Page 31 of Where the Current Takes Him (Mermate #1)

Beau

B eau’s head was spinning. He’d come to the clinic knowing he was pregnant, but to have it confirmed by a doctor made it real.

Rationally, he was aware it was far too early for the fetus to be moving, but he could have sworn he felt something squirming inside him.

At his side, Loriun kept shooting him anxious glances.

“Do you wish to discuss it?” the Mer ventured.

Beau released a slow breath. “I need to think.”

Loriun opened the passenger door, and Beau slid in. As the Alpha came around to the other side, Beau noticed his lips were pressed together in a thin line.

“Beau,” Loriun said as he lowered himself into the driver’s seat. “I think you should really consider the alternatives Dr. Enas provided. You told me yourself that you needed more time to live your life. A pregnancy…”

“I know it would change everything.” Beau’s head fell back against the seat. “But I can’t make the decision yet.”

“Why?” Loriun challenged. “Why would you have any desire to live out my mistake—”

“ Our mistake,” Beau snapped. “And it’s not just a mistake, it’s a whole baby.”

“Only if you allow it to be.” Loriun made no move to turn the car on. “There will be other heat cycles. Better times for you to undergo this change. You are barely twenty-four, Beau. I do not want you to live the rest of your life regretting our child.”

This was not helping. Beau’s temper was starting to flare. “You don’t know I would regret it.”

“Perhaps not,” Loriun shot back. “But I cannot allow you to take the risk—”

“Allow?” Beau yelled. “You’re not going to allow me to do what I want with my own body?”

“This is not about controlling your body.” Loriun’s voice grew louder. “This is about protecting you from a life you do not want.”

“How the hell do you know what I want?!” Beau’s hands curled into fists. “You’re acting like this is something you’re going through, but this is my problem, my choice, my life! And you don’t get to fucking tell me what I can and can’t do about it.”

Beau’s limbs trembled with fury, as he shoved the car door open.

“ Xui’asi bua , where are you going?” Loriun snarled.

“I’m calling Jaime to pick me up!” Beau bellowed. “I don’t want to look at you right now. Go home.”

A long hiss of frustration slithered between Loriun’s teeth. “Fine. Call me if you need me to come get you.”

The tires spun in the gravel lot, and Loriun tore off down the road.

Beau jammed his phone to his ear. “Jaime? I’m at Poseidon Clinic. Can you pick me up?”

“We’ll be right there, give us five minutes.”

They made it in three. Beau slung himself into one of the middle seats in their silver minivan.

“Beau!” Jaime said, eyes wide. “What happened?”

Beau opened his mouth, and burst into tears.

∞∞∞

“First the mating mark and now this?” Vuos growled. “Loriun is acting like an uncontrolled adolescent.” The enormous Mer sat perched on a pouf by the window. Behind him, a curtain of pothos and spider plants swayed in the breeze.

“I can’t believe he mated you and got you pregnant on your second day here.” Jaime’s expression was slack with shock. “The clinic confirmed it?”

Beau slouched deeper into the sofa in Jaime and Vuos’s living room. The space was decorated with dark wood and rich, brown tile floors. It was cozy. “Yeah. I’m definitely knocked up.”

“Xua’asi bua,” Vuos swore, getting to his feet and beginning to pace.

Beau gave a humorless laugh. “That’s what Loriun said too. What does it mean?”

The emerald-scaled Mer paused. “Xui’s hole.”

Another wild laugh left Beau’s lips.

“It’s still early, so you have options,” Jaime said, resting a hand on Beau’s knee.

“I know. That’s what we fought about.” Beau sighed. “He wants me to terminate. Says he doesn’t want to risk me regretting having a baby so early, or carry ‘his mistake’ or whatever.”

Vuos scoffed, but said nothing.

Jaime scowled. “It isn’t up to him. He’s already done enough damage.”

“But Jaime…” Beau sat up, desperation clutching at his lungs. “I don’t know what to do. What should I do?”

Jaime let out a breath. “I can’t make that decision for you. But I can give you some insight.”

“I’ll take whatever you can give me.” Beau ran a finger along the throw pillow beside him. The red velvet left a track behind.

“Loriun told you to abort it. And that caused a fight.” Jaime paused. “To me, that says some part of you doesn’t want to do it.”

Beau was speechless. Why had he gotten so angry over the idea of terminating? He should have jumped at the chance to get his life back on track, yet he didn’t.

“And…” Jaime’s eyes darted to his mate. “I know what it’s like to find yourself pregnant and afraid.

Our first was not planned. I might argue he was less planned than your situation.

” He chuckled. “But I couldn’t give him up.

He was a piece of me and Vuos. I wanted to bring him into the world, even though Vuos thought I was insane. ”

“I did not think you were insane,” Vuos objected. “I thought you were being flippant with your health.”

Jaime rolled his eyes. “In the end, there’s no right or wrong choice. It’s about what feels right to you, and only you.”

“What if I don’t know what feels right?” Beau asked helplessly.

Jaime smiled. “It’ll come to you.”

Beau stayed for a while longer, listening to stories about Jaime and Vuos’s children, and Jaime’s four pregnancies. Seeing the happy, stable couple was reassuring. If they made it through four kids, surely he and Loriun could make it through one.

Eventually, Beau felt calm enough to call Loriun and ask him to drive to a nearby brunch cafe. If they were in public, they were less likely to fight. That, and Beau was starving.

Loriun was subdued when he pulled up to the house. His eyes flickered to Beau’s face, but he remained quiet. He didn’t seem angry anymore. Instead, he looked sad and defeated.

“I’m sorry I yelled,” Beau said softly. “I shouldn’t have done that.”

“No.” Loriun shook his head. “ I am sorry. I was trying to force you to make a choice you were not ready to make. I let myself become too emotional. It will not happen again.”

Beau offered him a small smile, but didn’t speak again as they set off for the cafe.