Page 86 of Where the Current Takes Him
“Yeah.” Beau’s hands rejoined his Alpha’s. “We do.”
Their child had been a concept until that day. A loosely imagined blend of their best traits. But when Loriun felt them move in the womb of his young, fragile, human mate, reality came crashing down.
Beau would have to deliver this child, sacrificing his body in more ways than one. He would suffer the discomfort of pregnancy, then the pain of childbirth. He would have to experience the swell of milk in his chest, surrender his own life force to feed the nymph Loriun had put inside him.
He spiraled for about a week, doing his best to hide it from Beau. It wasn’t until he’d reached the end of his tether that he snapped and dialed a now-familiar number, not considering the hour. By some miracle, Vuos picked up the phone, voice thick with sleep. He listened patiently as every one of Loriun’s fears gushed through the phone, not interrupting even once.
When Loriun had finally fallen silent, Vuos told him the story of their first child. Then the second, third, and fourth. As the older Alpha spoke, Loriun felt himself being pulled from the brink of mental breakdown. Jaime had done what Beau was now doing, and he survived. Not just survived, but went on to do it three more times. Jaime was happy and healthy. Even though he was one of the first human Omegas to produce a hybrid child, he was still here.
Beau had the advantage of twenty years of advancement since Jaime’s first birth. He had an attentive doctor who addressed every pain and discomfort, regardless of how small.
The sun was staining the sky pink by the time Loriun put the phone down. He returned to the bedroom, where his mate lay on his side, body moving with slow breath. Loriun eased into the bed beside him and watched the sunrise catch Beau’s sandy hair. Delicate shadows grew where long lashes brushed his cheekbone.
For the first time in a week, Loriun felt calm—Beau and their child would be okay.Hewould be okay.
Vuos tapped the table between them, yanking Loriun back to the present.
“Ah. I am… still nervous,” Loriun admitted, casting a look at Beau. “I feel somewhat useless. Beau’s final trimester has been hard on him.”
Beau placed his hand over Loriun’s. “I’ll be fine. I can hang in there a few more weeks.”
Jaime came sauntering in with an enormous platter of fish tacos. “That’s the spirit, Beau! When I was at this stage in my first pregnancy, I was scared shitless of the delivery.”
Beau’s face paled. “Don’t remind me.”
Jaime chuckled, returning to the kitchen for plates and silverware. Beau hauled himself upright with a grunt. Loriun half-rose from his chair.
“Luae?Do you need something? I can—”
Beau waved him off, propping one hand firmly on his lower back. “I’m just going to talk to Jaime about something.”
Loriun hesitated, wondering if he should escort the heavily pregnant Omega to the kitchen. Beau heaved a sigh.
“I can walk the seven steps to the kitchen, Loriun. Sit and try to relax, okay?”
Loriun’s tail thudded to the ground as he dropped back into his seat. He scrubbed his face with both hands.
“It’s difficult,” Vuos said quietly. “Seeing them like that and feeling as though you did something terrible to them. But you must remember that this was Beau’s choice too. He wants this just as badly as you do. Put some faith in him.”
Loriun gave him a wordless nod.
Chapter 35
Beau
“Loriun’s freaking out.” Beau’s spine hit the counter and he leaned back against the granite, grateful for its support.
“He’s just like Vuos,” Jaime said, shaking his head. “He’ll calm down. Maybe notsoon… But eventually. And he’ll be a lot less overbearing for the next one. If you’re planning to have another,” he added hastily.
Beau draped an arm over his belly. He hardly recognized his own body anymore. “When would you say Vuos started relaxing with your first kid?”
Jaime frowned slightly. “Hm… I think somewhere around Maevux’s first birthday.”
“God.” Beau let his head fall backward. “I have another year of him being like this?”
Jaime smiled. “He cares about you. I know we Omegas deserve to be the anxious ones—we’re the ones pushing a kid out ourbuash—but they feel so out of control. Alphas like to be able to fix all the problems, but there’s not much they can do to fix pregnancy.” Jaime jerked one shoulder in a half shrug. “Being out of control while their mate is hurting drives them nuts.”
“What about after? What makes them nuts after the whole pregnancy thing is over?”
