Chapter 30 #2
“I haven’t because they seem so foolish. You know—like I should be able to deal with them because I’m Alpha. I just don’t want Steel to think less of me.”
“Bullshit. Talk to him, Jackson. Steel would never make you feel anything except important to him,” said Logan.
“Yeah, I guess you’re right. I know it inside my heart but I can’t seem to wrap my head around it.”
“Your pregnancy hormones are ruling you, bro. Talk to Colton about how you feel if you don’t want to talk to Steel,” urged Logan.
“Okay, okay. I see Colton tomorrow and I’ll ask him then.”
“Good. Let me know what Steel says about my decorating requests,” said Logan. Standing, he looked at Jackson for a moment and then left the study.
Jackson knew Logan was right. He needed to talk to someone and he’d feel more comfortable with Colton right now. Ever since he saw the ultrasound picture, Jackson had fallen in love with their pup. He wondered if Steel felt the same way.
“Yes, I do,” said Steel, walking in to hug and kiss his mate. “And what is this I heard about you worrying about something happening to the baby?”
Jackson kissed his mate back, “Who told you? I only mentioned this to Logan a few minutes ago and I know he didn’t tell you.”
“Mo chroí, you have been broadcasting your thoughts to me for the last few minutes. That’s why I came to see you so we could talk about your worries.”
“Oh,” Jackson turned a deep shade of pink. “I didn’t realize I was doing it.”
“I’m happy you did. Babe, talk to me. What are you worried about?”
Steel lifted Jackson up from his desk chair, sat down in it, and pulled his mate onto his lap so they were face to face
Bending his head down so it was against Steel’s chest, Jackson was embarrassed he’d inadvertently mind-linked his worries to his mate. Now, talking to Colton seemed pointless because his mate already knew.
“I’m afraid something will happen to our pup... I’m in love with the pup, so much, and this is all so new… I mean, I’m the only Alpha/Omega hybrid and what if something goes wrong? I can’t lose that pup because when I heard the heartbeat, I fell in love… I am a mess…” Jackson rambled on.
Steel lovingly held his mate and rubbed Jackson’s back soothingly.
He let Jackson get it all out, the worries and the fears, and he just listened.
Steel knew these feelings were real to his mate and even though he felt everything would be fine, that didn’t lessen the importance of Jackson’s concerns.
After a while, Jackson fell silent, exhaling loudly.
“I guess you think I’m weak for having these feelings, huh?” Jackson finally said, voicing his biggest fear.
“Babe, I think you’re amazingly strong and I couldn’t be prouder to have you as my mate and to follow you as my Alpha.
Never think otherwise. If I were in your shoes, I don’t know if I could handle a complete upheaval of my life and my understanding of who I thought I was as well as you have,” replied Steel.
“Really?” asked Jackson, and then hated the way it made him sound so needy.
“Really, babe. You know, I think the pregnancy hormones running rampant through your body right now are responsible for at least part of your worries. Why don’t you ask Colton what you can expect?” offered Steel.
“I’ll do that,” said Jackson, now calmer. Then, “Have I told you lately how much I love you?”
Steel gave Jackson a kiss, “No, not since this morning when you were screaming my name as I fucked you.”
Jackson, grinning at the memory, sassed, “Well, that was far too long ago.” Reaching for his mate’s lips, he licked at them until they parted. Then he thrust his tongue in, seeking his mate’s in a dance of love.
Breathless from the heat of the kiss, Jackson pulled back and said, “I… Love… You...” punctuating each word with a kiss.
Hugging his mate tightly, Steel inhaled Jackson’s special scent. “I love you, too, babe, you’re my everything,” seizing Jackson’s lips in a devil-take-all kiss.
“Wow,” Jackson said breathlessly after the kiss ended
Steel chuckled, “Yeah, I agree. So, mate-of-mine, is there anything else you want to talk to me about?”
Loving his mate, who could bring him to the edge of insanity with just a kiss, he paused to get his rioting emotions under control. Then he remembered what Logan wanted, and turning to pick up the baby clothes list from his desk, he handed it to Steel.
“What’s this?”
“That, my father-to-be, is what Logan thinks our pup needs in the way of clothes.”
“All of this? Really? He’s kidding, right?”
Jackson huffed out a short laugh. “Yup, that was pretty much my reaction, but Logan said if I didn’t believe him, I should check it out with Mystia or your mother.”
“Okaaay. Shit. What Logan is really telling us is we’re fucked as far as thinking he over exaggerated what’s needed. Why does a baby need so many clothes?”
“Oh,” teased Jackson, “Logan also said to check with your mother as to how fast a Dire pup will grow because he might need bigger sizes.”
Shaking his head in disbelief, “Now I understand how you feel. This just got very real to me,” Steel murmured.
“Oh babe…” Jackson said, in a sing-songy voice, “there’s more.”
“More?” asked Steel.
“Logan told me we needed to do the nursery and wondered if we’d done anything about it.”
“Nursery?” Steel asked faintly. “Oh shit.”
“Yup, that’s how I felt too. I’m so glad we are so in tune with each other,” sniggered Jackson. “However, Logan came up with a solution. He offered to design the nursery for us if we just tell him which bedroom we want it to be in.”
Finally, Steel thought, a solution for at least one thing concerning the pup. He asked Jackson, “Ahhh, how do you feel about Logan doing that? Is it okay with you?”
“I was going to tease you about this,” laughed Jackson, “but after seeing the look on your face, I think not.”
“What do you mean ‘the look on my face?’” asked Steel indignantly.
“We-l-l-l-l-l, you have a look of sheer panic on your face,” snorted Jackson.
Steel opened his mouth, and then shut it, narrowing his eyes. “Hey, this is all new to me. I’m still suffering from the shock of seeing the clothes list.”
Jackson laughed again. “I know… right? Anyway, to answer your question, if Logan wants to design our pup’s nursery, it’s fine with me. Did you know he was studying interior design before the massacre?”
“No… is he any good?”
Swatting Steel’s chest, Jackson snapped, “Of course he’s good. He’s my brother so how could he be anything else?”
“Mea culpa,” Steel said, grinning. “Right, why would I even think to ask that?”
“Logan’s amazing. Once we’d built our pack house, Logan designed and decorated the interior. He’s done his bedroom here, as well as some for my brothers. You should check ‘em out.”
“Babe, if you’re okay with Logan doing the nursery, it’s fine with me,” said Steel. “I just wanted to make sure he didn’t pressure you to do it.”
“No,” said Jackson. “His ideas are so amazing; I know you’ll love them.”
“Good. Now we only have the clothes list to do. I’ll run that past my mother and see what she has to say,” said Steel.
“Oh, and one last thing. Logan would like to redesign the great room and dining room so they have more coziness. He said the way they are now makes him feel like he’s in a hotel.”
Thinking for a minute, Steel said, “You know, he’s right. I never felt like this house was a ‘home’ and I want that for the baby. So, tell him to go ahead and have fun.”
Jackson showed his appreciation by attacking Steel’s lips with his own.