33. Micha
Chapter 33
Micha
“ C an you believe you're almost a third of the way through your pregnancy?” I asked as I handed Kennedy a plate of scrambled eggs.
Ever since I had walked in on her with Charlie and Eli, I had been pointedly avoiding talking about it, but I was fucking elated because it meant we were taking a step in the right direction.
“I wouldn't believe it if it wasn't for the rampant nausea and the swelling ankles,” she said as she gratefully took the plate.
“Are you still feeling nauseated? Or the medicine's not working?” Eli had told me about the medication he insisted on paying for because it would probably help her a bit more than the cheaper alternative.
Kennedy nodded, swallowing a mouthful of eggs. “Oh, they are amazing. Unfortunately, I forget to take them some mornings because I'm in a rush, and then the next thing I know, it's midday and I want to hurl.”
I made a mental note to remind her every morning to take her medication. The last thing I wanted was her feeling unwell.
Sitting next to her, I pulled her legs into my lap. She moved easily, her focus on her plate of eggs. She was wearing a pair of pink fuzzy socks that I gently moved, so I could start rubbing her ankles.
“Holy shit, that is magic.” She threw her head back, moaning around a mouthful of food.
Foot rubs made the omega happy—I needed to remember that.
I wondered if she would enjoy any other parts of her body being rubbed.
“Have you got everything you need for your doctor’s appointment today? I must say, I'm excited to have some one-on-one time with the tiny terror. You make babies that are far too cute, Kennedy. Everyone wants to spend time with them.”
“I know, it's such a burden.” She smirked. “We do need to go back to our place tonight, though, because I need to do a few loads of laundry.”
“You know this building has a laundry room, right?” I pointed out. “Maybe you should just move in and stay with us.”
Kennedy sighed. “Not you too!”
I shrugged. “Hey, I like having you around. I'm not ashamed of that. Plus, it doesn’t make sense for you to go to the laundromat two blocks away, when there's one here.”
“As much as I love crashing in your beds, occasionally it's nice to have my own space. Not that I don't adore you guys.”
Storm needed to hurry the hell up and get her nest finished.
“Fine,” I sighed. “I guess I'll just have to follow you home.”
“Stalker.”
“At least I have good taste, considering who I choose to stalk. This adorable omega and her tiny terror that bring me far too much joy!”
Charlotte was currently fast asleep in her playpen in the living room. She had been napping a lot lately, and I had been a bit concerned until Kennedy explained that she was going through a growth spurt, and it was normal for them to sleep more. She had insisted that I enjoy the peace while it lasted.
Maybe I was naive, but I had yet to see Charlotte truly be a terror in the night yet. I didn't think she had a single problematic bone in her body. She was a sweet angel baby, and I loved her.
“There will be no stalking of my child,” Storm grumbled as he strode into the kitchen, heading straight for the coffee machine.
“Rough night?” I winced.
“The coach is riding our asses hard. We have a game next week,” Storm explained.
“You're a hockey player, aren't you?” Kennedy asked, cocking her head to the side.
Storm nodded. “I play for the university team. I got a scholarship that paid for my education, so I've got to keep playing for them until I graduate. Hey, why don’t you come to the game?” he asked excitedly. “The guys usually come to my games, anyway, and it's a family friendly sport. You can even get these cute little earmuffs to put on Charlotte to help make sure the noise isn't too much for her. You know what? I’ll order her a pair online now just in case,” he declared, pulling out his phone, coffee forgotten.
“Sure.” Kennedy smiled indulgently at him. “It will be fun to see you play.”
Storm's face broke out into a shit-eating grin. “Thank you. It'll be amazing to have you guys there. I'll get you front-row tickets, so I can see Charlotte as I skate around. I’m twenty-three… although considering she's not reading numbers yet, it may be a bit difficult to recognize me.” He pouted.
“I can point out which player is Daddy.” Kennedy smiled, finishing the last of her eggs.
Storm rushed over to Kennedy, placing a kiss on the top of her head and hugging her tightly. “It’s going to be amazing!” he declared.
Kennedy narrowed her eyes, her smile faltering. “Wait, don't hockey players have full access to the university ice rink?”
“Yeah, you want to go for a skate?” he asked as he grabbed an apple and started cutting up slices, passing a few to Kennedy, who took them almost on autopilot.
“Then, why the hell were you at the public ice rink when we first met?”
Storm’s face turned bright red, and he opened and closed his mouth a few times as he tried to find the words. I burst into laughter. I knew exactly why Storm tended to avoid the university rink, but I didn't think Kennedy would like that reason.
She turned to me, alarmed at my laughter. “I'm not going to like this, am I?” she asked with a grimace.
“I…well…” Storm stumbled over his words.
“Our boy Storm here is so popular with the ladies that hang around the ice rink that he has to go to the public ice rink to get some alone time, so the girls aren't crawling all over him. Oh, and of course there are the puck bunnies who have managed to score a night with the Storm Sanderson and want more, so they pretty much stalk him.”
Storm’s face was pale, and he looked pleadingly at Kennedy. She deserved to know the truth, but it didn’t exactly help Storm’s daddy image.
Kennedy’s face twisted in a frown. “Well, I knew you had a past.” She laughed. “And as someone who scored a night with Storm Sanderson, I can understand the stalking…maybe a little bit.”
My pack mate looked at her, horrified, as I doubled over, laughing as she casually continued eating her apple.
I was falling in love with this omega.
We had to keep her.
Eli took Kennedy to her scan appointment while Storm and I were on tiny terror watch. Charlie had classes. Hell, we all had classes, but our attendance had been abysmal of late. We were all nearing the end of college and were decently smart. We would be fine.
Family was far more important at the moment.
Supporting Kennedy as she went through her second pregnancy was far more important.
And wooing her.
I wanted to woo the pants off that girl.
After finishing her eggs, Kennedy went back to Eli's room to get changed. He would be back from class any minute, and they were going straight to her appointment.
Storm turned to me with a scowl on his face. “You really had to tell her about all that?” he growled.
I shrugged. “Hey, she needs to know everything—the good, the bad, and the ugly.”
He sighed. “I know she does. It doesn't mean I have to like it. I want her to see me as responsible, as someone who will be there for her and Charlotte.”
“And I'm sure she will. It may just take a little time. By the way, how close are you to finishing her nest? Because I've been talking to her about moving in, and she pointed out that she didn't want to keep crashing in one of our beds…”
Storm perked up. “But you think she would actually move in with us?”
“I think that's a possibility.”
“If you're willing to give me a hand setting up the last few pieces of furniture, I can probably have it done by tonight.”
“We can finish up while we're babysitting Charlotte.”
“We can—and don't call it babysitting.”
I nodded. Storm's logic was actually sensible there. He was a father, so he wasn't babysitting. He was simply caring for his child. And by that logic, because we were a pack and all children were part of the pack—well, that was typically the case—Charlotte was all of ours and we simply cared for her.
“Okay, let's finish up a nest!” I declared.
“Fuck, yes! You know what? I fucking love having those two around. Coming to my game, making them a nest, there’s something so damn fulfilling about it. I honestly can't imagine my life without either of them.”
“You’re in love, and I think the feeling is mutual.” I snorted. “Well, Charlotte definitely loves you. Kennedy may still have the jury out, but she’s certainly attracted to you.”
“How do you feel about everything that’s happening?” Storm asked. “We all heard what she did with Charlie and Eli the other morning, so are you cool with that?”
“Am I feeling left out?” Storm nodded. “No. Maybe? I don’t know. At the end of the day, Kennedy needs to take everything at her pace. I'm not upset that she banged Charlie. Hell, it was hot as fuck to hear. Am I disappointed that we still haven't done anything? Yes, but I know it's going to happen in time, and I can't begrudge her doing things the way she wants.”
“This whole thing must be such a mindfuck for her,” Storm said. “She can't think only about herself. She's got to think about Charlotte and her unborn child.”
“And that is why we have to make things easy for her. We can't make any decisions for her, but we can certainly guide her. For instance, we can build her a nest and encourage her to move in, maybe even bribe her with our laundry room.”
Storm raised an eyebrow. “Does she know you have a jet tub attached to your room?”
I shook my head. She hadn’t seen my bathroom yet. “Wait, why would she…oh!” It dawned on me that Kennedy had mentioned a few times how much she loved taking baths.
“She told me she doesn't take baths as much anymore because she always has Charlotte, but now she has alphas who are happy to look after the baby while she has a long, relaxing soak.”
I pulled out my phone. “I need to order some fancy bath shit.”