Omega House Boxset Books 1-5: Alpha Omega Mpreg Romance

by Aria Grace

  “Andy?” Ethan walks around the bed toward his brother with his arms out. “I’ve been looking everywhere for you.”

  Andy closes his eyes and takes a deep breath before turning to look at his brother. I’m not sure what kind of reunion I was expecting, but this isn’t it. “Hey, Ethan. Can we talk later? I promised Freddie I’d help him through this.”

  Ethan stops short, lowering his arms with a confused look on his face. “Uh, yeah. Of course. Should I wait outside?”

  Andy looks at me for an answer. If I weren’t in so much pain, I could probably tell what response he wants from me. But as it is, I can’t focus on anything, much less facial cues.

  “I don’t care either way. I just need some fucking drugs, and then you guys can do whatever the hell you want.” I’m mid-contraction and can hardly breathe. “Can you find the nearest dealer, please?”

  Ethan turns toward the door. “I’ll ask the nurse when he’ll be here. Be right back.”

  As soon as Ethan disappears, Andy presses the heels of his palms to his eye sockets and groans. “God, I’m sorry this is happening right now. If you want me to leave too, I will. I know you don’t need to deal with my family drama while you’re trying to push out a human.”

  I motion to the bucket of ice chips on the counter then toss a few in my mouth once Andy hands it to me. “You don’t have to leave. The distraction is good for me. I hate this part for obvious reasons. He can stay in here…or you can make him wait out there. Whatever you want.” I hand him the bucket when I see another contraction starting to build on the monitor. “But for what it’s worth, he seems like a really good guy who’s been really worried about you.”

  Just as I’m about to break Andy’s hand from squeezing it so hard, the nurse walks in with the blessed anesthesiologist behind him. Happy days are here!

  It takes the tech an eternity to get everything set up. Once he does, he has me sit up and swing my legs over the side of the bed. He has to insert the line for the drugs between contractions, and with them getting closer and closer together, I want to get this going so I don’t miss my window.

  “Who’s the father?” the tech asks from behind me. I look up and see mirrored panic cross both Ethan’s and Andy’s faces. “We need some help with this part.”

  Saving us all from any more awkwardness, I reach for Andy’s hand and tug him in front of me. “Andy is my birthing partner.”

  Ethan is watching us carefully, and I can tell he has a lot of questions, but he wisely keeps his mouth shut. This definitely isn’t the time or the place.

  “Okay, Andy.” The technician urges him closer with a wave. “Just wrap your arms around Dad’s shoulders right here and hold him still. If he moves a little bit, that’s okay. But we want him as still as possible when we’re working in the spinal column.”

  Andy takes a deep breath before wrapping me in a bear hug and squeezing as hard as he can. He’s taking this responsibility of keeping me still very seriously. And as I rest my cheek against his chest and wait for the tingling sensation to start, my eyes lock with Ethan’s. He has the same terrified look Andy had, but he’s upped the ante by pulling the corner of his lower lip between his teeth, nibbling on it the way I’ve only dreamed of being nibbled on.

  Fuck, he’s hot.

  “All done. You can lie back now. You should start feeling relief in ten or fifteen minutes.”

  I don’t want to break away from Ethan’s hypnotic stare, but Andy pulls back, leaving me no choice but to come back to reality.

  * * *

  I don’t know how other people give birth without drugs, but I can say with certainty that it ain’t my bag. As soon as the drug starts to weave through my spinal fluid, all the pain disappears, and I feel better than I have in months. I still can’t breathe well, but the lack of aches and pains is like a miracle. I feel human again and look around the room, realizing it’s just me and Andy.

  “Where’d Ethan go?” I ask in my usual voice, not at all breathless or pained anymore.

  “He went to the cafeteria for some coffee. Said he wanted to give us some privacy.”

  I roll my eyes at that. “Uh, I think the time for privacy passed when he watched the first dilation check. He’s probably signing up for a vasectomy right about now.”

  Andy smiles and sits on the edge of my bed, placing a hand on my foot. “Nah, he seemed pretty interested in the whole thing. I’m pretty sure he still wants kids.”

  I shudder to think of what that poor man had to witness. “Well, I’ll apologize to him tomorrow. At the moment, I feel too good to be embarrassed about it.”

  “Don’t be embarrassed.” Andy’s gaze shifts down to my belly. “It’s so cool. I can’t wait to have a baby.”

  “Seriously?” Is this kid mad? He just turned eighteen. He has his entire life ahead of him. “Even after watching me pee constantly and waddle everywhere I went for the past week? That didn’t just start last week, by the way. It’s been going on for months. Months!”

  He laughs and checks the monitor again. He’s been watching our vitals since he first got here. His protective instincts are impressive considering he’s not mated or even in a relationship. “That’s the best part about being omega. The special part, right? I grew up assuming I was beta, so I never thought about having kids. I knew I’d have some but didn’t think I’d be able to carry them myself. Since getting my status confirmation, I’ve been fascinated with the idea of having a baby someday. So, yeah, thanks for letting me share this with you. Being in here is pretty awesome.”

  A forced cough catches our attention, and we both look at the door. Ethan is standing there with two cups of coffee in his hand. “I’m sorry to interrupt, but I thought you might want a cup.” He’s looking at Andy, but the aroma is divine.

  “I’d love some, thank you!” I hold out my hand, but Andy swats it back down.

  “If you want more ice chips, the bucket is right there. Nothing else for you until this baby is O-U-T.”

  “When did you become so bossy?” I scoff and look at the bigger, beefcake-y version in the doorway. “Are you interested in becoming a delivery coach for the afternoon? I think a position is about to open up.”

  Ethan smiles widely, but it doesn’t quite reach his eyes. “I think you guys have everything under control in here. Naheed and Jace wanted me to let you know they’ve called Max and Curtis. They’ll all be in the waiting room.” He reaches in and places a cup on the counter. “I’ll just leave this in here and wait with them.”

  He ducks out of the room before Andy and I can say anything else.

  “Um, I think you’re wrong about him being interested in the glory of childbirth. That man couldn’t get out of here fast enough.” I make grabby hands at the steaming coffee cup on the counter. “Please, just one sip.”

  “Nope.” Andy places the bucket of ice chips on my belly like it’s a table. “Have these. I’ll be right back.”

  19

  Ethan

  The relief from knowing Andy is safe is finally starting to set in. I’ve been so tightly wound over the past few weeks. Now that I’ve seen him with my own eyes and know he’s happy and safe, I can finally breathe again. Seeing him with another omega and playing the role of the doting daddy was a bit of a shock. He’s barely eighteen, and it’s hard for me to imagine him with a baby, much less one that he’s raising with an omega.

  Freddie will have as difficult of a time as Andy will when it comes to getting jobs and earning respect in this fucked-up society. But I would never say that to my brother. As long as he and Freddie are happy together, I’ll do whatever I can to help them. If they need a place to stay, they can stay with me. I’ll sleep on the couch when I’m at home, but I won’t lose my brother again. I can’t. He’s all I have left now that my parents have shown their true colors. I can’t imagine looking at them ever again, much less being a part of their lives. No, it’s just me and Andy…and I guess Freddie and their baby.

  “Ethan.” Andy’s voic
e stops me just before I reach the waiting room. When I turn around, Andy barrels right into my chest, wrapping his arms around me and holding me tight. “God, E. It’s so good to see you.”

  Where was this reception when I saw him earlier? I ball my fists up against his back and just hold him tight. “You too, Andy. I’ve been looking for you for weeks, and I’m just so fucking glad you’re safe.”

  “I’m sorry I was so distracted earlier.” Andy’s head pushes against my chest, and then he suddenly rubs his eyes over my shirt before pulling back. “When Naheed told me you showed up and Freddie went into labor and you brought them here, it was too much for me to take in. You know how I get. I just needed to take one thing at a time, and getting Freddie comfortable was the less daunting of the two.” He gives me a half smile that makes me want to ruffle his hair with my fingers like I did when he was little.

  I don’t understand what would be daunting about him seeing me? Honestly, I thought he would be happy. I imagined him being excited to see me and wanting to come live with me. This doesn’t make any sense. “Why, Andy? Are you mad at me? Did I do something?”

  “No, not at all.” He looks down at his feet and then back up at me. “I think I was just…embarrassed.”

  My jaw drops, shocked by what he’s saying. “For what? You didn’t do anything wrong. Mom and Dad are the psychos here.”

  “I know. I guess I thought maybe you’d think less of me once you found out I was omega. I know I shouldn’t have thought that, but getting my status was pretty shocking. I didn’t know what to think…and then the way Mom and Dad reacted changed my whole view of everything. I didn’t feel like I had an identity anymore, and I didn’t want to burden you with my problems when my own parents didn’t even want to deal with me anymore.”

  “You’ll never be a burden to me.” I wrap my arm around his shoulder and pull him to my side again. “You’re my brother, and I love you. I’ll always be here for you, no matter what. Don’t ever disappear on me again, okay?”

  Andy nods without making eye contact and lets out a shuddering breath. “I’m sorry you were worried, Ethan. I wanted to call, but I don’t have your number memorized and my phone broke.”

  “Oh, that explains it. Mom said she paid your phone bill, but every time I called, it went straight to voice mail.” I hate the way my voice cracks with my vulnerability. “I figured you had blocked me or just didn’t want to talk to me.”

  Before he can respond, the buzzer the nurse gave Andy starts to vibrate, and lights begin to flash. Andy’s eyes go wide as he looks down at it. “I’ve got to go, but you’ll be here when I come back?”

  I squeeze his shoulder. “I’ll be here, bud. Go get that baby.”

  Andy’s grin is wide as he bolts back toward Freddie’s room.

  * * *

  Two hours later, Andy comes back into the room with red eyes and a huge smile. “It’s a boy!”

  Max, an omega who credits Freddie for his decision to stay at Omega House when they were rescued from the same breeding farm, jumps out of his chair and throws his fist in the air. “Yes!”

  Jace, Naheed’s mate, groans. “Damn, I totally thought it was a girl.”

  Max saunters over to Jace with his palm held out. “Pay up, buddy. Twenty bucks.”

  Naheed shakes his head with an indulgent smile and pulls out his wallet. “You got lucky, kid.”

  “Or maybe I’m just smart.” Max shrugs as he waits for his payment. “Freddie makes boys. It seemed like the obvious answer.”

  “What do you mean?” I’ve been trying not to be overly intrusive in their banter while we’ve been waiting, but I’m curious about that comment. “Does he have other kids?”

  The smiles in the room all fall, and Naheed gives a stern look to each of his friends before turning back to me. “Um, that’s something you should ask Freddie.” Then he looks back to Andy. “Is he ready for visitors?”

  “Yeah, they’re doing some standard blood and hearing tests right now, but Freddie said he wanted to show off his little man as soon as the doctor is out of there. They told me to give them twenty minutes.”

  I’m surprised to see my watch reads 3:45. I’ve been at the hospital all day and haven’t eaten any real food since breakfast. Standing up, I stretch out my arms, and all eyes turn to me. “I’m gonna run to the cafeteria for a sandwich. Anyone want anything?”

  “I’ll go with you.” Andy is at my side, looking as emotionally and physically exhausted as I feel. “I’m starving.”

  We take the stairs to the basement level where the cafeteria is. Neither of us says anything until we get in line at the grill.

  When I notice Andy studying the menu like it’s in a different language, I rest my hand on his shoulder and give him a small shake. “My treat. Get whatever you want.”

  He glances at me for a second but quickly looks away. “I have money. It’s okay.”

  “How?” It isn’t really any of my business, but if Andy’s been on his own for almost a month, that three hundred dollars has to be long gone. And there are only a few ways a homeless omega can earn cash on the streets. None of them are good.

  “Mom and Dad gave me a few hundred bucks when I left, and I had some money saved up. I thought it would go toward college, but it’s mostly been going in my gas tank.”

  “So, you’ve been living at Omega House this whole time?”

  The line moves forward, and Andy steps up to the counter to place his order.

  I’ve never been good at being patient, but I don’t press him for an answer until we’re both seated at a table with cheeseburgers and Cokes. After we’ve each had a few bites, I ask again. “You’ve been living at Omega House since you left Mom and Dad’s?”

  Andy shakes his head as he chomps down on his burger then he seems to contemplate his answer. “I’ve technically been living in my car, but I finally found the courage to go to Omega House about a week ago.”

  “Your car?” I feel sick just thinking about all the shit that could have happened to him while he was sleeping on the side of the road. “Why? Is Omega House full or something?”

  “No.” He takes a drink of his Coke then sits back in his chair with his arms over his chest. “But I still had money, and it seemed wrong to take a bed from someone who needed it more than me while I had other options.”

  “Andy, sleeping in your car isn’t another option. That should have been your very last resort. It must have been freezing!” The late winter was already starting to ease up, but thirty- and forty-degree nights were not uncommon in this area.

  “I turn the heater on every hour or so to warm up. And there’s a mall with a well-lit parking structure I can park at. They have a security guard who drives around all night, and I gave him twenty bucks on my first night to ignore me. It’s been working out pretty well.”

  “I want you to live with me.” I wrap both hands around my cup to keep from reaching out to him. Andy is an adult now, and I can’t make him do anything. But I’m not above begging. “You can have the bedroom since I’m almost never home. When I am home, I’ll sleep on the sofa bed.”

  “I can’t leave right now.” Andy looks pained as he gives me the news I really don’t want. “I promised Freddie I’d help him with the baby. I can’t just ditch them and go live in some nice apartment while they’re still in a shelter.”

  “So, you guys are pretty serious, then? You’re ready to be a dad?”

  Andy pauses mid-bite and pulls his burger out of his mouth, the imprint of his teeth visible in the bun. “What?”

  “You and Freddie? I figured since it’s only been a week, maybe it was more of a fling. But if you’re serious about being together, he can come too. You guys can raise the baby in an apartment instead of an omega shelter.”

  Andy cocks his head and then bursts out laughing. “You think we’re a couple?”

  “Aren’t you?” Now I cock my head, recalling everything I’ve witnessed in the past seven hours. “You’re his birthing partner
.”

  “God, no. I just thought it’d be cool to witness childbirth.” His eyes glaze for a second. “And it was. But, no, we’re not into each other. He’s definitely looking for an alpha.” Andy’s cheeks pink up, and his eyes lock on the fries left on his plate.

  “What?” He’s definitely hiding something.

  He shrugs. “I dunno. I guess I am too.”

  “You want an alpha?” I’m not surprised, but Andy still seems too young to be thinking about someone to settle down with. “Now?”

  “Not necessarily now.” He pops a fry into his mouth and takes his time chewing, probably thinking about how best to respond. “But, yeah, eventually. Maybe not too far into the future.”

  Wow. This is one mind-blowing revelation in a long list of mind-blowing revelations I’ve experienced over the past few weeks. “What about college?”

  Andy gives me an incredulous smile. “Really, E? You think college is still in my future? I’ll be lucky if I don’t spend the rest of my life bagging fries at a drive-thru window. I’m gonna try for my GED, but that’ll probably be the end of my educational road.”

  “No, Andy.” I lean forward so I’m as close to him as I can be from across the table. “You are going to college. I don’t care what you study, but you are going to have the future Mom and Dad promised you. The future you were heading toward just a few months ago. I’ve got plenty of cash saved up from tips, so I’ll pay your tuition myself if I have to. But I will not let you become another omega statistic. You are going to be amazing and successful. I promise.”

  “Thank you, Ethan.” A tear escapes Andy’s eye, but he doesn’t bother to wipe it away. “That means a lot to me. But I can’t just leave Freddie right now. Maybe in a few months, but not right now. He has day care lined up and Naheed might have a job for him, but I don’t want to move out of the area until I know he’s fine. I promised.”