Page 18

Chapter 18

Miller

I tap away at my laptop, reviewing patient files, when a melodic—if slightly off-key—voice floats through the house. Looking up, I spot Freya swaying with Stone in her arms, singing what sounds like an attempt at—no, I can’t even guess what she is singing.

“You’ll make him sea-sick dancing like that,” I call out, unable to hide my grin.

Freya spins around, her copper hair whirling. “Dr. Astor! I thought everyone was at work.” A blush creeps across her freckled cheeks.

“Took the day off. Thought we could spend some time together.”

“You did?” Her green eyes round. “Why?”

“Does there need to be a reason?”

“Yes.” She clutches Stone closer, her lips quirking up.

I laugh, closing my laptop. “Want honesty?”

“Of course.”

“I like you, Freya. In fact, I more than like you. I think Zane’s right that you’re our omega. But with Thorne...” I run a hand through my hair. “I need to handle this carefully. So I thought you and I could have a chat.”

“Thorne’s on blockers,” she breathes. “He’ll never know how I smell.”

“If Zane and I accept you, he’ll have to give you a chance at least.”

She bites her lower lip, shifting Stone to her other hip. “You really like me, Dr. Astor?”

“More than you realize.” I stand, moving closer.

“I like you too.” Her voice comes out as a sigh.

“Let me take you to lunch today. Just me, you and Stone. Let’s get to know more about each other.”

“I’d love that.” She bounces Stone gently. “Though, could we swing by my apartment first? I’m running low on my inhibitor tablets.”

“You don’t need those inhibitors anymore.” I reach for her free hand, pulling her closer. “Not here. Not with us.”

“They just mute my scent, not block it entirely.” Her fingers squeeze mine. “It’s still there. You said so yourself. You could smell me at the hospital.”

“Then why keep taking them?”

Her eyes lock onto mine. “I don’t want Stone’s father smelling me.”

I tilt my head, considering that. “Wouldn’t you like your baby’s daddy to be in his life?”

I don’t want him to be either, but it’s a surprise to hear an omega admit that.

“Oh, absolutely, but he doesn’t want to be—” Her eyes widen, and she abruptly cuts herself off, a flash of panic crossing her features.

I growl low in my throat. “Continue.”

She shakes her head, defiance etched on her face.

“Do you know who the baby’s daddy is?” I press. My curiosity mingles with concern that Thorne is correct, and Freya is lying to us.

“No,” she replies too quickly.

“You’re lying to me.” My bark is sharp, alpha like. My shoulders push back as I try to calm the tension radiating between us.

A ripple runs down her throat.

“I can’t help you if you don’t give me honesty.”

“He doesn’t want me,” she insists, her gaze dropping to the ground as if it pains her to say it.

“Omegas are rare, Freya. Any alpha would love to have you as their omega. Scent match or not,” I remind her as I stand and walk to her.

“First, that is not true. That’s why I’m still pack-less at twenty-eight years old. And second, he doesn’t want me. Trust me on this,” she murmurs. Her voice is filled with such hurt, my heart aches for her.

I cup her face in my hands, brushing my thumbs over her soft skin. “Does he know who you are? Were you matched in the wellness center?”

“All I can tell you is that he doesn’t know he is a daddy. And I’d prefer to keep it that way.” Her eyes bore into mine, pleading for understanding.

“Why?” I ask, keeping my tone calm.

“Because he’ll take Stone from me, and my baby is all I have,” she replies, her voice trembling with emotion as her eyes lock onto mine. “And Stone is more important than him knowing about him.”

She has such a fierce love for her child shining from her, and I love that. All alphas want that in their omegas.

“You have this pack, Freya.”

Her mouth turns down as she shakes her head. “For now.”

I take Stone from Freya’s arms, cradling him against my chest while pulling her close with my free arm. Her warmth seeps into me, and I breathe in deep, catching hints of her true scent beneath those damned inhibitors.

“Please stop taking them,” I murmur against her hair. “Let us feel you. Let us smell you. All of you.”

She trembles against me. “Miller, I—”

“Let us protect you.” I press my lips to her temple. “Both of you.”

She pulls back just enough to meet my eyes. “You’re a decent man. I feel it here.” She touches her chest, right over her heart.

“You can trust me, Freya.”

“With my secret?” Her voice catches.

I hold her face with my free hand, thumb stroking her cheek. “With your life.”

A bark interrupts us as Rosie, our pack’s Labrador, comes bounding into the room. She jumps up, paws landing on my leg, tail wagging furiously.

“Do you need to go for another walk, Rosie?”

Another enthusiastic bark answers me as she dashes to the cupboard where her leash hangs.

Freya’s laugh rings out, bright and clear. “I’ll come with you.” She smooths down her shirt, some of her usual sparkle returning to her eyes. “When we get back, I need to test some recipes for when my bakery is back in business. I can make you lunch.”

“You’re not giving it up then?” I adjust Stone in my arms, his tiny fingers wrapping around my thumb.

“Never.” She scratches behind Rosie’s ears. “That bakery is my dream. I just need to figure out how to make it happen again.”

Stone is in the sling and sleeping against my chest as we walk along the shoreline. His tiny body is warm and secure against mine. It feels natural, like he is mine.

Impulsively, I reach for Freya’s hand, threading my fingers through hers. Her green eyes widen as she glances from my hand to my face, stunned by the contact.

“My, Dr. Astor, you’re being rather forward today.” She tries to brush off her shock with her usual sass.

“When you find what you’re looking for, follow the path.” I squeeze her hand gently.

She studies my face for a long moment before her gaze drops to Stone. “I know you’re my scent match. I can smell you. Every scent is the same as Zane’s.”

Thank fuck she is admitting to it.

A smile tugs at my lips. “What scent does your inhibitor hide?” I’m sure as well as the strawberry I smelled lime on her before, so if the inhibitor is hiding tequila, she is ours.

“I don’t want to tell you. I want you to smell it when we’re all ready.” She bumps her shoulder against mine. “Only then will I stop taking my inhibitors and we can work it out.”

“Thank you. You’re terrified, aren’t you?”

“Petrified,” she admits and laughs. It carries on the ocean breeze. “You know, I wish I met you or Zane that night. It would have worked out perfectly.” She touches Stone’s cheek softly. “Or maybe it did.”

“You’re talking in riddles, Freya. What night?”

She keeps her eyes on Stone. “The night I was in heat.”

“Freya.”

Her fingers tighten around mine. “You promise to keep this a secret?”

I blow out a breath and nod.

“I never went to the omega wellness center. I gave my place to another girl. She had to use my name.” She kicks at the sand as we walk. “But she—”

“You didn’t?” I interrupt her.

She blows out a deep breath and shakes her head. “She needed it more than me.” She wraps her free hand around her front and shivers. I’m sure she just wondered why she told me.

I get this tight feeling in my chest, like my body is readying to fight for her. Here’s this woman who gave up her spot at a wellness center to help another omega in need, and now is asking me to guard her secret.

“And what did you do?” I know she wants to tell me everything, and I want her to.

“I was at home getting ready to go in, but my ex-housemate called me to ask if I needed her to work the next week. She started telling me about another omega, her friend, who was having a hard time. It was her first heat, and she never had a pack. Her choice. But she’s also a student with no money but plenty of hope for her future.” She strokes Stone’s cheek. “It was meant to happen, wasn’t it, baby?”

“And you let her take your spot, but what did you do?”

She smiles. “I did. I never really wanted to use the wellness center, anyway. It didn’t feel right.” Her laugh is soft as she reminisces. “And I had this eureka moment. Everything suddenly made sense, like this girl needing my help gave me the clarity I needed, and I—”

My phone’s sharp ring cuts through the moment. Freya jumps, her eyes fixing on the screen.

“Take it.”

“No, keep talking.”

But she’s already scooped up Rosie’s ball, launching it down the beach.

“Miller,” I answer, a grumble in my voice.

“Jeez, you’re grouchy today,” Thorne replies.

“I was having a conversation with Freya and you interrupted it.”

“About what?”

“You promise to keep this a secret?” My head tips back and I stare at the blue sky.

“Nothing. It’s fine. What do I owe the pleasure of this call?”

“I’m forewarning you. I’m considering having Freya investigated.”

“Why the hell would you do that?”

I watch Freya chase after Rosie. Her hair looks more golden than red in the sunlight. Stone snuggles against my chest, his tiny fingers curled into my shirt.

“Because…” Thorne’s voice crackles through the phone. “There’s something about her. I can’t shake it off. The way she looks at me sometimes, like she knows something I don’t.”

I stroke Stone’s dark, fine hair. “Maybe it’s because she’s your omega.”

The line goes silent. I can almost see Thorne sitting back in his leather chair, processing my words.

“Do you think that?” His voice comes out rough when he finally answers.

“What if she is, Thorne? And everything you’re doing is going to drive her away. Have you thought about that? Have you thought about how your actions might harm this pack?”

He barks out a laugh. “She’s stalked me for years. I doubt investigating her is going to change her psycho ways.”

“Don’t call her that.” My grip tightens on the phone. “You know what it was like. You were that psycho once. You went back to that restaurant where you thought you smelled your scent match for years afterward.”

“I got over it in the end.”

“And so will Freya.” I sigh, watching Freya throw the ball again for Rosie. Her laugh carries across the beach when Rosie shakes her body and covers her in sand. “She’s coming off her inhibitors. We’ll smell her actual scent soon.”

“And then you’ll realize I’m right.” Thorne’s voice holds that smug certainty I’ve come to hate lately.

“You know what, Thorne? Maybe you’re scared. Scared that the one omega who’s been right under your nose all this time might actually be yours. And instead of facing that possibility, you’d rather destroy her.” I disconnect before he can respond.

Freya walks back to me, sand clinging to her bare feet, Rosie strolling beside her, nuzzling her face against Freya’s hand.

My breath catches. She’s beautiful in the most natural way - no pretense, no facade.

“So where were we?” I ask, reaching for her free hand.

“I can’t remember.” Her eyes dance with mischief.

“Maybe we need to jump to this, then.” I pull her close, mindful of Stone sleeping against my chest, and press my lips to hers. She tastes like sunshine, salt, and strawberries.

When I pull back, her fingers drift to her lips, surprise written across her features. Then that brilliant smile breaks across her face. “You’re a nice kisser.”

“Then I’m going to do it again.”

“Good. I want you to.”

I laugh, the sound rumbling deep in my chest. This time when I kiss her, there’s nothing gentle about it. My free hand tangles in her silky hair, tilting her head back as I deepen the kiss, savoring her sweet taste.

She melts against me, her fingers gripping my shirt as our tongues dance together.

The world seems to fade away, leaving only the two of us in this blissful moment. At least until Stone makes a small noise between us.

We break apart, both breathing hard.

“That was...” She blinks up at me, cheeks flushed.

“Perfect,” I finish for her, pressing my forehead to hers. “You’re perfect.”