“Ladies first,” said Tony, ushering me forward. I didn’t need to be asked twice. I missed my mom’s cooking, and it smelled so good. I scooped a slice of the juicy goodness and made my way back into the living room, which seemed even tinier with all the alphas crowding the space.
As we ate and conversed about everything, my mom pulled me into the kitchen.
“Are you happy with this pack of alphas?” she asked me, her eyes concerned.
“I am, Mom,” I replied.
“How about school? What’s going to happen?”
“I want to stay in Howl’s Edge for a while longer and learn where we came from,” I said. I had thought about this for days and days. I wasn’t happy with college here and didn’t know what I was doing with my life before I met Grant and his pack. “Mom, I have something else to tell you.”
“What is it?” she said, taking a sip of the homemade strawberry juice.
“I’m pregnant,” I blurted out. I was done keeping secrets and was tired of it. I touched my little belly that wasn’t showing yet. She nearly choked on her drink and set it down slowly.
Her eyes were wide, and her face lit with joy.
“We’re going to have a grandbaby!” she exclaimed, hugging me again. I laughed in relief. “You’ve already made your life choices, so there’s no use regretting anything.”
“I know. I’m just so relieved you’re not angry with me,” I said.
My dad came to congratulate me next, and I knew he was excited.
“I thought this day would never happen,” he said. “Your mother and I left Howl’s Edge to protect you, and it seems things are a little safer now.”
“It is,” said Tony.
“I think we should go back home,” my mom said to my dad.
“Home where?” asked my dad.
“Howl’s Edge island.”
“I agree,” my dad replied.
Chapter 22
9 Months Later
Tiana
Beingninemonthspregnantwasn’t fun.
I felt ready to pop as I helped paint the garage in our new home in Howl’s Edge.
The men wore plastic garb from head to toe, while I wore a simple black apron over my red summer dress. It was a beautiful day outside. I could see the ocean's waves from our new house. I loved it. Grant and the pack were able to buy a house on the island after working a couple of months with Caleb, and we had just moved in.
I never imagined how big I had gotten. It was heavy carrying around this baby, but at least the nausea and dizziness stopped.
“Take a break, baby,” said Wesley, coming over and kissing my neck.
“Painting takes my mind off things,” I insisted, swiping the paintbrush over the wall in a neat stroke of white paint. I was enjoying this. I straightened back up, massaging my lower back.
“Your dad will have my neck if I don’t stop you from working,” said Wesley. “Considering that they live right next door.”
“How do you feel about them living next door?” I asked lightly, knowing he was the most nervous of all the men.
“I got used to it,” said Wesley, taking off his glove and rubbing my pregnant belly in circles. The men loved rubbing my belly and feeling the baby kick. We purposely didn’t want to find out the gender of the baby. The doctor at the East Omega Birthing Clinic said I’d have to go through a scheduled c-section as most omegas did. I didn’t feel comfortable with that, but I still wanted to be alive at the end of all this.