Page 13 of His Pretty Omega (Sweet Alps Mates #7)

“We’ll do an exam today, since you’re overdue,” Finn told me, still engrossed in my chart. “You missed your last appointment for birth control.”

“No, I didn’t,” I assured him, positive I hadn’t.

Finn turned to me, his face in it’s usual don’t give me attitude mask. Really, the man was quite lovely, but he had the worst case of resting bitch face around. “Yes, you did. It says we called you to reschedule because I was out of town that week and you never did.”

Suddenly, I remembered the text message I had received stating just what he had said, and also that I had never rescheduled. For some reason, I assumed I had and just had gone about my life. I kept meaning to, but then I would get home and I would just…forget.

Turning to Alex, I saw him looking at me strangely, probably remembering exactly what I had just remembered. I had told him I was on birth control that night in the hotel when he had wanted to stop and get a condom. This was my fault.

“Alex, I’m so sorry,” I whispered, my voice shaky, “I really didn’t remember that I missed my appointment. I wasn’t trying to…” my hands fluttered in the air, “trying to trap you. I wasn’t!”

He grabbed one of my jerking hands in his, halting their wild movement. “Seth, I didn’t think you did. Besides, from what I know of fated mates, birth control–even if we had used it–probably wasn’t going to work anyway.”

Finn nodded his head in agreement, but I still felt terrible about my mistake.

He went over a few more things with us, do’s and don’ts, foods I should avoid, then asked if I had any questions.

“I…I think I want to have a midwife be in charge of my care.” It was hard to look at Finn at that moment, because he had been my doctor for years, and he was great.

But this was something that had interested me when Bennett had been pregnant.

I had gone over all the brochures they offered here on midwifery and different types of birthing options.

“No, I know I want a midwife,” I decided firmly.

“An d I want to give birth at home. In one of those birthing tubs.”

Finn nodded, and he actually smiled, which changed his face entirely. “We have added a wonderful midwife to our staff. Let me see if Naomi has time to chat with you.” He was up and out of the room before I could say another word on the subject.

Alex sputtered then, a sort of gasping laugh, and I glanced over at him. “What…what just happened?”

“What?” I asked, confused.

“You want to give birth at home? In a what? A pool? A bathtub? Are you joking right now?” He looked so shocked by the idea of any of it, that I almost laughed.

“Yes,” I told him bristling, “I want to give birth at home. I want a calm, relaxing atmosphere. And I want to use a birthing tub. I find water soothing. I don’t want to be in a hospital.”

Alex’s tan skin turned pale. “But what if something goes wrong? What about pain medication?”

The door opened again and a tall, regal looking black woman stepped into the room, Finn following her. She smiled brightly at me, holding out her hand to introduce herself. “Hello Seth, I’m Naomi, the midwife here. I’m so happy to meet you.”

We shook hands, and then she and Alex did the same. He was still looking shell shocked and pasty .

“So, Finn is here for now, because we like to have all the patients at least meet with the doctors on staff. Since you already know each other, that's even better.” Naomi explained, and I liked her instantly. She put off good energy, very calming. “We’ll do everything to give you the birthing experience you hope for, but as we like to say in the baby business; have a plan but be prepared to toss it out at any given time.”

“Babies do what they want,” I nodded in understanding. “I’m a pediatric nurse.”

She laughed, “Oh good, then you do know. They are in charge and we are all along for the ride.”

“What if something goes wrong?” Alex asked urgently.

Naomi’s dark eyes were gentle when she answered him.

“That’s why we like all our patients to meet the doctors on staff, just in case we need to go to the hospital, or they need to be delivered by them.

But Seth and I are going to have an understanding,” she turned her gaze to me, “that if I say we need to go to the hospital, we go to the hospital. Right?”

I nodded, “Absolutely.” I would never risk my baby or my own life. And I was well aware of complications that could arise when giving birth. Even in a hospital.

“We’re going to get along perfectly,” she winked at me. “Now, you know no shifting after twelve weeks because it can be harmful to the baby? ”

I nodded once more, feeling like a bobble head. “I do. Is a tub birth an option? I really love the idea of laboring in warm water.”

“Laboring, yes,” she told us, “delivering, no. But for most of your labor you can stay in the water to your heart’s content.

But delivery will need to happen out of the water.

There are too many things that can go wrong, and it’s a risk I won’t take with my patients.

I’ll give you some information to take home today, things you’ll need to have to get your bed and space ready.

And we do rent a birthing tub or you can purchase your own.

They start around two hundred and fifty dollars.

But it’s a good investment if you plan on having more pups and want to labor in the tub. ”

I winced, but it would be worth the hit to my savings. I could always rent the tub, like she said, but honestly, I wasn’t thrilled with that idea. Not that I didn’t believe it wasn’t properly cleaned and sanitized, but it still gave me an ick factor.

“If Seth wants a birthing tub, we’ll purchase one,” Alex said, and I spun to look at him.

He gave me a soft smile, then reached for my hand. “I’m not going to say I’m on board with any of this,” he glanced at Naomi, giving her a sheepish smile, “no offense.”

“None taken,” she told him, not at all offended.

“But omegas have been birthing at home for hundreds of years, I guess,” he continued. “And if this is what Seth wants to do, he’s the one that has to deliver our pup. It just terrifies me, if I’m being honest. We just found each other and I don’t want to lose him. Either of them.”

Tears of emotion pricked my eyes, and I swallowed hard at his words. He gave my hand a light squeeze, and I squeezed back, because I wasn’t sure I could speak just then.

Naomi spent several minutes reassuring him–us–about safeguards in place, with Finn’s deep voice chiming in occasionally.

Honestly, I heard none of it. My total focus was on Alex.

The way he listened so intently, storing all the information in his head.

The way his warm eyes would fall on me every couple of minutes, and he would give me a reassuring smile.

The way he never once let go of my hand, his fingers entwined with mine.

I was barely aware of Finn leaving the room, and Naomi gently examining me. Her gentle hands palpitating my belly, or the internal exam that Alex squeezed my hand through, looking slightly uncomfortable when the stirrups were put on the bed.

My mind was whirling at the realization that this man was my fated, and he intended to stay by my side. He appeared to be all in, but I wondered if it was because of the baby, or if he actually wanted me as well.

Before we left the office, Naomi gave us our due date–July twenty-fourth–then had to explain to Alex how due dates for pregnancies were calculated.

He had assumed, incorrectly, that since shifters only carried pregnancies for seven months, our pup would be due August first, based on the date of conception.

He was counting exactly seven months to the day from January first, and Naomi patiently explained that pregnancy lengths were actually calculated by weeks and not months.

I wasn’t convinced he still totally understood the medical math that went into calculating a due date–many people didn’t– but he finally just rubbed his forehead and nodded like he did.

We rode the elevator down to the parking lot together in silence. Alex was shuffling the many, many pamphlets Naomi had shoved at him from one hand to the other.

“Well,” I told him when we were standing in the bright March sunlight and sliding my sunglasses onto my face, “I need to get back to work. I guess we’ll talk soon?”

He frowned at me, that wrinkle in his forehead returning. “Walk to my car with me? I have something for you, remember? Please.”

Nibbling on my lip, still trying to sort out all my emotions and feelings, not to mention the kiss that had rocked my entire world from earlier, I finally nodded. “Okay, yeah.”