Page 38 of Nanny Omega

“Good night,” Master Quin said, his voice tight and hurried as he turned and practically fled out of the nursery.

Ersa watched him go. The ache in his chest tightened, the words hovering on his lips—Come back—but he swallowed them down. What would he even say if he called him back? What did he even want?

He sighed, dragging his feet toward his own bed, his mind a storm of questions. He’d told his family—and himself—that he never wanted to be bonded again. The pain of loss had been too much, the fear of being left behind still raw.

But now… now, he wasn’t so sure. When Master Quin walked away, it felt like something precious was slipping through his fingers—and the thought of never holding it again made his heart clench.

Chapter 11

Ersa

Thefollowingday,Ersafound his conviction slipping through his fingers. As the pod glided smoothly along the airway, drawing nearer to the health center, a knot of anxiety tightened in his stomach. He rubbed his hands on his thighs, willing the nervousness away. The pod abruptly veered to the left, lurching with a force that sent Ersa off balance. His hand shot out, gripping the edge of the seat tightly to steady himself.

“Fuck, sorry,” Hicks said. “Are you okay?”

“I’m…” A harsh, gagging sound escaped him, followed by the sickening splatter of vomit hitting the floor. “Oh, my goodness. Please stop the pod.”

“I’m sorry, Ersa,” Hicks said, glancing over his shoulder, his eyes full of worry. “I can’t stop here. Hold on, we’re almost at the center.”

“Please, hurry,” Ersa pleaded, his voice trembling as he clenched his fists against the relentless churn of nausea threatening to overwhelm him again. By the time they arrived at the center, his body was racked with tremors, his muscles taut from his desperate struggle to keep the nausea at bay.

“Come,” Hicks said gently as he helped him out of the pod. Ersa stumbled, his legs trembling beneath him as a wave of nausea swirled through his stomach, making the world tilt and spin around him. “I don’t think you’re going to make it. I’m going to carry you.” Hicks stepped close. The alpha waited for a few seconds for him to refuse, but when he didn’t, he gently scooped him up and rushed to the double doors that led into the center. “Where do I need to go?”

“That way.” Ersa gestured down the softly lit hallway, hoping he wouldn’t lose his shit before they got there. A few minutes later, he breathed out a sigh of relief when he saw the glass doors. “I think I’ll be okay from here,” Ersa said as Hicks ignored him and headed to the reception area with determined strides.

“We need help here,” he said as soon as he reached the front desk. “He started to vomit in the hover pod. He’s dizzy, and…” He gazed down at Ersa, his brows knitting together as if he were trying to figure out what was wrong with him. The receptionist sprang into action. She maneuvered a sleek, moving bot from behind the desk and brought it to a smooth stop right in front of Hicks.

“I’ll take it from here,” she said with calm authority as she guided Ersa into the bot’s cushioned seat. Once he was securely settled, the bot hummed softly to life, gliding smoothly down the hallway to room two. “Please connect with Nora,” she called to someone as she held the door open for the bot to pass. “Can you make it to the bed?” she asked as she brought the bot to a stop.

“Yes,” Ersa replied, his voice barely above a whisper as he cautiously lowered his feet to the ground. The floor seemed to sway beneath him, the unsteady sensation making his stomach churn. Clenching his jaw, he forced himself upright and took deliberate, shaky steps toward the bed. A sigh of relief slipped through his lips as the soft mattress cradled his body, and the nausea churning his stomach eased. The door opened, and Nora entered, her ever-present smile spreading wide as she got closer to the bed.

“How are you feeling?” Nora asked. “It seems everything is going as planned.”

“You think so?” Ersa asked, his tone laced with skepticism. “I haven’t felt a single thing, no signs, no symptoms… until a few minutes ago.”

“Really? Didn’t you go through something similar with your cub?” she asked as she moved to the steel cubicle on the other side of the room and began to fill a cart with medical supplies.

“No. The symptoms started showing up three days after my heat,” he explained. “They weren’t nearly as overwhelming as what I’m experiencing now. If I didn’t know it was fake, I’d think I was pregnant. It feels so real.” Ersa laughed humorlessly.

“It will get better in a second. I promise.” Ersa watched Nora wheel the medical cart close to the bed and swiftly prepare the medication.

“What’s that?”

“This is something for the nausea,” she said as she administered the shot. When she was done, she pushed to her feet and moved the cart to the side. “The medicine takes a few minutes to work. Lie down and rest for now while we wait.”

“Okay,” Ersa said, closing his eyes.

***

Xander

“Are you ready?” Shiva asked, his fingers drumming lightly on the vacuum-sealed packages on the table before him. Xander’s gaze fixated on the crisp, sterile packaging, his pulse pounding so hard it echoed in his ears. Every fiber of his being screamed against this, yet here he was. His fingers twitched, aching to push the samples aside and go home to Ersa. He longed to hold on to him, to claim him, to make him his in a way no one else ever could. But the cruel weight of reality pressed down on him, reminding him why he couldn’t have Ersa. The omega wasn’t just any omega. He was Benjn’s nanny.

“The agency managed to secure three samples,” Shiva continued. “I’ve already asked them to keep the job listing open in case none of these scents appeal to you.” He gestured toward the packages. “Shall we begin?”

“Yes,” Xander said.

Shiva carefully opened one of the packages and handed it to him without touching the contents. Xander recoiled before he could even touch it, the scent hitting him the wrong way.

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