Chapter Seventeen

Rowan

My work hours had changed in the last month. Our babe was growing at a rapid pace according to the healer and was large for his age. I needed more sleep, so, coming into our shared office at eight was simply not feasible for me anymore.

Talon insisted I come to the office no earlier than ten and end the day at four, no excuses.

I fought against it until Talon and I had a long talk. The next day, when I got to sleep in until nine, well, there was no more arguing to be had.

The whole thing made me feel like a pampered prince, but my mate said I was finally being treated the way I should've been all along.

More and more, I wrapped my head around those notions, but it would take time.

I walked into our new home office after a big breakfast to see something new at my desk. Talon held up a finger, and I stopped. He was on the phone and, from his eye roll, with someone he'd rather not be talking to. He didn't like long-winded phone conversations. He was a three-minutes-tops kind of guy on the phone even with me. But face-to-face? There were times when we'd stayed up all night, our only entertainment each other's conversation.

What had the alpha done now?

He hung up soon and smiled at me. "That's one of your new shirts."

"Yes. It is. One of the few that fit me now."

After breakfast, I might or might not have balanced a bowl on my belly and eaten cereal as dessert.

That was how large I'd grown.

He stood, and I gasped. I never tired of my sexy, gorgeous alpha. I chuckled.

"What's so funny?" he growled.

"My wolf is howling inside me. All you have to do is get out of a chair and I'm sent back to the first time I saw you. Dangerous and yet absolutely irresistible sitting behind that monster desk of yours. If I had been a bolder omega, I would've crawled over your desk and offered myself right then and there." I looked down, rubbing my hand over my rotund abdomen. "I couldn't very well do that now."

"You've never told me that. We might have to try that once you're all healed up from the birth."

Tears streamed down my face. He was saying that because after the baby, I would be desirable again. I wasn't now. He was only placating me because I was carrying his child.

Talon pulled me in for a hug. "Sweetheart, what did I say?"

"It's not what you said, it's what you didn't."

He chuckled a bit but immediately cut it off. "Please tell me what I didn't say that upset you so much."

"Right now, I'm too big a cow to crawl over anything. Hell, I can barely crawl into the bed lately. Even if I could, can you imagine that sight? Not very sexy at all."

My alpha growled. "I don't like you talking badly about my mate. And, for the record, I simply thought it would be dangerous for you and the baby to be climbing on a desk. You're not going to say disparaging things about my omega again, are you?"

"I'll try not to."

"Good. Should we talk about your surprise now?"

I nodded, wanting a change of subject. He reached for a tissue on my desk and gently swiped my tears away.

"It's a kneeling chair. I know your other desk chair has been uncomfortable lately. There are a number of different sitting positions. Want to try it out?"

I'd moved to sit on the dark-gray chair when the front doorbell rang.

Soon, Vivian, our house manager, which was still weird, came up and told us there was a huge truck saying we had a furniture delivery.

Talon lit up instantly. "What is it?" I asked.

"Furniture for the nursery."

"You ordered it without me?" Gods, here came the waterworks again.

"I found a set online that I couldn't resist. If you hate it, we'll send it back. I promise."

Our office was tucked into a corner, set apart from the noise of the house. Once the men set up the furniture in the nursery, I knew my alpha had done right.

The crib and cradle, along with the dresser and changing table, were all dark oak. Made of real wood, not that thin, flimsy fake wood that most furniture was made of in the modern times.

"You bought this online?" I asked.

"I did. A few months ago. Made to order by the hands of skilled craftsman, not by a machine. You don't like them?"

In less than an hour, we had a fully furnished nursery. We'd had it painted a beautiful mint green last month. I tried to paint it myself, but Talon wasn't having any of that idea.

I walked over to the cradle, which had a gliding movement, and pushed it a bit, running my hand over the wood. "It's stunning, Talon. Really."

My alpha's chest puffed out. While I was the one in our relationship who thrived on praise, he loved it as well. Everyone deserved someone in their life who built them up. Pushed them to be their best. Fueled their confidence. Showered them with compliments that came straight from the heart.

"You did so well in choosing these. I couldn't have picked better myself. Thank you for being so generous and making our baby's nursery so special."

He came over and wrapped his arms around my waist and kissed my neck. "Omega, you make me feel ten feet tall and stronger than the strongest shifter when you say things like that."

I gasped and turned around. Grabbing Talon's hands, I put them over my belly. "Say something again. He kicks lately when he hears his papa speak."

Talon's eyes widened. "He knows me?"

I nodded. "Speak to your babe, alpha."

Talon sat on the newly delivered rocking chair and pulled me to stand in front of him. He positioned his face in front of my belly and unbuttoned my shirt so that my stomach was exposed. "Little one, you are so loved. Your daddy and I already know that you are special and smart and beautiful. We can't wait to meet you. Do you hear me, little one?"

Our babe kicked several times and the last time, simply pushed his foot toward the front of my belly and kept it there.

"I can see the imprint of his foot. Let me…" Talon frantically reached for his phone and took a couple of pictures and showed me.

Sure enough, our babe was showing off to his papa. His foot pressed against my skin so it protruded just enough to see the outline. By the last picture, it was gone.

Then Talon shocked the hell out of me. He cried. I'd never seen him shed tears before. He was always rock steady. Calm. Secure. Self-assured and firm in his morals and beliefs.

"Talon?" I asked.

He tugged at me, wanting me to sit in his lap. "You have given me everything, omega. I can't believe how damned lucky and blessed I am. The day you walked into that club, I knew my whole life would never be the same. Thank you for giving me this life."