Chapter 16
Emmett
The sound of people softly talking around me pulls me from my sleep.
“He’s awake.” I turn my head towards Lexi’s relieved voice. “Hey, baby, how are you feeling?”
“What happened?” my voice cracks. “Where am I?”
“You’re at my place.” She smiles, brushing hair off my forehead.
“How did I get here?” My brows furrow as I try to recall the last thing I remember. I was driving into town, went to the club to see Lexi, then...
My eyes widen, and I shoot up into a seated position, head spinning as I do. My gaze snaps over to the two massive men sitting on the couch across from me.
Fuck. It wasn’t a dream.
“Lexi, what is going on?” I turn to my girl. “And who the fuck are they?”
“I was going to tell you, I promise.” Her eyes fill with tears, and it kills me to see her hurt.
“Tell me what?”
Her gaze flicks over to the Alphas, then back to me.
“Honestly, I’m still wrapping my head around it.
We just met yesterday, kind of? I was on my way back from the bakery when I felt like someone was following me.
I took a shortcut and, well, Aiden took me by surprise, and I threw hot chocolate in his face.
Then Sloane grabbed me, still not really sure why.
” Lexi shoots him an accusatory glare. “And I kneed him in the junk before running away. But not before realizing...” She swallows hard, licking her lips nervously.
“That they were my scent-matched Alphas.”
“What?” I whisper, my heart hammering out of my chest. “They're your scent matches?”
“Before you get upset with her, we’re yours too,” The blond one, who I think is named Sloane, says. He gives me a cocky smirk. “Fun little surprise there, if you ask me.”
“No one's asking you,” I growl. Fucker just grins wider.
Sloane turns to Aiden. “I like him. He’s as feisty as our little Kitten is.”
Who the fuck is Kitten?
“The fact is, no matter how it happened, we are both of your scent-matched Alphas. I know this is new and scary, but I think if you give us the chance, we can make this work.”
“Not sure how that's gonna happen, considering we don’t want Alphas.” I glare at them. “We’re just fine on our own, thank you.”
Who the fuck do these assholes think they are? They can’t just swoop in and take my damn girl.
Although, are they really trying to take her? They are technically mine too.
No, Emmett, don’t even give it the time of day. You know nothing about them. They could be murderers for all you know.
“I wanted to tell you, but I was freaking out, and I didn’t know what to do. I was scared, and I’m so sorry.” Lexi shakes as tears spill down her face.
“Shhh, Peaches, baby, it’s okay.” I pull her into my lap, wrapping my arms around her. “I’m so pissed with myself.”
“What, why?” She pulls back to look me in my eyes.
“Because if I wasn’t out of town, I would have been here with you, and you wouldn’t have had to deal with all of this on your own.”
“You were helping to rebuild a town in their time of need, Emmett. Because you're an amazing man who’s so damn selfless. Don’t you dare be upset with yourself.”
“If you don’t mind my interrupting, I get that you two weren’t looking for Alphas. But why are you acting like being scent-matched is the end of the world? You don’t even know us,” Sloane asks.
I swing a scathing look at him. “And you don’t know us. You don’t know our pasts and what we’ve had to deal with. So how about you shut up.”
“Hey.” Lexi cups my face. “It’s okay. I’m okay.”
“Alphas aside, how are you feeling? Are you still sick?”
Her cheeks turn pink. “Uhh, about that. I was never sick.”
“What?” My brows furrow. “But you were puking. Was it just something you ate?”
“No,” she whispers, eyes brimming with fresh tears. “Please don’t be mad. Don’t hate me.”
“I’d never hate you, baby.” My heart hurts thinking she could even think that’s a possibility.
“I was sick because of morning sickness,” she tells me, eyes cast downward.
“Morning sickness...” I whisper, more to myself as I say the words over and over in my head, my brain trying to play catch-up.
Holy fuck. Holy mother of god. Lexi is pregnant?
“You’re pregnant?” I ask, my heart damn near exploding.
“Yes.” She flicks her eyes up to meet mine.
“You’re pregnant?” I laugh out in disbelief. “You’re really pregnant?’
“Are you mad?”
“Mad!” I shake my head vigorously. “Why would I be mad? Lexi, you’re pregnant with my baby.
We’re having a baby!” I grab her face and kiss her hard before peppering kisses all over her face.
“I love you. I love you. I fucking love you.” Tangling my fingers into her hair, I lay her back, then cover my body with hers as I kiss her deeply.
She moans, clinging onto me as my tongue slips past her lips and dances with hers.
My whole body is on fire with happiness and pleasure. I love this woman more than words can ever express. My best friend, my everything, and now she’s giving me this little life. A life that’s part of her and me.
We’ve never talked about kids, and I could have been happy without them if that's what she wanted. But now, hearing her tell me that there’s a little person growing inside her, I’ve never felt this kind of happiness in my life.
“I love you so fucking much.” I pull back, panting heavily. “And our baby.”
“Really?” She smiles shyly. “You're happy?”
“So fucking happy,” I laugh, kissing her again.
This time, it gets a little more heated. I get lost in the moment, my hands wandering as Lexi locks her legs around me, grinding her hips.
I’ve missed her so damn much and have been dying to have her again. To get her alone and worship her body for hours.
I’m about to strip her naked and fuck her right here, when a wave of Alpha pheromones hits me, reminding me we’re not alone.
“Fuck.” I pull away, chest heaving and cock thick with want, to glare at the two intruders watching with far more interest than needed.
Fucked up as it is, the idea of them watching the two of us together makes my cock weep.
What is wrong with me? I don’t even know these men. This damn scent bond has me feeling new things that I don’t like.
Lexi pushes me off her, scrambling to sit up. She fixes her hair and clears her throat.
Grumbling, I sit back and adjust my dick, keeping my eyes locked on the blond fucker.
Sloane copies me, leaning back in his spot to adjust himself as well, with a smug as fuck grin on his face.
“Don’t feel the need to stop on our account. By all means, keep going.”
“We will not.” Lexi glares at him.
“Maybe not now, but we will get to group sex eventually.” Sloane winks.
I flip him off and turn my attention back to my girl. “A baby,” I whisper, my smile going massive again.
“I’m scared,” She admits. “I never wanted kids, Emmett.”
“I know, baby.”
“But I’m happy too.” She smiles. “You know how I am about change.”
“I know that too.” I pull her into my lap again, wrapping her tightly in my hold. “We’re going to get through this. You’re okay. They’re not going to hurt you. I’d kill them if they even tried."
“Of course, we’re not going to hurt her.” Aiden’s brows furrow. “Why would you think that?”
“Because we know nothing about you.”
“Well, let’s rectify that. Hi, I’m Sloane Madden. And this is my lover, Aiden Madden. We’re not married, but he took my last name.” Sloane winks.
“You know, you can use the term boyfriend or partner,” Aiden sighs.
“I know, but lover sounds so much better.” He shrugs. “Anyway, we’re a part of a special forces team that helps Omegas escape bad situations."
“Really?” Huh. If that's true, then maybe they’re not as bad as I thought.
“We mostly deal with Omega sex trafficking.” Aiden nods. “We do our best to save as many as we can, while ridding the world of the fucked up and sick monsters who are the cause of it.”
My eyes find Lexi. “They’re joking, right?”
“I believe them.” She smiles. “Maybe it’s too good to be true?”
“We’re not lying,” Aiden insists. “It’s not just us, my brother and his partner are a part of the task force, too.”
“So your brother was the asshole who was at the club the other night.” I shake my head. “I hope you’re not as much trouble as he is.”
“No,” Aiden assures me. “Harlan and I are brothers, but our personalities couldn’t be more different.”
“Nah, it’s me you gotta be worried about.” Sloane grins. “I’m not an asshole, but I am trouble,” he warns with a wink.
“That much I believe,” Lexi laughs, then catches herself.
“Okay, let me get this straight so we’re on the same page. Lexi is pregnant?"
“Yes.” She nods, smiling again.
“You two are scent matches to her, and me as well?”
“Yes,” Sloane and Aiden answer at the same time.
“You two are also lovers?” They both nod. “And you’re here with your brother, why?”
Sloane and Aiden share a look, and I’m not sure I like that.
“Before we tell you, I want to ask you if you’d accept our offer to court you? Because if we’re being honest, I know Sloane and I won’t be able to just walk away. We want you, both of you. Even if we weren't scent-matched, we would still want you.”
“But why? We’re strangers,” Lexi asks.
“And we’re not making any promises until you’re honest with us. Then we’ll see,” I add in.
“We might be strangers to you, but you’re not a stranger to us. At least you’re not, Lexi.” Aiden clears his throat, shifting in his seat, looking hesitant and uncomfortable.
“What does that mean?” I ask, narrowing my eyes.
Aiden looks at Sloane. Sloane nods, and Aiden looks back over to Lexi.
“Thirteen years ago, I was working for the FBI. When you and your sister's missing persons case was given to my brother and me. From the moment I saw your photo, and Harlan saw Silva’s, we felt a very strong urge to find you. Like it was our life’s mission. ”
“It was crazy,” Sloane chimes in. “Like some crazy, voodoo magic, if you ask me. Once Aiden filled me in and showed me your photo, I felt the pull too. Now I get why. We were always meant to be.” Sloane grins.