Page 21 of The Fall Before the Heat

“Is there something you want to tell me?”He asked.

“About what?”I blinked, wondering what I’d left out about the move.

“Like why there is a stack of pregnancy tests on the bathroom sink?”He asked.

“Oh! That was part of my wolf’s response to your heat. We headed to the clinic to get one from the basket. For just in case, you know. But he took the whole basket. Don’t worry. I’ll take them back on Monday,”I chuckled.

“He does know that even if I am pregnant, this is too many tests? I don’t need one per pup to find out and even if I did this would be way too many tests. They’re multiplying and breeding and taking over the bathroom.”

“Hold on. I’ll come grab them,”I said, trying not to laugh at what I’d let my wolf drag me into.

I’m sure some poor security guard had a good laugh watching the video back the next morning. I was also sure Doctor Knight-Hemlock or someone had texted me to find out what the hell I was doing, but I hadn’t looked at my phone in days. I wasn’t even sure where the damn thing was at this point.

“Ten days of having a mate in heat will do that to you,”my wolf chimed happily into my thoughts.

We’d missed two weeks of classes and that would be a bitch to make up. But we’d make do. That’s what everyone did at the academy if heat or a rut caused them to miss days.

“Alpha?!” Del shouted and I dropped the armful of clean sheets onto the floor in the bedroom doorway.

“Del?” I asked, scrambling over the bed and opening the bathroom door.

“I think the test is broken,” he said, staring down at an obviously used test on the side of the sink.

Glancing down, it only took a second to identify the infamous pixelated baby. Except this one was wrapped up tight in a green blanket instead of the yellow one that was so commonly known. It was common enough to make its way into about a quarter of the memes posted on the student social media on campus.

“It’s green,” I blinked and picked up an unopened test. “Hang on. Let me read, mate. I’m sure it’s just a fluke or a faulty test. Even if we hit the bullseye the first time, I don’t think a test could show that.”

“Hitting the bullseye? Is that what the medical community is calling it now?” Del let out a nervous laugh.

The box was different than the boxes offered in most buildings on campus. The baby on the front of the box was wrapped up in a green blanket. The box’s text boasted that it was the new improved pixelated baby test.

“Find out as soon as seven days after conception!” Del read aloud.

“Take another one,” I said, handing him the box I inspected. “False positives are more likely than false negatives.”

“Rex?” Del said, grabbing my hand that wasn’t holding the box.

“Yeah, mate?” I met his gaze.

“You do know how much sex we’ve had, right? How much unprotected-in heat- true-mate response sex we’ve had? If the test isn’t lying about its abilities---” His words trailed off as he sank onto the edge of the tub.

We hadn’t even talked about what our future might look like before we fell into bed together for the first time. It hadn’t even crossed my mind and I knew better than that. I was a medical student. I was Del’s Alpha. I was supposed to ensure this didn’t happen until he wanted it to.

“Alpha?” Del looked up at me.

“I’m---” I started to apologize, but Del spoke first.

“Do you want kids?” He asked.

I almost said it was too late to ask that question, but I nodded instead. Maybe it was selfish. London was on fire and I wasn’t even sure where I’d finish up my medical education. I wasn’t sure there would be a hospital to work at, but I did want kids. I wanted a family.

“Then this is good, right? You’re not mad or something or---” He started, but I squatted down and put my hands on his shoulders.

“I’m not mad, Del. I should’ve thought ahead. I wasn’t the one in heat. I just wish you’d have more say in whether or not this happened now.”

“Alpha, I was in heat. You didn’t put a gun to my head,” he laughed and some of the tension in my shoulders uncoiled. “I knew what could happen. Hell, I knew what would probably happen. It all happened so fast, and I assumed we were on the same page, because we’re true-mates, but if I was wrong, I’m sorry.”

“You’re not wrong,” I said, sitting down next to him and taking his hand in mine. “I don’t know exactly what we’re going to do going forward, but I’m happy. If you’re okay with this, if you want this, I’m happy – even if it’s selfish I’m happy.”

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