Page 40 of Unsuitable Omega

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Jai

“Jai…?”

As he recognized that unforgettable voice, Jai froze. He turned his head on the thin pillow, his eyes meeting Nickolas who was poised several feet away, just staring at him with somber dark eyes.

“No…” Jai squeezed out the word, which got tangled up in his vocal cords, and the next thing he knew, he was sobbing as though his heart would break. In the past two months, sheer stubbornness had stopped him from thinking about his alpha, not that he had been completely successful.

Nickolas’ actual presence, however, was much more emotional at a moment when Jai’s defenses were down and his feelings were out of control.

“Go a-away!’ Jai told him chokily. He knew he was overreacting and he’d known Nickolas would show up, but seeing him brought it all back. The pain, the betrayal.

Nickolas didn’t listen instead he inched closer towards the bed and trailed his fingers over Jai’s face, before cupping his cheek, and with his other hand gripped Jai’s trembling hand in his. “I can’t leave you alone. Please don’t ask that of me.”

“Didn’t take you long to show up,” Jai said, ignoring the alphas words.

“I know you probably hate me, but please, let me help. I can’t just let you go, not again.” Nickolas said in a driven tone.

Jai did not even have to think about how to respond to that offer, because no matter how angry he was at Nickolas, he needed him more. His heart also received an immediate boost from the obvious fact that he must have left the office almost immediately after Betty called him to get here this quickly.

Nickolas’ lean, handsome features were tense as he waited for Jai’s response.

“All I care about is what’s best for my baby,” Jai admitted, even though his heart called him a liar. “At this moment, I don’t know if that’s you.”

Jai knew he’d said that to wound, and it had hit its mark, because he heard Nickolas’ sharp intake of breath and he flinched as if struck.

“Baby?” Nickolas breathed reverently reaching out to touch Jai, but stopping before he made contact like he was unsure about his welcome. “Baby?” Nickolas said again reverently, and for the first time since they met, Jai saw a look on the alpha’s face he had never seen before – uncertainty. Jai always saw Nickolas as powerful and in control, but he looked a little lost to Jai at that moment.

For the first time in months, Jai found himself actually worrying about what he looked like. At best, he knew he looked tired and rumpled after the day he’d had and he laughed at how superficial he was being.

“What’s so funny?” Nickolas asked.

Jai snorted before replying, “I was just thinking how stupid I am.”

Nickolas face twisted in confusion, “Why would you call yourself stupid? You’re no such thing.”

“Well, I’m wondering how I could waste energy I barely have worrying about how I look, because an alpha, who clearly has no respect for me, is suddenly back in the picture.”

Jai didn’t miss Nickolas flinching before he spoke, “Jai, I have so much respect for you.”

Jai laughed, a bitter sound that he didn’t even know he was capable of, “Oh,please, if you respected me, you wouldn’t have treated me the way you did.”

“I can never say sorry enough, Jai, but I will keep saying it until you forgive me,” Nickolas said, sincerity clear in his voice. But Jai wasn’t ready to hear it.

Jai didn’t reply, instead, he studied the alpha. He noticed that even Nickolas looked a little worse for wear. He had loosened his tie, disheveled his dark hair, probably from running his fingers through it, and shadow of stubble was beginning to define his chiseled jawline and strong, sensual mouth. But he still looked totally amazing to Jai. And wasn’t that just messed up?

Jai shut his eyes tight. But the image of the man he loved stayed with him. He loved him to bits, and he also hated his guts for all sorts of reasons, as well, but he was still possessed with a bone-deep longing for him, like a starving man seeing food for the first time.

He knew Nickolas was bad for him, but he was in Jai’s blood and in his mind, and no matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t shake free of the alpha’s influence over him.

Jai was suddenly tired, and emotionally wrecked, his eyes getting heavier and more difficult to keep open. “I’d like to stay,” Nickolas said, making his eyes pop open again.

His immediate reaction was to object, but he took in Nickolas’ body, held taut with tension, and he realized that was exactly the response Nickolas expected from him. Jai swallowed back his protest because Nickolas was doing his best to be present and helpful, but mostly Jai felt it seemed unfair excluding him after he just found out of his impending fatherhood.

As sleep kept trying to drag him under, he remembered something he had yet to share with the alpha, “Nickolas,” he said in a soft voice, but his alpha heard him, “we’re having twins.”

Nickolas stared at him before comprehension sank in. Suddenly a smile curved those gorgeous lips and Jai’s heart skipped a beat.

“You can see them tomorrow at the ultrasound before I get discharged. If you want to, I mean.”

Nickolas nodded before Jai even finished his sentence. The smile on his face getting wider at the offer.

“I would love that,” Nickolas said, “Thank you, Jai.”

Jai simply nodded and closed his eyes, drifting off to sleep. His last thought, to his annoyance, was how happy he was to have his alpha there watching over him and their babies.