Hired to Breed (The Hired Series Book 3)

by Leann Ryans

  Stay and be alone or leave and be lost in the crowd.

  The tablet dinged, showing she’d received a new email. She almost ignored it, but she wanted a distraction from her thoughts. She was surprised to see it was from Sandra.

  She started reading it and teared up once again.

  Hello again Annalise!

  Austin informed me that your time was drawing close, and I wanted to reach out and be sure you had everything you need. From one mother to another, I know we don’t always think of everything ahead of time, so I want you to know I’m here if you need anything. I know you’ll do fine and look forward to meeting your precious babies!

  Sandra

  Wiping her eyes, she stared at the message, a nugget of hope blooming in her heart. She’d never had close friends, but both Penny and Sandra had gone out of their way to make her feel welcome while she was in Eden. They chatted anytime she ran into them by the daycare, and though they’d invited her to join them a few times, she’d always declined, thinking it best to keep her distance since she’d been planning to leave.

  Another thing Eden had that she’d never found at home was a community of omegas who banded together. There were two more in her building alone, plus the many she’d met in her time there, and they were all eager to lend a hand, or an ear, or just an encouraging word.

  With so many of the gentler dynamic in Eden, it was a happier place than any she’d ever been. She felt part of it, accepted for who and what she was, not snubbed because of her omega status like she’d been her entire life.

  She flipped to the page with the information on the house. It was a lovely construction, larger than her suite, with a nice back yard, but it would never have the feeling of home she’d found in Eden.

  She closed the page, making her decision.

  Sending an email back to Sandra, she thanked her for her kindness and asked for a list of houses available in Eden. The apartment would work for a while, but eventually she would need more space.

  She was thinking of calling her sister to let her know as well, but her stomach rumbled, and she decided to head to the kitchen to find something to tide her over until Liam returned. She was always hungry, but could only manage small meals since there wasn’t much room left for her stomach with two squirming babies taking up all the space.

  Annalise made it to the kitchen, pulling out a bag of grapes from the fridge, but decided it was too much trouble to go back to her nest. The couch was closer, and if she stayed there she could eat whatever Liam brought her at the table once he came back.

  She plopped down and pulled her feet up on the cushions, leaning back with a groan. She’d never believed how hard it was to get around in the third trimester, but she knew the truth now.

  Eating a handful of grapes, she tried to wiggle into a more comfortable position, but something dug into her back. She had to contort to reach it, fingers straining to close around a metal spiral.

  She realized it was Liam’s sketchpad once she pulled it from behind her. He’d been sitting next to her drawing earlier in the day before she’d seduced him into taking her back to her nest.

  Curious, she lifted the cover, eyes widening at the pictures she found as she continued to turn the pages.

  They were her.

  There were a few random drawings near the front, but most of them were of her in the kitchen cooking dinner, and she realized he’d been sketching her each night. They showed the progression of her pregnancy, from a slight rounding all the way to the protruding belly she currently sported. While she’d never worried about the way her body was changing since the results were worth it, the way Liam drew her erased any lingering doubts about her image.

  Annalise came across a few sketches of Fifi, the spoiled little kitten shown in all her fluffy regal-ness, and she couldn’t help smiling despite the tears in her eyes. She had no idea how he put so much detail with only a pencil, but she could see the mischievousness and haughty air the little demon possessed.

  Nearing the end of the pad, she realized there were only a dozen blank pages left. More than anything else, it made her realize their time was running out.

  She was going to lose him.

  A sob caught in her throat and she tried to flip the sketchpad closed, but she missed the back cover, showing her the last page in the pad. It was her again, lying in her nest of pillows and blankets, holding a baby in each arm.

  It wasn’t finished. She could see where he still needed to add more details, but it took her breath away. He’d added color to the blankets swaddling the babies, one pink and one blue.

  The love in that picture broke her heart.

  Sucking in a shaky breath, her head jerked up when the door opened far earlier than she’d expected. Tossing the sketchpad to the other end of the couch, she stared wide-eyed at Liam as he stepped through the doorway.

  51. Liam

  He was surprised to see Annalise on the couch, but as soon as he noticed the tears on her cheeks he rushed over.

  “Are you okay?”

  He tossed the bags of food on the table beside her, not caring if they spilled as he knelt in front of the couch. He cupped her cheeks, brushing the tears away and trying to cut off the growl he’d unconsciously released.

  She sniffled but smiled, trying to nod since she couldn’t seem to speak. His eyes moved to the end of the couch where she’d thrown something as he walked in and spotted his sketchpad, realizing she must have looked through it. He didn’t mind, but he never thought it would make her cry.

  “I’m sorry if the pictures upset you. I can throw them away if you want.”

  His heart broke as he said the words, but he would do it to make her happy. She pulled her head back from his hands, shaking it as she wiped her eyes and sniffled again.

  “No! They’re amazing. It’s just hormones.”

  He felt like she wasn’t being honest, but he let it slide since he realized he’d left the door open and his mother was peering through.

  “Mom thought it would be nice to get dinner to-go, so we could share it with you. Do you want me to tell them to go?”

  Annalise sat up straighter, looking over his shoulder before ducking her head and swiping at her face again.

  “No. You can’t tell your mother to leave!” she hissed at him before raising her head again and waiving to his mom.

  “That was so sweet of you to think of me! Come in.”

  She wiggled more upright before looking around with a frown. The table was behind the couch, with only two chairs, but it was a quick fix.

  Grabbing the end of the couch, he lifted it and started turning it around as Annalise let out a squeak of surprise and held onto the cushions.

  “Liam Adrian Burke! Don’t you scare that poor girl, she’ll go into labor!”

  He chuckled though he could feel his ears heat at his mother’s scolding. It was ironic that she called Annalise girl when she was closer to his mother’s age than his.

  He could see his father covering a smile when he looked over to them, while Sean did nothing to hide his mirth. A strangled noise came from the couch, and he looked down to see Annalise’s eyes dancing up at him as he sat the couch down, facing the table.

  He rolled his eyes at all of them.

  “I wouldn’t let her fall. That was the easiest way to get her turned around.”

  His mother eyeballed him for a moment longer before coming over to greet Annalise. Liam went out to the patio to grab one of the chairs to bring inside for Sean before taking a seat at the end of the couch, lifting Annalise’s feet to place them over his legs as his father settled onto one of the two dining chairs.

  Liam tensed when he noticed his mother heading to the kitchen, but Annalise remained relaxed, so he didn’t stop her. He watched her hunt around as Sean teased Annalise before his mother came back with plates and silverware.

  Though he and Annalise protested that they could do it themselves, his mother insisted on serving everyone. His father was used to it and Sean
would never complain about someone else doing everything for him.

  They ate and chatted like they had at the restaurant until Annalise yawned and they realized how late it was. As everyone stood to say goodbye, his mother spotted the box she’d made his father bring.

  “I almost forgot! We brought this for you.”

  She passed it to Annalise who smiled up at her.

  “Thank you, you didn’t have to.”

  She tore into the paper as his mother watched, lifting the lid of the box to show the contents.

  “I made one for Connor’s girls too. I wasn’t going to forget the twins.”

  Annalise pulled out a pair of blankets, one pink with a small blue heart in the corner, the other blue with a pink heart. They were knitted with alternating stitch patterns, giving it a varied texture, and Liam could tell by the way she stroked it they were soft.

  Annalise bit her lip, clutching the blankets to her chest. She was tearing up again, and he knew she was fighting the urge to cry.

  “Thank you so much,” she whispered.

  His mother leaned down to give her another hug.

  “We will miss you.”

  His mother’s voice was thick with unshed tears, and his chest clenched. They all agreed he’d done a good thing and Annalise would be a great mother, but he knew how much it hurt to pull themselves away.

  “You don’t have to.”

  Liam’s heart stopped, his attention zeroing in on Annalise along with everyone else’s. She wiped her eyes before sitting up straighter and nodding.

  “These babies are part of your family too. There’s no reason we can’t keep in touch and visit.”

  A lump caught in his throat, choking him. Annalise didn’t look his way, keeping her focus on his mother, and he took the moment to suck in a deep breath and force his emotions down.

  Alphas didn’t cry, his eyes were just stinging from the late hour.

  His mother did though, bursting into tears as she leaned in to hug Annalise again. His father stepped forward to lay a hand on her back as the two women clung together, his own eyes sporting a suspicious glint.

  Annalise and his mother murmured something to each other before they finally let go. His mother was smiling through her tears, turning to wrap her arms around his father.

  “We’ll go now so you can rest. I look forward to meeting the twins when you’re ready.”

  Annalise smiled and nodded to them as Liam clenched his jaw. He had to fight back the surge of jealousy that hit him.

  He knew his parents would keep him informed about his children, but it wasn’t the same. He couldn’t be there. He’d be trapped in a cell, condemned for something he had no control over.

  It wasn’t fair.

  52. Annalise

  The first cramp hit as she sat on the couch watching Liam make lunch. She’d had a few here and there, so she figured she was sitting up too much and scooted lower on the couch. The discomfort eased, so she ignored it.

  It had been a little over a week since Liam’s family came to visit, but she still hadn’t found a chance to talk to him about what she’d decided to do. She was confused by the way he pulled away after telling his family they could visit the children since she thought he would be happy about it. He was still attentive to her, seeing to her needs and just as passionate when he took her, but outside of the nest he’d grown distant.

  Sandra had sent her the information she requested about houses, but there wasn’t anything that met her needs. When she mentioned it, Sandra offered to design one for her that could be built by one of the crews of Alphas.

  The reminder that Eden was an Alpha-camp sparked an idea, and she was hoping to have answers on its viability before she told Liam. Since she hadn’t allowed him to claim her during her heat he wasn’t allowed to live outside an Alpha-camp, but she was hoping to get him transferred to Eden.

  The only issue was his contract with The Haven, and she hadn’t heard back from Ms. Haranne yet. If she had to buy it out she would, if Liam wanted to stay.

  Annalise was fairly certain she knew the answer, but the way he’d acted the past week made her unsure. She tried to brush it away as him worrying about the birth, but the change still hurt.

  After they finished eating, Annalise was about to go back to her room when Fifi jumped in her lap. The little kitten rarely came to her, and usually only when she wanted something, so she was surprised when Fifi sniffed her before curling up against her belly and purring.

  Brows drawing together, Annalise reached down to stroke her silky back. Hissing and swatting her hand, Fifi made it clear that wasn’t what she wanted, but she went back to purring when another ripple tensed Annalise’s stomach.

  “What’s she doing?” Liam asked, crouching in front of her.

  He knew Fifi tolerated her at best. Shrugging, she leaned back as the kitten butted her head into her belly. Liam reached out to pet her, getting the same swat, though Fifi spared him the hiss.

  “I don’t know what her deal is, but I need to pee.”

  Liam huffed. The bigger the babies grew and the lower they dropped, the more often she had to go. It was at the point of almost hourly, and he liked to tease her about it.

  Sliding his hand between Fifi and her belly, he froze when he felt her abdomen tighten again.

  “How long has that been happening?”

  His voice had dropped, chills spreading over her arms at his tone.

  “Since you were making lunch?”

  She looked up at him, eyes widening when she realized it had been almost two hours. While the cramps had eased when she changed positions, they hadn’t stopped.

  Liam was on the phone in a second, other hand splayed across her belly as he waited for the next one. She still had three and a half weeks till her due date, but she’d already made it far with twins who were growing well on each of their scans.

  Liam’s conversation was short and terse. Her belly tightened again, and she watched the frown on his face grow.

  It couldn’t be time yet.

  She still hadn’t picked names. Or asked Liam if he wanted to stay. Or had him set up cribs in the room he hadn’t used in forever. Her bag was packed since the doctor had insisted on her doing it when she went on bedrest, but that was it.

  She was supposed to have more time.

  “We need to go.”

  Liam’s words made the bottom of her world fall out. Heaving for breath, she tried to calm herself so she could think as Liam left her on the couch and headed down the hall. He returned moments later with her shoes and bag, kneeling to help her since she couldn’t reach her feet.

  “But I’m fine. It doesn’t hurt.”

  He shook his head at her, holding out his hand once he stood.

  “She wants to check to be sure. Maybe it’s nothing, maybe it’s not. We’re going.”

  She sucked in another deep breath before taking his hand and letting him help her up. She felt more pressure when she stood, and the need to pee returned in full force.

  “Bathroom first.”

  Liam nodded his head, sweeping her into his arms to walk back down the hallway. She protested but it fell on deaf ears.

  “I can still walk!”

  Liam grunted in response but didn’t put her down until she was in front of the toilet. He hesitated like he was going to make her do her business in front of him, but when her brow lowered to glare at him he relented and stepped outside the door. She knew he was waiting there, but at least he’d given her that much.

  She took care of her bladder and stood, the cramp that spread through her middle strong enough to make her lean forward and hold her belly. She wanted to deny it, but it was getting harder to ignore the signs.

  Her instincts screamed at her to go to her nest and bury herself inside. She’d been building it for months, adding layer after layer until it was the perfect cocoon of safety, but she didn’t have that option. She would have considered a home birth for one baby, but there were too many risks with t
wins, so she was having them at the hospital where it was safer.

  Liam opened the door before she reached it, holding out her coat. They were well into winter, and while it was mild where they were, it was still cold enough to need the protection outside.

  Slipping her arms into the sleeves, she was lifted off her feet again. She would have grumbled but she knew it was pointless.

  Annalise half expected Liam to carry her all the way to the hospital, so she was surprised when an AutoCab pulled up in front of their building as they walked out.

  “What’s that doing here?”

  Liam opened the door and pushed her inside before responding.

  “It belongs to the hospital and is only used for patients. I found out about it through Austin.”

  She grunted in response as another cramp tried to pull her belly button to her spine. It had only been a couple hours since they started, but she had to admit they were getting stronger even if they were still spaced out.

  53. Annalise

  It was a short trip to the hospital and there was a nurse waiting for them with a wheelchair to take her inside. She could see Liam was torn over letting the beta male push her through the halls, but he held back any qualms and walked beside her. When they entered the room, though, he moved forward to lift her into the bed with a low growl at the nurse.

  Her doctor entered before the nurse had a chance to leave, rattling off orders for him to attach monitors to her. He shot a hesitant glance at Liam before moving to the other side of the bed to do as directed.

  Giving Annalise a reassuring smile, the doctor approached her side.

  “How are you feeling?”

  She shrugged, unable to detangle the emotions coursing through her. She was excited to hold her babies, but she was worried it was too soon and there might be complications. She had the uncertainty about Liam on top of that, and the growing discomfort in her belly, plus the anxiety of being out of her nest.