Page 10 of An Alpha’s Guide to Finding the One

He mimics my nod, not a drop of doubt in his expression, despite his next question. “And is it…?”

I grimace. “It had been six months before you, and there hasn’t been anyone since, so…” I pause, and then realize why he would be asking. “Oh, I’m happy to do a paternity test. Or whatever you need. I’m not asking for anything from you.” My tone is panicked by the end, the fear that he will think I’m trying to use him taking root. Years of my mother telling me omegas are nothing but decorations, finding the richest alphas they can so they don’t have to work, circling in my head.

“Woah, nobody said anything about DNA tests or accused you of anything. We believe you.” Wyatt interrupts my spiral, sliding his hand off my shoulder to hold my hand instead. I didn’t even realize he still had a hand on me, but I’m grateful for it. This is all a lot to process, and I’m still so tired. The dizziness Wyatt mentioned earlier is starting to affect me, too.

“You do?” I ask pathetically.

Lucky nods frantically, but they all echo with some form of affirmation. “Of course we do!” Lucky nearly shouts. “I was there, too. We didn’t use protection, and the timing lines up. And I’m not angry, if you were worried about that.”

A relieved sigh gusts out of me, because, yeah, I was. Lucky is a jock and from all of my experiences with them, they wouldn’t usually be cool with a random hookup turning up pregnant. Which reminds me… “Why have the staff let you back here? I didn’t even know your name before today.”

They all look to Lawson, whose cheeks are faintly pink. “I, uh.” He clears his throat. “I may have told them we were your pack so they would let us see you. I didn’t know who to call and⁠—”

My hand slices through the air, cutting him off. “There isn’t anyone to call. Maybe my best friend, but otherwise it’s just me.”

Lawson nods slowly with a contemplative look. “Look, I don’t mean to pry because at the end of the day I’m nothing more than a stranger right now, but do you have a place to stay? A way to replace the things you lost in the fire?”

My heart drops to the floor. Everything has been so hectic I didn’t even consider the fact that my room was on fire and I may have lost all of my things. “I—” my hands cup my belly protectively as panicked tears spring to my eyes. There isn’t a bump to feel yet, but I know there will be soon if I’m already three months along. “No, I don’t. I guess I could stay with my best friend and her pack,” the rest of what I was saying gets cut off by four aggressive growls that send fear skittering down my spine. My body curls into itself on instinct. The need to protect my baby from any potential threat comes as natural as breathing, which gives me a sliver of hope that I won’t be as bad of a mother as… nope. Not going there right now.

Lawson scoots the barest few inches further up the bed, placing a hand on top of mine. I catch another whiff of his spicy gingerbread scent and the heart monitor, which had been going wild in time with my racing heart, instantly slows. There’s something about these alphas’ scents that puts my omega on alert, but I can’t for the life of me figure out what she’s trying to say through the suppressants that are still wearing off. I only stopped taking them a few days ago, and my doctor said it would be at least a week if not more before my senses and scent began to return to normal. “Sorry,” he whispers gruffly. The weight of his big hand on mine is soothing in a way that should concern me, but I think I have finally reached my limit for what my mind can handle, because it feels a little like everything is underwater.

“Okay - pause. Why did you all growl?” At least my brain is functioning enough to ask the semi-important questions.

All four alphas look bashful, which is as amusing as it is concerning. Finally, Rhys meets my eyes, determination painted across his sharp features. “We growled because none of us like the idea of you living with some random alphas,” he remarks flatly.

I shake my head, confusion weighing my addled brain down even further. “But they aren’t random, they’re my friends.”

Rhys’s expression doesn’t change. “Don’t matter. They’re alphas, yes?”

I nod.

“Then our alphas won’t be okay with you staying there.”

A scoff escapes without a hope of me stopping it. “And who are you to tell me who I can and cannot stay with?”

A tiny smirk quirks the corner of his mouth as his sugar cookie scent brightens with hints of almond that make my mouth water. “Your scent matches, darlin’.”

The little omega is everything Lawson promised and more. I have to admit when he first told us Lainey was a scent match, I assumed he was bullshitting. Or maybe not bullshitting, but definitely lost in the sauce of learning she’s pregnant with Lucky’s baby. But sure as anything, the second I crossed the threshold to her hospital room it felt like I had been hit by a twenty ton combine.

And liked it.

Her delicious berry pie scent filled my nostrils before wrapping around my lungs like a vice. I swear I haven’t taken a full breath since the moment I locked eyes on her soot streaked face. There’s no way to tell if she has a baby belly with the baggy hospital gown and half a dozen blankets Law piled over the little darling in his quest to comfort her, but suddenly every instinct I have is begging me to shove all that shit aside and find out if her body is showing any outward signs that she’s carrying my baby.

Because regardless of DNA, that baby is mine. My mama would tan my hide black and blue if I treated a pack baby like anything other than my own blood.

Lainey scoffs when I inform her she won’t be staying with her friend, and I think it is supposed to be intimidating, but she’s like an angry little kitten puffing up her fur to look menacing. The overall effect is cute as all hell. “And who are you to tell me who I can and cannot stay with?”

I’m sure the guys are going to kick my ass for this later, but I think this little girl could use a dose of the truth. Smirking, I stare down at her with nothing but challenge in my eyes. “Your scent matches, darlin’.”

Her eyes go wide as she gasps. Wyatt groans, Lucky snickers under his breath, and Law pinches the bridge of his nose, breathing deeply like he’s contemplating my untimely demise. “What the hell are you talking about?” she snaps.

My eyes roll, but I almost smile at her precious murderous glare. “Come on, darlin’,” I drawl. “Don’t tell me our scents haven’t been soothing you from the minute you opened those gorgeous brown eyes. We can all see the heart monitor up there.” I point vaguely to the little square screen on the wall next to her bed. “As soon as you caught Law’s scent during your existential crisis earlier, your heart slowed right down. He is a stranger to you. Your omega would likely have clawed his eyes out if he wasn’t your scent match. And Lucky? You have a one night stand outside of a heat on suppressants and somehow end up pregnant? Unheard of… outside of a scent match. Scent matches supersede everything. Modern medicine, logic, instincts, laws, all of it. I mean, hell, Lucky even…”

“Shut the fuck up, Rhys!” Lucky barks. His pale cheeks are tomato red and even though the tips of his ears are covered by hair I have no doubt they are as well. He turns to Lainey, a nervous smile plastered on his lips. “Don’t listen to him. Lucky was looking for you, but he didn’t do anything weird. All totally normal, asking around, pining alpha shit. Nothing weird.”

Lainey’s eyes are like saucers as her gaze darts between us. Lucky is an idiot, but he’s right. I shouldn’t be spilling his secrets like that.

“Anyway,” I continue. “You’ll come and stay with us.”