Chapter 16
The twenty-eighth week of Dove’s pregnancy had to be the worst. After fourteen weeks of living with Dove, May had never been so overwhelmed.
Many of the smaller villages were in civil disruption, and May had to send a few dozen of her trainees into them.
There were a few riots but only one official death amongst the people who were against the throne.
Kaden and Zoe were past the training stages and official guards in the army, leaving May with no training responsibilities.
On the way into her office, she saw all of her new recruits standing at the center of the mat. She had yet to find any two who stood out to her. May only had three things on her mind these days—Dove, their unborn pup, and an impending war threatening to break out in their country.
May worked at her desk for the majority of the day until the quick knock on the door startled her, causing her to mess up her army placement sheet.
She could smell the pheromones radiating off of Dove’s body as she pushed through the door.
She had started wearing May’s cloaks to conceal her swollen belly.
May had threatened to cut the bottom of one of them because Dove kept dragging it along and tripping because of it.
May stood instantly and practically raced to Dove’s side.
“Is something wrong? Is the pup okay?” She placed her hand on the underside of Dove’s belly, almost dropping to her knees to listen to the slow heartbeat.
They would lie on the bed together every night, and while Dove read, May would occasionally let her head rest on Dove’s belly, all while making sure it was comfortable for Dove. It was the time she felt closest to her family, to the two most important girls in her life.
“The pup is fine, honey. I just wanted to bring you some lunch.” Dove had started referring to May as ‘honey’ a few weeks ago, which gave her heart palpitations every time.
Dove held a basket of bread, ready to be spread with jam, and some salami.
Dove’s days had been spent mostly attending to everything except cooking, which caused her some distress at first. She was slowly starting to realize, after talking with May about it, that it was for the best.
“Here, come sit on my comfortable chair, baby.” As Dove sat, May removed her shoes, ready to give her a foot rub but was stopped when Dove pushed the bread in her direction.
“You better not rub my feet before touching the bread I made you.” Soft hands pulled May up to sit on the armrest of the chair. She leaned up, silently begging May for a kiss, who happily complied.
Starlight burst behind her eyes when their lips touched.
Her neck craned as she slipped her tongue into Dove’s mouth.
The pheromones Dove produced started radiating into the room with each kiss, and the only thing stopping them was the Omega breaking apart with an uncomfortable groan.
May almost jumped into action, ready to scoop Dove up and race her to the medical wing.
“It’s just a small contraction, May.” Another painful sound left Dove as she shifted in the chair.
“How long have you been having them?” May had been talking to one of her guards who recently had a pup, asking what the best way to help with contractions was and what warning signs were there.
She learned that as they got closer to the birth date, the contractions would be closer together and more painful.
The thing that helped him most was a bath or a massage.
“It has only been a few days, but they are extremely far apart, honey. There is nothing to worry about. I still have ten weeks to go.”
“How about when I get home, I draw you a nice warm bath. I got some lavender recently and salts that will make you feel better.” May scooped up a piece of bread from the basket.
She needed to distract herself with something from the thought of her pup coming early.
Their bassinet still wasn’t ready, and they only had a few items for the pup.
Dove stretched her legs out and flexed her toes through her socks.
Her soft chemise outlined her pregnant stomach with the pink stretch marks while her hair was tied up so it wouldn’t block her face.
Her freckled nose was shining under the burning gas lamp in May’s office.
May was unsure if it was her scent bleeding off Dove or the physical evidence of her on Dove’s body, but every time she gazed upon her, she felt luckier than before.
She kept thinking this was a dream, and that she’d wake up soon.
“I wish I could take that bath now. After how much I sweat in bed last night, I was ready to rinse off this morning but we both got out of our quarters so fast.” When the sun rose earlier that morning, May was ushered to a royal meeting with multiple city officials and the Queen herself.
She had no time to make her Omega breakfast or wash herself.
Their sex life had been fairly dormant with each passing week of Dove’s pregnancy, but that didn’t mean their intimacy was any less.
In fact, it was more than usual. Dove was extremely touch-oriented, refusing to be more than a few feet apart from May whenever they were alone.
It felt to May as though she was a part of Dove’s body, and she loved it.
During the evenings, they would sit by the fire or on the balcony reading together with May studying reports, but their skin was always touching.
Dove would curl their legs together, or have May against her back, joined as one.
The only time their sex life was affected was about two weeks ago when she went into a rut.
Dove almost begged May to knot her, but May’s rut this time around was unpredictable and painful, so she slept in the quarters next to theirs.
It had an adjoining door where their pup would sleep in a few years.
It was a perfect test run, except for the fact that her Alpha was clawing her skin to push Dove down to the bed and fuck her as violently, and lovingly, as she could.
“If I did not have to fill out this paperwork now, I would take you home and draw it for you. As for now, let us eat your delicious meal.” Dove nodded silently, bringing all her food out on May’s desk.
The Alpha had pushed the parchments aside so she could have Dove’s food in front of her.
Dove collected some of the documents, but May wished she hadn’t.
The Omega’s face showed concern and sorrow as she skimmed the details.
“There are more requests to send troops out to the far north? There’s nothing out there but the ruins, why would anyone want that?
Have you discussed this with Taylor?” The inner fight of her Omega was starting to present itself.
She did not want Dove’s blood pressure to rise to an unhealthy rate, but she desperately needed to talk about this.
May couldn’t go to her best friend because the Queen would take over, but Dove would remain loyal to her.
“Apparently the land around the Ruins of Luiza has been deemed as an area that could be dangerous and welcomed for rebels of the throne to gather. It is not a permanent movement, but Taylor asked me to send just a few to make sure the location is secure. Zoe is going to attend the party, but even sparing this many soldiers during the current political state is concerning.”
“May, are you scared?” Dove broke some of the bread and spread the jam on a piece before handing it to May. She took it willingly, enjoying the tart taste of the berries and the softness of the bread.
“The only thing I am concerned about is having a little pup.” She tried to play it off as a joke, but there was some truth to it. Dove shifted uneasily across from May. All her senses were on overdrive with the pup, but even so she would be able to tell how nervous Dove was.
“May, please speak to me honestly. I can sense how stressed you’ve been, and I hadn’t wanted to push it, but if it’s getting this serious then I need you to tell me the truth.” Dove’s pleading tore down May’s barriers.
“Taylor has started reallocating money with the treasury so she can figure out a way to lower taxes again. If I have to fill out one more form for swapping my army around, I will lose it.”
Dove took slow bites of her food, bouncing her knee. “Will you have to go out there yourself?” Dove’s hazel eyes avoided May’s. Her Alpha immediately stepped up to comfort her scared Omega. She would not let her Omega feel upset in her presence if she could help it.
“I am not going to leave you. Whether it settles down or gets worse, I will be here with you and the pup. You are my duty. You are my life.” May had moved to position herself between Dove’s knees.
She had stopped crossing her legs so May could easily maneuver herself between them on her knees.
Her Omega’s pheromones were so close to her nose as she kissed the pregnant belly.
Dove reached down to thread her fingers softly into May’s locks.
“Have you ever thought about stepping down?”
May felt a punch in her gut from those words.
Did Dove really doubt her abilities? Recently she had been feeling increasingly overwhelmed with her position, yet she never would have accepted it if she didn’t think she could do it.
Taylor thought she could, but now the woman she loved thought she couldn’t.
It hurt and she recoiled. She didn’t want Dove to see the hurt, so she hid it as well as she could, burying her head closer to the pregnant belly.
Yet Dove could always read her, now more than ever.
Dove gently tugged her locks so their eyes would meet. She motioned for May to join her on the chair.