Page 24 of Such a Shy Omega

I got my hand free and picked up my phone, but when I got Talon on the phone, I didn’t say it was a pants emergency, just that we needed to deal with something. He promised to cover the shift, although since we were basically the tech crew, it wouldn’t be easy. He’d make it happen. And then I found a pair of sweatpants, mine, and helped him into them. “See? Pants that fit, and they are not paternity.”

“Yeah, well, I can’t wear sweats to work.”

“Why not?” I stood him up and stepped back. “Not these, of course. They have some holes in unfortunate places. But maybe we can go to the athletic store and see what we can come up with.” I could have had bespoke paternity sweats made for him, but he wasn’t any fancier than I was, and so off we went with the unfortunate sweat pants hidden by his long jacket. Most of the holes were, anyway.

It probably didn’t help his pants to fit better when we stopped for ice cream on the way. Sundaes with whipped cream and hot fudge and nuts. But no cherry on top because as my omega mate explained to the teen behind the counter, he had to watch his calories and those cherries were soaked in a sugar syrup.

The kid was either too fixated on his phone screen or too polite to point out that he’d do better just to have the cherry and not the rest. But the treat elevated his mood, and by the time we got to the athletic store, Heath was amenable to trying on styles he’d never worn before. He was a much happier pregnant omega, modeling all the different styles of track pants and other similar types I did not even know the names for.

But, however that worked, he was enjoying himself, laughing and telling the salesman that he was going to have pups and needed to get a wardrobe before he got too big to make it out the door.

The clerk was apparently all there for it, and I took a seat in a chair along the wall and watched the show. My mate picked out his first armload and stepped into the dressing room. From that moment, he never emerged unless he loved something and wanted me to see it on him. If he liked it, I did, and I was so glad that he’d gone along with my idea because other than realpaternity clothes, I was at a loss as to what he might choose to wear. I had considered a kilt but couldn’t see how that would be much better.He would look cute in it, though, with his belly sticking out the way it is.

While I waited, I worked a little on my phone, answering emails and reading even more of them. Just because I was happier now with my career didn’t mean it wasn’t pretty encompassing, but maybe I needed that. I spent far more time at the club either working or relaxing with my omega than I’d ever done before. Scening wasn’t happening right now for safety’s sake, but we had a lifetime for that, and it was one more thing to look forward to.

When we left the store, I was carrying three big bags, probably more clothes than he’d had with him when he moved in. We stopped for a quick dinner on the way home, and when we got there, I had some suggestions about what we could do with pants that would not close.

Chapter Twenty-One

Heath

My wolf communicated with me more and more over the last month of this pregnancy. He nudged me to make a den for the birth and, while I complied, of course, it wasn’t ready.

Then again, it might not ever be ready. Wolves made their dens or burrows over and over a thousand times through their lifetime for one reason or another. And that was in the wild.

Some shifter wolves didn’t even make dens anymore.

“Have you seen my navy-blue hoodie?” Erik asked, coming downstairs. I’d heard him rummaging around upstairs but didn’t know what he was doing.

“Maybe,” I said, turning around so he couldn’t see my face. My damned blush gave me away every single time.

“Maybe? Oh…why didn’t I think of that. It’s okay. I have another one.”

He knew. I wasn’t exactly covert about taking things to my den that comforted me and what gave me the most calm was my alpha and his scent, hence his favorite hoodie.

“Sorry,” I said, shrugging.

“Whatever for? I am honored.”

I sighed as he came over and wrapped me up in his strong arms. “How are you feeling today? You’ve been on your feet all day.”

“I can’t sit still. It feels good to walk, and I did some chair yoga earlier. Everything is achy, especially my back.”

Erik rubbed my back, and I leaned forward, letting him dig in.

That’s when a sharp pain struck me like a bolt of lightning. I cried out and saw stars.

“What? Did I hurt you, omega?”

“I don’t…”Our pup is coming. Get to the den. Now.“I have to get to the den. The pup is coming.”

“How?” Erik stuttered, stepping back. “Your wolf?”

I nodded. “He told me it’s time. That was my first…” I screamed as another pain ripped through me.

“I’ll call the healer.”

“I think it’s too late for that. It’s okay. I’ve got this. My wolf and I have this.”

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