The Omega Purebred (Hell's Wolves MC Book 2)

by J. L. Wilder

  “Come for me,” he growled into her ear, and she did, pushing herself back against him so hard that he actually staggered back a few steps, unprepared. He kept his grip on her, though, kept holding her up, and she rode out her orgasm in his arms.

  He turned around, lifted her up—how could he still lift her up, with her body swollen up the way it was? And yet it seemed to be no problem—and settled her on the sink before entering her again. She arched her back, begging for attention to be paid to her nipples, which had become huge and incredibly sensitive, and he bent his head to indulge her. His tongue was so skilled. She felt as if her brain was going to melt with pleasure, and she quickly began to build toward a second orgasm.

  He met her there this time, mouth latched onto her breast, hands digging into the flesh of her hips, thrusting just slightly faster and arrhythmically as he lost control.

  “Hazel,” he gasped, leaning his forehead against hers.

  He helped her down from the sink and into the massive pregnancy dress she’d laid out for after her bath. It was a tent, really, shapeless and formless, but it was comfortable, and in the ninth month of this pregnancy that was what mattered most to Hazel.

  “Are you hungry?” he asked. “Dart’s making dinner.”

  “What’s dinner?” It didn’t matter what he said. She was starving. She was always starving. Her own guess in the How Many Babies is Hazel Having bidding pool had been twenty-five, because it felt like every bite of food was claimed by a hungry someone as soon as Hazel swallowed it. She couldn’t seem to eat enough to satisfy herself.

  “Chicken,” Emmett said.

  “Caught chicken or bought chicken?”

  He laughed. “It’s from the store. You’re still not used to the hunting thing, huh?”

  “Judah doesn’t like it either!”

  “You’ll have to get over it eventually.”

  “I don’t have to do anything. Judah has a job now. We can afford to buy food like—”

  “Like humans?”

  “Well, yeah.”

  He grinned. “Don’t worry. I get your point. Humans are doing some things right, and we don’t have to do everything the animal way.”

  “Good.”

  “I still think the phones are dumb, though.”

  She swatted him on the ass. “You won’t think so when Xander goes out on a date and misses his curfew and you want to make sure he’s okay.”

  “That is the most human sentence anyone’s ever said. Goes out on a date. Who’s he going to go on a date with? If we find another shifter his age, someone unaffiliated, she can join the pack and they can get to know each other here.”

  “And if he wants to date a human?”

  “Now you’re just messing with me.”

  She grinned. “A little bit.”

  “Come on, let’s go get you and those babies something to eat before the pack of wild wolves down there scarfs it all up.

  Hazel took his hand and allowed him to lead her down to the kitchen. The smell of roasted chicken wafted up the stairs. Dart was the best cook in the pack, and it was always a treat when he made dinner, but Hazel, hungry as she was, probably would have eaten anything prepared by anyone.

  She sat down at the table and Dart immediately put a plate in front of her. “I used that seasoning you liked last time,” he said.

  “Thanks.” She took a bite and closed her eyes. “Amazing.”

  “I’ve got the pickles!” Xander said, passing her the jar. Everyone laughed. Hazel hadn’t experienced any pickle cravings during her pregnancy, but Xander had been devouring books and online articles about pregnancy cravings and other things to expect. Pickles had become a running joke by month five.

  Pax came in from outside wearing only basketball shorts. It was clear that he’d just come back from a run. Their little cabin was in the middle of a wooded area, on the cheapest tract of land Emmett had been able to find, and the location proved highly convenient for a group of wild wolves suffering the pains of adjusting to life in relative captivity. Pax, more than any of the others, still missed the road, and Hazel felt guilty about what he’d lost. But she also knew that his life had been enhanced by the new freedom to run around he’d discovered.

  Now, he sat down at the table and pulled the platter of chicken toward himself. “I found a waterfall today,” he said as he began to load up his plate. “A bunch of fish live at the bottom. It’ll be a great fishing site. We should rig up some poles and go out there.”

  “I’d go,” Dart said. “I bet I could catch a fish without a pole, even.”

  He probably could, Hazel thought. Dart was young and cocky, but his high opinion of his own skills wasn’t exactly unwarranted. She’d seen him run, and yet, she was always in awe of how fast he could move. If anyone could get the drop on a fish, it would be Dart.

  “Actually,” Pax said, “I was thinking it would be a fun place to take the kids when they’re a little older. The pool at the base of the waterfall is really calm. It would be a good place to learn to swim.”

  Hazel was touched. “I didn’t know you thought about things like that.”

  “Things like what?”

  “What it’ll be like when the kids come. Spending time with them.”

  “Sure, I do,” he said. “They’ll be part of our pack. Of course, I think about it.”

  She smiled at him. Becoming a part of Emmett’s pack, a part of his family, had been a strange and wonderful experience, and she was still coming to terms with how different it was from what Matthew and the Coywolves had offered her. There was real love here, love without terms or conditions. Not only that, she actually liked them. Every member of the Hell’s Wolves had qualities that made him both admirable and endearing. She enjoyed spending time with all of them. This, she thought, was what families really were—people you liked and wanted to be around. The Coywolves had never been a family to her in that way.

  “I had an idea too,” Xander said.

  “About the kids?” Emmett asked.

  “Not exactly,” he said. “But I was thinking we could start taking jobs again. The way we used to when we were on the road.”

  Emmett frowned. “We agreed to stop all that when we moved in here,” he said. “We can’t maintain a permanent residence if we’re also doing random jobs that might be criminal in nature. And we also can’t count on a steady client base if we’re staying in one place. I don’t even know if there are any other shifters around here.”

  “In the Yukon?” Judah raised an eyebrow. “There must be.”

  “That’s not what I meant, anyway,” Xander said. “I thought we could go on the road again. Like we did before. Not all of us, of course. Someone would always be here with Hazel and the kids. But we could go out in small groups, right? Three or four at a time?”

  “You miss the road that badly?” Emmett asked.

  “Don’t you?”

  Emmett glanced at Hazel.

  “Yes,” she said. “He does.”

  “Not that badly,” he objected. “Not enough to leave you.”

  “But you could leave for a few days,” she said. “Go out with the others. Leave Pax or Judah or Dart here with me. With us, I mean.” She looked down at her belly. “Besides, the family could use another source of income besides Judah’s job.”

  “We’re doing fine,” he objected.”

  “Sure. Now, we are,” Pax said. “In a few more weeks, we’re going to have thirty-five new mouths to feed.”

  “We’re not going to have thirty-five,” Emmett exclaimed.

  “You know he’s right, though,” Hazel said. “And Xander is right too. This is something you should do. Pax is going stir crazy being cooped up in here all the time. So’s Dart. And the kids...when they’re old enough, I want them to know this side of life. I don’t want you to stop riding, to stop working. It’s who you are. It’s who I fell in love with.”

  “And aside from all of that,” Judah said, “there might be others like Hazel out there. Ot
her omegas in bad situations. We have the ability to help them. To reunite them with their families, if that’s a good outcome for them, or to help them find new living situations if their families are like the Coywolves. It’s practically our responsibility.”

  “I should have known you’d say that,” Emmett said. “What about our responsibility to each other? To our own family?”

  “This family always comes first,” Pax said.

  “But we won’t have to give anything up to do this,” Judah agreed. “We’ll make sure Hazel and the kids are always well protected. We’ll be able to go on runs, work jobs, and have a home to come back to. It’ll be the best of both worlds, really.”

  Emmett turned to Hazel. “You’re really okay with this?”

  “This is what I want,” Hazel said. “It’s what’s best for you.”

  He nodded, knowing she had a point. “We’ll give it a try,” he agreed.

  Xander’s face lit up.

  “After the babies are born,” Emmett added. “Until then, no one leaves. We’re going to need all hands on deck.”

  “Deal,” Xander said.

  The dinner dishes were cleared away. Judah helped Hazel to her feet, and they all made their way into the living room. It had become their habit to relax here after meals. Pax bent to light a fire in the fireplace and Hazel settled on the couch, reclining against several supportive pillows. Emmett sat at the other end of the couch and pulled Hazel’s feet into his lap, massaging them gently. She closed her eyes and let her head fall back. “You’re amazing.”

  “You’re amazing,” he countered. “I can’t believe you’re okay with us riding again.”

  She opened her eyes. “Of course,” she said. “It’s what makes you happy, Emmett. Of course, I want you to be happy. More than anything.”

  He gave her feet a squeeze.

  Hazel let the sounds of her packmates talking to each other wash over her. Being part of a family like this was so comforting, so safe and secure. She couldn’t believe she’d gone her whole life without this feeling. All the years she’d spent among the Coywolves had been marked by a constant, low-level feeling of anxiety. Even when she’d been happy, she had always known that her future held something difficult and probably unpleasant, something completely out of her control. She had always known that she would be given away to a member of the pack for breeding.

  She had never expected to have a choice.

  Now, lying here with Emmett beside her and her family all around her, it felt almost surreal to be so happy.

  Hazel felt a faint twinge of pain deep in her belly and grimaced slightly.

  Emmett’s hand came to rest on her forehead. “What is it?” he asked, hyperattentive to her every expression as always. “Is something wrong?”

  “No,” she said. “I think one of the babies is kicking, that’s all. It’s just a little harder than they’ve done it before. But that’s probably normal. They’re getting pretty big.”

  “They sure are,” Pax said. “I don’t know how you’re doing it.”

  “She’s tough,” Emmett said, a note of pride in his voice that made Hazel feel like she was glowing inside.

  Then the pain hit her again and she let out a gasp. It was much stronger this time. Too strong to be the fluttering of a little hand or foot.

  Emmett leaned anxiously over her. “What’s happening?” he asked.

  “Something hurts—”

  “She’s going into labor, Emmett,” Judah said suddenly.

  “You think?” Emmett looked from Judah to Hazel. “Is that what it feels like?”

  “I don’t know! I’ve never been in labor before!” She bit her lip. “It hurts.”

  “We should get her upstairs,” Emmett said to the others. “Up to bed.”

  “I’m not so sure moving her is the best idea right now, Emmett,” Judah said. “How about just down to the floor?”

  “What do you mean?”

  “I have a feeling she’s going to deliver pretty quickly,” he said. “Omegas usually doing, and the fact that she’s a Cavallon...”

  “Right,” Emmett said. “Help me get her down.”

  Hands took hold of Hazel’s arms and legs, and she felt her family carefully ease her down onto the carpet.

  “Emmett?” She gasped as another sharp pain hit her.

  He took her hand. “I’m here,” he said. “I’m right here.”

  Chapter Twenty

  EMMETT

  Judah had been right. The labor went by surprisingly quickly.

  Of course, quick was a relative term. Hazel had given birth to twelve babies. They had been on the living room floor for about four hours all together. She had been incredibly strong, he thought.

  Now, she was taking a much-deserved nap. He had carried her up to bed and tucked her in, kissing her forehead gently, carefully positioning the new babies in bed beside her. He sat with them now, marveling at the perfect faces of each of his newborn children.

  Twelve babies!

  Nobody had won the betting pool his packmates had created. Nobody had seriously guessed there would be this many. Emmett had heard of big litters before, but never in the double digits. No wonder everyone wanted her, he thought, not for the first time. What alpha wouldn’t want to swell his pack this much?

  But even though Emmett was thrilled to have twelve new little additions to the Hell’s Wolves, he was more excited about having twelve new members of his family. I’m a father of twelve, he thought, flabbergasted at the very idea. I’ve got twelve children.

  They had acquired the necessary baby supplies in the last few weeks of Hazel’s pregnancy, but since they hadn’t known how many babies to expect, they had skipped on several things. Dart and Judah had gone to the nearby town to pick up essentials. Now, as Hazel slept, Emmett carefully dressed each of his new children in little onesies and put little knit caps on their heads. Eight of the caps had flowers embroidered on them. Eight girls. The boys’ caps were forest green.

  “You all need names,” he said quietly. “We’re going to have to come up with some names, aren’t we?”

  One of his sons, the biggest, yawned and stretched.

  “I bet you’re an alpha,” Emmett said, giving the baby his finger to hold. “You’ll rule this entire pack one day, I bet. I’m going to have to teach you how to do a good job of it. There are some bad alphas out there, little guy. You’ve got a big responsibility. But I know you can do it.”

  He cast his eyes across his infant daughters speculatively. One of them would no doubt inherit the omega gene from her mother. But there was no way to know which. That wouldn’t be clear for several years yet. He would make sure they were all raised to know how much they were worth, he thought firmly. He would make sure they all valued themselves and felt confident enough to go after the things they wanted.

  And he’d teach them self-defense too. Nobody would kidnap his girls.

  He picked up two of the babies, a boy and a girl, one in each arm, and carried them over to the bedroom window. They blinked sleepily out at the forest beyond.

  “Look,” he said. “These are our woods. You’re too little now, but one day, I’ll take you out to run and hunt and climb trees. You’ll learn to be real wolves, just like me. Just like your mama.”

  The baby girl yawned.

  “Yeah, I know, it’s a lot to deal with on your first day of life,” Emmett chuckled. “You’ve got a lot going on right now, huh? Don’t worry. All you need to do is eat and get bigger. Mama and I will take care of everything else for a while. And all your uncles, of course. Uncle Pax is going to want to teach you how to curse as soon as you start learning how to talk, probably. Uncle Dart can show you all kinds of different foods once you grow your own teeth. Uncle Xander knows all the best ways to get into trouble. He’s going to love having you guys around to play with. And Uncle Judah tells great stories.”

  The baby boy kicked his foot sleepily.

  “And then there’s your mama,” Emmett continued.
“You’re awfully lucky to have her. She’s the bravest woman I’ve ever met in my life. She’ll be able to teach you all kinds of things, and when you’re a little older, she’ll tell you the story of how she and I met. It’s a good one. You’re going to like it.” He rocked his children slowly. “She’s always so happy,” he said. “She’s so enthusiastic about life. A lot of people would be beaten down after all the bad things she’s had to go through. Not her. She’s tough. You’ll be tough too.”

  “Who are you talking to?”

  Emmett turned. Hazel was watching him. Her hair was a sleepy halo around her face. She had pulled one of the babies into her arms and was adjusting her shirt so that he could breastfeed.

  Emmett returned to her side and helped her arrange herself so that she had a baby in each arm. “You think you can feed all twelve of them?”

  “Well, not at once,” she said, grinning. “Probably, though.”

  “That’s a lot of milk.”

  “Have you looked at me lately?”

  “Fair enough.” Her stomach was considerably smaller, of course, but her breasts were still enormous, and he figured there might just be enough milk for twelve hungry babies. It wouldn’t be the most miraculous thing he’d seen his omega do, although it would come close. “Are you comfortable?”

  “Yes. You were talking to the babies, weren’t you?”

  “Yeah. I was showing them the forest.”

  “You know they can’t see that far,” she said. “Their eyes don’t really work yet.”

  “I know. I can’t help it. I’m just so eager to start showing them everything in the world.”

  She smiled. “Me too.”

  “We need to name them.”

  “We’re going to have to put bracelets on them so we can remember who’s who at first,” Hazel said. “I hope telling them apart gets easier.”

  “We’ll give them different haircuts,” he suggested.

  “They don’t have any hair!”

  “When they’re older. And for now, we can dress them in different colors.” He took the two babies out of her arms and replaced them carefully with two more. “Still good to go on the milk?”