Page 30 of A Baby for the Beast (Beastverse #3)

Hayley

G od, I really am a lucky fucking omega.

I mean, how could I not think that I'm the luckiest woman in the world when I'm maybe ten feet away from Lucas, all sweaty and flexed and doing pull-ups in the doorway.

He knows what he's doing to me, there's no way he doesn't, because I can feel myself perfuming for him.

His composure breaks when a needy whimper leaves me, my feigning not to notice him by pretending to watch television no longer working.

His lips curl up in a knowing smirk before he uncrosses his ankles and drops his feet back down to the ground.

"See something you like, omega?" Lucas asks, walking over to me. I ignore him, pretending to be engrossed in the dating show I'm watching. Of course, he doesn't take my fake disinterest seriously. No, he stands between me and the TV, which is honestly better than any show.

"What are your plans for the day?" Lucas asks me, his hands on his hips, looking down at me like he has a couple of things he'd like for me to do today.

"Pretty sure I'm going to plot your murder with Lilah and Janie," I tell him, fluttering my lashes.

He lets out a short bark of laughter, stepping closer to me, forcing me to tilt my head back to look up the wide expanse of his chest, his muscles glistening with a slight sheen of sweat from the exercises he's been doing.

"I don't think you have it in you to kill me," Lucas says, cupping my cheek, which I traitorously nuzzle into.

I might be mad that he's fighting Kyle tonight, but that doesn't stop me from caring about him.

Hell, the longer we've been together, the more my feelings have grown, and we're at the point where even if I don't scent match him when I finally get my sense of smell back, I know he's it for me.

Okay, yeah, the bites in our necks kind of said that too, but those tie us to one another.

They don't force our feelings to grow. They just give us the comfort of permanence that makes it easier for those feelings to grow.

I nuzzle once more into Lucas's hand, loving how his features soften when he looks down at me. "I love you too much to kill you."

Lucas opens his mouth to say something, but his eyes flash golden. His hand moves to the back of my neck, grabbing my hair and holding me in place. " Which of us? "

I might want to roll my eyes at Remus being so dramatic, but he's a self-conscious beast even if he'd rather no one know that about him. So instead of making it out like his question is stupid, because it is, I wrap my hands in the waistband of his pants and pull him closer to me.

"Both of you," I tell him, using his moment of stunned silence to lean forward and lick the left V of his hip, tasting a hint of his minty pheromones if I try hard enough. There's a chance it's just wishful thinking.

It's not often an omega purrs. We like to feel safe and secure, and it's reserved for letting our mates know we're content. When Remus's fingers flex against the back of my head, holding me close to him, allowing me to lick at him some more, my purr comes out, much to both of our surprise.

" Perfect girl, " Remus murmurs. " We love you, too. "

His hand flexes in my hair before losing the tension. Lucas is the one who speaks next, dropping down to his knees in front of me. "We love you so much, Hayley."

"Make me forget that I'm mad at you fighting tonight," I whisper.

Lucas leans down toward me, his lips parting, his warm breath skating over me.

His lips are on mine, doing exactly what I ask, making me forget long enough that he's going to fight Kyle tonight.

Long enough that I ruin part of his usual pre-fight rituals, but he doesn't seem to mind.

Not when Remus is growling in my ear, telling me he plans on keeping my knotted until he's forced to leave to make it to the fight on time.

He makes good on those promises too, rutting into me most of the day until we have to leave so he can drop me off at Janie's house before he heads off to the arena where the fight is being held.

Remus is too caught up in being with me that he doesn't care about being late.

Doesn't care that his trainer has messaged him a dozen times and called just as many to see where he is.

Technically, he was supposed to be at the stadium hours ago, but at this rate, he's only going to be there for a few minutes before he has to go out.

That still leaves me with plenty of time to stress about him doing this pig-headed, stupid thing that only an alpha would think is a good idea.

"I still think this is stupid," I tell Lucas as he kisses me on Janie's porch for about the tenth time.

We've been saying goodbye to one another for the last five minutes, which consists of us holding one another, kissing, and saying soft things to one another as we work up the courage to actually separate.

"I know you do," Lucas says, squeezing me tighter. "But it's one night and then I'm all yours for the rest of our lives."

"Promise?" I ask, tucking my chin against his chest and staring up at him.

He thinks about it for a second, his eyes looking across the road but not really seeing anything. "Okay, I might need to amend it."

I push away from him playfully and cock a brow. "You got other women in your life? Don't tell me you learned how to fuck with me and are using those skills on someone else."

" Hayley, " Remus's growl sends a jolt of excitement down my spine. The irritation he has at my joke is evident in the tension now coiling in his body.

"I'm teasing," I say, pressing my palm to his chest, hoping to ease his worries. Poor beast gets too in his head sometimes. But he takes my word for it being a joke and lets Lucas back out.

"I was trying to be sweet," Lucas says, smiling down at me before tugging me close yet again, making me squeal when my feet lift off the ground. "I was going to tell you that my heart will also belong to the sweet little girl I'll be meeting any day now."

"Lucas," his name comes out breathless as he lets my feet touch the ground again.

I swallow hard, trying not to cry at his words.

He was right about them being sweet. Right about them having a strong impact on me, too.

Now I feel bad for making a joke about it.

He brushes his lips against mine, then, because he's an actual animal, darts his tongue out and licks a tear off my cheek.

"As much as this is just so fun to watch, do you two think you could let us into the house?

" Henry asks from the driveway. Sarah's beaming up at us from his side, Jace a couple of feet behind them, cheeks burning bright red as he ducks his head like he's embarrassed to be caught catching Lucas and me.

"We just got here," Sarah says, chiming in as though that makes the fact that they walked up on Lucas licking my face any better.

Not that I'm too terribly embarrassed by it.

I love how much Lucas loves me, how much he desires me, and I don't mind other people knowing that as well.

Just maybe it'd be better if those people weren't related to him.

"I should get going," Lucas says with a sigh, stepping away from me, letting one hand cup my cheek as the other presses lovingly against my abdomen.

A cramp hits me, harder than I've felt so far in this pregnancy.

I stifle the little pained sound that tries to work itself out of my throat, not needing to worry Lucas before he goes off for his fight.

It's probably just more Braxton Hicks contractions.

My doctor told me it isn't uncommon to feel them, and Tessie isn't due for about a week.

If they keep up, I'll tell someone, but not Lucas.

He needs to have his head in the right place if he's really going to go out there and fight Kyle.

"I love you," I tell him, curling my hand in his shirt and tugging him down to kiss me once more. He doesn't even struggle, just does as he's told because he's a good alpha.

We both ignore Henry's grumbling about us needing to do this away from the front door. Lucas holds up a hand behind him. I'm sure he's flipping his brother off.

When Lucas pulls away for the final time, his cheeks are flushed, pupils blown, and he tells me, "I love you, omega."

"Go win and come back to me," I tell him, pushing him away and swatting his ass when he does.

His spine straightens at the contact, not expecting me to be so handsy with him in front of his family. They watched him lick my tears, they'll survive seeing me slap his ass.

"Don't worry," Sarah tells me. She steps up onto the porch as Lucas steps down. "He made Henry promise to take care of you and your sweet little baby if anything happens to him."

I sputter, not quite sure what to say, but knowing full well that I'm not happy with Lucas thinking even remotely that there's a chance he's not coming back.

"Lucas!" I yell his name, my irritation is clear, but he throws his head back and laughs loudly. He doesn't turn to look at me, doesn't even give me the courtesy of being afraid of my ire. "Lucas! I swear on everything if you don't come back to me, I will hate you!"

"Couldn't hate me if you tried, omega," Lucas calls over his shoulder. He opens the driver's side door before looking back at me, his eyes blazing golden. " And I'm always coming back for you. "

My mouth pops open to say something more, but Remus winks before settling into the car.

I press my lips together, my face burning with emotions.

At least I'm not crying this time. If I were crying, that would make this so much worse.

Only because I am righteously angry right now, and tears make me seem like I'm irrationally sad. No, thank you.

"He'll be fine," Henry tells me, his hand pressing between my shoulder blades as he ushers both me and his mate into the house. Jace stares out at Lucas's taillights before they disappear, and then he heads in behind us.