Chapter 12 Percy
Percy
“Has Jasper floated his private detective idea by you?” I asked as I leaned against the kitchen counter, crossing my arms. Devin was our pack leader, which meant his opinion mattered more than he cared to admit in this situation.
Since our pack mates were at practice and the coach had agreed I wasn’t needed that particular day, I had taken the opportunity to study at home for a few hours.
We were heading into the off season, so we would still be training, but there would be some leeway in our schedules.
Just when my vision was starting to blur from looking at equations, Devin had decided to order us some lunch—subs from a local place we had become rather fond of.
His brow furrowed as he placed the takeout bag on the counter. “He has… What do you think?”
“I’m not completely against it,” I admitted. “Maybe it’s time we find out if she really is a guy named Steve living in his mother’s basement. We’ve been talking to her for two years.”
Devin plated our food, handing me a dish with my turkey sub on it. We stood at the kitchen island, eating as we spoke.
“Well, if the other two idiots are to be believed, she’s been talking to them via voice notes, so they are convinced she is who she says she is,” Devin said before taking a bite.
My phone buzzed, and I pulled it out, seeing a new message in our group chat with Maple.
“Speak of the angel,” I said, showing the screen and the notification to Devin.
Maple
I got a sonogram picture!
S
You better show us!
J
Girl or boy?
Devin frowned as he checked his own phone. “Those two are supposed to be at practice.”
I shrugged. “I’m sure Coach will yell at them for it.” I also wanted to see the sonogram image, but I didn’t want Maple to be bombarded with requests, because I knew if she didn’t send it soon, Saint would be incessant enough for the group of us.
Devin sighed. “And I’m sure they won’t give a shit. Those boys are acting like lovesick fools.”
“I mean, can you blame them? The idea that someone wants us just for us and enjoys talking to us is a nice idea.”
“It’s a nice fantasy. Maybe we should let the security guys take a closer look at her. You know, I was all for that in the beginning. The only reason I didn’t go ahead with it is because Saint begged me.”
I nodded, running a hand through my hair. “Admit it, you’ve gotten pretty attached to talking to her as well. I know for a fact, if we had never started chatting, you wouldn’t have two plants with curse words for names sitting on your windowsill right now.”
Our phones buzzed again, and we both looked at our phone screens. A little picture filled the chat—the sonogram image.
“Oh, wow…that is a baby,” I said lamely.
Devin opened his mouth to respond but was cut off when our pack group chat that didn’t have Maple in it dinged.
Saint
I reverse image searched the sonogram pic. It’s real. Maple really is pregnant!
“Well, there goes your suggestion that it’s a fake photo.” I laughed as Devin looked flummoxed.
I tapped into the Maple group chat.
P
Is all well?
Maple
Baby is growing as they should, and they were good as gold during the sonogram.
S
Clearly, you’re having a sweet little girl, like yourself—wait, did you find out?
Maple
Not yet, that’ll happen at the next scan!
Devin sighed. “I do wish she was real…” he admitted quietly.
“She could be. After all this time, with her still talking to us, I can’t help but believe she’s real.”
“If that’s the case though, what if she doesn’t want us? Do we really want to go down that road and have to deal with Saint when he gets his heart broken? Or Jasper thinking about it? Both of those boys are acting like they’re head over heels in love.”
“We aren’t much better,” I pointed out.
“Fine. We’ll look into her, but if this all goes to hell, you can help me clean up the mess.”
I snorted. “Sure thing.”
Devin glowered at me. “Shut up and eat your sandwich.”
Maple
I had no idea that babies needed so much stuff!
Maple
Sorry! I know you’ve been busy studying. I don’t want to disturb you!
Her private message was a welcome reprieve from the mountain of textbooks. My head was aching, and I was beginning to wonder if university was really worth it. Joining the circus seemed like a more appealing life as I stared at all the textbooks in front of me.
P
No! Talking is a welcome break. All the guys are out, leaving me to study all by my lonesome.
Maple
Well, that’s rude of them! Maybe that’s what you get for being a smarty-pants.
P
You are aware you are also a smarty-pants, considering you are also attending university?
Maple
You’re studying advanced mathematics, while I’m studying plants! They are not the same.
P
Studying is studying.
Maple
I get to relax and nurture plants, you have to think. A lot of what I have to do is memorizing things. Plant life cycles, growth times. I have to remember all those pesky little details.
P
I imagine relaxing in a greenhouse with plants would be relaxing. Heck, I would love to study my textbooks surrounded by plants.
Maple
Ugh! I want a greenhouse more than anything. When I’m not living in the dorms, the first thing I want to buy is a greenhouse so I can have all the plants.
P
I’m surprised you haven’t snuck one into the dorms yet.
Maple
It’s not from a lack of trying.
I laughed to myself. The mental image of her trying to slip a greenhouse into her dorm was comical, but at the same time felt very Maple. She seemed quiet and shy, yet she had a stubborn, determined streak I had observed over the years.
She would make a good mother.
P
You mentioned that babies need a lot of stuff?
Maple
I’ve been looking online, trying to figure out all the things I need to save up for and buy, and there’s so much. The baby industry is clearly out of control, and I can’t tell what I actually need versus what is just really good marketing telling me I need it.
P
I’m afraid I don’t have much good advice on that front, having never had a baby. Hell, I’ve never even been around a baby.
Maple
I’ve been around a few, as I’m surrounded by omegas who’ve had babies. A friend of mine brought her newborn into the coffee shop a few months back, and I swear she was so stinking cute I nearly cried.
P
I think you’ll make an excellent mother.
Maple
That’s sweet, but you’re only being nice. I could be a disaster!
I frowned at the phone screen. Maple lacked confidence, that was painfully obvious. I hesitated before lifting my phone closer to my mouth and pressing record.
“You will be an excellent mother, Maple. I’ve seen you care for plants with more concern than most people show their children.
You’re caring, sweet, and research whenever you’re unsure.
I have zero doubts that you’ll be a wonderful mother.
I would have given my left arm for a mother who cared that much. ”
My finger lifted off the record button, and for a moment, I panicked, thinking I had come on too strong. I wanted my words to get through to her, though, and simply typing them didn’t seem like enough.
“Maple?” I spoke after a moment of silence and no reply. “Please don’t leave me hanging here...”
“Sorry, I just got a little…uh, emotional,” she said, her voice hushed and watery.
Oh, shit. Had I made her cry?
I was lifting my phone to respond again, but she messaged again.
“Thank you… You sound nice. Familiar.”
Did I want to be familiar? Saint and Jasper would probably want their voices to be sexy or alpha-y to the sweet omega.
Me, on the other hand… I liked the idea of being familiar. I wanted to be a comfort to her, a friend.
Well, I wanted to be more than a friend, but it was a good start.
“You sound sweet and cute,” I said.
Maple snorted. “S said much of the same. I think I sound like a normal person.”
I smirked. “Well, Maple, I hate to break this to you, but I am an expert on voices, and from your voice alone, I can tell you’re cute as a button. How goes your Internet search?”
“Good… chaotic… I could have sworn I’ve heard your voice before. Sorry! I shouldn’t say that. Anyway, it’s getting late, I’m so tired. I think I’m going to make it an early night.”
The moment she mentioned my voice, her tone became flustered, almost panicked. Did we know each other? Out of all my pack mates, I was the one who spent the most time on campus and had the highest chance of bumping into our anonymous omega.
“Hey, there’s a chance we’ve bumped into each other before—the campus is a big place.
Don’t stress, I’m chill.” That was a bald-faced lie; I was anything but chill.
“Now if this were J we were talking about, then he may grab a boom box and go wandering the streets of campus, playing love songs, demanding attention from his Maple. Never fear, though, we have a basement we can chain him up in if he becomes too annoying… Sorry, I’m rambling. ”
I threw my phone down, internally groaning at myself. Why was it so hard to keep my cool with Maple? We had been talking for almost two years, and now it felt all the more real. Before, I hadn’t heard her voice.
And, fuck, that voice. Buttery sweet, the kind of voice I wanted to fall asleep to. Her comment about familiarity kept nagging at me, because she was right. Her voice was oddly familiar, but I couldn’t put my finger on if or when I had heard it before.
A buzz alerted me to a new message. It wasn’t a voice note, as I had hoped, but it was still from her.
Maple
Thank you.
P
Any time, Maple.