Chapter 13
The next few weeks passed with many difficulties, but tender and soft moments filled those gaps.
With the tension growing in nearby towns, May had to figure out how to divide her soldiers.
Caleb had been helping her but the pressure of strengthening and nurturing her relationship with Dove while making sure the kingdom was safe was getting to her.
They slept apart for the first few days, trying to get their schedules in sync but after almost a week apart, Dove begged May to sleep next to her during the night. May was unsure if it was the pregnancy hormones but a few of Dove’s tears had spilled over when she pleaded with May.
Taylor had gladly accepted them both wanting to move their quarters, but it took a while to get everything together to move.
Because of that, May spent most of her evenings in the Omega’s bed, holding her until they both fell asleep.
They made small talk, and May would rub her belly and kiss her neck.
It was one of the few times she felt completely at peace.
No thoughts, no stress, just calm as she held her Omega.
Even though they both decided that they wanted to be in a relationship, with all the chaos they had only exchanged a few kisses and one heated make out.
May could tell in the last week that the hormones were starting to affect Dove, causing her to feel bloated and self-conscious.
Now that she was in the fourteenth week of her pregnancy, her belly was starting to swell with their pup.
Every time May saw Dove, her Alpha brimmed with pride.
She did that and Dove radiated with their pups.
Today would be the first night they would spend together in their own quarters.
May had spent all day waiting till she could go home.
Tonight, they would sleep together in their new bed.
It was a huge moment in May’s life, and she was counting every second till she could say she officially lived with Dove.
Even though the past few weeks had been rocky, this felt like their first step towards their new life together. Like it was finally real.
“If we bring the soldiers from Sutherland to Atesa, we can have them evenly dispersed between both of the cities and the castle.”
May barely paid attention, unable to even remember the numbers of each soldier in each region. She gripped her forehead and took a deep breath, looking at the map of her country.
“Yeah, I think that is good.” The political sense of the job got more overwhelming with each second. Her guards were to protect every citizen from every civil disruption, and she was expected to oversee it all. She sat back in her chair and sighed.
“I will go ahead and talk about this with Taylor.” She folded up all the paperwork, but Caleb didn’t leave.
“I know you are overwhelmed with this and your family, but I’m here to help.
We’ve been in this together from the start, May.
” May knew that. She trusted Caleb with her life.
There were so many moments when he protected her and helped guide her, especially as an older Beta.
If there was someone in the army, she had to choose to replace her, it would be Caleb.
“I understand. As of now, there is still stability, and I cannot think about anything else. Thank you, Caleb.” He nodded along to her words before giving a sympathetic smile and leaving.
She had no idea how to handle this stress with the new pups coming.
They still had many months before the pup or pups would even arrive, but she had to make sure everything was going well with Dove, and that she was safe and protected.
She didn’t expect any retaliation in the castle for the raised taxes, but she would let nothing harm her Omega and the mother of her children.
Before May even had a moment to breathe, Taylor entered her office without a knock.
“There was an incident earlier this morning. A lot of people are upset because they think these higher taxes are now being used to compensate for the wedding. I need to hold a meeting with the council and the town’s political leaders to explain the decision.
” The rest of Taylor’s ramble went on deaf ears.
She couldn’t keep doing this, juggling politics and training with the pregnancy.
Under her anxiety was excitement, but she couldn’t even enjoy it because of her stress.
She wanted to wake up every morning feeling excited for her new life.
But recently, she found herself waking up most mornings in worry.
“May, are you listening?”
“Yes of course. Do you have a date for this?”
“In about a week or two.” She nodded along but once again drifted away.
“You are worried about living in new quarters,” Taylor guessed.
“Not able to escape to my own space when we have a fight is stressful,” May joked, running her fingers through her curls.
Since she wasn’t training today, she had left her mess of a hair down.
The curls were so naturally tight, but the colder months are when they started getting extra springy.
She gave Taylor a self-deprecating smile.
The only fights they would have would be from May not providing enough, but she would do everything for her family.
“Have you two been fighting?” Taylor leaned over her desk, concern written all over her face.
She hadn’t been talking to her best friend as much as she should, but she knew how Dove was.
Dove had invited her to their weekly dinners but May had been too busy to join.
She also refused to impose on Dove and Taylor’s personal time.
May and Taylor had their own time together, even though most of it was work related.
“No, I am just worried.” Taylor rubbed her hand in what May assumed was supposed to be a comforting gesture.
“I do not know how to do this, Taylor. How to properly live with Dove and provide what she needs. She has been telling me I am doing everything right these past few weeks, but I feel she is just trying to soothe me.” She set her head on the desk.
They had been working on their communication daily, but May still just didn’t trust herself.
How could she be enough for Dove, who was perfect?
When Taylor spoke, May rolled her head to the side to look her in the eyes, head still on the desk.
“I’ve told you communication is best. I trust that Dove would tell you what she needs, but May, you need to believe in yourself.
” Taylor stared deep into her eyes when she spoke.
“You have always stepped up and protected Dove and that isn’t going to stop now.
You will mess up, but you are the most loyal and caring person I’ve ever met. You just need to believe that.”
May was unable to respond as Taylor stood in front of her. Her friend was an excellent leader. She cared for every citizen under her command and felt she was an equal herself. Hearing the words from Taylor soothed just a bit of her.
“Why don’t you take the rest of the day? Make sure your quarters are settled before Dove gets home.” Taylor gave her a little wink before leaving her office. Having a few hours off sounded just like what she needed, and her Queen was approving it.
Grabbing her personal items, she blushed at the thought of her and Dove breaking in their new bed.
Having sex again for the second time excited her Alpha.
Suddenly the thoughts of claiming Dove in their new room prompted her to leave her office.
May hadn’t been in the bigger quarters for about three days.
She raced through the hallways of the castle, trying to keep her composure. Everyone would be able to smell her excitement as she rushed forward, holding her cape closely to her body. She almost instinctively went to her old quarters before she remembered.
May opened the door, drinking in how all of her and Dove’s belongings filled the space.
To the right was their four-poster bed, with the collection of Dove’s furs and a few of May’s thin wool blankets.
There were two wardrobes, one on the right side of the bed and one lining the wall.
Their balcony was almost a direct path from the front door, with their hearth on the left end of the room and the little kitchen area for cooking.
Their washroom was located behind the living area that was adjacent to their table from May’s room.
It was May’s ideal home. The little newborn pups would be to the left of their bed, closest to Dove.
She started tearing up, before placing her cape on the hook of the wardrobe.
All her worries went out of the room when she could suddenly imagine their whole life in these quarters.
Dove would feed their pups by the fire at night before they would crawl into bed.
The little pups would learn to crawl on the soft furs, leaving out small wooden toys that May would probably trip over.
When they got older, they would move into the quarters next to theirs.
The space next door was currently occupied with their extra stuff but would eventually be for their children.
May’s Alpha cried at the thoughts, ready to see the pups in their space, their home.
They still had a bit to go, but she would spend every second preparing.
After making sure almost everything was in place, May collapsed on their bed and accidentally drifted into a little nap.
***
The sound of the door clicking open woke May.
She jumped up from the bed, getting into a defensive position, but her shoulders relaxed when Dove walked in, carrying a few vegetables in her knapsack.
May noticed that Dove had been focusing on food for her pregnancy to make sure the pups were well-nourished.
May rushed to her side to grab Dove’s food.
Her scent was overwhelming, filled with…
happiness? Uneasiness? May couldn’t put her finger on it.
“This place—” Just like May, she teared up.
Maybe she hated it and May messed up, but when she first introduced her to the space, Dove had practically hopped into her arms with excitement.
Now May was unsure. She resisted from crowding Dove but used her scent for comfort.
Placing her hand on Dove’s wrist, she brought her hand up to kiss it.
“What is wrong?” Dove’s gaze fell to her, and May could finally read through it. It was happiness.
“It’s everything I dreamed of May.” Dove grabbed May’s unoccupied hand and spun in a circle. Pure elated joy radiated from her face, setting off a light in May’s heart. She urged May to drop the food before doing a small tour of their quarters.
“A room like this with the table and the little kitchen set up.” Dove took it in like a young pup getting a present.
She then led them across to the open doorway.
“A balcony with our chairs where we can look at the stars.” Dove did a little hop.
“Oh, and the mountains over there!” She brought them back in, leading towards the bed.
“A bed for the two of us.” Dove continued while gathering close to May, who was beaming at the sight of her happy Omega.
Dove threaded her hands in the curly golden locks before capturing May’s lips in a kiss that lasted just a second.
She rubbed their noses together before pressing her head to May’s shoulder.
“A bed for us where we will fall asleep together every night. Where we will lie with our pups and read them stories. Where we can make love.” Dove pulled back to look up into May’s eyes.
Her Alpha was overwhelmed with pride. She had brought joy to Dove’s face.
“It is the perfect place for us, May, and you thought of all of it.”
May leaned down and kissed her pregnant Omega. The love of her life stood in front of her, flooding the room with her joyous pheromones while she grew their pups. May couldn’t stop the happy tears that grew in her eyes.
“This is everything.” Dove pulled back even though May wished they were still kissing. “I love you, May.”
May’s heart stuttered to a stop. She never could have imagined this moment.
She remembered the moment she knew she was in love with Dove and spent every daydreaming of her since, but she never could have seen this coming.
She almost didn’t believe it, but the grip at the back of her neck told her it was real. Dove loved her and her heart swelled.
“I love you too, Dovely.” They kissed again before May dropped to her knees, kissing her Omega’s belly. “And I love you too,” May whispered to her pups.
Dove’s giggle filled the room as she pulled May to her feet.
“I want the bassinets to be on this side of the bed. That way it’s easier to get up for the pup if we need to.
” May watched a pregnant Dove bounce around the room, listing where she wanted to put some of their stuff still in crates, and what they might have needed to move around.
May had never been happier.