Page 68 of Freeing My Alpha

I whimper. “Yeah... I’m just disappointed. With everything.”

Noah tucks my hair behind my ear. “I don’t know what else happened at school, but I could never imagine in my life why anyone would let you go. What else could anyone want in a teacher?” Noah pulls back, licking his thumb to scrub something off my cheek. He breaks into a sad smile. “I mean, look at you. You have paint on your face, love. You're such a sweetheart to these kids.”

I sputter out a wet laugh, and Noah chuckles.

“And you wanted to start a daycare program, right? For our refugees? Maybe this is your chance.”

I nod, sniffling as I wash my hands.

“No matter what you do or where you go next, you’ll be making kids’ lives better—achieving your dreams. I have no doubts about that, ever.” Noah’s massive palms rub my arms and sides, his full focus on me in the mirror.

As I stare at him caressing me in the reflection, I smile, no matter how sad I am. I went from feeling alone and destroyed to aching but hopeful in mere minutes.

“God, I’m so lucky to have you. I love you, Noah.”

Noah gives a soft whine, tucking me back into his chest to kiss my head. “I love you so damn much.”

We share a soft, salty kiss. I allow Noah’s touch on my cheek to soften my tense lungs.

Noah pulls back with an excited hum. “How about you have a movie night with Amy? Weren’t you wishing you could go back to doing that together?”

“W-well, yeah, but—” I wince, guilt flooding back into my veins. “I don’t want to leave you alone after finding out that I’m not— I’m not...”

Noah shakes his head. “I’m okay. I have complete trust that we’ll have our time to be parents. I just want you to take it easy tonight, and I love the way Amy makes you laugh.”

I find myself smiling again, my heavy heart lightening bit by bit.

The second I arrive at Amy’s door, she shushes me. “I just put Lexi in her crib for the night, and if she hears you—”

Lexi lets out a soft whine down the hall. Amy shuts her eyes with an exasperated sigh. I give Amy a sympathetic smile, rushing to hang my dripping, waterproof jacket and toss off my mud boots.

We scurry to Lexi’s bedroom door, peeking in with held breaths.

But there’s no point in being quiet; she’s standing in her crib, gazing back at us with wide, excited eyes and a head full of springy curls. Within a millisecond of spotting me, she stretches out her arms.

My heart twirls. I can’t help myself, dashing for her. “Hello, my little niece!”

She gives me a wide smile, opening and closing her hands. “Annie ‘Liya!”

Her small voice is still so young that I groan from how cute she is. I lift her from her crib, planting a big kiss on her cheek. Lexi dives over my shoulder, giving me a tight hug.

Amy crosses her arms, but it doesn’t stop her from beaming at the sight of us. “Someone is supposed to be asleep, but she accidentally heard me say Auntie Aliya is coming over. She’d never miss that.”

I rub Lexi’s back, my heart gushing with love for her happy purring. “Are you kidding? I’d never miss seeing this little lovebug for anything.”

Lexi whines, and Amy sighs. “My poor baby. Being so sleepy is no fun, huh? Let’s get you back to bed.”

My heart drops. “Do I have to put her down already? Can I at least try to rock her to sleep for you?”

Amy laughs, stealing a glimpse at Lexi over my shoulder. “It looks like she’s already on her way out thanks to your sweet pheromones, so I guess you’ll have to.”

We giggle as Amy shuts the door, leaving us with only the soft yellow glow of a little full moon night light in the corner of Lexi’s room. Amy rearranges the pillows on her fuzzy rocking chair before I sit, helping me prop up my arms to comfortably nestle Lexi against my chest.

Lexi only fusses for a moment, curling against my chest with her thumb in her mouth. I tuck her curls behind her shoulder, kissing her temple as I rock us. With her sleepy limbs weighing me into the rocking chair, my pheromones explode in adoration.

This was exactly what I needed tonight, I mindlink Amy.

Amy settles on the floor beside us with her back against Lexi’s crib. Her touched grin, dimly lit by the nightlight, spurs me into just as wide of a smile.

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