Page 137 of Freeing My Alpha

My tears stop instantly. Amy breaks into a wide smile, but my brain still hasn’t caught up.

“How do you know what you’re smelling? What if it’s just my period, and it’s all just been chemical?” My voice quivers like it’s ready to shatter.

“Remember when my friend Evelyn got pregnant in college? And she thought her light spotting was a period, but I tried to convince her otherwise and she didn’t listen to me?”

My heart flips. “God, I forgot about that. You were so concerned for weeks that I finally convinced her to stop drinking at parties, just in case.”

“Yes! My wolf knew right away, but of course I couldn’t tell either of you why I was so sure. And when Ev missed it the next month, turns out she was pregnant the whole time.” Amy pokes the tip of her nose. “She should’ve believed my wolf nose, since she was absolutely, super pregnant after that. Just like you are now, babe.”

I swallow my racing heart, too terrified to trust Amy’s confirmation. “But why are you so sure about me?”

“Because your pheromones started smelling super, super sweet this morning, and it’s only getting stronger. And that tiny speck of pink isn’t how your period usually starts, is it?”

She’s right. I grip Amy’s arms, unable to stop my rising smile. As nausea wracks my core, I choke out a giddy sob. “Oh, my God, I think you’re right. My symptoms are extra strong today too. I could puke from how bad this bathroom smells, if I wanted to.”

Amy erupts into laughter. “Oh, shit. Hurry, hurry— Let’s go back to the dressing room.”

I hobble to the sink on shaky knees, still processing.

Aliya? You feel okay now, but I thought something horrible happened, Noah mindlinks.

My heart flips. I forgot he mindlinked me. I can’t tell Noah yet, not until we’re face-to-face. Plus, I’m having a hard time believing it yet. And a dark reminder is glued to the back of my mind: I still haven’t missed a period, so it’s still possible I won’t carry to term like Natalia warned. Sorry, my love. False alarm. I’ll tell you later.

Amy quickly dabs off my running mascara, but she freezes when she takes a full look at my face in the mirror reflection.

Her grin spreads. “Are you going to be okay?”

I laugh. “I’m just— I’m stunned, Amy. Do you really think—"

Which is when someone knocks on the door. Amy opens it to reveal Lilian with an unfamiliar, lavishly dressed woman in tow. I quickly blink away my fresh tears, gripping Amy as this stranger sputters like we’ve done something atrocious.

“Oh, Goddess! Oh, Luna Lilian, no, no, no! Are these your Greenfield wolves?! Where is my soon-to-be Luna?” The woman holds her palm against her forehead, her sharp, black nails fanning high in the air.

I step out from the dressing room, my heart pounding into my ears. “Um, hi.”

The Sexy Luna Taskforce swoops in, surrounding me with their supportive scent.

“Here she is!” Rainn says.

Kira leans in, utmost seriousness deepening her voice. “We need her to look sexy as hell.”

“Sexy,” Lexi whispers for the first time.

Amy’s eyes bulge in horror, and I bite my lips, tempted to laugh.

But Celestia waves her hands, every gesture sweeping over the air like she’s smoothing fabric folds. “That’s precisely what I’m saying: you’re in the wrong section!”

Amy and I give each other an amused look as we follow Celestia into the back of the store, behind the staff door. Passing through a dim hallway, the light at the end of it richens into a golden, airy hue, hitting the beaded fabric at the doorway at just the right angle to make it glitter like snowflakes. As we step into a room with high ceilings and carved wooden walls, we find the most lavish, intricate, expensive-looking clothing I’ve ever seen in my life.

I stop mid-walk, gaping at the dresses around us.

No, these aren’t dresses. They’re ornamented lingerie.

Good thing I wore nice underwear today.

Amy meets my wide eyes and barely contains a laugh. Are you surviving?

Amy, did you ever imagine me getting married in lingerie?

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