Page 22 of Lonely Alpha
“You didn’t need to get him out of bed.” I stood while my mate wiped my face down with a cool washcloth and gave me some mouthwash to rinse with. “I feel perfect.” And I proved the point by dropping down to my knees and finding something deep inside that I hadn’t vomited out yet.
By the time Carl got there, I was in bed, mouth rinsed again, this time just with water because Lars was afraid the mouthwash had set me off again, wearing clean cotton pajamas. A perfect invalid. And I really did feel okay. Tired, but okay.
“Good evening, gentlemen.” Carl came into the room with his old-fashioned doctor’s bag and sat on the edge of the bed. I’d met him once before when I burned my hand baking cookies, but that time I’d gone to him. “I understand William is under the weather tonight.” He studied my face and lifted my hands, focusing on my nails. “You look pretty good to me.”
“It’s gone now. Must have been food poisoning or something.”
“I see.” He opened his bag and took out a stethoscope. “Is it all right if I check you out anyway, since I’m here?”
“I’m so sorry we made you get up and come here.” I felt really embarrassed too. “I ate quite a bit of popcorn tonight. Maybe that was it.”
He listened to my chest and back, took my pulse, and looked in my eyes and ears before pulling out a box. “Why don’t you go in the bathroom and use this and we’ll see if we can’t find an answer for you.”
I didn’t look at what he gave me until the bathroom door closed behind me, but when I did, I choked on my own spit. I opened the door again. “This is a pregnancy test.”
“No kidding.” Carl yawned. “We have to eliminate everything and what’s left is what’s wrong. Pee on the stick, please.” He reached for the door and pulled it closed.
Nervous, I did as he told me. My mate had been quiet through the whole process with the healer so far, but he would be waiting to hear the results. We hadn’t even talked about babies yet, and I hoped he wouldn’t be upset if I was pregnant.
Three minutes later, I opened the door and held up the stick. Two lines. I looked at my mate who had tears in his eyes. “Oh no, you’re upset.”
“Upset?” He enfolded me in his arms and plastered my face with kisses. “I’ve never been so happy in my life. Well, maybe when you said you’d come live here with me. But are you happy?”
“Ecstatic.” I kissed him back until the healer cleared his throat.
“I’ll refer you to a midwife, but you can always call me if you need me, okay?”
We saw him out and went to bed and talked all night about the future. It had become one of my favorite topics lately.
Chapter Twenty
Lars
We went against the man who owned the baby store. He insisted that a neutral palette was the way to go, especially since we didn’t know and weren’t going to find out the sex of the baby.
But the tan and khaki and cream colors made me feel, well, not alive.
“I’m glad we went with mint green. It’s so bright and happy,” I said while painting in a W formation. William was in the rocking chair folding jumpers and blankets and burp cloths for the hundredth time.
“Me, too. I didn’t like the other stuff. And the bunnies make it all sweet.”
I chuckled. “Bunnies in a wolf’s den.”
“Yeah, the irony isn’t lost on me either.” William made a noise of discomfort, and I turned to see him picking up a laundry basket.
“Omega, let me get that.”
“It’s a basket full of tiny clothes, alpha. I’m fine.”
Sighing, I went back to painting. “You didn’t sound fine.”
He put the clothes away and came over to circle my waist with his arms. “I’m the one who’s expecting. You don’t get to be grumpy. That is my right.”
Shaking my head, I put the roller down and turned in his arms. Not an easy task with his basketball-sized belly between us. “I don’t get to be a little bit grumpy?”
“Okay. Just a smidge. Are you finished painting for the day?” he asked.
“I am. Why?” I waggled my eyebrows. “What did you have in mind?”
