Approximately one week after Rhys and I had made it to LA, we received a surprise visitor. The two of us traded looks when the doorbell rang, since we weren't expecting anyone. “Did you order pizza again?” Rhys asked.

I shook my head. The only reason I'd ordered pizza the day before was because my brother insisted on cooking for me, and I didn't want him to. I was pregnant, not bed-bound. “Maybe someone got the wrong door. Or it's one of Kade's insane fans.” Cautiously, I spoke into the door intercom. “Hello?”

“It's me.” The intercom distorted Zander's voice a bit, but there was no way I wouldn't have recognized him. The moment I did, my heart squeezed painfully in my chest. He'd come all the way to LA. To see me? That had to be it. What else would he be doing so far away from Oceanport?

Without thinking any more about it, I hit the buzzer to let him through.

“Who is it?” Rhys asked from behind me.

“Zander.”

My brother's eyes widened, and then he grabbed his bag off the couch. “I just remembered I need to run into town.”

“Real subtle, bro,” I said, but he didn't let the knowledge that I was on to him stop him from rushing out the door. I heard the tapping of his shoes on the linoleum floor in the hallway, and then the cheerful greeting he offered Zander in passing before he was gone. And then all I could think about was the alpha approaching my apartment. My heart seemed to beat in time with his steps, and they both grew faster at the same rate too.

Until he stood in front of me.

After the days apart, after our fight, seeing him like this felt both awkward and liberating at the same time. Zander was carrying a bag that looked kind of heavy. For a moment, I wondered what was inside it, but then my attention was drawn to the man himself. His clothes were wrinkled and he had deep circles under his eyes, like he hadn't been getting enough sleep. The curious part was how his eyes sparkled when he looked at me, in spite of his obvious exhaustion. He was excited. Nervous too, though. I could tell by the way he licked his lips.

I kind of wanted to lick his lips too.

“I can't believe you've come all this way.”

“Anything for you.” The corners of his mouth tugged up in that small smile that was so characteristic of him. He glanced past me into the apartment. “Can I come in? I think we need to talk. And I have something I want to show you.”

“Sure.” I stepped aside to let him in and closed the door behind him.

“First of all, I'm so sorry about what happened with—”

He stopped talking when I kissed him, throwing my arms around him. “God, I missed you,” I said on an exhale when I could get myself to break from him for a second. Part of me was still a little mad at him, but damn, I loved him, and I'd missed him. His alpha scent curled in my nose, telling me he was, at least physically, ready to take this reunion to the bedroom. I stifled a laugh, feeling so relieved suddenly. He must have missed me too.

“I missed you enough to step on a plane,” he said, confirming my thoughts while closing his arms around my back. “Did you know I've never been this far away from Maine?”

I couldn't help it; I laughed. “Is it scary, being so far from home?”

“Nothing scares me as long as I have you.” He looked me in the eyes as he said it, his expression so serious that a pleasant shiver ran down my spine. I had to think about what Rhys had said. That I was scared. If Zander could be brave, couldn't I be, as well? “How's the baby?” Zander asked, eyes straying down between us.

“Fine, I guess,” I laid his hand on my belly. “Can you feel him?” The little one was becoming more active lately, and with any luck...

Absolute wonder took over Zander's features. It was a moment that would stay in my memory forever, that first time Zander felt our baby move. He looked like he'd just been told Santa Claus was real—and bringing him tons of books this year. “That's amazing.”

“Isn't it?” I beamed at him. Normally, I was torn between being amazed and terrified at the life growing inside me, but right now, the scale tipped more toward the former.

“We have to paint the nursery,” Zander muttered. He sounded like he'd only just remembered, but now that he had, he needed to turn around and do it right away.

“Hold on there,” I said, resting my hand on his upper arm. “You're not just gonna run back to Oceanport now that you've come here, are you?”

“Run back? No.” He looked at me confused until his mind remembered where he was and why. He'd come here with a cause. I could tell by the determination that settled in his eyes. “I heard about your job offer,” Zander said next. “Is that what you meant? The thing you were ready to give up for me?”

“How did you hear about that?” Had he talked to Kade? No, that wasn't likely. They hardly knew each other. Which left Conner. The little brat must have overheard something.

“Didn't you know you can't keep a secret in a place like Oceanport? Mind you, I don't know why you kept this a secret anyway.”

I broke away from him to throw my hands up in a frustrated gesture. “Because there was no point in telling you, anyway. Look at me, I would never have gotten that job. All I got was an interview. Nobody hires a pregnant omega. Besides, I could hardly ask you to move to LA.”

“Why not?” His question sounded so sincere that I had to blink.

Was he honestly asking me that? Would he seriously have considered moving?

“Don't get me wrong,” he said. “I like living in Oceanport and I love my grandma's old store, but in the end, it's just a place. If it doesn't make you happy, it won't make me happy either. That's why I need to know these things. I think we both need to stop hiding stuff from each other.”

“You would move for me?” My brain had hung itself up on that point. “Leave your store behind?”

“I'm sure LA is just waiting for a store like Tall Tales to open its doors here,” he said with no small amount of mirth. “And I can write my books anywhere.”

“What about Betty?”

“There must be dog parks around here somewhere.”

Heavens, he was serious about this. He really wasn't like other alphas. And he was right, he wasn't the only one who'd kept quiet when he should have opened his mouth. “You don't have to move. Really, I'd love to live in Oceanport with you.” And I loved the idea even more now that it was actually my choice. “I want our kid to grow up in Oceanport. I want him or her to wreck your bookstore when they start walking. I want them to wake up to the smell of the pine trees that grow outside the kitchen window.”

My alpha looked visibly relieved as I told him this. He would have moved to LA to be with me, but he didn't really want to. That made his resolve all the sweeter. “Do you still want to work on comics, though?” he asked.

I had to admit, I kind of did, but... “I guess the baby's gonna keep me busy enough when they're here.”

Zander shook his head. “That doesn't mean you have to give up your dreams. You shouldn't have to. Actually, I had an idea...” He pulled a stack of paper out of his bag. “Look at this,” he said, handing it to me.

“What is this?” I leaved through the pages. They had Zander's handwriting on them, along with some very basic stick-figure drawings. It almost looked like... “Is this a comic book script?”

“Yeah, it is.” Zander's hand went through his hair. “I don't know if it's any good. I was up all night just writing those few pages, but I figured that Young Adult book I wanted to write for omega kids? Why not turn it into a comic? Why shouldn't there be an omega super-hero, and why shouldn't you draw him? I'm sure we can get a deal with my publisher if we turn in a good sample.”

He eyes went back and forth between Zander and the paper in my hand. He'd written me a comic to draw. He'd written me an omega superhero. This was so fucking fantastic that I didn't know what to say. Except maybe...

Putting the paper aside, I fell to one knee in front of the alpha I loved so much it felt like my heart couldn't contain all of the emotion and just let it flow into every pore of me.

“What are you doing, Nick?”

“Like you don't recognize this pose by now.” I grinned at him, and then I took his hand. “Zander Cornelius Kerner, would you like to marry me? For real?”

Sadly, I didn't have a ring to propose with, but judging by the awe-struck look on Zander's face, that wasn't necessary to make him happy. “You mean it?”

“Well, I don't have a ring to give you, but I promise I'll be as loyal as an emperor penguin in love. Did you know those penguins bow to each other before sex?”

“I can't believe you've actually read that book. Or that you’re bringing it up now.”

“I'm always good for a surprise.”

“You are indeed.” Zander pulled me up by my hand and kissed me. “Of course I'll marry you.”

A smile found its way onto my lips and threatened to split my face apart. Right here with Zander, life was wonderful. “Then we're engaged! I never thought I'd be engaged.” I hugged my mate close to me, breathing in his earthy scent. “We need to get back to Oceanport and tell everyone.”

“Yeah, we do.” He let out a little laugh. “My parents will be so happy. Wait, we're not doing this to please them, are we?”

“Oh no, in fact, I think we should wait to get married until after the baby is born just to piss them off.”

Zander pulled me closer. “This is why I love you.”

I pressed a kiss on his lips. “Want to show me how much?” I teased, leading him toward my bedroom with one hand. “You know, I've never brought anyone back here.”

“Never?”

“Nope. I think we should do something about that before I leave this place forever.” To be with the man I loved, the man who was tugging at my shirt now.

“You're right. It would be a shame if we didn't do anything about that.” His motions were a little impatient as he freed me of my shirt, but I couldn't blame him. It had been a long time since we'd been together this way. I was impatient, too. I wanted to feel his skin, the warmth of his body, that absolute sense of belonging I got when he was inside me. Nothing was better than that.

I helped him undress me, and then I laid back on the bed languidly, watching him take his own clothing off piece by piece. “Looking good,” I said, feeling just the tiniest bit self-conscious about the weight I'd gained so far during this pregnancy.

“Looking even better,” he gave back, finally joining me on the bed. His eyes strayed to the baby bulge on my belly. “I can't believe you're this far along already.”

“Does it turn you off?”

He gave a short laugh, like it was the most ridiculous thing I'd ever said to him. “Quite the opposite,” he assured me, eyes dark with desire as he looked at me. And then he kissed me again before I could say any more. That was okay, though. More than okay. I didn't want to say any more. I only wanted to feel this moment with him, our bodies molding together like we were always meant for each other—which I was sure we were.

My hands slid over his back, so happy to be able to hold on to him again. Pinpricks erupted on my skin where he touched me in return. Being with Zander wasn't about the sex to me, no, but it sure felt good. His scent, all alpha in this moment, enveloped me just as surely as his arms, and I lost myself in him.

“I've missed you,” I whispered in his ear as he kissed my neck, because I felt it needed to be said again.

“You too,” he murmured before moving lower. The moment his lips touched my left nipple, I sighed with bliss. My nipples had become tender during this pregnancy, but until Zander licked at one, I didn't realize just how tender. Having my alpha tease me there was the sweetest torture. Especially considering that I was already hornier than I'd ever been.

“Really don't need much foreplay,” I got out. “Just need to feel you.”

Zander grinned up at me. “Guess we don't have to worry about condoms this time, do we?”

“No, definitely no need for that,” I said glancing at my belly. There were some upsides to this pregnancy thing. Who would have thought? I rolled on my side as Zander lined up behind me.

“Don't want to squish anything by lying on top of you.”

“I've heard babies are more robust than you think.” But I didn't mind this position. It was kind of nice, with Zander's hand trailing over my belly. I leaned back into him as his free hand slid between my cheeks. I wriggled my butt at him; I couldn't help myself. He laughed, warm breath skating over my neck.

“Impatient?” he asked.

“Like you wouldn't believe.”

“I think I've got just the thing.”

“Oh, I'm sure you do.”

One of his fingers slipped inside and a deep sigh escaped me. A finger wasn't enough, though. I needed more of him. Desperately. “That's not the thing.”

Zander chuckled. “Oh, did you mean this thing then?”

I moaned as he finally entered me, stretching my inner walls. Yes, that was the thing I'd needed. This. Him. Us together. By the sound Zander made in the back of his throat, he felt much the same way. I pressed back against him, taking him deeper. I wanted to feel him all the way to my core. Heat ran down my spine as he bottomed out in me. This moment, I felt more connected to him than I ever had, and that feeling was the best in the world.

“God, you feel good,” Zander murmured, one hand still on my belly, stroking lazily.

“Move,” I gave back. He obeyed gladly, setting a rhythm that seemed slow at first but steadily grew faster as both of us became more frantic. My insides lit up and pressure built in my groin. I loved being with Zander like this. I wanted the moment to last forever.

But I also really needed him to get me off.

“Zander,” I panted his name, and somehow, he got the hint. His hand moved from my baby bulge to my cock, which was well and truly hard by now. I gasped. He took that as his cue to start stroking, his lips at the juncture of my shoulder. His other hand tightened on my hip, and we rocked together, both of us desperate for release.

It was definitely a good way to make some final memories in this place.

To my surprise, Zander came first, nearly biting my skin when he did so. I wouldn't have minded; I could hardly feel anything aside from the need to follow him over the cliff. Feeling his hot seed inside of me gave me the last push I needed. I came with a cry, spending myself in Zander's hand before my body went limp in his hold.

I wanted to stay like this forever.