Text? He never texted... So that translated to I don’t want to hear your voice right now. Back hurting, bladder about to release on its own, I raced for the bathroom, and they left.
I didn’t get a kiss from either of them.
A few minutes later I was at my desk, trying to code but unable to focus. I stood and stretched my back, wishing the ache would ease enough to let me get my work done. If I went into labor, I wouldn’t be able to get back to it for at least a few days, and a deadline loomed. My company was very understanding, but this was important to them.
I slipped my phone into the back pocket of my oh-so-not-sexy paternity jeans and stepped out onto the back patio where to my disgust it was cooler. Hopefully the repairman would be able to fix the system. The two other companies we’d had out had not, but this company came highly recommended and thought from our description of the problem they’d be able to do something to at least carry us through the last of the heat. If not, we’d have to buy a whole new one, which would be expensive. And the baby was going to be pricy enough. As if the little one could hear my thoughts, he gave a solid kick to my bladder, and I turned and hurried back inside.
As I entered the bathroom, the dull ache in my back became a sharp pain that made me stumble. Oh no. This was not just a backache. I braced myself on the sink, fumbling for my phone just as another pain hit, and the device tumbled from my fingers into the toilet.
I fished it right out, but my phone was not waterproof and the screen remained blank. With a vague idea of knocking on all the neighbors’ doors until I found one home, not a likelihood since most of those near us worked outside the home all day, I peed, washed my hands for five minutes, and moved to the living room where another pain sent me to my knees.
I was so screwed. I’d have this baby all alone, with nobody to blame but myself. Served me right for being an asshole to the man and boy who’d spent the whole summer treating me like a king.
At a rap on the door, I lifted my head. I didn’t care who it was, just that it was someone who might have a phone. “Coming!” I called. “I’ll be right there.”
The knock came again, and the person rang the bell. They might not wait. I didn’t care if it was someone wanting me to sign a petition or save my soul. On hands and knees, I crawled to the door, saying again and again, “Please don’t leave. I’m almost there.”
No more knocks, no more rings, and by the time I reached up for the handle, I was convinced I’d missed my chance. But at this point, I’d crawl down the street if necessary. I was not qualified to deliver my own baby. And while Dane had taken a good twelve hours of labor, second babies often came more quickly. If I gave birth on the lawn, at least someone would find us quicker.
I opened the door and saw a man in a tan shirt with AC 4 U on the back at the bottom of the driveway. In two seconds, he’d be in his truck and gone so I gathered everything I had and yelled, “Help!”
Chapter Twenty-Two
Link
I gave it my best shot, playing at the park with our son while my mind was back home with Gustav. Sure, he’d been grouchy lately, but who wouldn’t be the last few weeks of pregnancy? He was peeing every ten minutes, his ankles were swollen, and the heat was only exacerbating everything. Maybe the guy this afternoon would be able to help. I glanced at my phone to check the time. The repairman wouldn’t be there for a while. And no texts from home.
I tucked the phone back in my pocket and tossed the ball again, and Dane caught it, his face alight with triumph. At least he could put aside the worries for a bit. He shouldn’t have any, but he was a sensitive little guy and picked up on everything.
“I caught it, Daddy Link!”
My heart stalled, and I wished my omega had been here to hear this. “Good job, Son,” I replied through a tight throat. My phone chimed a text notification, and I drew it out to see a message from AC 4 U. Damn. If they were cancelling, I was packing up my family and taking them to a motel. No, we didn’t need the expense, but Gustav’s health and sanity came first. And they’d probably have a pool for Dane.
At the hospital with your omega. Come now. Steve.
I replied, fingers shaking on the numbers. Is he all right?
“Let’s go, Son. I think it’s baby time.” He’d gone into labor, and I wasn’t even there to drive him to the hospital. Why hadn’t he called me? Or texted himself?
I got to the hospital in normal time. Left to myself, I would have broken every speed law, but our son was in the backseat, and his care was more important than my peace of mind. Gustave was at the hospital. He had doctors and nurses to take care of him. Dane was my primary responsibility.
But once we did arrive, I flung myself from the car and opened the back door to unbuckle Dane and lift him into my arms. As he clung to my neck, I raced into the hospital. The volunteer at the desk outside Maternity slowed me down long enough to give me a badge and to offer to watch Dane while I went inside. I punched a quick message to my dads into my phone and promised her they would be there to take him in just a few minutes, since they lived very close and had already replied, Be there in five.
The volunteer, an elderly woman with a coronet of white braids, smiled and punched the button to open the doors for me. I heard her chatting with Dane as I raced on. “I’m Helga, and I understand you’re going to be a big brother today.”
Yeah, he was. As I stood inside the door, realizing I had no idea where to find my omega, a nurse approached. “Are you Mr Van Dijk’s alpha?”
“Yeah. Is he okay? The baby...”
“Right this way, sir. He’s just about ready to deliver.”
She led me to another door that required a buzz in and inside I found my omega, his doctor, two nurses, and a guy in a tan shirt with a name tag over the pocket. It read Steve.
Gustav’s face was flushed, his hair plastered to his head with sweat, but he broke out into a grin. “I told you he’d make it,” he said to Steve.
“We’re all set, then.” Steve reached out his hand and shook mine. “Now, Gustav has given me a key so while you two take care of business, I’m going to make sure your family returns home to a comfortable house.” He patted Gustav’s arm. “Good luck.”
“Thanks for everything, Steve. I appreciate all your help.”
“All part of the job...well, not really, but today it was. Take care, all of you.”
I walked him to the door out of the department. “I don’t know what happened, and I’m sure my omega will fill me in, but I know you did us a service today, and I don’t know what to do to thank you.”
He shrugged, ducking his head. “I was glad to give Gustav a ride and hang out with him while you got here.” A groan from the room behind us had us both jerking our heads in that direction. “Back to it, Daddy.” He slapped me on the shoulder. “You have a brave omega. That’s the first peep he’s made about the pain.”
I fled back into the delivery room in time to hold Gustav’s hand while our baby entered the world. He was perfect in every way, and when I cuddled his little body close to mine and asked, “What shall we call him, omega?” because we still hadn’t come up with a name, he grinned.
“My alpha dad was Stephan.”
I couldn’t think of a more perfect name.
“I’m sorry I’ve been such a grouch, alpha.” He held out his arms and took the baby. “But I feel better now.”
“So do I, omega. So do I.
About the Authors
Lorelei M. Hart is the cowriting team of USA Today Bestselling Authors Kate Richards and Ever Coming as well as Ophelia Heart, another bestselling author. Friends for years, the trio decided to come together and write one of their favorite guilty pleasures: Mpreg. There is something that just does it for them about smexy men who love each other enough to start a family together in a world where they can do it the old-fashioned way.
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Table of
Contents
Copyright
Blurb
The Alpha’s Autumn-Kissed Omega
Chapter One
Patrick Chen, DDS
(Untitled)
Chapter Two
Damon Wright
Chapter Three
Patrick
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Patrick
Chapter Six
Damon
Chapter Seven
Patrick
Chapter Eight
Damon
Chapter Nine
Patrick
Chapter Ten
Damon
Chapter Eleven
Patrick
Chapter Twelve
Damon
Chapter Thirteen
Patrick
Chapter Fourteen
Damon
Chapter Fifteen
Patrick
Chapter Sixteen
Damon
Chapter Seventeen
Patrick
Chapter Eighteen
Damon
Chapter Nineteen
Patrick
Chapter Twenty
Damon
(Untitled)
Epilogue
Patrick
Blurb
The Alpha’s Candy-Kissed Omega
Chapter One
Liam Delmonico
Chapter Two
Edison Marley
Chapter Three
Liam
Chapter Four
Edison
Chapter Five
Liam
Chapter Six
Edison
Chapter Seven
Liam
Chapter Eight
Edison
Chapter Nine
Liam
Chapter Ten
Edison
Chapter Eleven
Liam
Chapter Twelve
Edison
Chapter Thirteen
Liam
Chapter Fourteen
Edison
Chapter Fifteen
Liam
Chapter Sixteen
Edison
Chapter Seventeen
Liam
Chapter Eighteen
Edison
Epilogue
Liam
Blurb
The Alpha’s Cranberry-Kissed Omega
Chapter One
Hal
Chapter Two
Kipling Taylor
Chapter Three
Hal
Chapter Four
Kipling
Chapter Five
Hal
Chapter Six
Kipling
Chapter Seven
Hal
Chapter Eight
Kipling
Chapter Nine
Hal
Chapter Ten
Kipling
Chapter Eleven
Hal
Chapter Twelve
Kipling
Chapter Thirteen
Hal
Chapter Fourteen
Kipling
Chapter Fifteen
Hal
Chapter Sixteen
Kipling
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Kipling
Epilogue
Hal
The Alpha’s Santa-Kissed Omega
Chapter One
Gustav Van Dijk
Chapter Two
Link Dawson
Chapter Three
Gustav
Chapter Four
Link
Chapter Five
Gustav
Chapter Six
Link
Chapter Seven
Gustav
Chapter Eight
Link
Chapter Nine
Gustav
Chapter Ten
Link
Chapter Eleven
Gustav
Chapter Twelve
Link
Chapter Thirteen
Gustav
Chapter Fourteen
Link
Chapter Fifteen
Gustav
Chapter Sixteen
Link
Chapter Seventeen
Gustav
Chapter Eighteen
Link
Chapter Nineteen
Gustav
Chapter Twenty
Link
Chapter Twenty-One
Gustav
Chapter Twenty-Two
Link
About the Authors