Page 19 of Such a Shy Omega (His Alpha Desires #8)

Heath

“This is it?” my mate asked, holding both my bags, my only two bags, one in each hand.

“Yes. My clothes. All this furniture was here already. Except the mattress. I bought that myself.”

He sighed. “How about we leave that for the next person who rents here? It’s still clean. You’ve only slept on it a few months.”

I nodded. “That sounds good.”

I was moving in with Erik. My mate. My alpha.

Moving in was such a big deal to me. So big that it took me a week of deliberation about whether or not I would go through with it.

I made some friends at the club. All omegas.

They were so bold about their independence and, although most of them were mated, they maintained their dignity and choice.

It was their choice if they had children.

Their choice whether or not to work. Their mates not only respected but helped maintain their sovereignty.

Omega rights were a thing around here.

I was honest with Erik. I didn’t want to give up the freedom of my tiny apartment, at first, even though it was smaller than Erik’s kitchen.

I felt like I was giving something up, but the more I thought about it and talked to him, I realized, I wasn’t giving anything up.

I was having a baby with my mate. He supported every decision, and moving in with him didn’t mean I was not independent.

It meant I wanted to be with him and wanted our pup or pups to grow up with a family all under one roof.

“You’re not having second thoughts again, are you? Please don’t feel like I’m rushing you because I’m not,” he said.

“I know you’re not.”

“I…I didn’t want to do this until we got home but I thought maybe this would help.” Erik put my bags down and reached into his back pocket and pulled out some folded papers. “Here.”

I took the paperwork from him and read it over, not understanding at first. “What is it?” I asked, too nervous to read the fine print properly.

“I put the house in your name.”

“Our name?” I asked.

“No. Your name.”

“Why?” I whispered.

“Because, no matter what happens, I want you to feel safe and secure in our home. If something happens to us, or you change your mind about me or whatever, you have a home in your name.”

“Why not both our names?”

“Because everything I own is yours. You can have everything. I just want your love.”

I jumped into his arms as tears streamed down my face. “You didn’t have to do this. I trust you. I want you as my mate forever.”

He held me tight and cried right along with me. “I want that, too. I want you always.”

We cried together and then, with my bags in his hands, left the apartment I would always see as the first step in my freedom.

When we got back to the house, Erik ordered Chinese food for us to share, and we ate it on our back porch. He’d put up twinkly lights and made the whole thing romantic.

When we finished the last bite of moo goo gai pan, he went inside and opened the window.

Right inside was one of his record players, and I watched as he slipped a vinyl disc from its cardboard envelope and set it on the turntable.

Placed the needle at the outside edge. Romantic slow music flowed onto the deck.

Most omegas wished for a romantic alpha but my mate took the prize.

“Dance with me, mate?” he asked, returning outside and extending a hand.

“I don’t know how,” I admitted, covering my face with my palms. Would this blushing ever cease?

“Don’t you dare. I love that I can make you blush. And I’m a great teacher. Come on, my love. Dance with me.”

I got up and stood in front of him. We pressed our bodies together and swayed with the music. “This is easy,” I said.

“The best things are.” He reached between us and rubbed my belly. “You and our pup are so easy to love.”

We danced late into the night. I was off from work for two days straight this week and so, I could sleep in tomorrow.

“I have a surprise for you,” Erik whispered once the moon was high in the sky.

“Another one?” I asked. “It’s too much.”

“It’s never enough for you. I promise. Never enough. Come with me?”

With our hands intertwined, Erik led me upstairs and to the bedroom next to mine.

“I know you wanted to choose everything, but I couldn’t help myself. I wanted it all to be perfect for you to move in. For both of you.”

He opened the door, and I gasped. What was once a guest room with nothing special about it, was now a finished nursery. The walls were buttery yellow, and the carpet had been cleaned.

“You’ve been keeping secrets,” I said. “Good secrets but secrets. And you have been listening to me.”

“I got the crib and the changing table and the rocking chair you had in your wish list. And before you say anything, you left it open on my laptop. I wasn’t snooping.”

“It’s perfect, alpha. Our pup is going to be so happy here.”

“Are you?” he asked. “Are you happy here?”

“When I was little, I dreamed of small things. Having a place to live of my own. An alpha who loved to kiss me. My own clothes. I have everything I dreamed of.”

“Maybe it’s time you dream bigger, omega. This is the tip of the iceberg of what you deserve.”

“Maybe you’re right.”