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She has her leash in her jaws again, as she has never taken to wearing it. She’s happy to cooperate when she’s holding it, but as soon as they tried to put the harness on, she became a slippery eel and then an immovable object with teeth.

Even Jay’s bared alpha fangs were met with disdain.

They don’t talk about who won that skirmish, although Leo has the whole thing on video.

(May it never see the light of day, for his sake.)

She may have been content a few moments before, but she’s insistent now and Nix is no fool.

She’s had good instincts up to this point, so he lets her precede him out the door.

“Kooky-Tsuki, along for the ride? Yes! Why didn’t I think of that? Come on. I think I see Artem.”

Luca leads them through the dusting of snow covering the courtyard and down to the gate where, sure enough, there on the other side is a silver Hyundai Venue.

Nix waves through the gate while Luca uses his fingerprint to unlock it and then lock it again.

Sometimes he feels like it’s the National Treasury, and when he’s said so, Jay has said he IS a National Treasure.

Ha-fucking-ha.

Artem Tragoudis jumps out once the gate is locked and comes around to let Luca and Tsuki into the backseat, and then Nix into the front.

It’s a tight fit for them all, given Tsuki’s size and Luca’s fluffy hat.

“Thank you for coming, Artem. We appreciate the ride.”

“Of course! It’s my day off, and you know I don’t mind chauffeuring you around. Much rather it be me than a stranger. The weather has been too cold for bus stops.”

Luca mutters his agreement, still shy and uncertain.

It’s not that he doesn’t like Artem; it’s just that every time he sees him, he’s reminded of why Nix knows him in the first place.

That’s a fair point, and Nix is reminded of it, too.

But what he’s reminded of is how he saw Artem as his savior from that day forward and that, for some unknown reason, Artem had felt the call to be where Nix needed him.

It makes Nix think that maybe he has someone watching over him.

Artem has no family of his own, and once Nix had been in contact, he’d sort of taken him under his wing.

As another point in his favor, Tsuki thinks he’s the best thing ever; maybe that’s why she wanted to come along so badly.

“Where are you headed today, young gentlemen and Tsuki?” Artem asks as he makes a U-turn so he can go back the way he’d come, out toward the main street.

“The library?” It was their favorite destination since the fall.

“We don’t have time today after all, so just the café, please?”

Nix feels a bit of guilt at thinking he has to be home before Rowan gets there.

“That will be lovely, I’m sure. ”

Artem and Nix keep up a quiet conversation about his church events and his job. He is retiring from the bus company in the spring and is looking forward to a life without night shifts.

It makes Nix happy that his friend is going to have more free time to do some of the things he’s always wanted to do.

“Artem, would you like to join us?” Nix asks when they pull up in front of Common Grounds.

Artem opens the door for Nix, and then for Luca and Tsuki, with a small bow.

“I won’t today, Nix, as I have a few errands to run. Please text when you’re ready, and I’ll take you home again. Goodbye, Luca—and beautiful Tsuki. Enjoy your cheesecake.”

“Bye-bye, Artem,” Luca says quietly and opens the door to the café, leaving Nix and Artem staring after him.

“He’ll be alright, son. One day at a time. I wanted to ask—are you feeling well?”

The older man raises his eyebrows with a smile that pulls his cheeks back.

“I am feeling a bit sick sometimes, but I read that’s normal for pregnant people,” he whispers.

Artem had been ecstatic when Nix told him on their last outing, but he still kept quiet about it when they were out and about.

Artem already knew most of the histories of omegas, as they were a part of his religious learning. He maintained a certain enthusiasm when he spoke of it that was similar to when they were talking about his love for hockey—and his pet rabbit, Wolha.

“I am so glad.”

He looks over Nix’s shoulder with a nod. “You should go. They’re waiting for you. Text me.”

Artem waits until Nix is safely inside before he drives away.

Nix raises a hand in goodbye—and then lets his smile drop as the rush of mingled bakery scents makes his stomach roil.

Ugh. What he wouldn’t give for one of Rowan’s pocket-snacks right now. They were almost always exactly what he was craving .

He spots Luca sitting near the window on his left, with Tsuki sitting like a proper lady on the chair, her leash on the table.

“Luca?” Nix laughs.

While he may think his dog sitting in a chair like a person is the cutest thing, the other patrons do not.

Not that he can see around her to the rest of the room from where he’s currently sitting. Come to think of it, they can’t see him either.

Still, though, she was drawing attention.

It’s enough that the café lets her come in as Luca’s service animal; they don’t need to cause any additional trouble.

“Down, girl.”

She remains where she is, and there’s a final stare-off which Nix wins, but only because of his small growl.

Once she slinks to the floor, she crawls under the table, bumping it hard enough that the tableware clanks and clatters.

“She won’t be able to do that much longer,” Luca whispers, just as their barista brings drinks and dessert.

“She insisted on the chair and then pretended like I wasn’t even here. Just sat there, staring straight ahead.”

“Maybe she’s looking at herself in the mirror? I mean, she’s never done that before,” Nix says, watching Luca fill his cheeks with chocolate cheesecake.

No, she hadn’t.

It’s unsettling enough that Nix takes a look around the café for the first time, trying to see what might have caught Tsuki’s eye in the mirror.

There are a few students on laptops near the back, taking advantage of the free coffee refills and Wi-Fi, and an older couple holding hands on a sofa on the far side of the room.

There are two single men as well.

The first is stocky, staring at his phone. He’s wearing a workman’s jacket and a black beanie, and he’s absentmindedly drinking from a to-go cup rather than one of the cafe’s eclectic mugs.

(Luca’s hot chocolate is in a white mug with I Wore My Sassy Pants Today on one side.)

The other man is handsome, tall and lean, with dark hair and a warm smile. He catches Nix’s eye and nods before going back to his book on parenting.

Well, that’s a good sign, then.

Taking a bite of his chocolate brownie, he immediately pushes the plate away in favor of his water. But still, now that he’s tuning in to his intuition, he feels a bit off.

Maybe it’s the excess sugar.

There’s a spot of whipped cream on the corner of Luca’s mouth when he asks, “Are you okay? You look a bit green.”

Forcing a smile through his nausea, Nix jumps to his feet. “I’m going to the restroom, and then I’ll be back. Cold always makes me have to pee.”

He doesn’t give Luca enough time to go with him. Even Tsuki makes noise under the table like she’s planning to follow, but Nix just waves them off and heads to the back, moving past the kitchen and into the two-stall restroom as quickly as he can.

The room is quaint and clean, but Nix can’t stop to enjoy this week’s change in artwork like he usually would before slamming the cubicle door closed and throwing up his brownie, his breakfast, and even some of last night’s dinner.

Ugh.

He heaves a bit and crouches down to rest his butt on his heels. There are black spots in his vision and then…

Nothing.

He comes to with Tsuki half-under the cubicle door, licking his hand, while Luca shakes the door.

“Nix! Fuck. NIX!”

“I’m good, just gimme a minute.”

He must have been out for a few minutes if Luca was already in a panic.

“Out, Tsuki. Back it up, back it up.”

Tsuki crawls out as Nix gets the door open.

In the next instant, he’s got an armful of Luca Wilde and a nose in his neck, his mate’s frightened mocha scent filling the small space.

“You didn’t text and didn’t come out. You were taking forever, then that nice older lady said maybe I should check on you and I could see you on the ground under the door! What happened?”

He’s running his hands over Nix’s hair and back, even going so far as to pry his mouth open.

“Quit that. I’m not a horse. Ugh…the baby doesn’t like brownies, I think.”

It’s sacrilege, because who doesn’t like brownies?

Nix grimaces at the taste of acidic chocolate still in his mouth and heads toward the sink to rinse, trying to avoid meeting Luca’s eyes on the way.

“The baby doesn’t like brownies? What…oh. Damn. You’re morning-sick? But it’s mid-afternoon.”

Nix finally turns the tap on and cups his hands under the faucet, using the water he collects to rinse his face and mouth.

“I guess so. It can happen at any time of the day, though.”

At Luca’s suspicious glare, Nix might feel a bit guilty.

“How long? No.” He holds up a hand. “If you aren’t going to be truthful right now… I’m going to be pissed.”

“Fine. A few weeks. I’m managing. It’s trial-and-error…wait… what are you doing—Luca!”

But it’s too late, the traitor.

“Artem, could you pick us up? That would be great. We’ll see you outside, thanks.”

Luca hands him a few paper towels after he’s hung up the phone, then pulls a mint out of his bag while texting single-handedly.

Less than ten seconds later, Nix’s phone dings and then it’s ringing.

Luca just smiles smugly. “You better answer that.”

“You aren’t my favorite right now,” Nix whispers as he sticks out his tongue, only to have Luca place the mint on it before he can pull it back in.

He answers with a jovial, “Jamie!”

“Luca told us that you’re puking in the cafe, Nix.”

There are some low voices in the background, and then the slamming of a car door .

“Us?”

Of course, the ding had been the group chat.

“We’ll meet you at the hospital so Finn can have a look at you.”

“What? No. Jamie, seriously, this is normal. Didn’t you read any of the books Finn brought home?”

Yes, I did, and I don’t fucking care. You’ll meet us there in twenty minutes or I will—”

“Fine.”

Nix is so angry, he just hangs up and throws open the door of the restroom so he can storm into the dining area. He’s got his scent turned down to a trickle, or he might have incited a panic, he’s so angry. Thank the Goddess he’s got that skill on lock.

The barista is standing by their table with a to-go cup in her hand and a little paper bag. Nix slows his walk and pastes a smile on his face, but he’s not sure he’s successful in containing his anger as her eyes go comically wide.

“Uh…Nix, this is from one of our regulars. He’s usually in here when you are, oddly enough. Said you might need these, whatever that means.”

Nix looks around, but the tall, handsome man is gone.

“Tall guy?”

The barista just smiles. “Mmhmm. Dreamy. Matteo is so nice.”

“Matteo Romano was here? Where? I can’t believe I missed him. Why wouldn’t he have come over and said hello?” Luca muses.

“Do we know him?”

Nix accepts the cup, and a waft of peppermint tingles his nose; when he takes a sip, it calms his tummy. There are two plain sugar cookies in the bag, and it’s a surprisingly thoughtful gesture from a stranger who shouldn’t know he’s pregnant.

Luca grabs his coat and hands Tsuki her leash, making sure she has it firmly in her mouth.

“Yeah. He’s Kennedy pack. Works for…oh…” He stops, looking caught out and guilty. “Don’t be mad…der.”

Oh, this is going to be good, Nix sighs to himself .

He puts Jay’s black puffer coat back on, and the scent of happy pine surrounds him, but also reminds him of his Pack Alpha’s ultimatum at the same time.

“Mad about what?” he grumps as he spots Artem pulling up outside.

The air is frigid when he opens the door, and Nix is grateful for the hot to-go cup warming his hands. He slides the cookies into his pocket.

Maybe he’ll start keeping his own pocket-snacks now.

“Well, I might have texted Gideon to see if he wanted to join us at the cafe. And Matteo works at Sentinel.”

So, Nix’s covert trip to the cafe was not, in fact, covert.

Luca told Gideon, who either called Sentinel or Jay, who then called Sentinel himself.

Nix doesn’t realize he’s growling until Tsuki drops her leash and takes up a position beside him, leash on the ground and teeth bared.

The action makes both Artem and Luca jump.

Anger at his high-handed, irritating, sneaky mates has reached its maximum.

It’s only when he feels the hot tea burn his hand that he realizes he has crushed the cup.

The other two men begin to talk over each other in concern, but he waves them off.

“I’m alright. Can we go, please? I have some things I need to say, and I expect the people I need to say them to are at the hospital.”