Chapter 6
Chapter Six
Jae
A nxiety over my decision to leave Curtis’ place plagued me during the journey home. On one hand, it was far too soon to be meeting his family. We were barely dating! On the other side of it, wouldn’t it have shown I was in whatever we were building? Or would that have looked too desperate?
I settled on it looking desperate and that I’d made the right choice after a lot of back and forth with Brady. My friend was waiting for me at my apartment when I got in. Percy was on his lap, purring up a storm until he caught sight of me.
Percy was suspicious of the scents all over me for a moment, then he had to curl up in my arms to remind me never to leave him so long again.
“So, details!” Brady made himself at home with a cup of herbal tea.
“It was great.”
He fixed me with a deadpan look. “You spent two nights with a stranger on the same day you met him. You even spent your heat with him! What was that about?”
“Um, I searched online for some clue why it happened. Apparently we’re very compatible. Something about his pheromones…”
“Well, he certainly seemed into you. He was cute! So, do you plan to see him again?”
I didn’t even have to think about it. “Yeah. I’m hoping we can get together soon. Might call him later.”
Brady gasped. “You really like him!”
A smile stretched across my face, a foreign feeling of late. “Yeah, I really do.”
My friend reached for me, clasping wrists together. In my small apartment, the trace of his omega scent lingered. He’d spent some time here over the weekend, likely keeping Percy company. His pheromones, so familiar to me, were relaxing. It was good to be home, even if I missed Curtis already.
“The way he looked at you, the way he moved with you, Gio was impressed by him.”
“Was that one of your dates?”
“Yeah. Him and his mate, Xavier.”
“Are they looking for something long-term or?—?”
“We’re talking about you and your cuddly alpha,” Brady interrupted my question, firmly changing the subject. I thought since he had brought them up, then they were fair game for the conversation. Apparently not.
“Curtis was so good to me. I’ve never had a heat like it. It all felt so natural to follow what he wanted because all the things he asked were things to make me feel better. I’ve never felt so cared for during a heat and he barely knows me!”
I must have had a dreamy expression because Brady was sitting there looking so proud.
“Do you think he might be it for you? The one you’re looking for. Future daddy to your babies?” There was a teasing set to his expression, but genuine curiosity in his green eyes.
“If we have another date like our first? Yeah. Even before I went into heat, I felt listened to, cared for. Did I tell you he cut up his burger because I still looked hungry?”
“He shared his food? Damn, he’s a real one.”
“Right? I ate more of his fries than he did.”
“Heat makes you ravenous, doesn’t it?”
“You’ve got yours coming up. Are Gio and Xavier…?” I didn’t want to press, just get an idea of where Brady was at.
“Not sure. Stop changing the subject! How was the sex?”
It took a couple of hours for Brady to leave. Not that I minded. Having company was great when I needed to be distracted. Calling Curtis was on my mind all day. I wanted to make sure we had another date so I could figure out how I felt about him.
Acting so lovesick was out of character for me. I was usually the down to earth, dependable one. Something about the large alpha had me shaken out of my usual routine. Maybe that was exactly what I needed.
I sent him a message to say thank you for all the little things he’d done. The man had charged my phone! How thoughtful was that? I spent some time debating with myself over calling him.
Determined not to let fear rule my mind, I dialed his number.
“Hey,” he said when he picked up. Was I imagining the relief in his tone?
There wasn’t much of a chance for me and Curtis to connect in person for a date in the days after my heat. I had things to catch up with at home and he was starting a new client’s home. The work needed was pretty involved, so Curtis was coming home, eating a quick dinner, showering and going to bed. The poor guy didn’t even have time to have the dinner he promised with his sister and her family. He spared enough time during the day to reply to my texts, often asking me if I’d taken a break or eaten. He also spoke on the phone with me at night while he lay in bed.
Being made a priority in someone’s life was strange for me. I could only compare Curtis to Hwan, which was hardly a fair comparison. Hwan hadn’t been a bad guy, he just had different goals than me. He wanted a social media perfect life with the stay at home omega who cooked and cleaned. I wanted a partner who would share child rearing and chores while letting me have a life of my own. Working, maintaining friendships, these were important things to me.
A major part of why my prior relationship had failed was because I was fiercely independent. I believed in partnership, not ownership.
“What do you think about omegas working after they have children?” I asked Curtis one night during our late phone calls.
“Hmm, well, I’ve seen this play out a few times. An omega gives up work to look after the kids, and their work in the home is suddenly devalued. The alpha believes they are putting more in just because they provide the money, forgetting that childcare is expensive and difficult. Eventually, their alpha leaves them and they have nothing. They’ve been out of the workforce for so long it’s hard for them to find something that pays well.”
Unsurprisingly, since he would have been questioned on his values too, Curtis echoed many of the feelings I had about relationships. He had a lot of sympathy for these omegas. I could tell it was important that he not be like those alphas. He nailed my fears, too.
“I think if I was to have a stay at home partner, I’d make them a part of the business or pay them a salary. Money just for them. To be honest, there’s a lot of pressure on an alpha to provide, mostly from other alphas to be fair. So I think I’d prefer to have both partners work and figure out childcare around their schedules.”
“Curtis, I think you might be a unicorn.” Either that or Mate Match was just that good.
His laugh was so rich and warm. “Because I believe in equality? Honey, it’s only right to make things a partnership. My parents were like that. I want what they had.”
His calling me honey gave me a full body shiver. It had been over a week since I’d last seen him.
“Let me make you dinner,” I offered. “I want to see you. Our date feels too long ago.”
“I’d love that. Listen, if I move things about, I can make my day a bit shorter tomorrow. Is that too soon?”
“No. That works for me. Is six alright? I know you get up early.”
“Yeah, six is good. Need me to bring anything?”
“Just your appetite.”
Dinner with Curtis was easy. We caught up on our days while we ate the Japchae I’d prepared for us. The noodles were made with sweet potato. The beef strips I’d picked up earlier in the day, along with the carrots and spinach. As meals went, it was filling and fairly quick to make. It had been a long time since I’d made the dish with my mom, but it came back to me fast.
Seeing Curtis eating it with enthusiasm warmed my heart. What was even better was Percy sitting on Curtis’ lap hoping for scraps of beef. I swear I saw Curtis feed Percy from his hand, something my cat rarely did. They were already fast friends, which told me everything I needed to know. Hwan had never bonded with Percy.
We ended our date with a make-out session followed by some frotting when I climbed into his lap. Just like our first time together, we had such great chemistry. Nothing was awkward, and he knew what got me off.
Over the course of the next few weeks, there were endless dates. We hiked. Went to the movies. Curtis took me to the arcade. I took him to an art gallery, and he loved it. We spent all our free time on calls or just hanging out. We had dinner at each other’s homes so much his neighbors learned my name!
It was fast. I knew that. I just couldn’t help it. Curtis had my heart. I loved him.
“Is it easier if I stay at your place? Save the back and forth.” Curtis asked one morning as he got up for work. I’d spent the night at his house and he’d given me two orgasms before he knotted me, earning me my third.
I stretched as I got out of bed. The world lurched a bit. A queasy feeling formed in my stomach. Curtis was going to drop me home so I could feed Percy. Then I was planning on coming back to his house.
“The light is better here. That bedroom you use as an office is the perfect drawing room. Are you sure it’s okay I work in there while you’re out for the day? I just got the best vibes in there.”
My stomach settled. Probably just low blood sugar. I’d make sure to grab a banana before I left Curtis’ house.
“Wouldn’t have said so if I didn’t want you here. Why don’t you bring a couple days’ things and bring Percy over? We can go out for dinner tonight and you won’t have to go home to feed him in the morning. I know you feel guilty about leaving him alone so much.”
“Really?”
“Sure. To tell you the truth, I’m just dating you for your cat. Me and Percy have a love connection. He’s my soul animal.”
I laughed because, really; they adored each other. When Curtis was around, Percy wanted nothing to do with me.
“That would be great. Thank you!”
By the time we were both showered, fed with some oatmeal Curtis insisted on making for us both, I felt a lot better. The journey across the city to my place took about thirty minutes, depending on the traffic. It felt longer for some reason. My nausea returned when we were almost there.
Curtis kept looking at me on the drive.
“What?” I asked, just as we were pulling up to my building.
“Are you okay? You look pale.”
“Not sure. Just really tired all of a sudden.”
“Why don’t you have a nap and I can come get your things at lunchtime if you’re up to it? Be easier than taking the bus or a cab with Percy and your stuff.”
“Are you sure? Don’t you have a lot on today?”
“The crew can cover for me so I can check on you. If you’d rather stay home, let me know. I’ll bring you some soup.”
I leaned over to give him a kiss. “Thanks. I’ll maybe have a nap and see how I feel.”
A nap didn’t help. I woke up queasy and rushed to the bathroom to vomit up breakfast. Percy stood on the sink looking down at me.
“Shit. Can’t believe I’m sick.” There wasn’t anything I’d eaten the night before that made me think it was responsible for how I felt.
A thought wormed its way into my brain. It had been a month since my heat.
I couldn’t be, could I?
There was a drugstore down the street from my apartment. I went there and picked up a test along with some stuff to settle my stomach. It was nearing lunchtime, so I looked for a text from Curtis. Sure enough, he’d messaged.
Curtis: Are you okay? Need me to come by?
How was I going to handle this?
Jae: I’m sick. Maybe you should stay away just in case.
He didn’t reply, which was odd. My brain was all foggy from the nausea and still feeling bone tired. I thought back, and I had been feeling tired more often the last week. Smells were stronger. Overall, I just felt off.
Back home, I peed on the stick and waited the two minutes for the test.
Before I could look at the result. The doorbell rang. I opened it to Curtis, the big alpha looked concerned. He had a bag with delicious smelling chicken soup.
The scent of it made my mouth water. Then my stomach cramped. I ran to the bathroom and threw up bile.
“Fuck! Jae, are you alright?” Curtis rubbed my back. The motion paused. I heard him pick up the test and confirm what I already knew.
“We’re pregnant!”