Chapter Eighteen
Wilder
Out the back window of his home—rather, our home—Lewis worked like one of his bees. He zipped from one task to another, never taking a break to swipe at his brow or even look up.
He amazed me, not only with how hard he toiled but how gentle and caring he had become.
All he’d needed was his omega. He said that to me all the time. That I’d changed his life. Even some people in town noticed the change.
I had no shirt on, rubbing some of my moisturizing cream onto my belly, trying to make my skin not so itchy as it stretched.
By our math, I only had a month or so more of this pregnancy, but the healer told us that with shifters, one could never pinpoint the date. Even with humans, the due dates were ballpark at best. Nature would do what she would do in the end.
I put the salve down, intending to put on one of Lewis’ shirts, when I looked up and saw him staring at me from under a peach tree.
We had more produce than we could use, but Lewis didn’t want to sell it.
He gave it away anonymously to a local food bank.
Every Sunday, when they opened, they could count on crates of fruits and vegetables at the back door, thanks to my generous alpha.
He said we received the honey as our portion.
He was generous in all parts of life.
“What?” I mouthed and turned so he could see my belly. Some omegas dreaded the weight gain of pregnancy and the changes in their bodies, but I loved every second of it.
I looked as the goddess intended me to, when I was growing a life inside me.
Lewis loved it too.
He gathered up his basket of fruits and came inside. Some of them were eaten by us, of course, and I supposed this morning’s peaches were going to make a fine addition to lunch.
I felt my alpha before I saw him. He wrapped his arms around my waist, what was left of it, and held me tightly to his chest. “You distracted me from my work, sweetheart. The sun was beaming on your beautiful body, and I couldn’t help myself. I had to come inside.”
“I’m sorry. I’ll get dressed so you can get your chores done.”
“Nah,” he chuckled, resting his chin on my shoulder. “I was done anyway. Want some lunch? We have a ton of leftovers, and I brought in peaches.”
“I’d love some.”
We ate lunch on the porch, and I looked forward to how beautiful this place would be once summer ended and autumn began. How the leaves would fall and winter would take its place.
And how amazing it would be once our little one was running around, playing in the fresh air and grass.
“What’s making you smile like that?” Lewis touched my cheek.
“I was thinking of our little one running around. Playing. Having fun here.”
He nodded. “It was a good way to grow up. I fixed the swing, but it will be some time before they can use it. I don’t want them to get on their phones too early.
And my dad didn’t let me watch TV until I was older.
I used to fuss about it, wanting to be like other kids, but now, I think that’s the better way. Too much screen time nowadays.”
“I think that’s a great idea. Are you going to teach them beekeeping?”
He growled softly. Not at me. “I was thinking about that. I was always drawn to the bees, but I’d like our child to naturally grow into it. And, while I’ve never let it bother me, I don’t like to think about them being stung.”
“I feel the same, alpha.” I put my hand over his. “But sometimes it stings when you learn new things. You turned out fine.”
Lewis sighed and reached for me, pulling me into his lap. “Maybe it was all the stings that made me grumpy.”
I laughed hard at that one. “You’re not so grumpy anymore. Not with me.”
“How could I be? You loved me when I thought I was unlovable. You didn’t give up on me. You mated me, and now you’re carrying our pup. My life is perfect with you in it.”
He rubbed my belly for a while and then moved his hand on my thigh. “How about some dessert, omega?”
“I thought we had peaches for dessert?” I lifted my hips, rocking into his touch.
“We can have peaches…after.”