Omega’s Refuge (Rambling Cow Dude Ranch #1)

Chapter Nineteen

Dazed, I stared at the coarse cement that pressed against my cheek. Its gritty surface was embedded with tiny, jagged stones that shimmered faintly in the sunlight filtering through the stairwell. My head throbbed and one of my arms ached as if sprained. I couldn’t tell if anything was broken, and then panic shot through me as I realized I’d landed on my stomach.

Rex reached me first. He swore under his breath as he gently ran his hands over my back, arms, and legs. “Are you okay, Tanner?” His voice shook with concern. He slipped his hand beneath my face, to protect my skin from the rough ground. “Is anything broken?”

“I don’t know,” I mumbled, managing to push up on my arms, and shifting my body so that I could sit on my rear. Dizzy, I touched my stomach protectively. “The baby,” I murmured, fear eating me alive. “I landed on my stomach, Rex.”

“Yes.” Rex’s face was grim.

Steve reached us, his cheeks pale. “Jesus, are you okay, T?”

I glared at him. “You asshole. I could have broken my neck. What if I hurt the baby?” My voice trembled with rage. “What if I lose the baby?” My voice broke.

“I’m sorry.” He truly looked horrified. “I didn’t mean for you to fall down the stairs.”

“You had no business putting your hands on him,” growled Rex. His eyes were a golden brown, and he looked like an angry wolf. “It’s your fault he fell.”

All the fight had gone out of Steve. He simply looked emotional and ashamed. “Are you okay, T? Is anything broken? Please tell me you’re okay.”

I didn’t really care about my own injuries. All I could think about was the baby. I ignored his questions, my eyes blurring with tears as I rubbed my stomach. If I lost the baby, that would be devastating on so many levels. The worst, of course, would be the baby would be gone, but there was also the complication of me and Rex. If the baby was gone, so was his reason for claiming me.

“Can you stand?” Rex asked gently.

“I… I think so.” I grabbed his offered hand, and he pulled me slowly to my feet.

I winced because my legs felt bruised and shaky, but I was able to stand. “I think I’m okay,” I said, brushing off my jeans. My palms were scraped and burning from trying to stop myself from falling down the stairs .

Rex put his arms around me. “Thank goodness.”

Uneasiness fluttered through me when I felt a slight cramping sensation in my lower abdomen. “The baby might not be okay though.” My voice was muffled against his chest.

He pulled back to study me. “What’s wrong?”

“I’m not sure. I… I think I feel some cramping.” I grimaced. “It might just be my imagination.”

Rex studied me, a line between his brows. “We really need to get you to the ER right away.”

“Yeah.” I nodded.

My gaze met Steve’s over Rex’s shoulder, and he looked miserable. “I really didn’t mean for you to get hurt, T.”

I believed him, but I was still too angry and worried about the baby to give him the forgiveness I knew he wanted. “Yeah? Well, thanks to you there may not be a baby to fight over anymore.”

“I’m really sorry.” He hung his head. “If… if the baby is okay, I won’t fight you for custody, T. I promise.”

I was surprised at his promise, but also well aware his pledge wouldn’t mean much if I lost the baby.

“Come on,” Rex said gruffly. “Let’s get you to the ER. ”

“Yeah. I should definitely get checked out,” I murmured. “I feel a little dizzy.”

“I’ll come too.” Steve took a step toward me.

Rex shook his head. “Absolutely not.”

Steve looked like he wanted to argue, but he seemed to wilt under Rex’s glare. “It’s my baby,” he mumbled, but his voice held none of the forcefulness of earlier. He now sounded more disheartened than angry.

“We’ll call you later if anything is wrong with the baby,” I said.

Steve rubbed the back of his neck. “Will you call me either way, T? I… I want to be sure you’re okay too. It’s not just the baby that I care about.”

Despite the way he’d treated me during our relationship, I believed he did care about me on some level. I knew he wasn’t ready to be a father or a good alpha, but I could accept that he didn’t want anything bad to happen to me.

I gave a curt nod.

Steve opened his mouth as if he wanted to say something else, but then simply turned and walked down the last flight of stairs to the parking lot.

“Let’s go.” Rex’s voice was gruff.

I started to follow him, and then stopped abruptly. “What about the movers? They’ll be here any minute and if we just leave, they won’t have any idea what’s going on. ”

Rex grimaced, appearing frustrated, but then moved to the railing and called down to Steve. “Hey, Steve, wait up.”

Steve was halfway to his car but he stopped. “Yeah?” He looked hopeful, as if he thought we’d changed our mind about letting him come to the ER with us.

“The movers will be here any minute. Would you be willing to wait for them?” Rex sounded stiff. Asking for a favor from his arch enemy probably wasn’t very pleasant for him.

Steve’s face fell. “You want me to stay here and wait for the movers?” His disappointment was obvious.

I didn’t say anything, but my gaze locked with his.

When our eyes met, he let out a shaky breath and turned around, heading back toward the apartment building. He hurried up the stairs and just as he reached us, a big moving van pulled into the parking lot of the apartment complex.

“That’ll be them.” My voice wobbled with anxiety. “I gave them a deposit, but they’re going to need the other half when they finish the job.” As I spoke, I reached for my wallet in my back pocket. “I’ll just give you my credit card, Steve, and you can pay them the balance.”

“Okay.” Steve exhaled tiredly. “I guess I’ll take it is a compliment that you trust me with your credit card. ”

Rex shifted uneasily. “Tanner.” His voice held an urgency. “We should get going.”

I handed Steve my credit card and moved to the stairs. The cramping hadn’t gotten any worse, so that gave me some hope. Rex caught up to me, slipping his arm around my waist.

Once we were in the truck, Rex and I didn’t talk. He focused on driving quickly to the ER. He gripped the steering wheel so tightly his knuckles were white. When we reached the ER, Rex parked the pickup in front of the entrance, and ran around to help me out of the vehicle.

As I exited the truck, I asked, “Shouldn’t you park in the parking lot?”

“I’ll park after I get you checked in.” His expression was grim.

When we entered the emergency room, there was a small podium were security had to check us in. I could feel Rex’s impatience as the older security guard passed the wand over our bodies, to make sure we had no weapons on us.

After we made it past security, we were greeted at the main counter by a very tired looking nurse. Her eyes were bloodshot, and her skin pale as if she hadn’t been in the sun in a very long time.

“What seems to be the problem?” she asked, holding out her hand for my insurance card.

I cleared my throat. “I’m two months pregnant and I fell down a flight of stairs. ”

She hadn’t been bothering to make eye contact before, but when I told her what had happened she looked up quickly. “You fell down the stairs?”

I nodded. “Yes. I… I landed on my stomach. So now I’m a little nervous.”

“Of course.” Her dark gaze sharpened. “Is there any pain? Cramping? Dizziness?”

“I have had a little cramping.” When Rex shifted uneasily beside me, I added, “Nothing too serious.”

She asked me a few more questions about whether or not I’d ever been pregnant before and if I’d had complications, and what medications I was on. Once her questions were finished, she took us to the back area of the ER.

We passed rows of patients in beds, half hidden behind gray curtains. Some patients were moaning and others were unconscious. None of them looked happy, and who could blame them?

The nurse took me to a small, chilly room. There was an examination table and a chair, but not much else. “I’m sorry, we don’t have any empty beds at the moment.” She grimaced. “But I think it’s best if you lie down.”

“Okay.” I climbed up on the paper covered table, buzzing with anxiety. “Maybe nothing’s wrong and I won’t need an actual bed.”

She avoided my gaze. “That certainly would be the best case scenario. ”

I swallowed hard. “Do you think the mild cramping I had earlier is a bad sign?”

“Let’s wait and see what the doctor says.”

Rex gave me an encouraging smile. “I’m sure everything will be just fine.”

The nurse didn’t respond, she simply stuck a thermometer in my mouth. “Lie down and I’ll take your pressure and draw some blood. The doctor will probably want to perform a transabdominal ultrasound to check the baby's heartbeat, location of the pregnancy, and placenta position . He’ll want to rule out any signs of miscarriage or placental abruption—though abruption is rare at two months.”

“M'kay,” I mumbled around the thermometer.

“Why would you take blood?” Rex asked.

“We need to do a complete CBC, which stands for complete blood count, to check for signs of internal bleeding,” she responded.

I grunted with fear at the idea of internal bleeding, and Rex gave me an uneasy glance. I suspected he wanted to comfort me, but didn’t know how.

“Wouldn’t I be in a lot of pain if I were bleeding internally?” I asked softly.

“Not necessarily,” she said, but then seemed to catch herself. “Don’t worry.” Her stiff smile suggested that reassuring patients didn’t come naturally to her. “We always check vital signs— blood pressure, heart rate, oxygen levels—anytime someone comes to the ER.” She removed the thermometer from my mouth. “Temperature is fine.”

“Okay, good.” She wasn’t the warmest of people, so I was thankful she’d thrown me that bone.

She wrapped the blood pressure cuff around my arm, and then she turned on the machine mounted on the wall. I felt the cuff squeeze my arm for a few moments then it released. She took two readings and then met my gaze. “Your BP is good.”

I sighed. “I’m, so stressed out, I expected it to be sky high.”

“Nope, it’s just fine.” She examined my scraped hands. “Do you have any other scrapes or cuts?”

“My legs feel bruised, but I don’t seem to have broken the skin.”

“Falling down the stairs is very dangerous. You were lucky.” She moved to open a cabinet over the sink. She stood on her tip-toes, and grabbed some antibiotic ointment and bandages.

“I hope you’re right about my luck,” I murmured, gingerly touching my stomach.

Once she’d applied the ointment and bandages to my palms, she pushed my shirt up and palpitated my abdomen gently. “Any pain or tenderness?” she asked, watching me closely .

“Not really. I think my hands took the brunt of my fall.” I’d instinctively tried to shield my belly as I’d tumbled down the stairs.

She gave me an approving nod. “It’s natural for an omega to protect their baby, even before themselves. Shows you’ve already bonded with the fetus.”

My eyes stung. “Yeah, I have. Even though it’s so early.” Once Rex had claimed me, I’d allowed myself to bond to the unborn child. There had been no reason not to.

Rex smiled at me. “It’s a good thing that you’ve bonded with the baby.”

I met his gaze. “Is it? What if I lose the baby? Then it will be a very bad thing.”

His mouth tensed. “I’m sure the baby is fine.”

“You aways think everything will be fine.” I gritted my teeth. “I guess I’m not always as optimistic as you.”

“There’s no point in thinking negatively, Tanner.” He wrinkled his brow. “It won’t help anything.”

“Maybe not, but I’m really worried. And telling me I shouldn’t be worried isn’t helping.” I avoided his gaze because I knew he’d be hurt by my impatient tone.

He didn’t respond in kind, he simply let out a shaky breath as if trying to control his emotions.

The nurse walked to the door. “I’m going to see if Dr. Holston will come see you now. I can see the pressure of waiting is getting to you two, and more stress is the last thing either of you need.”

Once she was gone an awkward silence fell. I knew I should apologize to Rex for snapping at him, but I felt bitter and angry at the world. Why couldn’t anything ever just be easy? Why did I always seem to struggle for the tiniest bit of happiness? Just when things finally seemed to be going my way, this had to happen?

Rex came over to me and surprised me by taking my hand. His grip was warm and firm, and his expression serious. “I’m sorry if my being positive annoys you, Tanner.”

I winced guiltily. “You shouldn’t be apologizing to me . It should be the other way around.”

“No, you’re scared and I shouldn’t just brush over that. You have a right to be scared and to express those emotions. But I… I truly do feel like everything will be okay. Those weren’t just empty platitudes. I feel in my gut the baby is fine.”

His compassion made my eyes sting with tears. He could easily have held a grudge against me for being snippy, but as usual, he was being good to me. “D… do you really feel that?”

“Yes.” He nodded. “I really do.”

“I’m worried about the cramping,” I admitted.

“But it stopped, right?”

I nodded .

“The doctor will be able to tell us if we should be worried or not. To me, it’s a good sign that it stopped.”

“Right,” I murmured, shuddering at the memory of helplessly tumbling down the steps.

The door opened and an older man entered the room. His eyes were on a clipboard he held, but then he looked up smiling. “How are we doing today?” He stopped near the examination table. “I’m Dr. Holston.”

“I like to think we’re doing okay,” I said quietly. “Hopefully, you can put us at ease.”

Rex held out his hand. “I’m Rex, Tanner’s alpha.”

The possessive way he announced that sent warm shivers through me. I liked being his omega already. I really hoped nothing changed between us because of anything the doctor said.

“Nice to meet you both.” Dr. Holston, gestured to me. “Nurse Whelchel explained the situation to me. I understand you’ve had some slight cramping since the fall?”

“Yeah. It’s stopped though.” I grimaced. “But it made me really nervous.”

“That’s understandable,” Dr. Holston said. “But cramping doesn’t necessarily mean something is wrong. Uterine irritation or ligament strain could cause mild cramping.”

“Oh.” I blinked at him .

I must have looked confused because, with a patient smile, he continued, “ During pregnancy, the ligaments supporting the uterus stretch to accommodate its growth. A fall or sudden movement can strain these ligaments, causing cramping or discomfort, particularly in the lower abdomen or groin.” He shrugged. “To be honest, anxiety or fear from the fall could cause the body to tense up, leading to a physical response that includes mild cramping. That’s why I say it’s not necessarily anything to worry about. Especially since it stopped.”

“That’s a relief,” I said, meeting Rex’s gaze.

Rex smiled tentatively. “Yes. Very much so.”

Dr. Holston nodded. “Just to be safe, I’m going to do a physical examination, if that’s okay with you, Tanner?”

“Sure.” I pulled my shirt up, exposing my stomach. “Do I need to take my clothes off?”

“Nah.” The doctor smiled distractedly. “I’ll really just focus on your abdomen. I want to check for any swelling, and we’ll give you a transabdominal ultrasound. It’s non-invasive and the only discomfort is the gel is sometimes cold.”

“Okay.”

Dr. Holston palpitated my abdomen for a few moments, a line between his brow. “Everything seems okay,” he murmured. “But just to be sure, we’ll still do the ultrasound. ”

He moved to a machine in the corner of the room on a cart. I hadn’t noticed it when we entered the room. He pushed it over and Rex stepped away from me to make room for the doctor and the ultrasound machine.

Dr. Holston squirted some clear gel on my stomach and when I winced because it was cold, he laughed. “Told you so. The gel is the worst part.”

I grimaced. “It’s worth it to know the baby is okay.”

“Absolutely.” He guided the handheld transducer across my stomach, and the monitor attached to the machine displayed shifting grayscale images of what lay beneath the surface.

“This will show us the size and shape of the fetus, we should be able to see the heartbeat as well,” Dr. Holston murmured, studying the images on the monitor.

“We can see the baby already?” I asked excitedly. It hadn’t occurred to me that the fetus would be visible yet.

“Definitely.” Dr Holston frowned. “I think the nurse said you thought you were two months along?”

“Yeah.” I nodded.

Squinting at the images on the monitor, Dr. Holston said, “I think you’re more like three months pregnant, to be honest.” He smiled at me encouragingly. “You’re further along than you thought.”

“Really?” I raised my brow.

“Yep, see there?” He pointed to something on the screen. “That shape that looks about the size of a lime? That’s your baby.”

“The head is bigger than the body,” Rex said, giving a gruff laugh.

“That’s right.” Dr. Holston smiled at Rex. “The head is still proportionally larger than the body, but less so than in earlier weeks. The body is catching up.”

“Am… am I crazy or do I see arms and legs?” I asked, my voice wobbling. It was amazing to actually see the baby. Up until now, the baby had been more of a concept than anything. But now, it felt so real because I could actually see it.

“Yes, the arms and legs are fully formed at three months. That’s one reason I’m sure your further along than originally thought. The hands and feet are well-defined and the fingers and toes are visible. I can even make out the facial features.”

“I see that too,” Rex said sounding in awe. “I see the nose and mouth for sure.”

“Yep.” Dr. Holston chuckled. “It’s pretty amazing right?”

“And everything looks okay?” I asked softly.

“So far, everything looks great, Tanner.” Dr. Holston met my uneasy gaze. “I think you got lucky. The baby is still small enough that it was cushioned and protected when you fell. Any bigger or smaller, and there might have been a different outcome, but I think you and your baby are just fine.”

I felt like crying when he said that. Rex put his hand on my leg because he was too far away to touch much else. He wiped roughly at his eyes with his other hand, and I knew he was feeling emotional just like me. I liked that about Rex. I liked that he wasn’t afraid to show that he was moved by the sight of the baby.

Dr. Holston straightened. “Wanna hear the heartbeat?”

“Really?” I squeaked.

The doctor laughed. “Sure. Why not?” He flicked his fingers over the touch screen monitor and the rapid thrum of the baby’s heartbeat filled the room. It was faster than I'd expected, almost hypnotic.

“Oh, my God,” I whispered.

The doctor’s smile widened as he adjusted the device against my stomach, and the echoing pulse seemed to grow louder, and more insistent, as if to say, "I'm here, alive, and growing." It was both miraculous and humbling, a tiny drumbeat of life deep within me.

Rex’s fingers gripped my legs harder and he smiled at me. My eyes blurred with tears as we listened to the swift heartbeat of the baby we’d be parents to. I hadn’t even met the baby yet, and it was still only the size of a small piece of fruit, and yet a wave of protective instincts surged in me. It was lucky Steve wasn’t in the vicinity. I might have tried to strangle him as the raw paternal emotions raged through me.

“I see no signs of internal damage,” said Dr. Holston. “We’ll keep you here for a few hours to make sure the cramping is truly over. And once we send you on your way, you need to return immediately if you experience severe cramping, heavy bleeding, severe abdominal pain, dizziness, or fever.”

“Yes, I’d come right back.” I nodded. “I don’t want to take any chances.”

“Good.” Dr. Holston turned off the machine, and the sound of the baby’s heartbeat ended abruptly. He wiped my stomach clean of gel, and pushed the cart back into the corner of the room. “I’ll also want you to avoid lifting anything heavy or doing any strenuous activity for a few days. In situations such as these, it’s wise to be overly cautious.”

I sat up, tugging my shirt down. “I’ll stay in bed for a week if you tell me to.” I was so relieved, it was almost overwhelming. I hung my legs off the side of the bed as Rex once more returned to my side.

He rested his hand on my thigh, as if he couldn’t help himself. I think he needed to touch me as much as I craved his touch in that moment. We’d faced something terrifying together, and Rex had been steady and calm throughout. That only cemented my belief he was the right alpha for me.

Dr. Holston moved to the door. “I wish you two well, and hopefully we won’t meet again anytime soon.”

I smiled. “That sounds good to me.”

Once he was gone, I got off the table and Rex and I hugged. It felt good in his strong arms, and I clung to him weak with relief. For one awful moment I’d thought I might lose the promising future that was so close I could almost taste it.

But for once, the universe had taken pity on me.