Page 34 of Claiming Xan
“I mean it, TJ. I’m going to scream!” I opened my mouth and drew in a deep breath, but he scowled and shoved away from me, stomping his feet. My pulse skittered in my wrists when I could finally breathe fresh air. “Don’t do that again, or I’ll tell Roger.”
“Ha. You think Roger’ll believe you over me?” He sneered. “Good luck with that. You know how he feels about Omegas. Close up the store yourself, Xan. I’m out.” With a huff of annoyance, he stormed out of The Candy Jar and down the hallway of the mall.
I didn’t feel like I could actually breathe until he was gone. Then I sank back against the counter and bit back a soft cry, covering my mouth with one hand as I fought back a slew of emotions.
God. Fucking Alphas. Things could’ve gone so south tonight. Maybe I needed to keep my mace close at work, too.
It took me twice as long to close by myself, which would earn me an earful from our boss, I was sure, but I didn’t care. I just wanted to get out of there. At least I knew the job was done right and not half-assed like TJ would’ve done.
But the human’s words haunted my thoughts as I drove through Greymercy on the way back to Shay’s.“You know what would get your mind off your problems? Sex.”
Sex. Sex. Sex.
No. Sex was what got me into my problems. Maybe more than I could’ve imagined. My chest tight, I pulled into the lot ofthe drug store and went inside. It didn’t take me long to find the Early-Omega pregnancy tests.
I’d had this sinking feeling for days now… It was funny, because I’d wanted a baby for years. I was so freaking jealous during Nevin’s pregnancy, and now Shay was expecting… I had baby fever, and now?
Now I just felt sick to my stomach, because the man who might’ve knocked me up was long gone, and I didn’t even get to say goodbye.
I bought one, refusing to meet the gaze of the young Alpha who rang me up, and stuffed it into the recesses of my messenger bag. Then I went home, feeling like the world’s biggest failure.
I’d done exactly what Mom had told me not to do—I fucked around with the wrong Alpha and now I was going to be a single dad. Which there was no shame in, but… I’d really felt something click with River. I’d had blazing hot sex with other Alphas before, but with River it was…different, somehow. Right.
After changing into my PJs and grabbing some leftovers for dinner, I retreated to the bathroom to take the dreaded test. I knew it was super early and it could still be wrong, but I just had thisfeeling.
So I peed on the stick and while I waited, I found I wished I would’ve done things differently.
Stupid heat hormones…
Ten minutes later, two little blue lines told me everything I needed to know. I was more than likely pregnant. I sank down on the closed toilet seat lid and stared at the test in disbelief, my stomach sinking.
I was going to have a baby.
I should’ve been excited. Any other time, I would’ve been so thrilled. Instead, my eyes welled with tears and my throat clogged up. Damn it…
I snapped a picture of the test and sent it to Nevin with a crying face emoji:I fucked up. Bad. And River marked me, so no one’s going to want me now. My life is over!
A few minutes later, he texted back.Xan, you know that’s not true!
Why does it feel true, then? I thought maybe I found the one, then everything blew up in my face! I’m so fucking stupid. Please don’t tell Kace. I don’t want it getting back to Mom. I don’t need her I-told-you-sos.
I love you, Xanny.
I sniffled.Love you too, Nev. Give Zee a goodnight kiss from Uncle Xan.
I dropped the pregnancy test into the trash bin and covered it up with tissues, in hopes that no one would see it, then went to my room. I laid down on the air mattress and covered myself with blankets despite the mugginess in the air.
Then I buried my face in my pillow and cried.
I cried for awhile, then laid in the quiet, just breathing. Gathering myself.Okay. Enough bellyaching. Suck it up, cupcake,I told myself.The ride is only just beginning. This baby needs its daddy to be strong, and I can’t let it down.
Tomorrow, bright and early, I’d go out and start looking for an apartment for the two of us.
21
RIVER
Too exhausted,too hungry, and in too much pain to argue with this stranger, I relented and shifted back to my human form. I knelt there amongst the pine needles, hissing softly at the pain that throbbed up my leg.
