Chapter 19 Liza #2
“Liza, these feelings you’ve been experiencing, they’re completely normal, so let me get that out of the way first. No need to feel ashamed or embarrassed in the slightest.” He pushed his chair back and crossed his legs, looking at the screen for a moment before glancing at me.
“Have you told your parents about these experiences?”
Hell no, I hadn’t! I was a thirty-year-old woman. My days of sharing things like that with them were long past.
I frowned. “Doc, I love my parents, and I appreciate all the years of care they’ve provided, but I don’t think I need or want to consult with my parents about my sexual health.”
He chuckled. “Of course.” He blushed slightly, and I doubted it was from the subject matter as much as the faux pas about my age.
“You’re right. However, your pheromones tend to be on the very high-end of the spectrum, and from what you’ve been telling me, they continue to rise and emit at a level that renders men helpless.
That’s certainly not to say it’s your fault. ”
I nodded. I did tell my parents that I’d upped my dosage, but I didn’t see why changing medications had anything to do with them. The problem with having the same doctor since childhood was that in his eyes, I still hadn’t grown up. “Fair enough, I see what you’re saying. They’ve been made aware.”
“Good.” Dr. Reynolds picked up a long, silver pen from the holder attached to the blotter on his desk.
“I’m going to prescribe you a different medication with a higher dosage.
Please keep in mind how important it is to take these every day.
Don’t think you can skip a day and not be affected in some way.
Try to take them at the same time every day, too.
Even the difference of a few hours can have an effect on your pheromone levels. ”
My heart thumped loudly as I tried to muster up the courage to ask the question that had been weighing on me since this whole thing with Ty started.
“What will I tell Ty if he wants to have kids? I understand that the pills I’ve taken for years stop me from having a heat cycle—I’m assuming these will do the same—but if I stop taking them long enough to conceive, I’ll be putting myself at risk.
Correct?” Obviously, he knew about my condition. He was the one who diagnosed it.
Dr. Reynolds was silent, no doubt choosing his words carefully.
He was a good man and often had to walk a fine line with me as doctor and mentor.
“Honestly, Liza, I’m not sure. I know the risk you’d be taking if you’re honest with Ty about what you are.
That is something the two of you, as mates, will have to overcome together.
You shouldn’t have to do this alone. Isn’t that the whole point of having a fated mate? ”
I bit the inside of my cheek.
He continued. “Do you trust Ty enough to tell him?”
I opened my mouth to answer but hesitated.
Did I trust Ty? I’d certainly trusted him enough to let him put his head between my legs and keep it there for what had seemed like hours.
But just because we’d been intimate, that didn’t mean Ty had truly earned my trust. On the other hand… “Yes, I believe I do trust Ty.”
“You know I’ve always leveled with you… told you the truth because it’s your body and you’re the one who has to deal with it.
” Doc leaned forward. “It’s a risk for you to stop taking your medication because we don’t know what will happen now that you’re an adult and the pheromones are at adult strength.
” That wasn’t quite the reassurance I was hoping for.
“The incident at the coffee shop is concerning, to be sure, and I think you have to be very careful in whatever you decide.”
I nodded. He was right.
“The way you described those men turning their full attention on you reminds me of when you were much younger and your brothers almost beat the neighbor kid half to death.” He raised an eyebrow. “Do you remember that incident? How quickly the boy reacted?”
Of course I remembered it. That wasn’t the kind of thing a girl forgot.
I’d just started my period for the first time and was riding my bike.
I’d stopped in front of my neighbor’s house to drink some water, and before I knew what was happening, Tommy, a fifteen-year-old, had run out of his house and tackled me off my bike.
If not for my brothers tossing a football back and forth in the front yard and witnessing the whole thing, there was no telling what Tommy would’ve done.
Tommy told his parents he had no idea why he’d had such a strong reaction toward me.
He wasn’t the kind of boy who would do that.
His black eyes and busted lip, however, said otherwise.
But he’d sworn to my father and his that he’d been watching TV innocently when he’d scented me, and his desire to mate with me had been way too strong for him to control.
He’d been fifteen, and I was only twelve.
I’d sworn never to mate—with a boy, ew—ever.
I’d never been more grateful to my brothers for pulling him off me and beating him to a pulp. My parents had called the police and filed a report.
I met Dr. Reynolds’ gaze. “Not one of my fondest memories, Doc.”
“I would certainly think not.” He tapped the pen against the side of his leg. “I’m not saying something similar would happen, but based on what you’ve told me, your pheromones are now attracting multiple men at once. It’s simply too dangerous, Liza.” Too dangerous sounded so ominous.
I studied the floor again, my body deflating.
“Liza, look at me.” Dr. Reynolds’ voice softened. “None of this is your fault. Tommy and the men at the coffee shop were just reacting to the scent of an omega.”
There it was. The word that no one ever spoke. Omega. My life would never be normal, and the past week or so had just been further proof of that.
I thanked the doctor and took the prescription from him.
As soon as I was in the parking lot and some of the embarrassment had faded, I checked my phone. Sure enough, Ty had texted to see how my appointment went.
It’s all good.
I couldn’t summon up a more detailed response. I was spent.
Before I could slide in behind the steering wheel and buckle up, Ty responded.
Let’s meet at What’s the Scoop for an ice cream. My treat.
Ice cream sounded wonderful.
I’ll be there in five.
It was only around the corner and down the block, so when I pulled up, Ty was already waiting on the sidewalk in front of our town’s oldest ice cream parlor.
It was one of those old-style hand-dipped places with red leather booths, a Formica bar trimmed in chrome, and black-and-white checkered floors. Straight out of an Archie comic.
Ty opened my door, then offered his hand to help me out.
I couldn’t help but smile. He was a sight for sore eyes in his button-down, collared shirt and fitted khakis with the skinny legs.
Ty smiled as he pulled me into his arms and kissed me lightly. I breathed deeply, taking in the scent of his cologne. “I needed that after the day I’ve had.”
“Let’s go inside and you can tell me all about it.” He held my hand and opened the door for me. “Hmm. What should we order?” Ty stared up at the menu hanging above the counter like a little kid.
“Strawberry cheesecake is always a winner,” I pointed out, and the picture on the little A-frame board sitting atop the glass case was enough to seal the deal for me.
“True, but I think I’m in the mood for some chocolate.” Ty tapped his chin and glanced down into the glass case at the open containers of ice cream.
The woman working behind the counter overheard his comment. “If you’re in the mood for chocolate, we have mint chocolate chip, caramel turtle surprise, triple chocolate, and there’s always the option to add a brownie to any bowl or cone.”
We both shared a look and smiled.
“Perfect.” Ty held up two fingers. “Two scoops of mint chocolate chip with a brownie on a sugar cone, please.”
I ordered the same. When she handed us our cones, we went to sit at a table outside.
“So, what did your doctor have to say?” Ty licked his ice cream, and I tried not to imagine him licking something else.
I frowned as I bit into my brownie. Maybe it would cool me off.
“You look upset.” He reached across the table, twining his fingers with mine. “What happened?”
For the smallest fraction of a moment, I contemplated telling him everything.
I was strangely comfortable with Ty, and I was confident that the feelings were more than just our mating bond.
He was a natural at being an alpha—everyone could see that in his day-to-day interactions with the pack.
His presence was a comfort to those around him, which made it easy for people to talk to him.
We were fated mates, and I wanted to tell him the whole truth of who and what I was.
Before I could stop it, a lump rose in my throat and tears pooled in my eyes. The very last thing I wanted was to get emotional in front of Ty. “I just hate that I’m so different.”
Ty’s eyes softened with concern. He was completely unaware of the actual extent of how different I truly was, and the guilt of keeping it to myself caused a physical pain in my head. Or maybe the ice cream was to blame. I couldn’t say for sure. I only knew I hated lying.
“I just wish I knew the truth about where I came from.” I wiped a tear before it made its way down my cheek. “Maybe if I had that information, it would make dealing with my quirks a little easier.”
Ty stood, tossed the rest of his ice cream in the trash, then knelt next to my chair. He cupped my face with both hands and stared so deeply into my eyes, I felt it in my soul. “There’s nothing wrong with you. You are perfect just the way you are, Liza.”
His eyes darkened, and something akin to pain flashed in those depths. I was surprised to see honest emotion there. I’d expected sympathy, but he looked sad, almost guilty.
His brow furrowed. “I’m sorry, Liza.”
Just as I opened my mouth to ask Ty what he was sorry about, our moment was interrupted by a tall figure who cast a shadow over our table.
The man cleared his throat, and I tore my gaze from Ty long enough to look up to see Stone glancing between the two of us.
He looked pissed.