Omega’s Bond

1

Ethan

I push the cotton ball in the crook of my arm and hold it there tightly. I hate getting jabbed with needles but it’s for a good cause this time, sort of.

This morning, as I was getting dressed, and of course before I had any coffee, Max came over and told me we were going to the doctors. Great. He wanted me to get blood work done because of the baby and… other reasons. The blood taking wasn’t as bad as some of the other tests. I still cringe when I think about where the cotton swab went…

The doctor prescribed me all sorts of vitamins and stuff, as a precaution he said. Though when the blood work comes back I might get even more, depending on what they find in there. The only thing that really got me through the humiliation and anger was the knowledge that I wasn’t the only person who had to go through the tests, Max was in the room next to me, getting the same treatment.

I grab the paper bag with the vitamins and prevent it from sliding off of the couch as we turn a corner abruptly.

“Are you okay?” Max reaches out but doesn’t touch me, luckily.

“Yeah, yeah. I’m fine.” Thoughts go through my mind, remembering the questions that were asked during the visit. Have you ever had an STI? Did you have unprotected sex with others? How many partners have you had in the last year? Private, private questions.

“I just want you to be safe, healthy.” Max tries to talk to me again.

“I know.” I’m not in a mood to talk to anyone, especially not the only person I’ve had unprotected sex with, ever. And look where that got me. I feel betrayed. He could have asked me some of these questions himself, we didn’t have to get doctors involved right away. But he hasn’t, he hasn’t asked me anything about my sexual history, or my health. So to answer these questions to a stranger… I was not ready for that.

Max’s phone starts ringing and he picks up. “Hi, Alexia.” He listens to her and then looks at me. “I’m not sure—” Then he nods. “Fine. But I can’t promise that he is in the mood for that.”

I’m not in the mood for what? What does Alexia want from me?

“We went to the doc this morning, getting tests done.” He squeezes his eyes shut as a loud voice comes through the speaker of the phone, loud enough for me to recognise it, but not enough that I can understand what she is saying.

Though, by the pained look on Max’s face, I can guess the things she is saying, getting tested is not really something you do when you don’t immediately have a reason to, like, when you’re wearing condoms and being safe.

“I know, I know.” Max has the decency to look even more uncomfortable than he did. “Fine. We’ll pick you up. See you in a bit.” He disconnects the call and then turns to me. “We’re picking up Alexia on our way home.”

“I got that much. Why was she so angry?” I can understand being annoyed, it just seemed like a bit of an overreaction.

“Sex and health and stuff. She feels like having unprotected sex is one of the biggest sins in the world.”

I can’t really disagree with her… And not just because of the pregnancy. “What did she want?”

“To see you.”

“Because?”

“She wants to talk about the mating ceremony. Show you ideas and plans.”

Oh, great. More pressure, more stuff to do. I thought we were getting a week off together, but Max has been working half days in the home office and the other hours are spent taking care of legalities and practicalities of me moving in with him. “I’m not sure…”

“I told her that, but she is insistent.” Max shakes his head. “If you get tired of her you can just send her off to talk to my mum. Those two can plan the whole thing together for all I care.”

His mum has been coming by almost daily, checking up on me, talking to Max about the pack, planning the ceremony. Apparently, he is inheriting the pack from her and not his dad.

That actually surprised me, not because she is a woman but because of the way his parents interact. It seemed like his dad was the one who knew everything, the one who was all about the pack. Though maybe that is just because he is the calming and knowledgeable part of the couple and his mother is the active and enforcing part. That would certainly clarify a few things.

“I would like to have some input on what happens that day. Not sure I trust two alpha women to not turn it into castles and rainbows.” I let out a short laugh and Max looks at me, a smile also lightly gracing his lips.

“Yeah, castles and rainbows might not even be the worst thing. With Alexia around, I expect glitter.” He reaches out, touching my cheek. “It’s good to see you laugh, you’ve been frowning all morning.”

“Not really my fault.” I try not to smile, but it still peeks out, his touch warming me inside.

“I know. It’s just… this was the first possible time and I wanted to get it over with.” He sighs. “I want our time together to be good and happy. I don’t want to have to think about things that might ruin that, so getting this over soon was important.”

“And when did you realise that?” If he really had wanted it to be over as soon as possible, he wouldn’t have waited until nearly a week after we met to go and see the doc.

“This morning when I woke up.” Max pulls his hand back, crossing his arms.

“A week, a week after we did it for the first time and now you think about getting tested? Happy Friday, now let’s get stabbed and poked in awkward places by doctors. Such a good greeting in the morning.” I turn away from him again, suddenly tired. “Did you even think about asking me yourself?”

Max stays silent. After a while, I hear a click and then his voice. “Can you drive by Alexia’s place, we need to pick her up before we go home.”

“Okay, sir.” The driver answers and we’re back in silence again.

Maybe just as well. I don’t know if I’ll like the answers he has for me.