the intensity of his gaze.

“Pizza should be done soon,” he said.

“Have you always been this great of a cook?” I asked, trying to keep the conversation light to avoid getting knotted up again too soon.

“Growing up, I had to learn how to fend for myself,” he replied as he washed his hands. “Cooking was one of the many skills I picked up.”

“Well, it did come to good use,” I said. His eyes met mine, and an electric current flowed between us.

“It did because I get to feed my omega,” said Griffin.

“You feed me well,” I said, letting out a soft giggle, and he kissed me on the lips right there. I savored every moment of his lips against mine. My heart swelled after confessing my love for him, something I had never thought was possible. “I can’t wait to taste the pizza.”

“Afterwards, I can’t wait to taste you,” said Griffin, biting and releasing my lower lip. We stood there for a while, hugging in the kitchen while the aroma of the baked pizza wafted around us.

“Cooking with you is fun,” I said. “I used to dream of owning a bakery. Baking was my escape while living with my mom.”

“She must be a piece of work,” said Griffin.

“Just a little bit,” I said. “Well, never mind, she is. She was critical about everything.”

“What would she say if she knew you were mated to us?”

“That’s actually a good question,” I replied. “She always wanted me to be part of Henry’s harem of omegas.”

“Really?”

“Yeah,” I said, hearing the shock in his voice. “My mom adores Henry and thinks he’s the greatest gift on Earth. Anyway, I never opened the bakery, obviously. My babysitting business gives me joy.”

Standing here and talking to Griffin was such a nice change from the physical connection and sex all the time. I mean, sex was great and all, but I needed to know who the hell I was going to commit to.

“You would make an amazing mother. I could feel it,” Griffin said.

“I’ve always wanted to be one,” I admitted, being vulnerable. “To be a mother.”

“Maybe someday,” he murmured, his voice low and seductive, causing butterflies to flutter in my belly.

An hour later, I was sitting with Logan, Talon, and Griffin in the dining room, eating pizza for lunch. Glancing out the window, I noticed the snow falling heavily, blanketing the trees in a thick layer of cold, white fluff.

“So what’s going to happen now?” I asked. “ Obviously, we can’t go back to the Alpha Compound, and I don’t want to live here in the snow forever, even though it’s magical.”

I gazed longingly outside, wishing I could escape to a place where the sun shone brightly, warming my skin and melting away the chill in my bones.

“Maybe we should think about moving somewhere warmer,” Logan suggested, taking a hefty bite of his pizza slice. “Florida, perhaps?”

“Really?” My heart leaped at the idea.

“Anywhere you want to go, sweetheart,” Talon said, winking at me.

“Yes, I love the idea,” I said, imagining myself basking in the sun on a beach far away from this dreary place.

“Done,” Griffin said, looking up from his phone. “I’ve booked flights for tomorrow morning.”

“What?!” I shouted, but inside I was freaking out. We were really flying out of here tomorrow.

“Is that okay, Carmen, love?” Logan asked, smiling as he wiped his mouth with a napkin.

“I’m freaking excited,” I said, unsure how they would manage to get us a place to live and handle all the logistics. But I knew Logan came from wealth, and he didn’t look worried, so I shouldn’t be either.

“We’ll find a new home there. One where we can all be happy,” Talon assured me.

“Oh wow,” I whispered, feeling tears prick at the corners of my eyes. “You have no idea how much this means to me since I pretty much lost everything because of Henry.”

“Anything for you, Carmen,” Logan said, his voice low as he gazed at me. “We just want you to be happy.”

My heart swelled with excitement as the reality of moving to Florida sank in. I couldn’t help but imagine the life we would have there—the warm sun on my skin and the salty ocean breeze. Even though I had lived in the Alpha Compound my entire life, we had books that helped me envision life outside of it.

“Where are we going to live?” I asked, already picturing us settling down in a cozy beach house while gathering around a bonfire to make s'mores.

“Somewhere near the coast,” Logan replied, his eyes twinkling at my excitement. “I’m delighted that you chose to give me and my pack a chance. Seeing you happy makes it all worthwhile.”

We finished our meal, chatting excitedly about the upcoming move and making plans for our new life together in a different state. But as I stood up to clear the dishes, a wave of nausea washed over me, and I gripped the edge of the counter for support.

“Excuse me,” I mumbled, hurrying to the bathroom and barely making it before I bent over the toilet, retching violently.

As I wiped my mouth with the back of my hand, worry gnawed at the pit of my stomach. This wasn’t the first time I had felt nauseous recently, but I had brushed it off, blaming it on the heat. Now, though, I couldn’t ignore the unease that had settled in my gut.

Could I be pregnant? The thought made me giddy. I knew there was always a possibility, given my heat phase, which I shared with the alphas, but the idea of becoming a mother scared me a little, even though I thought I was prepared.

I took a deep breath to steady myself before stepping back into the kitchen. The alphas looked at me with concern, but I forced a smile because I wasn’t sure yet.

“Everything okay?” Talon asked gently; his brow furrowed in worry.

“I’m fine,” I assured the pack, trying to stay calm. “It’s probably just the pizza. I’m going to start packing now.”

“Alright, I’ll take care of the dishes and join you,” said Talon, with the alphas agreeing as they ate more slices of the jumbo pizza.

Later that night, the nauseating sensation intensified, and before I knew it, I was hunched over the toilet, vomiting. A wave of embarrassment washed over me as I realized the alphas must have heard my retching.

“Carmen, you alright there?” Logan’s concerned voice called through the bathroom door.

“Yes,” I weakly muttered, but he wasn’t convinced. Logan slipped into the bathroom and knelt beside me, sweeping my hair back from my face with a gentle hand as I tried to catch my breath.

“I’m here,” he said, his sandalwood scent comforting me even as I continued to empty the contents of my stomach. His presence was grounding, a solid anchor during my physical discomfort.

Finally, the nausea subsided, but I was trembling afterward. Logan helped me stand, guiding me to the sink, where I rinsed my mouth out and quickly brushed.

“I don’t know what happened,” I said, swishing my mouth with water to get rid of the acidic taste.

“It’s okay,” said Logan, watching me silently as I dried my face with a hanging towel.

I hesitated, wondering if I should tell him about my suspicions. But when I looked into his eyes, all I saw was love. “I’ve been feeling nauseous lately, and my stomach feels weird. I don’t know if it's just something I ate or... something else.”

“Something else?” Logan prompted, leaning against the door.

Swallowing hard, I confessed, “I’ve been wondering if... maybe I’m pregnant. ”

He was quiet for a moment, which worried me, but then he smiled. “Wouldn’t that be amazing?”

“You’re not scared?” I asked. “We’ve only been together like this for a couple of weeks.”

“But we’ve been close friends for years. I’m more than ready to love you,” he said. “And the baby.”

“I love you too,” I said.

“Damn, it feels so good to hear you say that,” Logan said, grinning. “My beautiful little omega.”

He squeezed my ass, and I shook my head, giggling as we walked back into the bedroom, where there was a mess of suitcases and clothes on the ground from when the alphas had been packing.

“Is everything alright?” Griffin asked, and I could tell that he and Talon were anxiously waiting for an answer.

“Maybe,” I hedged, not ready yet since I wasn’t sure. “I think it was just something I ate. My stomach still feels a bit off, though.”

But Logan quickly interrupted me, “Buy a pregnancy test for her. It’s very early, but her scent is a little off.”

“I’ll buy one,” said Talon, immediately throwing on a coat and his boots, his eyes glimmering with excitement. “I’ll be back soon.”

As I folded each item of my clothes, my mind whirled with excitement in case it was actually true. I waited eagerly for Talon to return, and it seemed like he was taking forever.

“You’re excited,” Griffin said, capturing my hand in his, and I turned to smile at him.

“It’s finally my turn,” I said. “Maybe.”

“It will be,” he said with certainty, just as Talon came through the front door. He hurried to the bedroom, and I smiled as he held out the pregnancy test for me.

“There you go, baby,” said Talon. “Just know that we all love you no matter what happens. ”

“I love you too,” I said, kissing him on the cheek before I hurried off to the bathroom. After peeing on the stick, I set it on the counter and washed my hands. “We just need to wait four more minutes.”

“Damn, this is killing me,” said Logan.

“Tell me about it,” said Griffin. “This is worse than any wait I’ve ever felt.”

I paced around the room, feeling more anxious than the three of them combined. When the alarm blared on my phone, I rushed to the bathroom and picked up the test.

Wait, what?

It said negative, and I reread it to make sure. I really thought… forget what I thought . I immediately threw it in the trash and held onto the counter for a minute.

“Carmen?”

I didn’t want to tell the alphas the disappointing news. Maybe they would be relieved, but I felt a little shattered. Was there something wrong with me? I just went through a fucking heat, for god’s sake.

Licking my lips, I walked back into the bedroom, shaking my head as tears streamed down my face.

“Aw, baby,” said Griffin, rushing over to me. Logan and Talon joined in, hugging me tightly. I was grateful it wasn't just me feeling disappointed. “It was your first heat. I’m sure there’s nothing to worry about. We’ll try again.”

“We’ll put a baby in you,” growled Logan. “Don’t worry. During your next heat cycle—before and after—we’ll knot you over and over until you’re pregnant.”