Page 95 of I Replaced His Husband
"You don’t have to thank me. It’s my responsibility."
He blinked and didn’t say anything else.
Well, what was he supposed to say, really? The moment I officially took on the role of his protector, that became part of my duty, and that’s exactly how anyone on the outside would see it. In everyday interactions, it might look like excessive courtesy or overprotectiveness, but by the book, that’s what the protector’s coderequiredof me.
We waited for our turn, then went inside. I propped the sign up near the entrance.
The lobby was spacious, with several reception desks where employees were directing visitors. We were sent to see Dr. Jon Darren, who was already expecting us. His office was on the first floor, so it was a short walk.
When we knocked and stepped into the room, we were met by a small beta in his fifties who looked at us with mild surprise.
"Welcome to Malden Pharmaceuticals, Mr. Nolan. And this is, I suppose…?"
"Kay Sanders."
Dr. Darren shook both our hands and gave Kay a long look. Being a beta, he couldn’t pick up on Kay’s pregnancy pheromones, but like everyone else, he seemed taken aback by his appearance.
"You’re very tall for an omega," he said suddenly.
Kay gave him a quick, slightly forced smile. "Yeah, well… my father was six-nine and my dad was five-eleven, so I guess I take after them."
"Did you suspect you were a beta in high school, before your gland matured?"
Kay’s eyes widened, and mine did too. Neither of us saw that question coming.
"Actually, a lot of people thought I would be a beta. Even my parents did. But deep down, I kind of knew since I was thirteen, maybe even twelve."
I stared at the beta, momentarily thrown off, but forced myself to stay focused.
"Why do you ask, Doctor?"
Dr. Darren gave a subtle smile.
"It’s not widely known, but it’s called Tall Omega Syndrome. Scientists have found that tall omegas sometimes have a bit stronger pheromone output than the average omegas, and they tend to attract more alpha attention. This shows up more often in families with multiple beta siblings. We don’t fully understand the mechanism. Some think it’s nature's way of balancing things, compensating for the infertile betas in the family by increasing the reproductive appeal of the omegasiblings. It’s under-researched, but I thought it might interest you."
"Well, I do have two older beta brothers, and I’ve definitely experienced more alpha interest than I wanted," Kay replied in a flat voice, looking away.
Dr. Darren didn’t seem fazed. "Anyway, just a side note," he said cheerfully, then turned to me. "Nice to meet you both."
"Likewise."
He grinned and added, "First, we’ll run bloodwork to check your Seprudin 1000 levels. Then we’ll do a compatibility evaluation; it’s called a separation test. That’ll take about two hours. After that, we’ll know whether you’re True Mates. Please have a seat, the nurse will be in shortly."
He went on to ask a few general health questions, including some about Kay’s pregnancy problems and when they subsided, but didn’t get too specific.
I’d already told the consultant on the phone that I wasn’t the father, so he knew the pregnancy was what they call a ‘widowed’ one.
Soon a nurse came in. He was a young omega, quite pretty, with burgundy curls and big green eyes. He looked us over curiously.
"Jimmy, take blood samples from Mr. Nolan and Mr. Sanders."
Jimmy approached Kay first, though he kept glancing at me. Kay noticed but didn’t react. After taking his sample, Jimmy came over to me, still under Kay’s watchful eye.
I rolled up my sleeve, but as soon as Jimmy’s fingers touched my arm, I instinctively pulled away.
"Sir, I need to draw your blood."
"I’d rather Dr. Darren do it."
