"Aren't you nervous? I'm nervous. How long do you think the ultrasound will take? I don't feel like I have to pee. Papa told me they say you're supposed to drink a bunch about thirty minutes before the appointment so that everything was pushed up and in a good position, but I did and I don't feel like I have to pee. And I always feel like I have to pee. Do you think something is wrong? What if something is wrong?"

Noah pulled me into his lap—a feat that was becoming more difficult by the day as my belly grew—and tucked my head under his chin. I could feel his strong, steady presence within our bond. Happy. Excited. Maybe even a little nervous. Now that I knew what to look for, it amazed me that I hadn't been able to tell the difference between his emotions and my own in the short, stressful time we'd been separated at the beginning of our relationship.

I blamed the pregnancy craziness. And the crazy fucking situation I'd been in. I hadn't spoken to my father since then, and nothing had been reported to the news about the break-in at Ivory Towers, which kind of pissed me off.

Noah had promised me he'd take care of Jerry, though, and next thing I knew, Jerry had been taken into custody for patient abuse. Ivory Towers had managed to distance itself from his mess, though.

"Hush, Princess. Everything's been fine up to this point. You're stressing yourself out. Breathe deep."

I looked up at him with an annoyed glance. "Do you want me to bend over and put my head between my knees too?"

He smiled. "Only if you're feeling faint."

Damn that man. It was almost impossible to rile him up... unless sex was involved.

If we'd been home, I absolutely would have distracted myself by riling him up that way, but the doctor's waiting office wasn't exactly the best place to do that.

Well... not obviously.

I slid a hand between my hip and his abs and Noah narrowed his eyes in suspicion. "What are you doing, Princess?"

"Nothing." I blinked innocently at him as my hand slipped further down. "Just scratching an itch."

"You'd better not be—" His eyes rolled back as I stroked his soft cock. "We're in public," he gritted out.

"I need a distraction," I whined.

Noah's eyes popped open, burning with a need and desire that never failed to thrill me. "If you need that much of a distraction, Princess, we can step into the restroom and I'll—"

"Preston Perkins?"

I jumped off of Noah's lap, still feeling a thrill of excitement at hearing my name joined with his. It wasn't legally official, yet, but I couldn't bear any more connection to my father. The guys hadn't stopped giving me shit about being "Little PP," and they probably never would. Whatever. I could handle it. I bore Noah's name proudly, and looked forward to making it official.

Noah grunted and was still sitting. I turned around at the door to the back offices. "Noah? Are you coming?"

"Not yet," he growled, retribution in his eyes, his hands folded cautiously over his lap. "But you better believe I will be later."

I shimmied my shoulders. "Is that a threat or a promise?"

"Both, Princess."

"Well stop pissing around. We've got a baby to see!"

Noah stood up carefully, letting me glimpse the tent I had created in his pants. "I'm going to make a stop at the restroom. I'll be right there."

"Sure you don't want me to join you?" I leaned onto my tiptoes and nearly lost my balance—I still wasn't quite used to the extra weight. He caught me and I nipped at his lip.

"I think I'll handle this one alone." He kissed me softly. "We don't want to delay the ultrasound."

My nerves came rushing back in a sudden flood and I gripped his shoulders hard. "Don't take too long, okay?"

He kissed my forehead. "I'll only be a moment behind you."

I entered the exam room alone. It was one I hadn't been in before. The ultrasound machine stood next to the exam table and I perched on the end of the table while the nurse closed the door behind me. True to his word, Noah entered just a little behind me, and we held hands quietly while we waited for the doctor.

There was a knock, and I squeezed Noah's hand tightly as she entered. Dr. Wendy was a short, round woman, a bear omega who seemed just made for mothering. She had been more than reassuring over the last two months of the pregnancy, and never hesitated to pull out pictures of her five boys.

"Hey, Doc," Noah greeted her. I nodded nervously.

"Are you boys ready to meet your little man or miss?"

"I just want to know he or she is healthy," I blurted. I'd been completely open with her about my worries about drugs and the stress. She'd fussed at me for being too worried to even take a Tylenol when I needed it.

"Well why don't we get started, then?" Once I was laid back and gooped up, the wand on my stomach, she said, "We're going to go for the money shots first off... Let's see... There." She clicked the wand and froze a perfectly clear image of our baby's face.

"That's our baby?" Noah whispered, his voice full of wonder.

"That's your baby. Now let's see if we can get this little one to cooperate..." After a few more moments of pushing the wand around, she finally paused with an, "Aha!"

"So, it's a...?" Noah and I looked expectantly to her.

She made a few marks on the screen. "It's a girl!"

Noah squeezed my hand and I swallowed hard. I didn't realize this little baby could become any more real to me, but every bit of information built her more concretely in my mind. "But... is she okay? Is she, like, the right size, and everything?"

"I'm sure everything's fine," Noah said again.

Dr. Wendy patted my hand. "Let's take some measurements to assuage your fears, dear."

Over a half hour later, she assured me, once more, that everything was perfectly normal. "She's right on track to be six pounds, four ounces, but as advanced as our technology is getting, we can't nail that perfectly. But it's well within the range of normal."

"Thanks again, Dr. Wendy," Noah said, sticking his hand out to shake hers, but she ignored it and pulled him into a hug.

"I've known you and your dads for too long for us to hold to formalities like that, Noah Perkins. And come here, Preston." Dr. Wendy's hugs were warm and soft. Comforting. “I'll see you boys in a couple weeks for your normal check up, okay?"

"I told you there was nothing to worry about," Noah teased as he opened the car door for me.

I flopped into the seat of the car. "I'm hungry now."

Noah climbed into the driver's seat, then leaned over to kiss me. I thought he was going in for just a peck, but he grabbed the back of my head and deepened the kiss, leaving me weak and needy when he pulled away.

"How about we head home, get you some food, and then you finish what you started?"

"That sounds perfect." My voice was breathy and light.

Instead of opening my door when we got home, Noah said, "Last one to the door gives the other a blow job!"

"No fair!" I protested as I wrestled with my seat belt. "You're not hampered by a giant belly!"

I bounced into his back as he unlocked the door and we tumbled into the house, hands everywhere, starting to strip clothes off before the door shut behind us.

A throat cleared uncomfortably and we both spun to face Noah's dads, who were sitting in our living room.

"I think they forgot we were planning on lunch, Ray." Papa's smile was knowing.

"Surely not, Justin." Dad stood with a playful frown. "They know how long we've been waiting to find out whether we're having a grandboy or a grandgirl."

Noah pulled me against him, his hands resting on my belly. "It's a girl!"

Noah's dad's congratulations were effusive, but I had no question that they would have been just as happy if we were having a boy.

"Well, I think we'd best skip lunch today," Dad said. "I think these boys have more... pressing plans."

"Daaad," Noah complained.

Papa started humming Let’s Get It On and my face flamed with embarrassment.

“We’ll take a raincheck for tomorrow,” Dad said, ushering Papa out. “You boys have fun celebrating.”

Noah released me and locked the door behind them, leaning against the door. “Moment gone?”

“Moment annihilated,” I sighed.

“So food?” Noah asked.

“Actually, I think I could use a shower first. The ultrasound goop is still kinda sticky.” I plucked at my shirt and then let it snap tightly across my belly.

Noah jumped in the shower with me, his hands working the muscles on my shoulders until I moaned, completely relaxed. His hands dropped to my belly. “Better be careful, or you’ll give me ideas.”

I leaned back against him. “I’m all for ideas.” Just then, the baby kicked.

“Was that—” Noah asked, his voice hopeful.

I grabbed his hand and centered it where she had kicked. “It was.”

Noah spun me around and knelt to stare at my belly. His hands framed the sides of my bump and he gasped as she kicked again. "I can see the outline of her foot!" Wonder filled his voice. Then he laughed as she kicked again. "And she's making your belly button pop out!"

I pushed his hands away and tried to swing my belly away, but he pulled me back, nuzzling my belly button. Our little girl kicked again, bopping him right in the nose.

"Serves you right," I said, crossing my arms. It had less of the effect I wanted when propped on top of my round stomach.

Noah just laughed. Then his hands circled around to grip my ass and pull me even closer. "I think blow jobs were promised..."

I started to drop to my knees—I owed him one, after all—but Noah's strong arms held me up and his nose drifted down the curve of my stomach. "What are you doing?" My voice quivered with need.

"Taking care of my omega." Noah's lips kissed my already erect cock.

One nice thing about this part of the pregnancy? I was like a fucking teenager again—ready to go in ten seconds or less.

How could I have ever doubted this man's devotion to me? I could feel it in our bond, I could see it in his eyes, I could hear it in his voice. I just...

I was so broken. I could see that now. In the midst of living with my father, I had known that things weren't ideal, but I hadn't realized how fucked up our life was. How fucked up our relationship was. But watching Noah and his dads... imagining Noah with my child in his arms...

The shower washed away the tears of gratefulness as I brought myself out of my memories and into the moment. I mean, when a hot as fuck alpha is doing his best to suck your brains out of your dick, it's hard to think of anything else. I fell backward against the tile of the shower and buried my fingers in Noah's hair. I wanted him in me. I needed to feel completely connected to my mate.

I tugged him up and turned around wordlessly, presenting my ass with the unspoken demand. Noah ran his hand softly down my back, ending with a slap on my ass. I jumped, but he rubbed away the sting, and I melted under his touch.

"I don't want you having sex with me just as a thank you or because I won our little race," Noah growled into my ear, echoing his statement from that first night in the cabin.

His cock pressed against the cleft of my ass, and I wanted nothing more than that sweet heat inside me.

"You need to want me. To need me."

"I need you, Noah," I whispered. "More than life itself. I need you more than the air I breathe, the water I drink, the food—oh fuck!"

Noah slid all the way into me without warning. Yes, oh yes! I needed this. I needed him. His knot was already swelling, and soon, he was locked deep inside me, an embrace neither of us could escape from, even if we wanted to.

Noah came with a heavy grunt, his fingers bruising my hips as they clenched with his intensity. I imagined Noah filling me up, filling me with another child, and I followed right after him.

Noah collapsed against my back and the hot water cascaded over us while we caught our breath.

"Well," Noah finally croaked. "This isn't the best idea we've had." He reached over and turned off the water.

"What did you do that for? Now we're going to get cold."

Noah slapped my ass. "I'm not standing in the shower for the fifteen minutes it takes for my knot to go down. One, it's uncomfortable to crouch at the right height when I'm not active, short stuff. Two, I don't like getting pruney."

"So what do you propose, oh tall one?"

Instead of answering, Noah wrapped his arms under mine and lifted me just a few inches off the ground and started duck waddling out of the bathroom.

"Put me down!" I screeched. "This is so undignified! See if you get shower sex again."

Noah somehow managed to collapse gently onto our bed, then pulled the covers around us. "You complain too much. I love you. Go to sleep."

His last words trailed off as he followed his own command. Alphas.