Chapter Six
Isaac
Hiding what was going on between Thomas and me from my best friends was not an easy feat.
Charlie and Spencer both knew me way too well.
They’d know there was something on my mind and eventually want to talk about it.
But I’d promised my mate that for now, we would keep our connection under wraps.
Even though Spencer and Liam didn’t know the guys at the fire station well, I couldn’t risk them accidentally spilling the tea in public and having it get back to Thomas.
So, I was keeping my lips sealed on finding my fated mate.
That also meant that I had to keep my tattoo covered up.
There wasn’t an easy way to dismiss a glowing tattoo, especially since Charlie knew what the radiating light meant.
“Aren’t you hot in the sweater?” Charlie narrowed his eyes at me, I knew he was connecting dots that I wish he wouldn’t yet. “I have the heat on and you’re drinking hot tea. Why are you covered up like that?”
“I don’t know. Maybe I am coming down with something?” I shrugged, wishing he would just drop it already. He’d mentioned my clothing choices a few times already while we were hanging out. Couldn’t he see I didn’t want to talk about it?
“Shifters hardly ever get sick.” He pointed out the obvious. He really wasn’t going to let it go today.
“Listen.” I finally looked my best friend in the eyes and told him as much as I was willing to.
“There are some things I can’t share with you now.
I am okay. Things will be okay. No need to worry about me and my clothing choices, okay?
When the time comes that I can open up, you will be one of the first people I spill all my secrets to. Can we drop it now? Please?”
“Fine.” Charlie still had a bit of his brattish pout, but I knew he would let it go for now at least. “But I better be the first one you talk to about it. Spencer can wait a few extra minutes. I’m number one this time, okay? I’m pregnant and hormonal and deserve to know it first.”
“You really are being a brat lately.” I tussled his hair and gave him a side hug as we sat on the floor going through the newest delivery of baby clothes he received. “But I promise I will tell you first this time. He got to know about my last breakup first anyway.”
“I know. That’s why it’s my turn.” Charlie hummed as he held up a mint-green onesie with a yellow duckie on it. Then he held up a bright-yellow one with a green turtle on it. “I think these will be the outfits I put on them first. I adore the colors and these characters are just the cutest.”
“They are adorable.” I looked at all the other outfits he had laid out. They were all equally precious looking. “These two kids are going to be the sweetest-looking twins I’ve ever seen. And that is coming from someone with a lot of nephews and nieces. So don’t tell my brother or sister.”
“I promise I won’t even rub it in Spencer’s face next time we all hang out.” Charlie giggled and put the two onesies to the side before starting to put the other outfits back into the colorful bin he had them in. “His daughter is precious though. Cookie does fit her well.”
“He hates that I named her better than he did.” I shrugged. “I can’t help it that people prefer the sweetness of Cookie over the old-fashioned sounding Fortuna.”
“Just don’t rename my babies, okay?”
“No promises.”
“Isaaaaac.” Charlie smacked my arm, whining at my teasing. “You’re being so mean to your pregnant bestie.”
“Fine.” I swatted his flailing arms away from me and scooted farther away.
“I promise that I will not bestow any cutesy nicknames unto your children until you approve of them. That’s the best you will get out of me.
It’s my duty as an honorary uncle to save them from being called something ridiculous.
So, if I need to, I will pull out my book of adorableness and help you pick one that fits. ”
“I have faith in me and Jamie to pick solid names for our offspring. Don’t worry.” Charlie’s stomach emitted a loud grumble as he looked at his phone for the time. “Wow. It’s been a few hours since breakfast. I better feed these two before they decide I should start feeling sick again.”
“Wanna eat something here?” I stood and reached down, helping my bestie off the floor.
“Or did you still have a craving for the sushi place the next town over? I read that as long as you don’t eat the raw kind, you should be able to enjoy a roll or two.
And I heard they serve some delicious mocktails. ”
“Please.” Charlie rubbed his rounded belly, something I saw him do frequently lately. “I would kill for one of those today.”
“No crimes necessary. Let’s just go indulge ourselves with goodies.”
The drive to Ryuu, the new sushi and teppanyaki restaurant, was spent filled with Charlie going over the newest gossip from the pregnancy support group he had recently joined.
I swear, even though I knew no one else in the group personally, hearing about their escapades did make my day more entertaining.
“So, then Jody heard from his ex-fiancé and the jerk thought that he could just say a few sweet words and get back into his bed.” Charlie flashed the screen of his phone to me; the omega had posted the latest update on his baby-daddy drama.
“But Jody stuck to his plans and had security escort him off the property.”
“That’s good. Even if the ex says he’s sorry now, it doesn’t erase the mess he made in the past.” I never understood the types of alphas that cheated on their omegas.
Even if they weren’t fated mates, they had made a promise to one another.
If he had really wanted someone else, why not just break up.
That way, at least he was being truthful and not a deceitful snake.
Besides, if he didn’t love Jody enough then to stay faithful, why would anyone think he would be a better man given a second chance.
“So did the guy bother Jody again after that, or was that enough for him to realize he needed to stop bothering him?”
“So far, he hasn’t gone back to Jody’s place of work, nor his parents’ house where Jody is staying until the baby is born.
” Charlie shook his head and took a sip from the water bottle he brought along for the car ride.
“He has been reaching out via text messages though. Luckily he keeps the topic to discussing pregnancy and what they should do as far as shared custody once the baby is born. Jody is hopeful that Dean can still be a good dad, even if he was a horrible boyfriend.”
“I hope so too. For the baby’s sake and for Jody.
” I pulled into the parking lot of the restaurant and shut off the car.
“It would be hard if the alpha parent was a flake for their child as well. Although I have a feeling, based on what you have told me, that this Jody has a solid plan for the future. He probably would make sure he and the child succeed in life no matter if Dean stepped up or fell off the face of the planet.”
“True.” Charlie unbuckled his seat belt and opened his door, ready to exit the car. “I’m glad that all the alphas in my life are amazing men. I’d hate to have to beat one of you over how you treat an omega.”
“Same here.” I exited my side and came around to help Charlie out of my sedan. “If you ever see me treating my omega like shit, feel free to kick my ass, alright?”
“Your omega?” Charlie’s face brightened, a smile growing and his eyes wide. “Care to share something with your bestie?”
“Nope.” I needed to quickly change the subject again to less dangerous topics. Thank the goddess, one of his favorite bands just released a new song. “Have you heard the latest release from Omega Dreams?”
As Charlie started excitedly chatting away about how the newest album was destined to reach number one on the charts, I thought about what Thomas was doing at that moment and hoped that I could show him that I was indeed an alpha worth mating with.
I really didn’t want to give him and Charlie a reason to beat me up.