Chapter 18
The first time May had ever been put on the battlefield with a sword was when she was freshly fifteen.
She had killed her first man that same day and it had changed her from that day forward.
There was not a moment since then that was as scary or threatening as standing in front of the door that belonged to her mate’s parents.
Dove’s hand was safely tucked into hers, and it made her feel a bit better.
The small thumb gently rubbed back and forth over her own hand.
As of three days ago, they were officially mated, and nothing had ever felt more right in her life.
Every single decision she had made in her thirty years led to taking Dove as her mate, mother of her child, and one day, wife.
“They already know you, May. They have always thought you were a caring person and now you are the sire of our child. You love and protect us at every moment, and I know they will be proud of you.”
“And if they hate me and want me to have nothing to do with you?”
“Luckily for you, this Omega makes her own decision and is mated to the sweetest Alpha on the planet.” Dove leaned into her side, nuzzling May’s cheek with her nose.
She was still getting used to feeling the dormant thrum of May’s emotions intertwining with hers.
They were told that the dual bite would make the sensation more impactful, and that eventually they could control keeping most everything to themselves, but she would always feel May in her veins. They were one now.
May was nervously worrying her lip and even without the mating bond and the pheromones, it was obvious how anxious she was. She was always desperate to prove herself and Dove would make sure she knew how worthy she was till the end of their days.
Her parents opened the door.
“Dove, you are huge!” her mother Brenda exclaimed, drawing her into a hug and almost setting off a warning from her Alpha. Luckily, Dove was still clutching May’s hand, and she sent some calm emotions through their bond.
Dove looked nothing like either of her parents.
Her mom had dark brown hair and almost bronze skin, whereas her father had shaggy blond hair and absolutely no freckles.
Growing up, she thought maybe they had adopted her, but over the years she realized that genetics were just unpredictable.
She hoped their pup would resemble her and May in some way but would love her, nonetheless.
“I really hope that is a compliment, Mother,” she mumbled into her mom’s neck. Dove had been an only child herself, so her parents were extra cautious of her.
“Of course it is! I have been waiting for the day you would give us our grandpup. I just didn’t expect it to be so unconventional.” The first jab.
Once her parents found out she was pregnant, they had been breathing down her neck trying to figure out who the Alpha is, since her pheromones took a while to let everyone know who she belonged to.
It became clear to them when she moved in with May and her father, Jedediah, almost threatened to pounce on the other Alpha for “knotting” his little girl.
Dove promptly shut that down, claiming it was both her decision to not take the herbs and move in with May.
“Well, I am only twenty-nine, Mother.” Her gruff father moved past his wife, placing both hands on her shoulders.
“Yes, well, the last time we saw you, you were less pregnant and unmated. It seems your Alpha moves fast.” Her father bared his teeth at her mate. Dove reached her unoccupied smaller hand out to his wrist to get him to back down.
Logically, Dove knew that her father was just trying to protect her and that his Alpha was trying to convey that, but May’s own Alpha was in a state of possessiveness over her newly mated Omega and their unborn pup.
Dove hated being the Omega in the middle.
She could make her own choices. She always had.
“Both of which were decisions we made together.” Dove rubbed her belly over the clothing, drawing May back into her side.
“Although, I would prefer to be about ten times lighter.” Her pregnancy bump wasn’t as prominent as she thought it would be this late into her term, but she was still very clearly pregnant.
“Just imagine if you were carrying two or three of our pups.” May’s soft whisper brushed her ear. The low humming of May’s emotions swam with her own. May was incredibly happy, probably because her Omega’s parents were proud of their grandpup.
“It’s been quite a while since we’ve seen you, May.” Brenda drew May into a hug, who immediately melted. May hadn’t seen her own parents in about five years.
“I apologize for that. I have been so busy with work and settling in.” May spoke as Brenda released her from the hug, taking her in.
“Well, that is a bit of a lame excuse. I’ve been busy making weapons for your soldiers, yet I have time to visit with my daughter and wife every week.
” Her father butted in. The disappointment in his words created a surge of dismay in the newly mated pairs’ bond.
Dove pulled her father inside the quarters she grew up in, with her mother and May on her feet.
They were out of earshot as Dove led them in.
“Father, May is the Captain of the army. She has duties to our country that we do not. Please take this evening to get to know my mate more instead of berating her, otherwise we will leave.” One of Dove’s most prominent traits was her ability to be incredibly stubborn, which she got from her father.
“I just think she could have made more of an effort to—”
“Father, I advise you to choose your words very carefully. May has done nothing but provide me with everything even before she found out I was pregnant. There is absolutely no reason for you to dislike her, except you made up your mind that she forced me into this pregnancy when that could not be any other way around. Yet she chose me and does so every day. I will not hear another negative word about my mate and mother of my child, do you understand?”
The old Alpha nodded gently before turning towards the kitchen where the food was being prepared.
Even though Dove was a professional cook, she loved when her mother prepared food.
Slowly, she went to join her family but stopped when she faced the wall full of old photographs.
They ranged from before she was alive to her as a young pup and everything up till today.
She heard her parents and May chattering along in the kitchen, but the pull of her mate brought her out of her memories. She could feel the slight sense of discomfort between their bond.
“May, honey, would you come here please?” The Alpha appeared at her side before Dove blinked.
“What is wrong? Is the pup okay?” May’s calloused hands cradled her belly. She was about to drop to her knees like usual when Dove stopped her.
“The pup is fine, honey. I just wanted you to see these.” She gestured towards the photographs of her as a young pup.
She was probably one or two years old, but she was still dressed in one of her full-body outfits that covered her head to toe.
Her parents had called it a onesie at some point since it was one soft cloth.
Her dark red waves had started to grow out at that point and her body was covered in freckles.
“You were the cutest pup. I hope our pup has your hair.” May loosely twirled a strand of Dove’s unkempt hair.
She had gone casual with her clothes today since almost nothing fit anymore, and she was uncomfortable in her body.
May had been successful in getting her nice fabrics over the past few months that she now wore daily.
“I’ll accept the pup having little red locks as long as they are springy curls like yours.
” Dove took her own finger and pulled one of the light blonde locks to see it bounce back.
A low bloom in their bond started growing with each sensitive touch they shared as they gazed upon the photos.
It was pure love racing through between them.
“I would like to get our pup an outfit like this one day. Eveleen said that she could get fabric, but the one she adored had a brown cub on the front. I do not want the pup to think it is safe to go around bears.” A hand ran up and down Dove’s back, her Alpha’s soothing gesture causing her to lean into the movement.
She could feel May in her cells when she was this close with her.
The mate bond, the pheromones, the scent while they touched made them one.
Two souls who belonged together, sharing this moment in her childhood home.
Dove needed to gaze up into her mate’s green eyes. She was whole.
“I don’t think the pup will think approaching bears is okay because she has one lined on her newborn clothes.
Besides, imagine tickling her little belly while she has a bear protecting her.
” May’s green eyes conveyed the expression that she was imagining it right now.
May was amazing at conjuring moments the future family would enjoy together.
Dove just listened with openness each time.
“I guess she would look adorable swaddled up in that outfit. I think I would like to dress her up in the cutest clothes we can get our hands on.” The Alpha’s side of the connection was alive with excitement, bleeding over into Dove.
A bright smile grew on her face as May continued discussing clothes for their newborn pup.
Dove felt her parents’ gaze, which pulled them both towards the small dining area.
Her mate pulled the wooden chair out for her, allowing her swollen body to fit between the table.
The Alpha made sure that there was a chalice of water for Dove before gathering up both of their plates to eat the evening meal.
Dove’s own parents sat across from the newly mated pair.