The massive alpha in my kitchen swaggers my way, drying his hands off on a dishcloth.
“You had a hell of a fever last night.” He drops the rag on the small table and squats in front of me. “How are you feeling this morning?”
I swallow thickly, studying his dark eyes. “Good. It’s strange, but I feel better than I have since…” I bite my lip, trying to remember when I last felt so refreshed. “Maybe since I got pregnant.”
He nods, brushing his fingers over my cheek. “You scared me. I panic-called my sister at almost midnight.”
I shake my head. “I’m so sorry. I’m okay. Honestly, I have no clue what that was about.”
Noble studies my face. “Has that happened before?”
“No. I mean, not that I know of.” If it has, I likely burned off the fever while I slept.
“How are you managing the need for alpha pheromones?” He quirks a bushy eyebrow. “You know female omegas need contact with alphas during pregnancy…” His head tilts. “You do know that, right?”
I glance away.
My doctor has mentioned that I might crave alpha pheromones and even semen, which is such an awkward conversation that I’ve done my best to avoid it whenever she’s brought it up since.
Granted, I saw Avan more during my pregnancy with Libby, but it’s never been an everyday thing.
We did just fine back then.
I figured the baby and I would be fine this time too.
“Brooklyn,” he murmurs, almost sounding disappointed.
“I’m doing the best I can here, Noble,” I say, refusing to meet his eyes. “I may have led my doctor to believe my ex and I are still together.”
She tried to push me into taking information for volunteer alphas, which absolutely wasn’t happening.
The day Avan actually pays attention to one of the bills from my doctor’s office is the day my life falls apart.
Everything is one big house of cards. One deep breath, or hell, even looking at it wrong, could topple the wobbly stack.
“Of course, you did.” He sighs heavily. “Because you’re afraid of how he’d react if he saw you with anyone else.”
My lips roll together as I nod.
“No one should have that much power over you,” he growls, brushing the backs of his fingers over my cheek. “Especially not when it has an impact on your health.”
Before being around Noble’s fantastic alpha pheromones, I didn’t think it was. I’m also not too stubborn to realize the facts of the matter.
I do feel better today than I have in months.
“I’m just saying.” He leans in, brushing his lips over my forehead. “I’m here if you need me.”
“Mommy, I have to go potty.” Libby runs out of her room, making a right into the hall bathroom. “Real bad.”
Noble chuckles.
Yeah.
If that’s not the perfect reminder of my reality, then I don’t know what is.
No one with any sanity would want to get wrapped up in the mess I call a life.
Chapter Eleven