Page 73 of Dream Mates (Into The Parallel Omegaverse #2)

Chapter Forty-Nine

Grace

M y entire existence had been dumped upside down, as I continued to sob into the professor’s shoulder. If he was my dad, then I was from this world, and everything they’d been telling me about being a gamma, an omega whose body was forced to stop developing , was true.

I was from this world.

And somehow ended up in another.

With my biological mother’s identical twin.

The woman I’d called mom knew. Everything she did to me was intentional, which made it all the more devastating.

Especially since I’m sure she wasn’t trying to stop me from becoming an omega for altruistic purposes. Like the fact that I obviously didn’t belong in that world and might develop some interesting biology.

Was that why I hardly went to actual doctors once I hit my teens and instead saw church people with questionable business practices or her friends who sold essential oils?

Nate’s hand ran up and down my blanket-covered back. “Go ahead and cry, Grace. Just go ahead and cry.”

The door opened, but I didn’t look up.

“She really needs her alpha,” the professor said softly. “Also, I’m pretty sure Thora Silvers is her mother. The Rosalind that Grace mentioned previously is most likely Rosalind Silvers, Thora’s identical twin. There might be some mix-up in the records.”

“Noted,” the nurse said. “Grace, are you sure that your birthdate is correct?”

Shit. “Um, it might be a year off.”

“Nate, I’m so glad that you’re all right,” a male voice said.

“We’re all so worried. Some of the children are here.

I just came from them. They're really scared, especially the little ones. The nurse said that you didn’t want them in here with you?

What could be more important than the children? ” Hurt dripped from his accented voice.

“I didn’t want them here this second , Harry,” the professor said quietly. “I wanted to talk to you first. Also, another child has had her world upended, and she needs a breath. Creed, Mercy, and Hale will take care of the littles for the moment.”

His concern for my comfort made me cry harder.

“Oh. Is this… so she’s the one?” Harry said softly. “We know this for certain?”

“A genscan has been run and yes. We also know that Grace has been lied to about her parentage, things in her record are probably fake, and I’m not even sure I want to know what she’s been told about me.

Considering that she came here for a conference and not to find me, it’s a lot for her.

” The professor stroked my hair in a way that reminded me of my dad.

“I just wanted to see the particle cutter,” I sobbed. How badly could this backfire for me, considering Rosalind wasn’t in my file and I hadn’t exactly stayed with my backstory?

“I bet the particle cutter was really amazing. How was the simulator that Marquess has? And the CeCe they’re building over at the Collaborative?

I heard Ina’s presentation was really good,” he soothed.

“I may have pumped the children for information. Creed didn’t give me much, but Verity sang like a siren.

I confess that this morning I listened to the first two chapters of the book she said you were reading. Very spicy.”

Lifting my head, I looked at him through tear stained eyes. “It’s for book club. I was going to finish it today, on the beach.”

He started reading the book? Damnit. What did I even do?

“Grace, this is my husband Harry. Harry, this is Dr. Grace Ellington,” Nate said gently.

“Hi,” I sniffed, taking the tissues Lark handed me. A very handsome, lithe man, a little taller than Nate, stood there. His trendy glasses slid down his light brown nose. He had a very trim dark beard and mustache, and short, dark, curly hair.

He also was much younger than Nate, probably not much older than Spencer. Also, not an alpha. Beta maybe. I was still trying to figure out all the smells in this world.

Harry smiled. “Hi.”

“Is anyone else here?” the professor asked.

“Pippa’s in the waiting room. Esme’s at home in case we need to get Dare or Chance. Verity’s at the lab. Zain’s running interference. Adriana, well, she was here but she punched someone and has been exiled to the parking lot,” Harry explained.

“Adriana punched someone?” Nate kept running his hand through my hair as I sobbed.

“According to Pip, Adriana yelled at some guy in the lobby, they had words, she punched him, then was thrown out,” Harry said. “I think he was famous. But you know I don’t know these things. Yeah, they let me see Pip really quickly before coming to you.”

Spencer. Adriana punched Spencer. That wouldn’t end well.

“How many kids does your family have?” I recalled that there were a lot of kids in the photo Creed had shown me.

“Nine,” the professor said. “You make ten. The other three are Zain and Esme’s.

Oh. Twins run on both sides of your family.

Fraternal on my side, identical on your mother’s.

I don’t have a twin, but I have two sets of fraternal twin siblings.

My family is also very omega-heavy. Most of my brothers and sisters are omegas. ”

“Twins.” I sucked in a breath. “I will take identical twin girls that look like my mate Evan. Or those fraternal twins that have different daddies, then I can get Evan and Wes their kids in one pregnancy.” Little girl Evans. They’d get away with everything.

“And save the identical twins for Spencer? Because that’s what the world needs,” the professor joked.

“Why do you hate Spencer?” I leaned my head back down on his shoulder, wanting to hear if his explanation was different from what Creed told me.

“It’s not that we hate Spencer. Adriana and Pip disagree with his politics. His previous company was very… vocal on the way some things are done,” Nate said.

My head popped up. “You mean that your mates are against developing a pharmaceutical to keep illegal designations from being executed? From where I stand in this moment, I don’t see an issue.”

“Like I said before, it’s a polarizing topic, and they’re just not sure for-profit companies should be involved.”

“But Compass BioTek has no such stance, and that other company was long ago.” I frowned.

“I researched them before taking the job. They’re helping people–and Spencer keeps it private so that he can have scruples.

If it was public, sure they’d make more money, but it would be at the cost of the people. ”

Nate nodded. “It’s–”

“Snobbery.” Harry rolled his eyes. “Personally, I would much rather have one of their quicktests or easyscans. I guess you work for Compass BioTek?”

“I do. So do my mates Wes and Spencer.”

“Spencer owns Compass BioTek, and I suspect that’s who Adriana punched. Which is not a good thing.” The professor sighed.

“Well, that could make the holidays interesting,” Harry replied.

I froze.

“I don’t think we’re there yet,” Nate said quietly. “And we might not ever be.”

“I can’t believe they brought in the children,” I sniffed. “I’m so sorry. Also, who called in the tip? Because even if my mates ran the genscan, they wouldn’t do that–and well, Thora’s record is locked.” I rubbed my head. “This makes my brain hurt.”

Nate’s scent turned bitter. “Someone called in a tip?”

“That’s what I was told.” I sniffed.

The nurse came back in. “Grace, the court order came through and the record has been unlocked. Identical twin records are sometimes hard to get sorted, but we’ve got it untangled.

Your birth mother was Thora Silvers. She was executed for being a sigma, as was one of her brothers and her father.

Her identical twin, Rosalind, is wanted, not just for being a known sigma, but for a federal heist. You were raised by her? Someone will want to speak to you.”

Thora Silvers was my mother? Shit. She was actually my mother. Nate was my dad. This was my world. Somehow.

How? How did this happen?

“As far as I know she’s dead. Can I have my alpha now?” I tried to force back the tornado of emotions inside me.

“Neither of you are carriers, so you may go. Your mates have your phones and are waiting in the lobby.” She turned to Nate. “Given your other children don’t share Grace’s mother, they’ll be released as well.” The nurse looked at Lark. “Thank you, I think you’re done here.”

It took a moment, and I exhaled sharply. “Not a carrier, that’s one good thing about today.”

I mean, I guess finding out that I was from this world and who my biological parents were could be a good thing? Or not.

Yeah, I needed that therapist.

“Thora was executed for being a sigma. I… I never knew that,” Nate said softly. “They just said she died. I… I was such an idiot back then.”

“Don’t beat yourself up too much.” Harry squeezed his shoulder.

“Yeah, please don’t,” I said quietly, still trying to keep my emotions in check, instead wrapping myself in love from my bonds. “Here, do you want the blankets back?” I asked Lark.

“You can keep them,” Lark said, zipping up her duffle bag. She handed Nate a bunch of candy bars. “For the children. It was nice meeting both of you. Keep communication open between you and I’d suggest some family therapy.”

“I don’t need two blankets.” I scooted off the table. “Would one of the little ones like it?”

“Probably,” Harry said, taking the offered pink blanket. “Not that we need more. Their room looks like a home for wayward blankets.”

“Grace, I’m so sorry we met under these circumstances. But I’m glad I finally found you. I’ll give you space, but I’m here if you ever want to talk. Also, as I said before, I hope you’ll stay in touch with Creed and Verity,” the professor said as the nurse herded us into the hall.

I nodded.

“Dad! Daddy!” Little feet and voices came down the hallway and my heart wrenched.