Page 288 of The Omega Exchange: Omnibus

Mostly, I’m just really fucking grateful that she’s finally feeling better. Well, for the most part. She still gets sick here or there, but it’s no longer hours of every day spent nauseous or vomiting.

I lie down and try to get comfortable, but I’m a lot taller than she is and my knees end up hanging over the nest wall she built.

“It smells like you two enjoyed your cuddle,” I murmur, giving her a quick kiss.

“Yeah,” she agrees, snuggling her head on my shoulder. She rolls toward me, tossing a leg over my thigh.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m down to broach intimacy any time she is, but every night when she asks for me to snuggle with her, it strikes a different chord. My hand rests on her lower stomach. I can’t help myself. She’s got a small rounding of what I think is a baby belly.

Melody swears it’s just her normal chub, but it’s definitely the baby. The books said at sixteen weeks it’s the size of an avocado. It’s also easy enough to tell because her lower stomach is harder than the rest.

“I think I need to call my ex and warn him that I’ll be in town this weekend,” Mel says, tearing me out of my thoughts. She runs her finger over my heart. “I was kind of hoping you would keep me company while I do that?”

“Of course.” I pull her over on top of my chest.

“Okay,” Mel says, grabbing her phone. Her hands shake as she kneels over me. I pull up her shirt and palm the baby. Yeah, it’s hard to ignore her bare pussy on my sweatpants, but I’m an adult.

I can admit, I’m obsessed with the idea she’s baking a human being.

It doesn’t hurt having something else to keep myself focused on. It’s necessary. I’m an alpha. My urges to destroy anything that poses a threat tomyomega have the ability to overtake rational thought if I’m not careful.

I already hate her ex on her behalf. It wouldn’t take much to push me over the edge into feral territory.

It’s a constant battle to stay supportivewithouttrying to control everything.

I don’t crave it as a power thing.

I just need to keep her happy and safe. Sometimes my instincts suck at recognizing boundaries, but I am trying. I blow out a breath and refocus my thoughts so Mel won’t pick up on my emotions.

The baby book I bought is specifically for dads, and it mentioned that she might start feeling the baby move at any time. Although we likely won’t be able to feel it for a while.

Melody holds her phone to her ear, but she gives me a goofy look. I grin as she grinds over my hard cock. I don’t care if it’s bizarre because I’m totally fucking enamored with her. I can’t wait to see her get a full-on baby belly.

I chuckle, shaking my head, but Mel sticks a finger to my lips.

“Hey, Ben. It’s Mel. I’m going to be in town this weekend. I fly in on Sunday, and I’ll be there for at least a couple of days. I was hoping we could talk face-to-face. I guess let me know when you’re free?” She hangs up and tosses her cell phone aside. Her small hands fly to her face. “I can’t decide if I’m a giant asshole for keeping this to myself the last few weeks.” She pulls her hands down. “Would you want an ex to tell you that over the phone? I mean, that’s a conversation to have in person, right?”

I’m the wrong person to ask. I’d want to be there from the first fucking second. But I’ve got the undeniable feeling that fuck face doesn’t have the same sort of morals I was raised with. After hearing the things he said to Carver when he was drunk, itdoesn’t give me a whole lot of faith that he won’t say something equally as stupid.

In which case, I’m concerned I’ll murder him with my bare hands.

“I think...” I sigh. What I want to say and what I think I should say are two very different things.

“Be honest with me, please,” Melody says, bouncing on my pelvis. Her hands rest on my chest as she stares at me with a pleading look on her face that I can’t force myself to deny.

“I don’t think I’m going to give good advice here no matter how you look at it because I’m biased.” My hands slide up her thighs. “I wish he wasn’t an issue, but that doesn’t mean I think that baby is a mistake. I guess I’m selfish. I want to keep the two of you to myself. Well, to our pack, but I’m learning to accept Carver, and if need be, I’ll do my best to interact with your ex too.Buthe won’t take you from us, and he will not continue to treat you the way he’s used to treating you or he will get a very stark wake up call.”

“I think that’s my main worry,” Mel says, lying down on my chest. She nuzzles her face to my neck. “He might be really pissed that I’m pregnant, or he could be really angry that I kept it from him. I know I don’t handle conflict well, so that pushed me to assume it’s going to be the first option. I don’t know. I think I was so desperate for a family that I ignored a lot of things, but now that I’m out of that situation... I just don’t see him being excited.”

“He might surprise you.” I palm the back of her head. “But if he doesn’t, you’ll still have an entire pack at your back for whatever comes next.”

Chapter Thirty

Melody

Max Miller is dangerous to my heart. I don’t think he has a manipulative bone in his body, and he always manages to say the perfect thing to put me at ease.

His beard is scratchy against my cheek as my hips give a grind over his thick cock. I’m not sure why he hasn’t made a move the last few weeks. Everything was moving at super speed, but since we made it to Virginia, it settled down.