Linus looked so pleased, his eyes bright, his mouth tugging into a barely suppressed smile. “We’ve talked about this, Storm. You’ll be ready.”
Yeah, that was future-Storm. The Storm of right now was still reeling.
“We’re going to have a baby,” he whispered.
Linus smiled, brushing his fingers through Storm’s hair. “I’m keeping it.”
“Yeah. I knew that,” Storm said, mainly to get his brain wrapped around the new human being who would be in his life soon.
A baby meant feedings and diapers, doctors and milestones.
Linus would need help. Sure, he could do it all on his own, but it would bedifficult.
Which meant that Storm would be seeing him regularly, if—
“You’ll let me help as often as I can, right?” Storm asked, breathless.
“Of course,” Linus said guilelessly.
What this meant, was that even if Linus kicked him out of the apartment, Storm would get to see his omega frequently, for the next eighteen years.
Suddenly, this was turning into the best thing ever.
“I’ll help, then,” Storm said. “Often. Like, every day.”
Linus beamed. “Of course.”
Storm drew several deep breaths. Then he turned to Linus and cupped his face. “How areyoufeeling? Crap, I was so distracted, I should’ve asked about you first.”
“I’m really okay.” Linus nuzzled Storm’s palm, still smiling. Gods, he was really excited, wasn’t he? He had kept beggingStorm to breed him. And Storm was happy to oblige, just to be extra sure it happened.
“I can be your alpha officially,” Storm said. “For protection. If you wear my scent, fewer alphas will approach you because you’ve been marked as mine.”
Linus ducked his head and blushed. “I would love that.”
Storm couldn’t help rumbling possessively. He trailed his wrists all over Linus, over his clothes and up his throat, stroking over Linus’ pulse point several times. He repeated the motions until Linus was drenched in a cloud of cedar, and he smelled more like an alpha than an omega.
“Mine,” Storm whispered, his heart pounding.
His omega finally smelled likehis.
It was amazing.
Linus blushed, ducking his head. Storm nuzzled his temple.
“Is that all you’re feeling, though?” Storm asked. “I thought you looked kind of uncomfortable.”
“Everything is a little too much,” Linus admitted. “Sounds, scents, taste. Actually, I think that might be why the ice creams all tasted bad to me. They’re usually good.”
Storm’s face fell. “Aw, shucks. Is there anything you can still enjoy?”
“I don’t know. We’ll have to see.”
It was unfair that pregnant omegas got the short end of the stick. “You’ll get exhausted too, won’t you?” Storm vaguelyremembered something about pregnancy fatigue. “And morning sickness.”
Linus sighed. “Hopefully it’ll pass in a few months.”
“Sweetheart.” Storm tipped Linus’ face up so their eyes met. “Whatever it is, if you feel uncomfortable or terrible, or if you need help with anything, tell me. Okay? I’ll be there and I’ll help as much as I can.”
