Page 38 of Mating Mia (The Alphas’ Perfect Prey #2)

Ash squirms in my arms, a little grunt of impatience escaping him. He’s teething, with swollen and sore gums, making him crankier than usual. I press a kiss to his forehead, inhaling his sweet baby scent, and close the front door.

“Where’s your mama, pup?” I ask, more to myself than to him. Mia had disappeared upstairs several minutes ago, mentioning something about freshening up.

But she should have returned by now.

The house is quiet, save for the distant sound of the television in the den, where Jace is likely sprawled across the couch, feet propped on the coffee table despite my repeated warnings about the finish.

Finn is probably in his workshop, carving another woodland creature for Ash’s growing collection.

I shift Ash to my other hip and make my way toward the den, sure enough finding Jace exactly as I’d pictured him, eyes fixed on some action movie, remote balanced on his stomach.

“Take the baby,” I say, already lowering Ash into his arms before he can protest. “I need to check on Mia.”

Jace adjusts seamlessly, tucking Ash against his chest with practiced ease. For all his wild energy and impulsiveness, he’s a natural with our son, patient and gentle in ways that still surprise me.

“Everything okay?” he asks, eyes narrowing slightly as he picks up on my concern.

I shrug, unwilling to voice my unease just yet. “Probably. She went upstairs a while ago and hasn’t come back down.”

Jace nods, immediately understanding. Our bond with Mia goes beyond the physical—we feel her moods, sense her needs, know when something is off even before she does.

And something is definitely off.

I take the stairs two at a time, following the thread of her scent through the house.

Our bedroom door is open, but the bathroom beyond is closed, a thin strip of light visible beneath it.

I pause in front of the bathroom door to listen. The faint sound of sniffling reaches my ears, so quiet I would have missed it if not for my enhanced hearing.

Mia is crying.

My chest tightens, protective instincts surging to the forefront. I rap my knuckles against the door, keeping my voice deliberately casual. “Mia? You in there?”

A pause, then her voice, too bright, too controlled. “I’ll be out in a minute.”

But I can hear the thickness in her words, the effort it takes to sound normal. Something is wrong, and my alpha instincts won’t let me ignore it.

“I’m coming in,” I announce, not waiting for permission before turning the handle. The door isn’t locked. Our omega knows better than to try to keep us out, especially after her heat when her scent is still so potent, still calling to us on a primal level. “Mia?”

She stands at the sink, hands braced on the marble counter, head bowed.

Her face is wet, eyes red-rimmed despite her obvious attempts to wash away the evidence of tears. The sight hits me like a physical blow, my body reacting before my mind can catch up.

“Give me a minute.”

I cross the bathroom in two strides, gently turning her to face me.

“What happened?” I demand, my voice harsher than intended. I cup her face between my palms, thumbs brushing away the lingering tears on her cheeks. “Are you hurt? Did something happen?”

She shakes her head, refusing to meet my eyes. “I’m fine. Just... It’s stupid. I’m being stupid.”

“Look at me,” I command, using just enough alpha influence to ensure compliance. Her eyes lift to mine, hazel depths swimming with unshed tears. “Tell me what’s wrong. Now.”

She draws a shaky breath, her lower lip trembling.

“I took a test,” she finally whispers, the words so quiet I have to lean closer to hear them. “A pregnancy test. It was negative.”

Understanding crashes through me like a wave. Of course. The heat, our constant talk of another baby, our certainty that this time, our seed would take. The disappointment in her eyes makes my chest ache.

“Oh,” I murmur, pulling her against me. She fits perfectly under my chin, her body molding to mine as if made for it. “It’s too early for those tests to be accurate. You know that baby.”

She nods against my chest, her voice muffled by my shirt. “I know. I just... I wanted it so badly. I thought maybe...”

The bathroom door pushes wider as Finn appears in the doorway, his tall frame filling the space. A look of concern immediately crosses his face when he sees Mia crying in my arms.

“What’s happening?” he asks in a low voice, trying not to startle Mia. From the hallway behind him, I hear Jace approaching, Ash’s babbling preceding him.

Mia stiffens, clearly embarrassed to be caught crying over something she considers foolish. I keep my arm around her, a silent reminder that she’s not alone in this.

“Mia took a pregnancy test,” I explain, feeling her flinch against me. “It was negative.”

Finn’s expression softens immediately, understanding replacing concern. He steps into the bathroom, crowding the space in the way that usually makes Mia complain about “too many alphas, too little room,” but it now seems to comfort her.

“It’s too early,” he says, echoing my words as he brushes a strand of hair from her face. His touch is gentler than most would expect from the pack enforcer, a tenderness reserved solely for Mia and Ash. “Your heat just ended yesterday.”

Jace appears in the doorway, Ash balanced on his hip. Our son immediately reaches for Mia, chubby hands opening and closing in urgent demand. Mia’s face crumples at the sight of him, fresh tears welling in her eyes.

“I know it’s too early,” she says, taking Ash from Jace and cuddling him close. “I’m being silly. It’s just... I want to give him siblings. I want our family to keep growing.”

The raw honesty in her voice strikes a chord deep within me. I exchange looks with Finn and Jace, an entire conversation passing between us in seconds.

They nod, understanding without words what needs to happen next. Jace takes Ash from Mia’s arms, pressing a kiss to her forehead as he does.

“I’ll put him down for his nap,” he says. “He’s been rubbing his eyes for the last ten minutes.”

As Jace leaves with our son, I turn back to Mia, cupping her face between my palms.

“We’ll try again,” I promise, my voice dropping to the register I know makes her shiver. “Right now.”

Her eyes widen, pupils dilating as she catches my meaning. “But... It’s the middle of the day. And I’m not in heat anymore.”

I lean in, inhaling deeply at the juncture of her neck and shoulder. Her scent is intoxicating—honey and vanilla and lingering traces of my mark. Beneath it all, the subtle spice of arousal already beginning to bloom.

“Doesn’t matter,” I growl against her skin. “We’ll fuck you until you’re full of our cum, until there’s no way you won’t get pregnant.”

A small gasp escapes her, her body melting against mine. Even after all this time, all the ways we’ve claimed her, she still responds so beautifully to our crude promises.

“Is that what you want, little omega?” Finn asks, moving closer until Mia is sandwiched between us. His hand slides up her spine, tangling in her hair and pulling just enough to tilt her head back. “Want us to breed you again? Fill you up until your belly swells with our pup?”

She nods, breathless, her cheeks flushing pink with desire. My cock hardens instantly at the sight of her eager state, already straining against my jeans.

“Words,” I demand. I need to hear it before thrusting into her mercilessly. It simply turns me on more to hear her beg.

“Yes,” she whispers, then stronger, “Yes. Please. I want you to... to breed me.”

Her desperate words hit me like a physical blow, my alpha instincts roaring to the surface.

I capture her mouth in a bruising kiss, tasting the salt of her tears, the sweetness that is uniquely hers. She opens for me instantly, her tongue meeting mine, a small whimper escaping her throat.

Finn’s hands move to her dress, bunching the purple fabric around her waist. The sight of her in this dress has been driving me crazy all day—the way it hugs her curves, showcases the body that has only grown more beautiful since giving birth to our son.

I cup her breasts through the fabric, feeling their weight, the way they fill my palms perfectly.

“These tits,” I groan, breaking the kiss to look down at what I’m touching. “Fucking perfect. Got bigger after Ash, didn’t they? Just imagine how they’ll look when you’re pregnant again.”

She moans, arching into my touch. I can feel her nipples hardening beneath the thin fabric, pressing against my palms in eager points.

“I’m glad you like them,” she says in a breathy moan.

“My beautiful omega,” I murmur, my lips brushing hers as I speak. “Don’t worry. We’ll take care of you. We’ll give you exactly what you need.”

Jace returns, his eyes darkening as he takes in the scene before him—Mia pressed between Finn and me, her dress rucked up around her waist, her face flushed with desire. He moves closer, lifting her hand to his lips, pressing a kiss to the engagement ring I’d placed on her finger.

“Baby’s asleep,” he says, his other hand already reaching for her, tracing the curve of her hip.

Finn makes a sound low in his throat, his hands sliding around to grip Mia’s ass, kneading the soft flesh. I can’t see what he’s doing, but from the way Mia gasps, I can guess his fingers have found her entrance, already testing her readiness.

“Wet,” he confirms, his voice a rough purr against Mia’s ear. “Always so fucking wet for us.”

I meet her eyes, seeing the lingering traces of sadness now overwhelmed by desire.

“How would you feel,” I ask, my voice dropping to a growl, “to have two knots inside you? One in your pussy, one in your ass?”

“Yes,” she whispers, the word barely audible. “God, yes. I would love that.”

Finn chuckles against her neck, the sound dark with promise. “Then that’s what you’ll get, little omega. We’re going to breed you right now, and this time, you’re definitely getting pregnant.”