Page 36 of His Protective Bear

I pulled the platter of buttermilk pancakes toward me and lifted two onto my plate. I added two more sausage links and more scrambled eggs. To top it all off, I doused everything in maple syrup and had to shimmer in my seat. This was my second round of breakfast, and I was still hungry.

How did I miss that I was pregnant? Honestly, I’d been eating more than usual, and I found myself exhausted more and more every day. But I never thought it was possible, and I’d stupidly believed Warren when he said I was useless, that I couldn’t even do the most basic thing an omega should do.

“Ahem.” I looked up at the sound of throat clearing.

My Dad, Papa, and even my brother Clay all had their eyes on me.

“Sage, you're eating lots and lots of breakfast. Are you very hungry?” Clay asked.

Papa had a knowing look in his eyes, but it was my Dad that asked the question he probably already knew the answer to. “Anything you’d like to share with us?”

“Like what?” I did my best not to smile and feigned confusion. It did not surprise me that they’d scented it on me, but more that it had taken them so long to bring it up. Although I hadn’t been around much, thanks to all the regular begging and pleading Hunter did to get me to stay.

Dad simply raised a brow, and Papa looked like he was biting his tongue, so he didn’t blurt anything out.

I groaned and rolled my eyes, “Okay, fine. I give up. Yes, I’m pregnant.”

Papa clapped his hand and whooped. “I knew it.”

I laughed, “Yeah. Yeah.” But when I looked over at Dad, there was a crease between his brow.

“Preganant,” Clay tried to repeat the word but didn’t quite get it.

“Yeah, baby.” My Papa patted the top of Clay’s head, “that means your brother is going to have a baby. You’re going to be an uncle.”

“A real baby?” Clay’s eyes widened.

I nodded, “Yeah, Clay, I’m having a baby.”

Still, I couldn’t take my eyes off my Dad. “Dad?” I asked with obvious anxiety in my tone.

He smiled, but it didn’t remove the worry from his eyes, “I’m happy for you, son, but it’s just,” he glanced over at Papa, and they shared a look that told me they’d had this conversation already. “Are you sure things aren’t moving too fast?”

I shrugged, “Not really. Besides, would you ask me the same thing if—” I snapped my mouth shut before finishing my sentence. That wasn’t fair. Papa and Dad had only ever tried to protect me.

Dad sighed and pushed his hand through his hair. “Maybe you’re right. Maybe we wouldn’t have asked if you didn’t have anosmia. But you’re our child, and it’s our job to make sure you’re okay.”

“We only want what’s best for you, Sage,” Papa chimed in, and when I looked his way, he looked sad.

I felt like an ass and an ungrateful one at that. My parents didn’t deserve that. And with my track record, I guess the question wasn’t unreasonable, but Hunter was nothing like Warren. “I’m sorry, Dad, Papa,” I said. “I know you guys do.”

“Apology accepted,” Papa said simply.

“We want to meet with Hunter,” Dad said.

“What? Why? You’ve met him before. You’re the ones that convinced me to give him a chance in the first place. Besides, I’m not a child. I am capable of making a decision by myself.”

“We agree, but now we want to talk to him and make sure he knows to take good care of you,” Dad said simply. “Plus, you’re our child. You’ll always be our child, even when you have yours. Invite him over for dinner this weekend.”

“But—” I tried.

“We just want to get to know him better, sweetie, that’s all,” Papa said.

“Fine,” I sighed. “I’ll ask him.”

* * *

Work was busy, and by the time Hunter came to get me during my break for the appointment we’d scheduled the day before, I was more than ready to be off my feet.

---