Page 54 of A Promise of Forever (The Vallaverse #3)

Sterling

It's been almost a week of pure bliss since Wilson died, and I'm still waiting for something to go wrong.

But nothing does. Every morning I wake up in Forrest's arms, safe and warm and loved, and every night I fall asleep the same way.

It feels almost too good to be true, like I'm living in a dream that might shatter at any moment.

However, with every passing moment, I believe a little more that this is our forever.

Because the last several days have been full of sweet moments and hilarious disasters as we figure out how to live together properly.

Early on, we had the awkward conversation about what my pregnancy could possibly look like, Forrest obsessively searching so many goddamn terms that I started blushing.

His face went through about fifteen different emotions in three seconds after a certain raunchy article, the poor Valla even more overwhelmed than I am.

The only thing we did agree on was the nest part, which apparently is another sign of pregnancy according to all the research Forrest keeps doing.

There's now a nest in the corner of Forrest's office, one in the library where I've started reading more, one in what used to be a formal sitting room, and even a small one in the kitchen near the window where morning light comes in.

Marcus finds it endlessly amusing, though he's also very sweet about making sure each nest has fresh blankets and pillows.

My attempt at cooking dinner earlier this week was an absolute disaster.

I wanted to surprise Forrest with a home-cooked meal, something I'd never really learned to do properly.

I found a recipe online that looked simple enough—just pasta and sauce with some vegetables.

But somehow I managed to burn the pasta, over-salt the sauce until it was inedible, and set off the smoke alarm twice.

Forrest came rushing into the kitchen thinking the house was on fire, only to find me crying over a pot of smoking pasta while the sauce had somehow exploded all over the stove.

Instead of being angry or disappointed, he just laughed and kissed my forehead. Then he ordered takeout and we ate sitting on the kitchen floor, still surrounded by my cooking disaster. He said it was one of his favorite meals ever because I tried so hard to do something nice for him.

And then, there was the night when Forrest came home late from The Forge, exhausted and stressed from handling some business issue I didn't fully understand. I was waiting for him in the main room, wearing nothing but one of his shirts. The moment he walked in and saw me, his exhaustion transformed into heat. I made him fuck me right there on the couch in the formal sitting room where his parents used to entertain important guests, claiming him and taking what I needed. Forrest loved it, but I haven’t been as bold since.

Most of my time is spent sprawled out in one of my nests, waiting for Forrest to finish whatever he’s working on before he comes to join me.

The night we spent in the courtyard under the stars was probably my favorite, my Valla feeding me little cucumber sandwiches as he described all the things he was going to change for me and our child.

Now, though, reality is intruding on our bubble of happiness. It's time for my first real medical check-up, my first step outside the house for anything more substantial than going to The Forge or the occasional drug store run with heavy security.

My heart is palpitating in my chest as we pull up to the hospital, anxiety making my palms sweat despite Forrest's steady presence beside me.

Although there have been rumors regarding Wilson or Thatcher's whereabouts, nothing concrete has come back to haunt us. He's just... gone. Vanished completely. And I know he’s not coming back. Forrest didn’t give me any details, but the night he came in covered in blood, I knew Wilson was dead.

Other than a missing person ad that ran briefly in the newspaper and something on the news revealing the connection between Detective Wilson Cromwell and the drug dealer known as Thatcher, there's been nothing.

No body discovered, no investigation focused on Forrest, no officers showing up asking questions.

It's like Wilson simply ceased to exist.

I blow out a heavy breath as Forrest helps me out of the car and into the hospital, the intake process surprisingly simple before we’re led into a small room.

Forrest already arranged everything, using his connections to ensure we see one of the best Omega specialists in the region as well as making sure that I’d have my privacy away from the usual chaos.

"Sterling King?” A Beta steps into the small room and closes the door behind her.

“You can have a seat on this cot right here.” I timidly move to sit on the crinkly paper, Forrest standing beside me with his hand in mine.

“And you must be Forrest, right? Glad to finally meet you. I heard what you did for Rose, that little Omega a week or so ago? Thank you. We need more Valla like you.”

Forrest manages a smile, obviously embarrassed, but the ease with which the doctor speaks makes it easier to relax.

“My name is Dr. Emma Harrison, one of the King’s family doctors.

Well, my mother worked for the family and I’m happy enough to have been afforded a position as well.

Let's start with some basic blood work," she says, preparing supplies along the back counter.

"We'll test hormone levels, check for any deficiencies, and confirm the pregnancy officially.

If you need me to stop or slow down, just let me know, alright? "

I nod and then she turns her attention to Forrest.

“I’m going to be touching and assessing your Omega. Please note that anything I am doing is to determine his health and the health of the baby. He will vocalize anything I need to do differently, but everything I do here is no way meant to harm Sterling.”

I don’t like the sound of that. “What are you talking about? Why are you talking to him like that?”

Forrest squeezes my hand a little bit, both of us waiting for Dr. Harrison to explain.

She sighs, offering us a soft smile. “I’ve worked with many Valla and they are highly protective of their mates, especially their Omegas.

Any sound of distress you make, no matter how small is going to alert his protective instincts.

The moment you hiss because something is too cold, Forrest may very well perceive that as a threat, so as a formality, I speak to the baser instincts to assert that I am not a threat. ”

That makes more sense, but I still don’t understand why she would need to do all of that.

Forrest merely nods, looking just as confused as I feel.

Dr. Harrison has me roll up my sleeve and I try not to flinch when the needle goes in.

Forrest holds my other hand, his thumb rubbing soothing circles on my skin, a low growl rumbling through his chest.

I twist to look up at him, his gaze locked on the doctor. Fuck, oh. That’s what she meant. “Valla, I’m fine.” He visibly settles, the Beta looking up at me with a relieved expression.

She pats my arm with a small piece of gauze before placing a Band-Aid over it. “All done. I’m going to run a few preliminary results on the computer here and then we’ll do the ultrasound, okay?”

She moves to the small counter and wakes up the computer before setting the vial of blood in a case.

I have no idea what she’s doing, anxiety rushing through me as I glance around the room.

I didn’t notice everything in here before, several pictures of Omegas in different stages of pregnancy, informational posters plastered against the wall talking about do’s and don’ts. It’s all a bit too much.

“You okay, little dove?”

I meet my Valla’s gaze and force a smile onto my face. “Just a bit overwhelmed. It’s a lot.” He draws my hand to his lips, his other hand moves to brush across my bottom lip. I hum into the touch, Dr. Harrison’s voice interrupting the moment.

"Congratulations," she says warmly. "You're definitely pregnant. Based on your hormone levels and the timing you provided, I'd estimate you're just about a week along."

Hearing it confirmed officially makes it real in a way it hasn't been before. There's actually a baby growing inside me, a tiny life that Forrest and I created together.

"Now let's do an ultrasound to make sure everything looks healthy. If you could lie back and lift your shirt?"

I do as instructed, suddenly nervous about what we might see or not see. Forrest moves with me, his hand settling along the top of my head as he lightly grips my hand, giving me the comfort I need. The nurse applies cold gel to my still-flat stomach, my entire body shuddering from the sensation.

She moves the ultrasound wand around, her eyes focused on the screen beside us. For several long moments there's just static-looking images that I can't interpret. Then suddenly, a shape appears, with a tiny flutter that Dr. Harrison says is the heartbeat.

"There we go," she says with satisfaction.

"One healthy fetus with a strong heartbeat.

You should be due in about three to four months, though it really depends on how your Omega biology adapts to the pregnancy.

Every pregnancy is different, and male Omega gestations can be shorter than female ones. "

She points to various parts of the image, explaining what we're looking at. I'm overwhelmed trying to process all the information. That tiny flickering shape is going to become a person, a child we'll raise and love and protect.

The nurse continues with information about the first trimester.

"You'll want to be careful about certain foods—no raw fish or unpasteurized cheeses.

Make sure you're taking prenatal vitamins, staying hydrated, and getting plenty of rest. It's normal to feel tired or nauseous, especially in the mornings.

Some Omegas also experience heightened emotional sensitivity due to hormonal changes. "

She goes through a longer list of things to be mindful of during the pregnancy, and I feel increasingly overwhelmed by all the rules and restrictions.

Forrest looks equally stunned, his eyes wide as he tries to absorb all the information being thrown at us.

No doubt I’ll catch him up late tonight researching every article he can find before he gets adorably frustrated.

The nurse must notice our expressions because she laughs gently. "I know it's a lot to take in all at once. I'll print out information packets for you to review at home. You'll come back in about three weeks for another check-up to make sure everything is progressing normally."

She gives us a few moments alone after printing out ultrasound pictures and scheduling our next appointment. I stare at the grainy images showing the tiny life inside me, barely able to process that this is real.

"We're going to have a baby," I whisper, my voice full of wonder and terror in equal measure.

Forrest pulls me into a tight hug, his emotions flooding through the bond—joy, love, protective determination, and his own thread of fear.

"I want to be more to this baby than my parents ever were to me," I admit against his shoulder.

"I want to give them safety and love and choices.

I don't want them to ever feel unwanted or like they're a burden. "

"You will be amazing," Forrest assures me, pulling back to cup my face in his hands. "You're going to be the perfect daddy. Our child is going to grow up knowing they're loved and wanted and protected. We're going to give them everything you didn't have."

He presses a sweet kiss to my lips that I melt into before we break apart, Forrest grinning with barely contained excitement. "I have a bit of a surprise for you," Forrest muses. "Something I've been planning."

I nod, curious about what he could have arranged. We check out at the reception desk, and I carefully tuck the ultrasound pictures into my pocket. As we're walking to the car, I pull out my phone and send one of the pictures to Astra with the message: "It's official!!!"

Astra calls immediately, his scream of excitement so loud I have to hold the phone away from my ear. "Oh my god, Sterling! This is amazing! We're going to be pregnant together! Well, you're pregnant now and I’m going to be the best fucking uncle ever!"

I laugh as Astra continues to babble excitedly about baby clothes and nursery designs and how he’s going to spoil all the babies I’m supposedly going to have.

Forrest is grinning as he listens to my side of the conversation, clearly pleased by Astra's enthusiasm.

When Astra finally hangs up, his voice still ringing in my ear, I look out the window to see Forrest has pulled up to the courthouse.

"What are we doing here?"

Forrest turns to me, love and determination written all over his face. "I'm making my claim on you official. With Wilson gone, there's no legal urgency to file the paperwork immediately. But I don't want to wait any longer. I want everyone to fucking know that you're mine and I'm yours."

My breath catches in my throat. "Really? You want to make it legal and official?"

"I want to tell every goddamn person who will listen that you're my Omega and how proud I am to be yours," Forrest purrs. "I want our child to be born into a legally recognized family. I want you to have all the protections and rights that come with being my bonded mate."

Tears well up in my eyes, emotion overwhelming me. "I'm so happy I ran into your office that day," I whisper, my words getting stuck in my throat as a tear runs down my cheek. "So happy I was desperate enough to hide under your desk and trust you."

"You and me both, little dove. Best decision I ever made was letting you stay."