32. Nevin
32
NEVIN
It seemed like one minute it was December and the next, I blinked twice and it was almost February. Crazy how time flew when you were being stalked by your crazy Alpha-ex. Thank god that was over. I never had to worry about Rex or his pack ever again, and it was all thanks to Kace.
And just in time, too. I was heavily pregnant, big as a freaking barn, and so uncomfortable it wasn’t funny. My feet and legs were always swollen and my back never stopped hurting, because baby Zechariah weighed a thousand pounds, I swore to god, but this is what I wanted. It’s what I’d wanted my entire life, and now I was finally going to have a child of my own. A little boy to love and to care for.
Soon…
Despite my protests, Kace’s mom was hellbent on throwing me a baby shower—“Better late than never, right?” she’d said with grin—and I’d just found out today that the entire pack had come together to buy me and Kace gifts when just nine months ago, they barely even knew my name. I was just some bedraggled stray that showed up on their territory, and now?
I bit down on my bottom lip to keep it from wobbling as I stepped into the Howells’ spacious kitchen. There was an entire buffet table lined with trays and bowls of snacks and finger foods, like pigs-in-a-blanket and cucumber sandwiches and cheesecake dip with graham crackers. In the center of it all, in a giant ornamental glass bowl, was fruit punch with chunks of strawberries and pineapple bobbing in it.
It was all I could do not to cry.
Xan must’ve noticed, because he came over and threw his slim arms around me, hugging me close. “Hey, don’t cry, Nev. This is a happy day. We’re celebrating and we don’t need tears to make a guest appearance.” He winked at me, then ruffled my hair. “C’mon, you gotta try this green pistachio fluff stuff that Fletcher Rose made? It’s weird but so fucking good!”
I didn’t know who Fletcher Rose even was, but I was assuming I’d be meeting him soon—and I was right. Adam and Fletcher Rose were a mated Alpha and Omega pair who owned and ran a restaurant called Bixby’s in Greymercy. Fletcher was a lynx shifter. I knew it probably shouldn’t have surprised me, seeing that Rubydawn was a sanctuary pack of sorts, but for some reason, it did.
His smile didn’t quite reach his eyes when he congratulated me, and I got the distinct feeling that there was a deep-seated pain there. One that he didn’t talk about. One that I didn’t have any right to ask about, being a complete stranger. When he returned to his stoic Alpha’s side, the way Adam wrapped his arms around his mate made me feel kind of sad.
People kept piling in, and soon, Gracie’s house was jammed full of pack. Filled with family and friends and people who made Rubydawn what it was. Kace and I picked a spot on the sofa, in the center of everything, as everyone gathered around with presents and gift-bags in tow.
I looked around at all the smiling, hopeful faces of my packmates, a knot growing in my throat. “Th-Thank you all for being here. For coming. It… It means a lot to me. Never in my life did I expect to have a baby, or the support of a pack like this. Where I came from, Omegas were only there to serve a purpose. I wasn’t wanted. I was a waste of space who couldn’t produce heirs to an Alpha-centric pack, and now?”
I took a deep breath and grabbed Kace’s hand. He smiled at me, gently squeezing my fingers in his. It drew a smile to my face. “I’m so thankful for all of you, for these gifts, and…and just for coming. Thank you. Kace and I were waiting until we were closer to our due-date to announce the name of our baby, but it’s not far off now. Kind of scary, now that I think about it.” I barked out a soft laugh.
“Go ahead, honey,” Kace encouraged, and tears filled my eyes, making the room swim.
I sniffled. “We’re naming him Zechariah Lane, after my brother who passed as a child. Baby Zee.”
A soft chorus of “Awws” filled the room.
“I think that’s beautiful,” Gracie said.
“Thank you,” I whispered. Then, still teary-eyed, I grabbed a diaper off the coffee table. I wasn’t ready to open gifts yet, because I had the feeling I’d end up dissolving into tears all over again. Instead, I smiled and waggled my brows. “Now, who’s ready for party games?”