Page 37 of His Omega Bear

A small smile tugged at the corners of his lips, gratitude shining in his eyes as he squeezed my hand. “Thank you. You have no idea what that means to me.”

I leaned closer and brushed a gentle kiss against his cheek, my heart swelling with emotion as I nestled closer to him.

“But,” I added, unable to resist the urge to lighten the mood, “just so you know, I have my limits. I’ll only tolerate up to three murders, but four is a deal breaker.”

Rhys chuckled, the sound echoing through the room. I decided to take a leap of faith and trust him when he said he would tell me, and it wasn’t anything that bad.

“Got it,” he teased, pressing a soft kiss to my forehead. “No more than three. I’ll do my best to behave.”

His fingers squeezed mine, our arms entwined as he rested his head on my shoulder. As I gazed at his hand in mine, I chose to be filled with hope and all the faith. No matter what obstacles came from Rhys’ past, we would confront them together.

I knew I had to remind myself to not push him. We were still getting to know each other. The more time we spent together, the sooner he would see I was a safe place for him. Still it was amazing to hear that Rhys’ secret wasn’t inherently bad. My brain had gone to some really wild places, I would admit.

I did everything to silence the voices whispering in the silence, trying to question the truth of his words.

Was he downplaying things, or was he for real when he said the secret wasn’t so profound that it would shatter the fragile bond we were building?

Rhys felt like more than just a lover; it felt like something real was developing between us. He felt like a beacon that was guiding me out of the darkest moments of my life. He was the light at the end of what had felt like a seemingly endless tunnel. Without him, I would be lost, adrift at sea.

The thought of cutting ties with him, of severing the connection that bound us together, was something I never imagined. And the prospect of losing it felt too painful to even contemplate. I hadn’t expected anything out of my decision to move to Asheville, but he felt like the silver lining for everything that had happened. He felt like the missing piece of the puzzle that completed the picture of my life.

I glanced at him, taking in the now familiar contours of his face, the warmth of his smile, and the emotions that shone in his eyes. I didn’t want to entertain the idea of losing him, of facing the world alone yet again.

“I meant what I said,” he murmured, his voice soft yet resolute. “It’s nothing bad, not really... it’s just something that may take some getting used to, but I swear it’s not bad. Not really. Maybe unexpected, and it could be a surprise at first.”

I nodded, feeling a wave of relief flood through me as I leaned into his arms, holding on to his words.

Emilia, Rhys and me were the beginning of our new chapter. I was looking forward to it.

Chapter 12

Rhys

Ijingled the keys in my hand with a grin as I approached the front door. Having a key to Jaxson’s place felt like a small victory, a tangible sign that I was truly becoming a part of his life. With a quick twist of the lock, I pushed the door open and stepped inside, feeling a rush of warmth and familiarity wash over me.

First stop: Jaxson’s office. I peeked around the corner, and there he was, my mate, with little Emilia nestled in his arms. His eyes were fixed on his monitor screen, a little furrow between his brows as he scrolled through something undoubtedly important.

“Hey there,” I said, sauntering over to him. “You know I could have been a burglar and you wouldn’t hear me coming with how focused you were.”

He glanced up, amusement dancing in his eyes. “Heard you coming a mile away.”

I chuckled and leaned in to press a quick kiss to his cheek. “Well, I’ll have to work on my stealth skills then.”

With a snort, he handed over Emilia, who cooed happily at the sight of me. I scooped her up into my arms, relishing in the warmth and weight of her tiny body.

“Looks like Emilia is giving Daddy some competition,” Jaxson teased, raising an eyebrow.

I grinned back at him, feeling a surge of love and contentment wash over me. “She’s going to be difficult to compete with, but I think you can manage. You definitely bring a different skill set to the competition for my affection.”

As I settled into the ease of being home with Jaxson by my side and Emilia in my arms, I couldn’t help but feel an overwhelming sense of happiness and gratitude. This was where I belonged, where I was meant to be – surrounded by love and laughter, with my little family by my side.

After a long day at work, I found solace in the familiarity of our routine. Upstairs in Jaxson’s room, which felt more like our room now, I rifled through the drawers until I found what I was looking for – one of his oversized t-shirts and a pair of sweatpants.

Sure, Jaxson was broader than me, but that didn’t stop me from stealing his clothes. With a deft knot of the drawstring, I managed to cinch the pants tight enough to stay put. Besides, there was something comforting about swimming in his clothes, like being wrapped in a warm hug.

I buried my face in the fabric, inhaling deeply, and breathed in his scent – a heady mix of his cologne and something uniquely him. It was a scent that had become synonymous with home, with safety and comfort, and I couldn’t get enough of it.

With a contented sigh, I slipped into his shirt and sweatpants, relishing in the way they enveloped me like a cocoon. It was like wearing a piece of him, carrying a piece of him with me wherever I went.

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