Chapter 12
The smell of Dove’s dumplings infiltrated May’s nose before she could even knock.
May’s hand shook unsteadily at the door with the other gripped the end of her hair.
Tonight she was hoping they could lay down most of the groundwork between the two of them, but she had no clue how it was going to go.
Building up her emotional wall, she knocked.
She knew that being honest and open with Dove was the best way to approach this, yet her mostly broken heart told her not to.
May was at odds with herself since she never held herself back from Dove.
“Dovely? May I enter?” It wasn’t long before Dove whipped the door open, almost slamming it on her own face.
Her hair was paired into two braids with a flower in the left one.
Dove had changed into a comfortable pair of clothes that hung loosely off her body.
From what May had asked the doctor, most of the physical changes would take place in another ten weeks or so.
The uneasiness shown on Dove’s face could be read in her pheromones.
May’s first instinct was to soothe Dove’s worry.
“Please come in, if you’d like to. I was just making my birthday meal even though it was two weeks ago.
I’ve been hoping you would stop by and—” She leaned in to cut off Dove’s rumbling.
May couldn’t stop herself. Her first and only love was standing there carrying her pups.
She had avoided her for as much as she could the past few weeks to get everything ready, or so she hoped.
The feel of Dove’s lips on hers left her walls crumbling.
If she didn’t back away, she would have pulled Dove up into her body and made love to every inch of her.
May ended up pulling away, grabbing Dove so she could rest their foreheads together.
They weren’t okay, not even close, but she really hoped tonight was the start.
“I have missed you so much, Dovely.” She pressed a small kiss to the side of Dove’s forehead before entering the room and making herself comfortable. Dove’s uneasiness was still evident, but it was replaced by a surge of joy.
“I…” Dove quite literally was speechless when May sat at the one of the chairs in front of the fire.
The smell of her Crimson Currant lamb cooking was delicious to May.
She wasn’t sure what she was going to say.
She knew what she had spent the last two weeks doing and thinking, but as she sat near Dove, all her thoughts disappeared. Luckily, Dove stepped in.
“I am almost finished with my lamb, the dumplings are being cooked in the pot, but would you like some water?” The Dove in front of her was hesitant and uncertain as she placed one hand on the underside of her belly.
May’s Alpha swelled with pride when she thought of her pup—or pups—growing in the Omega’s belly.
“Water would be nice, but I would like to talk first.” May tried to comfort Dove with her scent, but she was only able to do so much.
She was nervous all on her own, without thinking about Dove’s reaction to her idea of their future.
Dove fell into the chair across from May with concern flashing on her face.
Her freckles were blushed as she pushed one of her braids aside, tempting May with the scent gland on her neck.
“Can you just tell me if you are going to be here or not? I understand if you don’t want to provide for me and the pup.
And that what you said the other night was under the influence of whiskey but if you’ve changed your mind, I understand.
” Dove was rubbing her belly as she spoke with almost no faith in May.
Now she remembered why she kept her distance and what the topics they needed to discuss were.
With everything in May, she flicked her green eyes up to meet the Omega’s golden orbs.
“I will provide for you and the pups every step of the way, but I want to communicate about what our future will look like and decide things together from now on.” She sat both her hands in her lap to stop herself from reaching out to Dove.
“I have talked to Taylor about some things, and she insists we need to talk, that there is a lot we do not know. I had to take a few weeks to get some stuff into place, Dove, but I am ready to talk about this. Our pups and our future.”
May could barely see the gold lining Dove’s irises with the tears blurring in them, but she could tell they were tears of happiness. She knew Dove wanted to lurch out, bury her head into May’s neck and pepper her with kisses, yet they were both still reserved, and they needed to be.
“I’m so glad you feel that way. I want you to tell me everything you feel and need from me.”
“No Dove, it will not work that way. I will tell you what I feel and need, but you have to do the same for me. You are not allowed to hold anything back from me anymore, Dovely. You are carrying our pups and I need you to speak to me honestly. If you cannot promise me that then…” She trailed off.
She would be a part of her pups’ lives no matter what, but if Dove still wouldn’t speak openly after everything, then May wouldn’t be able to give her heart to her.
She had done it long enough and now she needed to protect her family in whatever form it came in.
Dove stood, moving towards May. She gripped both May’s hands before getting on her knees.
The only feeling she could sense from Dove was an overwhelming sense of happiness.
There was nothing else below the surface as May looked into the eyes she loved.
The ones who provided a surge of joy whenever she saw them.
“You’re the only person on the planet who calls me Dovely.
” She ran her small thumbs over May’s knuckles.
“My parents don’t even call me that anymore.
They stopped calling me that when I expressed how much I disliked it, but when you call me that, I melt.
The name reverberates through every inch of my body.
It makes me…warm. There was never a point in knowing you that I wanted you to stop calling me that, especially now.
So, I promise you, May. I will tell you everything, starting with this.
” She gripped tightly on May’s left hand, bringing it to her lips. “I promise, no more secrets.”
May gathered Dove up, drawing her atop her lap.
Even if they weren’t going to be in an intimate romantic relationship, she had to have Dove on her.
Dove happily complied, almost crawling into May’s lap.
Wrapping her muscled arms around Dove’s waist, she squeezed her against her own body.
Dove sat almost perpendicular to her, but just like always, it was a fit.
She took a deep breath of Dove’s scent. Her sweet honey was slowly being joined by an almost earthy smell.
May was unable to identify it precisely, but she smiled against her Omega’s head.
***
The sun had set since May had come to Dove’s room.
Her Alpha was slowly taking small bites of the lamb Dove spent so long making.
May seemed happy with the food Dove had been dreaming about for weeks.
A small purr built in her chest when May let out a moan of happiness.
The Alpha looked up, raising a sandy eyebrow.
“You enjoy the lamb?”
“It is very delicious, Dovely.” She cut it into one more slice, bringing it to her mouth.
They had finished the dumplings a while ago also, which prompted May to let out an almost orgasmic moan.
One Dove would never forget. Dove loved cooking and sharing it with people but sharing her food with May was different.
After sitting in May’s lap for way too long, she got up and checked the food.
She loved the feeling of being wrapped in May’s arms. It was a safe space after spending all these weeks in a state of uncertainty.
But the silence was getting a bit uncomfortable as she read more into May’s body language.
While they had had a bit more conversation about communication, they hadn’t actually said anything about how they would raise the pup, or if they would be together.
Dove wanted to wake up every morning with May lying next to her.
“You mentioned talking to Taylor about things. Was there anything in particular?” She didn’t know how to advance this conversation, but maybe their best friend’s name would invoke something.
May immediately stopped her chewing and set the food aside.
The self-conscious May she had started to recognize rose to the surface.
She had seen it during her heat, during their conversation with whiskey, and over more than ten years of acquaintanceship.
“I have been discussing with Taylor for a bigger place for us. Somewhere with room for pups.” May spoke quietly, almost daring Dove to be upset when the only thing she felt was love. May always thought about her first, and now she was thinking about their child first.
“I know you may not want to move and I understand that. If you do not want to live together, I also understand, but I thought if we had a big enough living space for us and the pups, it would be better. If you do not agree, we can keep our living quarters separate.” May’s worry seeped into the room, basically becoming its own person.
“May—” Dove’s voice must have not properly conveyed what she was feeling because May stood up to pace the small confines of her room.
Of course, May would have noticed that neither of their quarters would be suitable for both them and even one pup.
While most Alphas and Omegas had two or three pups, Dove knew they would have only one.
“I should have asked you before even talking to Taylor, but I know she knew you were pregnant and since this is her castle, I thought it would be okay.” May was standing near Dove’s balcony, which had the doors open. The breeze blew May’s scent and uneasiness into the room.
“May, look at me please.” The dark green eyes found hers.
May was worrying her bottom lip. Dove needed to show her how much she loved the idea.
She put her own food aside before standing and grabbing May’s hand.
When May was gathered up in Dove’s arms, her toes on the rug, she finally caught her attention.
“I would love to move in with you, because that is what you’re asking, right?”
Dove gazed up at her Alpha. May glanced down at her, bringing her nose to Dove’s ear. She breathed in a few times before whispering a warm yes into Dove’s red hair. She locked their bodies together as if they were going to dance.
“If we live together, though, there are certain things that must come with it. I will need a bit of a kitchen workspace like this.” Dove pointed to the area, as if May hadn’t seen it a dozen times.
She spun them in a little circle, pointing to the little table she had near the head of her bed.
“This table must come with us.” Spinning them again, she motioned to a few other items in the room, pointing out things that wouldn’t drastically alter whatever May’s plan was.
She knew May had her own things and they would have to decide where each item would go.
She didn’t know the space of the new quarters, but she trusted her Alpha and best friend.
“The quarter is between both our current rooms but up a floor and closer to the royal wing. I know you prefer to live closer to the kitchen, but Dovely, this is our family, and I want us to have as much space as we need.” She held Dove closer, pressing their chests together.
She knew May was beaming with the thought of her pups and Omega this close to her.
“If I have to live and sleep without you for another day I might claw my hair out, May.” Dove dropped her chin just below May’s collarbone to look up at her.
She had presented the idea of them being together multiple times, and May had dismissed it each time.
Since their last chat where Taylor insisted May had been in love with Dove, she had overanalyzed every interaction she could remember.
“That was the next part of what I wanted to discuss.”
“So, discuss?”
“I think the day I met you, Dove, was the moment I realized how much I could be attracted to someone. As we grew up there was never anyone else, Omega and Beta alike, that could compare to who you are. I gave up sex a few years ago because there was only one person I wanted. You.” May’s green eyes gazed into her own.
Dove had lost count of how many times she cried tonight but this one might be the most impactful.
The Alpha she thought who just went around fucking random women was professing her love.
“There was no one who made me come alive except you, Dove. There still is not. Now that I know how you feel, there is no one else for me. I will never go back to another person when I love you and you are here. So even if you do not want to be with me, I am here because I exist for you.” Dove halted their movements.
She already had May holding her close, but it wasn’t enough.
She needed to be in her arms. She hopped up, prompting May to grab her bottom with both hands, holding them both up.
“May, I can’t remember the moment I realized I was yours and how much you loved me, but since then I have spent every moment trying to earn you and be worthy to carry your pup.”
“Our pups,” May growled, hauling Dove closer.
“Our pup. I want to be with you and share every experience with you, if you’ll have me.”
“Oh Dovely, I have been waiting to have you for years.”