3. Basil
3
BASIL
I broke my rule.
Or my new goal.
I don’t even know what to call it.
The point is—I broke it, and I broke it hard .
I squished down farther into the huge recliner Viktor had settled me in after giving me a new shirt to change into after my shower and stealing my car keys so he could finish unloading my boxes.
I tried to resist at first, really, but my ankles were swollen, my back ached, and I was covered in a thin layer of sweat.
Honestly, he probably didn’t have to try that hard before I gave in.
So now I was clean, wearing a shirt that was more like a dress, even with my huge belly, and eating more stew.
Little Bean and I were feeling good for the first time since my first trimester ended and I realized my horrible ex really wasn’t coming back to help.
Good riddance.
He’d been rude more often than not, making little derogatory comments about Omegas and then playing it off like he was joking and I was being too sensitive.
And then he’d been…
less than helpful during my last heat.
As well as incapable of properly using a condom.
Whereas half an hour after meeting me, Viktor had gently taken charge, led me to his apartment, pampered me as best he could without any notice, and fed me again.
If more Alphas in my life had been like him, maybe I wouldn’t have made the vow of avoiding them from now on to begin with.
Then again, if that were the case, would I have even met Viktor?
And why did my full stomach roll at the idea of missing out on finding him?
I decided it was indigestion and sighed, pulling a blanket that smelled overwhelmingly like Alpha over me.
Viktor had been gone for over an hour, but I wasn’t worried.
I decided if he wanted to steal my car, he could have it, and I would just take his apartment.
It was so nice.
Comfortable and full of things like a massive TV and gaming setup without being cluttered, and his earthy scent was everywhere.
It all just felt…
safe .
It was all I could do to keep my eyes open.
My stomach was truly full for the first time in weeks.
Little Bean was relaxing too, no longer tap-dancing on my bladder every five minutes.
The only sound was from the radio in the kitchen that Viktor had left on.
The baseball game he’d been cursing at under his breath as he got me stew and water and then cleaned up had ended, and now there were just a couple of guys talking about how poorly the home team had played.
Their soothing cadences were lulling me into complete relaxation.
It definitely had nothing to do with the Viktor-infused blanket tucked up under my chin.
I wasn’t surprised I dozed off, but I could have done without jolting awake when something crashed in the hallway just outside the door.
My heart raced, my body not sure where I was or what was happening.
I splayed my hands over my stomach, intent on protecting Little Bean from whoever was breaking in.
Then I heard Viktor’s growly voice out there, sounding louder and angrier than I’d experienced yet.
“Watch what you’re fucking doing. If you just broke this, you’re going and buying a new one.”
I quickly glanced at my phone and was shocked that I’d been asleep for over two hours.
I carefully lowered my feet, waddled into the bathroom, and then made my way to the apartment door, beelining to the recliner to snag that soft blanket again and wrap it around myself.
I couldn’t hear anyone out in the hallway anymore, and when I peeked out, it was empty.
Down at the other end though, I could see that my apartment door was open, and there seemed to be some sort of activity happening inside.
There were several voices talking over each other and several thuds—one particularly hard one immediately followed by Viktor snapping, “ Dammit, Oren .”
Curious, I followed the commotion.
I stood in the doorway of my formerly empty apartment, wearing nothing but a near-stranger’s shirt and his blanket, and watched a small group of people unpack my boxes—along with a ton of other stuff I didn’t recognize but looked brand-new.
Glancing to my right, I took in a small tower of empty boxes and packaging material.
I could make out some of the pictures and swallowed at the evidence Viktor—or one of the people he’d called for reinforcements—had bought me a vacuum, crib, two huge boxes of diapers, and so much more I couldn’t make out without sifting through the pile.
There was also a couch that looked gently used, as well as a coffee table with a chip gouged out of the wood along one edge.
Emotions I couldn’t identify swirled inside me.
Someone had brought me their hand-me-down furniture.
Somehow, that felt even more special than the new stuff.
That was something you did for family, not an Omega you’d never even met.
A woman—who had to be Viktor’s mother based on their impressively tall statures and dark hair—was in the tiny kitchen, ignoring the others quarreling as she sorted through bags of groceries.
She put things away with such concentration my eyes started to burn.
It was too much.
I couldn’t…
How could I repay them for all of this?
Viktor noticed me as I swiped at my cheeks with the edges of the blanket still gripped in my hands.
A young Omega, probably around my age, got nearly shoved to the floor as Viktor barreled toward me.
At his squawk of protest, two Alphas—twins by the looks of them—popped their heads out of one of the bedrooms and snickered.
Viktor ignored them all, not stopping until he was only a few feet from me.
“What are you doing up? You should be resting.”
I tipped my head back so I could stare at him.
His harsh face was pinched with concern.
Concern for me .
Swallowing thickly, I glanced around the apartment again.
Words failed me.
I wasn’t even sure what I was looking at—except that it was a miracle.
When my ex left me practically the second I finished peeing on the pregnancy stick, I’d been convinced I would never be able to depend on someone else for the rest of my life.
Having grown up in the foster system, I thought I’d already learned that lesson, but apparently, I hadn’t.
Not that I could be truly upset, since I was getting Little Bean out of the shitty experience.
But I’d promised myself: never again.
Alphas couldn’t be trusted.
I’d told myself that just because I was an Omega didn’t mean I needed one in my life.
And I meant it when I said it to Viktor because I believed it.
Omegas didn’t need Alphas.
Not like they taught us as kids and in school.
But…
that didn’t mean some of us didn’t want them.
Following my instincts, I dropped my blanket shawl and stepped into Viktor’s huge body.
Warmth enveloped me as I wrapped my arms around his waist and let my head rest on one of his thick pecs.
His scent was all around me, soothing me like only a strong, trustworthy Alpha could.
His hands were so light on my back I could barely feel them.
So I squirmed against him, trying to encourage him to hold me tighter.
He seemed to get the message, his arms settling more heavily around me and giving me a squeeze.
“Are you okay?” he asked, his voice soft.
The others had gone quiet, but I didn’t peek to see if they were staring.
I was sure everyone had probably heard him.
His deep timbre carried no matter how low the volume.
“Overwhelmed,” I whispered back, gripping at the back of his T-shirt.
“No one’s ever?—”
I didn’t finish.
I couldn’t.
He made a soft noise, and then his hold on me tightened even more.
It was…
blissful.
I didn’t know that I’d ever felt so safe.
It should be insane.
I’d literally just met the man.
And yet everything about him put me at ease.
Despite his huge size and rough face, in the hours I’d known him, he’d given me what no other person ever had: true security.
When I told him everything I had was in my car, he’d not only retrieved all of it, but he’d apparently recruited others to help fill in the gaps.
Buying me things I needed but couldn’t afford.
Filling my refrigerator with real food, not the cheap, highly processed stuff I’d lived on most of my life.
“It’s okay, angel,” he said.
“I’ve got you.”
And I believed him.
With every fiber of my being.
Even if it was crazy, I couldn’t not believe that this giant Alpha would take care of me.
For the first time in eight months, I could admit to myself how terrified I’d been.
And then I let the feeling go.
Viktor had me.
“I was thinking the dresser with the changing table should go here,” I said, pointing to the corner nearest where the crib had been set up.
I glanced at Viktor’s mother, Vivian, who grinned and nodded, and then over her shoulder at Viktor where he hovered in the doorway to the nursery.
“What do you think?”
Viktor’s face didn’t really change, but somehow, I could tell he was surprised by me asking his opinion.
I smiled at Vivian.
“Could you give us a minute alone?”
She tucked a strand of silver hair behind her ear.
“Sure, sweetie. I’ll go and check on Casp and Alaric. They’ve been a little too quiet in your room, so I suspect they might be slacking off.”
She cupped my face, brushing her thumb against my cheek, before scooting out of the nursery and closing the door behind her.
I couldn’t resist closing the distance between Viktor and me.
I’d pulled on a pair of shorts, but I still wore his T-shirt over top, its length making it look like I was still bare underneath.
When I’d come out of my bedroom after saying I was going to change and he saw me still wearing his shirt, the scent of Alpha seemed to fill the entire apartment, his brothers snickering at him.
But I hadn’t laughed.
Despite being the size of a house, I didn’t think I’d ever felt more sexy.
He’d looked at me with such hunger, and now, closed in the nursery, he seemed almost scared.
“What’s wrong?” I asked, then dropped my eyes as a terrible thought occurred to me.
“Is it too much?”
He cleared his throat.
“Is what too much?”
My face began to heat, and I almost wished I hadn’t asked to speak with him alone.
But even after spending hours with him and his family as they helped me prepare the place for me and Little Bean, who’d be here in less than a month, my conviction that Viktor was a trustworthy Alpha hadn’t wavered.
Except, I seemed to have gotten ahead of myself.
I’d assumed what he wanted instead of asking, thinking that by calling his brothers and mom and helping me in more ways than I could count, he’d been trying to show me that he could be a good Alpha for me.
A good provider.
Someone strong and capable to help with Little Bean.
I may have been reading too much into it though.
Maybe he was just an amazing person who had seen a struggling, super-pregnant Omega and stepped in to help but didn’t actually want anything other than that.
Maybe he didn’t even like kids.
Or he could be interested in another Omega but hadn’t mated with them yet.
My stomach soured at the very idea, but I tightened my jaw to hold back my chin from quivering.
I didn’t want him agreeing to something he didn’t want just because he felt sorry for me.
“This,” I said softly, gesturing around the room.
The crib mattress didn’t have a sheet on it yet because it was in the huge To Wash pile that also included new onesies and outfits, as well as stuff from Oren’s son that he’d outgrown, but Viktor’s Omega brother couldn’t guarantee were clean when he’d shoved them in totes to make space for new stuff.
There was also a worn-out rocker, one of the few pieces of furniture I’d brought with me.
I’d picked it up at a yard sale two weeks after I found out I was pregnant.
All in all, it painted a pretty clear picture of who’d be occupying the room soon enough, but Viktor still didn’t answer as he gazed around, brows furrowed.
“I can’t ever repay you and your family for what you’ve done, but if being here, helping…” I took a deep breath and forced myself to finish, rubbing my hands over my distended belly.
“If that part is too much, I understand. You didn’t sign up for this, and I shouldn’t just assume things.” I forced myself to meet his eyes.
“You don’t have to stay. You don’t owe me anything.”
Viktor’s brows lowered over his eyes, and he studied me for a long moment.
Even though my cheeks flamed hotter, no doubt turning me into a lobster, I didn’t look away.
This moment felt too important.
If I wanted more than just the crib, food in my fridge, and a couch to binge-watch television on, I needed to make sure he knew.
I couldn’t let him and my chance at a happy ending slip through my fingers.
“You don’t owe me anything either,” he said slowly, then licked his lips.
“But what… what do you want?”
I couldn’t help but smile at him.
I had a feeling he was remembering my earlier declaration of not needing an Alpha in my life.
I didn’t blame him for being confused.
“I think I’d like to see where things between us could go,” I said carefully, my heart thumping in my chest.
“My instincts are telling me to trust you, that you’ll keep us safe. And even if I don’t need that, I want it. Badly.”
I blinked, and Viktor had closed the distance between us, one of his huge hands cupping the back of my head, the other resting on top of mine.
Right over where Little Bean was kicking in my belly.
He pressed his face into my neck and inhaled deeply.
“Fuck, this scent,” he murmured.
“It’s been teasing me all day. From the second you first walked past my apartment.”
A shiver ran through me.
“Yeah?”
He nodded, brushing his lips against the thin skin where a bonding bite would go.
“Yes,” he groaned out.
“If you give me half a chance, I will treat you so well, my sweet Omega.”
My shiver turned into a shudder, and I gripped at his back to steady myself.
His hand pressed against Little Bean’s foot, a low, sexy sound rumbling in his chest as he felt my baby move inside me for the first time.
“I believe you,” I whispered.
“Now, tell me if that’s where you think the changing table should go, and then fucking kiss me already.”
“I think that’s perfect,” he said, mouth already gliding up over my jaw.
“At least until I get you two into my place.”
I sucked in a breath, shocked and more than a little turned on at his growly proclamation, and he used my parted lips to his advantage.
His mouth landed on him, and his tongue swept inside.
Everything else in the world slipped away, leaving just the two of us.
His taste exploded on my tongue as his invaded my mouth, claiming every millimeter.
He kissed as hard as he looked, but his hands on me were so gentle, those long fingers slipping down to cradle underneath my belly.
Little Bean and I would be more than okay.