Page 20 of His Omega Bear

“I swear I’m not some kind of stalker, even though that’s maybe what a stalker would say.”

A manic and exhausted chuckle escaped him, followed by a small nod of approval and a glimmer of gratitude in his tired eyes.

“If you’re sure.”

“Oh, baby. I would absolutely love to,” I replied sincerely. “In all honesty, I’ve really missed her.” I almost added “both of you,” but decided it was too soon for that.

He let out a sigh of relief and his voice softened as he replied, “That would be great, thank you. I appreciate it.”

With a reassuring smile, I reluctantly removed my hands from him and made my way up the stairs, two at a time, to Emilia’s room. As I scooped her up into my arms, her cries gradually subsided when she saw me, quickly replaced by the sound of her gentle cooing. Holding her close, I couldn’t help but feel a surge of protectiveness wash over me. It was too soon to feel all of this for them, right?

“Hello, my sweet darling. I’ve missed you,” I said, nuzzling her neck. Soft baby laughs and squeals came from her as I kissed her little neck.

“Let’s go see your tired Daddy. Girlfriend, we’re gonna have to talk about how you need to give him a little break once in a while. He’s a rookie and hasn’t even been to spring training yet.”

She giggled as I made my way out of the room, blowing little raspberries on the fold of the skin on her neck. Sweet baby smells flooded my nose, and I fell more in love with them by the minute.

My best friend Kian had suggested that I just walk up and ring the doorbell instead of skulking around like a criminal, but I had been too chicken to do it. Now I’m kind of glad I got caught in the bushes.

But I should have found the courage, because these two they were mine. I should have taken his advice and stopped by days ago, but I didn’t want to overstep. I wasn’t sure where all this boldness was coming from, but I kinda liked this new side of me.

I made my way down the stairs and walked into the TV room, where Jaxson was lying on the couch, knees spread wide in a relaxed position. He was fighting sleep, but smiled when he saw me enter the room with Emilia.

“A rookie, huh?” The smirk on his face lit me up like a damn Christmas tree with halogen lights.

“Yeah, well,” I stammered. “It’s the truth..”

His grin told me he wasn’t going to argue with me. He knew I was right.

“I’m going to grab her a pacifier from the kitchen.”

Jaxson blinked at me before I turned to escape his tractor beam of a gaze.

When I returned, Emilia was happily satisfied with her pacifier. He’d laid down, one spread knee still on the floor, the other tucked under his thigh. But it was obvious he was packing some heat, and I wasn’t talking about the gun. His muscled arm rested across his forehead, covering his eyes, his breathing even.

It was clear my man was utterly exhausted. I recalled his eyes were heavy with dark circles and his shoulders slumped in defeat. That twinge of guilt got even bigger for not checking on him the last few nights. I knew both he and Emilia were running on little to no sleep. And I hadn’t been able to sleep either. I’d experienced sleepless nights too, tossing and turning in my bed after spending an hour outside listening to them struggle.

I leaned in closer to Emilia, taking a deep breath and inhaling the familiar scent of a clean baby. “Let’s not wake up him up,” I whispered softly.

I carefully settled Emilia in the crook of my arm, her tiny hand curling around my finger. She was a precious little thing, so small and innocent, and as I watched her sleeping peacefully, my heart swelled with love for this child who was not mine but felt like family already. I couldn’t help but think about the future, about the possibility of having a family of my own with Jaxson. A family that included this beautiful baby girl.

Glancing over at him, I saw the lines of tension in his face ease as he rested on the couch. His chest rose and fell in a steady rhythm, a rare moment of peace amidst the chaos I’m sure his life had become.. I knew how much he cared for Emilia.

As I sat there, basking in the room’s warmth and these two people who were already in the process of stealing the rest of my heart, I couldn’t shake the feeling that this moment was significant.

Maybe it was wishful thinking on my end, but he was asleep, trusting me in his home with his child. He didn’t strike me as the guy that would do that lightly. Maybe he could feel the connection that was growing between us, the unspoken bond that seemed to tie us together in ways I couldn’t fully comprehend, no matter how many times the mate bond had been explained to me.

I watched Jaxson for a moment longer, his features softened in sleep, his guard down for once. The weight of his responsibilities seemed to have lifted momentarily, replaced by a sense of peace that settled over the room like a warm blanket.

Emilia stirred slightly in my arms, her eyelashes fluttering as she let out a soft sigh. I pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead, feeling that overwhelming surge of protectiveness and love wash over me again. In that moment, I knew without a doubt that I would do anything to keep these two safe and happy.

As if sensing my thoughts, Emilia snuggled closer to me, her tiny hand reaching out to grasp at the fabric of my shirt. It was a simple gesture, but it sent a wave of emotion through me. Looking at Jaxson, I couldn’t wait for the future where moments like this were the norm, just a part of our everyday life. A family.

The word echoed in my mind, both terrifying and exhilarating in its possibilities.

Jaxson shifted on the couch, his eyes fluttering open as he stirred awake. He’d only been asleep about an hour. His gaze found mine, and for a moment, we simply looked at each other, a silent understanding passing between us.

“Thank you,” Jaxson murmured softly, his voice rough with sleep. “For taking care of her. And me. She seems to do well with you around.”

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