Page 61 of Omega's Fever

“Hypothetically.”

“There’s no hypothetical here. Those suppressants are category X. Absolutely contraindicated in pregnancy. They can cause severe fetal abnormalities, miscarriage, developmental delays. How far along are you in the pregnancy”

“Maybe six weeks.” My voice cracks. “Maybe less. I just found out. I just…”

“You need to stop immediately. Today. Right now. And you need to come in for an examination as soon as possible. The first trimester is critical for development, and those suppressants…” She cuts herself off. “Can you come in this afternoon?”

“I’m in court. I have… Tomorrow?”

“First thing. And Milo? Not another dose. You’d be risking yourself and the baby.”

The baby. Not the pregnancy. Not the fetus. The baby.

I end the call and lean against the wall. Kellen already knows. He has to. The way he’s been watching me.

“Ready?” His voice makes me jump. He’s standing at the end of the hallway, hands in his pockets, trying to look non-threatening. An impossible task for a man his size.

“Yeah.” I push off the wall, straighten my jacket. “Let’s go.”

The afternoon session is torture. I can feel the suppressants wearing off already, psychosomatic maybe, but my skin feels too tight. Every time Kellen shifts beside me, his scent washes over me and my omega instincts, dulled for so long, start to wake up.

By the time Judge Melkham calls it a day, I’m holding on by a thread. The walk to the car feels endless. Kellen’s presence beside me is overwhelming. He opens my door, waits for me to get in, walks around to the driver’s side.

We’re three blocks from the courthouse when he speaks.

“We need to talk about the pregnancy.”

I flinch.

“I could tell from your scent,” he says quietly, eyes on the road. “It’s changing. Subtle, under the suppressants, but it’s there. Sweeter. Fuller.” He pauses, his gaze switching from the rear view mirror to the side mirror, always checking for danger.

The last of my control shatters. I pull the car over and the tears come hot and fast, pouring out in ugly sobs. I press my palms against my eyes, trying to stem the flow, but it’s useless.

“This morning,” I manage between gulps of air. “I just confirmed this morning. The tests... they were all positive. And the suppressants, god, I’ve been taking them this whole time. The doctor says they could cause... that I might have already...”

I can’t finish. I can’t voice the fear that I’ve already damaged this tiny life I didn’t even know existed.

I should have known it existed. Of course, it does. That’s what happens when a prime match has unprotected sex.

Then Kellen’s arms are around me, pulling me awkwardly across the center console. I bury my face in his chest and let myself fall apart completely.

“It’s okay,” he murmurs into my hair. “We’ll figure it out. Whatever you need, whatever you want to do, we’ll figure it out.”

“I don’t know what to do.” The words come out muffled against his shirt. “I don’t know anything anymore. My whole life, I’ve had a plan. There wasn’t supposed to be... this wasn’t supposed to happen.”

His hand strokes down my back, soothing. “Life rarely goes according to plan.”

“Your life is literally on trial. You could go to prison. I could lose my career. We don’t even know each other, not really. And now there’s a baby and I’ve probably already hurt it and—”

“Stop.” His voice is firm but gentle. “You didn’t know. You couldn’t have known. And whatever happens next, we face it together.”

“Why?” I pull back enough to look at his face. “Why are you being so calm about this?”

Something soft passes over his features. “Because one of us has to be. And because...” He pauses, seems to choose his words carefully. “Because you’re the first good thing that’s happened to me in a very long time. You and... and this baby. Prime match or not, I want to try. If you’ll let me.”

I stare at him, this man I’ve been so wary of, who the whole world thinks is a thug. But all I see is kindness and strength.

“I don’t know how to do this,” I whisper.