10. Chapter Nine
Chapter Nine
Cade
In the blink of an eye, our vacation is coming to a close. I haul my backpack onto my back before carrying my rolling bag and Spencer’s bag as well onto the train. We make our way towards the back where our private cabin is located.
This feels so bittersweet. On the one hand, I’m excited to be on our way back home and see what life will be like now that I have Spencer by my side. On the other hand, I don’t want the excitement of our vacation to end.
“I think I need to lie down,” Spencer murmurs, following behind me.
For the last few days, Spencer has been looking a little green around the whiskers. At first, we thought maybe he’d eaten something that’s given him food poisoning but I’ve eaten everything he has and I’ve been feeling fine. Better than fine actually.
He’s either caught a bug or something else is going on. All I know for sure is that my instincts are going wild, begging me to take care of Spencer as best as I can. Which is why I’m carrying all our bags so Spencer can walk through the train without an ounce of strain.
“Welcome back,” Matthew greets us with a wide smile. “You’re in the same personal cabin on the way back.”
“Thank you, Matthew.”
I usher Spencer into the cabin, helping him sit on the bed. I toss our bags down before working his shoes off and helping him out of his jacket.
“Comfortable? Do you need an extra blanket or something?”
“I’m perfect. Thank you, Cade.”
I lean down and kiss his forehead to give him some comfort but to also check his temperature. He’s not warm so that rules out a fever.
“I’m just gonna ask Matthew something and then I’ll be right back, okay?”
Spencer hums, letting me know he heard me. He closes his eyes, cuddling with his pillow. He looks so soft like this. If he wasn’t sick, I’d say he looks adorable. I’m worried about him. Why does he feel so pukey and why can’t I seem to fix it?
“Hey, Matthew?”
Matthew perks up, turning towards me. “Is there something I can do for you?”
“Yeah. My partner is feeling sick. Is there anywhere I could get some crackers and maybe some soup?”
Matthew’s brows furrow and his lips tick up into a little smile. Shit. Has he noticed the change in our relationship? I suppose it’s obvious with the way I’m doting on Spencer.
“Absolutely. I’ll bring an extra bucket as well, just in case.”
“Thank you. You’re the best.”
Matthew gives me a little nod before heading off towards the front of the train where the kitchen is located. Warmth spreads through me as I think about referring to Spencer as my partner. We’ve talked a lot lately about what’s going to happen once we’re back home but the fact that I get to call him my partner leaves me breathless. This is the start of something truly special and it’s wild to think it happened because some asshole YouTuber messed up booking this giveaway.
I should stop referring to them as an asshole since everything worked out in my favor.
Ducking back into the cabin, I find Spencer curled up on his side. If his feet were pointed a little higher, he’d look like a cat curled up like a shrimp. The thought makes me chuckle softly and Spencer looks up at me with confusion.
I shake my head. “Don’t worry about it, just thinking about how cute you are.”
Spencer pouts at me. “Really? Even when I’m all pukey?”
“Even so,” I tell him softly, coming to sit beside him on the bed. I run my fingers through his hair, massaging his scalp. “I’m sorry you’re not feeling well, sweetheart. I wish I could take this away or do something to make you feel better.”
“You just being here is helping. You smell so nice, Cade. It’s soothing.”
“I’m glad,” I tell him, running my fingers down his spine, just the way I know he likes. If the pattern continues, Spencer will lay here feeling miserable for another hour or so before he starts to feel better. By the time darkness falls over our personal cabin, he’ll be feeling like himself again.
It’s so strange. I don’t think I’ve ever seen an illness quite like this before.
A light knock on the door lets me know that Matthew is back. I squeeze Spencer’s shoulder before going to the door.
“Here you go. I hope your partner feels better,” Matthew says softly, passing a tray over.
“Thank you again.”
Matthew winks as he turns back towards his station. I close the door before looking down at the tray. There’s a sleeve of crackers, a bowl of brothy soup, a container of ginger tea, and a box. There’s also a little note from Matthew: I wear scent blockers but my nose told me maybe you needed these.
My eyes stop on the box, staring at it for a long moment, my mind going completely blank.
It’s a pregnancy test.
I wrack my brain for everything I know about cat pregnancies and come up short. Maybe they’re super short and that’s why Spencer is already feeling sick? Right, yeah. I remember him mentioning his siblings were so close together they had to pass them off as Irish Twins! It’s not a wild assumption to make. We’ve fucked once and cum was put into places that would certainly make a baby possible. It would explain why Spencer isn’t actually sick all day or why he doesn’t have a fever. It would explain why I feel fine.
Is Spencer pregnant?
How do I even feel about that? Am I happy? Upset? Scared out of my mind?
I continue to stare at the box like maybe it holds all the answers. When it doesn’t, I let out a long breath. This is all happening so fast but that doesn’t mean it’s a bad thing.
“Cade?”
Spencer’s voice startles me out of my frozen state. I turn around slowly, giving him my best smile. “Sorry, I was lost in thought.”
“That’s okay. Are you alright? Is something wrong?”
“Nothing’s wrong,” I say right away. Carefully setting the tray down, I kneel before Spencer, reaching up and caressing his cheek. He smiles at me and the sight would bring me to my knees if I wasn’t already here. “I just want to tell you something real quick.”
“Okay,” Spencer says slowly. “I’m listening and not going anywhere.”
“Like you could run away right now anyway,” I say with a chuckle.
“Even if I could, there’s no place I’d rather be.”
I lean forward and kiss the tip of his nose. “I care about you so much, Spencer.”
Spencer’s face softens. “I care about you too.”
“I want to be with you. When we get back home, I’ll move in with you or you can move in with me, I don’t really care. All I care about is that you know you’re it for me.”
“Really?”
I grin at the familiar response. “Yes, really.”
Spencer’s eyes begin to water and a moment later, tears are falling down his cheeks. Despite the tears, he’s grinning from ear to ear. “Okay.”
I kiss him again. And then again. And then once more just because I can.
That felt easy. Now it’s time for the hard part. Reaching back to the tray, I grab the pregnancy tests, setting it on the bed in front of Spencer.
“I don’t think you’re sick, sweetheart,” I say softly, just barely above a whisper. “I think you might be pregnant.”
Spencer’s eyes widen. He stares down at the pregnancy tests before looking up at me and then back down again.
“Holy shit,” he hisses out. “Are you serious?”
I lean into him, burying my face against his hair and breathing him in. There it is, the twinge in Spencer’s scent that I didn’t notice before. Spencer’s scent has changed, something slightly sour.
“Yes,” I say simply. “Are you okay?”
Spencer looks like he’s in shock and I wait, petting him softly as he processes the news. Just when I’m about to properly get worried, Spencer smiles.
“I’m okay. Holy shit. I can’t believe this is happening. We only did it the one time!”
I can’t help but laugh. “That’s all it takes. At least that’s what I heard in health class.”
Spencer smacks my chest before freezing. “Oh my gods. What about you? You could be pregnant too!”
“Probably not. What’s the likelihood of that happening?”
Spencer grabs the box of pregnancy tests, opening it and passing one to me. “Wanna test together? You can hold mine and I can hold yours.”
A startled giggle leaves me and suddenly, despite the tension that was there just a moment ago, we’re both giggling until we’re breathless. This feels so serious but there’s something beautiful about being able to get through this together.
“Absolutely not,” I tell him, kissing his nose. “But I will take a test. Just in case.”
We both take turns in the bathroom, pissing on the stick before setting them on the counter in the bathroom. Spencer lies back down and I decide to lie with him, holding him against my chest. My hand wanders down his side, finding its way beneath his shirt. I feel him shiver against me as I caress his stomach. I know I shouldn’t be doing this, not until we know for sure but my instincts are taking over, wanting me to mate, protect, and comfort.
My brain might be telling me to pump the brakes but my animal instincts are overwhelmingly in agreement that Spencer is my mate.
The fifteen minutes it takes for the test to give a result somehow feels like a second and a year at the same time. When the time has finally passed, we walk to the bathroom, hand in hand.
“Oh,” Spencer breathes out. “You were right.” Then he looks over and starts giggling all over again. “But so was I!”
“You’re fucking kidding me,” I say, staring down at matching pregnancy tests, both of them with double blue lines.
“I know I shouldn't be laughing but oh my gods! What the fuck are the chances?” Spencer is laughing so hard he’s practically wheezing, tears streaking down his face. “You kept saying being with an omega had its perks, was this one of them?”
“This is not what I had in mind,” I tell him, swinging him around so we’re face to face. I push his hips against the counter, pinning him in place. Spencer starts to sober as he looks down at me. “But I don’t mind, not even a little bit. My partner pregnant with me at the same time? It’s every omega’s dream, isn’t it? Having someone who loves and understands?”
Spencer’s fingers run through my beard. “This is all very scary and sudden and overwhelming,” Spencer confesses softly, a surreal smile on his face. “But I’m so fucking happy, Cade. I came on this vacation feeling terrified and anxious and I’m leaving this vacation with a man I’m quickly falling for with two babies on the way. It feels fake, like someone is going to jump out with a camera any second telling me it was all a prank.”
“If that happens I promise you I’ll punch them straight in the dick.” Spencer snorts, shaking his head. “I’d punch so many dicks for you, sweetheart.”
He pretends to swoon and I catch him, keeping him pinned against the counter. I kiss him before pulling him into our cabin.
“You seem to be feeling better.” “I am. I think the worst of it has passed for now. Would you like to go to the observation deck?”
“I’d love to,” I say and realize with a start that the three words I wanted to say were actually I love you . I take Spencer’s hand in my own, kissing the back of it, feeling warm from the top of my head to the toes of my feet.
I love him and I plan on showing him just how much with every breath I take. I want every single one of our days to be just as wonderful as this vacation. Spencer won’t regret taking a chance on coming on this vacation. This is the start of the rest of our lives.