Chapter 11
Dove knew she had messed up and she swore with every bone in her body she would fix what she almost broke.
The morning after they woke up together in each other’s arms was peaceful, for about ten minutes.
May started getting sick as soon as they wiggled out of the bed.
Dove spent a few minutes holding back her hair as she emptied the previous night’s drink.
She massaged the base of her neck, trying to use her pheromones to comfort the sick Alpha.
The sickness didn’t last long and then it seemed like the reality of yesterday hit May.
Once May had gotten dressed in her leisure uniform, she turned to Dove, who noticed how the air had changed.
May was standoffish with both of her hands tucked into her pockets, retreating to her washroom once again.
Dove could tell May wouldn’t be the first to approach this time. Now was time for her to step up. May had always been there for Dove, even now, so now Dove would be there.
“What happens now, May?” She wanted to believe that last night was more than blind hope, but right now with the Alpha withdrawing from her, Dove had no idea what to think. Even with May always giving Dove space that she needed, she never fled from her.
“I think I need a bit of space to come to terms with this. You have had weeks to process this, but it has been less than a day, Dove. I just need to think.” May wouldn’t look into her eyes as she spoke.
Dove’s shoulders sank with each word, but it was only fair.
Like she had said to herself multiple times, Dove decided this for both of them.
“I understand. Whenever you’re ready, May. I’ll be here.” She left to her own quarters to get dressed for the day, her thoughts drifting back to last night.
Even though May was drunk and upset last night, she had responded perfectly.
She said everything Dove needed to hear, which was much more than she deserved.
She spent most of the night awake with May in her arms. She had to resist grabbing May too tightly.
Ever since the night of her heat, all she wanted was for May to hold her, but the situation ended up reversed.
The soft, warmhearted and kind Alpha was in her arms, all of her emotions written on her face as they spoke.
May slept soundly curled up around Dove, a little grumble here and there, but everything in her body remained serene, at least until dawn when she woke up sick to her stomach.
Dove went through her day nervously, which turned into a week of nervousness.
She didn’t think May was actively avoiding her, especially because of the rumors of civil unrest due to the new tax laws—May was currently busy.
Dove knew that May had struggles with the procedural and political side of being Captain of the army.
May had never spoken to her personally about it, but she had been active in multiple conversations between her, Taylor, and May.
Dove felt terrible for adding more stress to May’s political duty, along with training recruits. In the second week of May avoiding her, she was starting to feel the side effects of having a pup.
Her mornings were filled with throwing up. Her diet was starting to change and her body always felt bloated. With the stress of May finding out about the pup, she had avoided her birthday meal. Dove had all the ingredients set aside but they were starting to go bad.
It was late into the week when she decided to cook up the dumplings and meat she had wanted weeks ago.
Dove had spent the week almost glued to Taylor’s assigned staff.
She knew that Taylor had ordered the switch and refused to speak out about it, but until she and May talked, she would be grumpy about it.
Dove passed the last half of the day making sure the dough for her dumplings was correct, folding the Fuyote and other vegetables into the breaded cocoon.
All eight of the dumplings were sat in a thin film of oil before she would cook them later tonight.
She ground up all her Crimson Currant berries, mixing it with a sweet gelatin.
Grabbing the lamb chop she had set aside, Dove stirred it in with the fine red paste.
She would let it sit for a few hours before baking it tonight.
“Her Royal Highness is in the front room.” One of her fellow kitchen staff spoke behind her.
“Which one? Taylor?” The others practically gasped at the Queen’s name being thrown around so liberally. She rolled her eyes; they all knew about their relationship.
“No, Highness Eveleen.” Dove wiped her hands off in the wash bin and then slipped off her apron that covered her brown dress for the day. She trusted no one would mess with her food as she walked away.
When she rounded the corner to the front of the kitchen, Eveleen stood there with something in her hand.
“Would you be willing to walk with me?” Eveleen didn’t wait for her, instead walking towards the main gate that would take them outside. Her two guards shielded her, closer than usual.
“Is everything all right, Eveleen?” She started to hustle to catch up to her. Eveleen didn’t slow down for a single moment before they reached fresh air.
“Of course.” Once outside they relaxed into a stroll towards the garden.
Dove noticed Eveleen holding something before the queen spoke again.
“Taylor told me I should wait until closer to the due date, but I was too excited.” Eveleen presented a small blanket with multi-colored fabrics.
Each square had a different pattern or design, but they all meshed well together.
The small baby blue cloth with the flower was in the middle.
Dove started to tear up lifting the blanket to her nose.
It was so soft and made with love. A few tears fell from her eyes.
She understood that she was pregnant and would have a pup, but the blanket made it so much more real.
To feel something physical that her pup would be swaddled in.
Something her and May would use to wrap the pup up safely from the world was one of the best feelings.
She rubbed her belly. After the slight confirmation from her doctor a few weeks ago, whether it was one pup or multiple, she would have all the love in the world for them.
“This is an amazing present, Eveleen. What happens if we have multiple pups though?” She attempted a joke when Eveleen drew her into a hug.
“That just means I need to make more blankets. I know Taylor and I are waiting but I’ll be so excited to have little ones running around.” She gathered Dove’s elbow so they would stroll together. She could sense a bit of hesitation from the Omega next to her but kept an open mind.
“Have you been talking with May?”
Dove knew that in the future, communication was going to be an integral part of her relationship, so she remained receptive.
“May has been avoiding me. It hurts a bit, but I understand. I’ve kept her at arm’s length for years and now one night together has created a link between us that will never go away, and it’s all because of my decision.” Eveleen bit her lip and nodded along to her words.
“Have you tried reaching out to her?” Eveleen stopped to crouch down and touch the flowers.
White petals and yellow centers danced in the wind.
Eveleen cradled one with her hand before releasing it.
The way the Omega Queen radiated such softness took Dove’s breath away.
She was so graceful, and Dove wished she had that.
“I want to, but she asked for space. I spend every night and morning waiting for her to show up saying she’s ready to talk, but I can’t approach her. I have to respect her for now.”
“You are meeting with the doctor soon, right?” There were plants all around them as they walked through the garden.
To their left were the flowers which had been growing for just a few years.
Taylor had decided to decorate the grounds with flowers for all the fallen army members and lost civilians after the war.
The food that was growing was lined up to the right.
A few of the palace kitchen staff were attending to it, looking like they were trying not to overhear their conversation.
“I have an appointment in a few weeks. My mother has been all over me since I officially told them last week. They keep questioning me on who the Alpha is, but I won’t be telling them till May and I talk.
My father was angry.” Eveleen bit her lips.
She clearly knew something, but Dove held her lips.
Eveleen stopped to face her and drew her into another hug.
“I best get back to Taylor. May will come around, and when she does, you can present your child’s first blanket.
” With a kiss on the cheek, she bowed out of the conversation with her two guards, leaving Dove alone in the garden.
She looked up at the sky to see the sun close to setting.
She went back to the kitchen to gather her ingredients, preparing to cook in her room.