Not His Omega To Love by GS Holmes

13Cody

Buckling my seat belt,I glanced over at Ethan and made my decision. He’d already done so much for me that I was starting to feel like I was taking advantage. I couldn’t move out of his home. I didn’t have anywhere else to go, but I could balk at him buying me new clothes.

“I can’t let you buy me things,” I said. “Especially when I may need bigger ones soon. For now, these will fit. I just need my clothes from home.”

If my parents allowed me back in to get them.

“We can swing by your parents to grab your stuff, then, if you want.”

“Yes, please.” A knot formed in my throat, and I swallowed hard. “They might not be very welcoming.”

“That’s fine. We’re not there to play nice. We’ll get your things. They’re yours, and they might be your parents, but they can’t hold your possessions hostage. There are laws in place to protect omega rights, especially with the new wave of Omega Movement.”

“Dad’s a lawyer.”

“Good. Then he should know the law.”

He sounded so confident I believed him that my parents would change their minds about me getting my stuff. My computer, my textbooks, and all my clothes were still in my room. I hoped.

My courage dissipated the minute Ethan drove up the driveway. Ethan parked in front of the steps leading to the porch, and I sat there staring up at the house. What if they’d changed the locks? What if they’d called the police, as they’d said they would do if I tried to enter the house without their permission?

“Take a deep breath,” Ethan said. “We’re not here to engage your parents unless they have a change of heart and realize what a huge mistake they made throwing you out. Otherwise, we’re here to get your things and go. Is it a lot?”

“No, just my clothes, books, and my computer.” They could keep everything else.

“All right, let’s go. You can do this.”

“You’re coming with me?”

“Of course. A third party can be helpful in these situations. Most times, people tone down their behavior with others around.”

Good point. We walked up to the front door, but before I could even knock, it opened, and Mom stood in the doorway.

“Did you get rid of it?”

I winced. So much for toning down her behavior in the presence of someone else. She didn’t even seem to notice Ethan, as big as he was, towering over me.

“I’m here to get my stuff.”

She slammed the door in my face. I sucked in a deep breath, tears blurring my vision. Had she cared about me at all? How could a mother’s love dry up instantly because of one mistake? It was a big one, but it hardly warranted her treating me like this.

“We should go.” I turned, head bowed so Ethan wouldn’t see my tears, but his hand landed on my shoulder, and he hauled me back. “What are you doing? You heard her. She doesn’t want me here.”

“We’ll see about that.”

Ethan rang the doorbell, but the door didn’t open. He kept on ringing until I wanted to sit on the floor and cry my eyes out. They were never going to let us in. They didn’t care what happened to me. All that mattered was me not bringing shame to our family by being a pregnant omega under their roof without an alpha to take responsibility for the unborn baby.

“Ethan, it’s not working.”

“We’re not going anywhere.”

He pounded on the front door. Maybe I could slink away to the car to wait until he got the hint.

The door opened, revealing my scowling father. Unlike my mother, who had focused on me, he took in the man looming beside me.

“What do you want?”

How was it even possible for Ethan to seem to grow even bigger? His rage. That was what was radiating from him.

“Forgive me for not shaking your hand, but my conscience won’t allow me in good faith to do that with someone who kicks out their child.”

Oh no. What had happened to not engaging? Ethan seemed to have forgotten everything he’d said in the car about only being here to collect my things.

“How dare—”

“How dare I what?” Ethan took a step forward. “How dare I stick up for your kid? How dare I rescue him from possible rape because of your negligence and your failure to do your duty as a father and keep him safe?”

Dad’s face turned red, and he sputtered. “Who the hell do you think you are?”

“The name’s Ethan Finch.”

“Finch?” Dad frowned. “Isn’t that the name of the guy who knocked you up?”

“This is Reggie’s dad,” I choked out.

“Do you even know which of them knocked you up?”

I gasped, hot blinding pain searing through me. Ethan took another step toward Dad, his hand raised. “You son of a bitch.”

“Ethan, please, no.” I grabbed his arm before he could strike my father. “I can handle it.” Squaring my shoulders, I slipped between him and Dad. “I’m going upstairs to get my stuff, and you’re not going to stand in my way.”

“Are you threatening me?”

Instead of answering him, I stood a little straighter. He glanced from me to Ethan, and whatever he saw on Ethan’s face, he moved to the side.

“You have half an hour to get everything out of my house.”

Ethan nodded at me. “Go. I’ll be out here when you’re ready.”

I hurried past my mother, who stood in the hall listening to everything that had taken place.

“To think we raised you better than this.”

It was on the tip of my tongue to ask her if this was what she had raised me to do? To abandon my child if they made a mistake? Because I was sure as hell not going to treat my kid this way. But I didn’t have time to waste on her. The way my throat closed up, I might not have even been able to get the words out.

In the attic, I grabbed my suitcase and found a couple of empty boxes—for once glad they never threw things away—and used them to pack my books, games, and shoes. Should I bring my academic trophies? I had been so proud of winning them at the time, but what good would they do now? I grabbed the two most recent ones and placed them on top of the books. I opened my closet and perused my clothes. No way would they fit all in my suitcase. I selected the clothes with enough room for me to wear for a while even after I started showing.

It was a struggle lugging everything down the stairs. Dad turned but didn’t even make a move to help. It was Ethan who walked brazenly past him and into the house to assist. Together we got everything I’d packed into the car. Only when I buckled in, the tremors came. This was it. I wasn’t ever coming back. They wanted absolutely nothing to do with me.

Ethan patted my thigh, then thumbed away a tear. I hadn’t even realized I was crying. I hated how easily I dissolved into tears, but the baby books I’d read warned me that the hormones were to blame. At least I had hopes of them going away once I had the baby.

“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t cry. I got my stuff back.”

“It’s okay.”

“I feel like you say that a lot, you know.”

“All right, then, it’s not okay, but you’ll be fine.”

I laughed, and it eased some of the tightness in my chest, but then I sobered. “This is… was my home. Do you think they'll ever come around?”

“I don’t know, Cody, but I sure hope so. If not, they’ll be missing out on the incredible things you’re about to do with your life.”

How couldn’t I believe him with such confidence oozing from him?

“Are you hungry?” Ethan asked.

“Yes.”

“I’ll stop at a restaurant on the way home. We’ll have to get your prenatal vitamins too, but first, I need to check in at my business. Is that okay with you? I could drop you off at home and then come back if you’re too tired.”

“No, it’s fine.” He was the one doing me a favor.

“I’ll try to make it quick.”

I didn’t have much good experience with alphas. They were usually offensive, loud, and intimidating, which I always assumed was all because of their size, but that wasn’t true. I studied Ethan from the corner of my eye. His hands, which gripped the steering wheel, were huge, yet he held it so delicately. He was gentle, although, from his confrontation with my father, he could stand his ground if the situation demanded it.

I liked that… a lot more than I should.

“You own this business?” I asked when he drove into an enormous parking lot, which was empty except for two trailers. To the right stood a large building that looked like a warehouse.

“Co-owner with my best friend, Sal.” Pride tinged his voice. “I started as an independent driver with one truck and expanded over the years. Now we’re the most sought-after trucking business around these parts.”

“Wow, Sal’s the omega you were with that first night we met?”

“Yup, that’s Sal, all right.”

“And he co-owns a trucking company?”

“That’s right. We’ve been friends forever.”

“It’s amazing what you’ve both done.”

He flushed, and it made me feel better about all the times my face was tomato red. “It’s no big deal.”

But I bet it was.

“I won’t be long.”

“Can I stretch my legs while you’re gone?”

“Sure thing. Just don’t wander too far from the car. The place is overrun with alphas, and although with Sal, they’ve had enough sensitivity training to know better, they can still be a bit wild.”

“Okay, I won’t.”

He jogged toward the building, and I stared after him while I leaned against the car. Being with Reggie had felt so good. He was bigger than me, and when his arms were around me it had felt warm and nice at first. Ethan was way bigger than Reggie. I’d get lost in him.

My face flamed, and I covered my cheeks with my hands. This tiny crush I had on my baby’s grandfather had to go. There was no room for it. I giggled. Ethan didn’t look old enough to be a grandfather. He could still be a father, though. Hell, some guys my age liked older men. Rhett had drooled over Ethan, and I understood why. He was hot… and protective.

I sent Piper a text to let her know I was okay. I hadn’t been up to talking much last night, but she’d been such an incredible friend. She always had been, but even more since I showed up at her home and blurted out that I was pregnant and got kicked out. She’d never once berated me for having unprotected sex with Reggie.

A large truck rumbled in, its vibrations so hard my body hummed. I couldn’t help staring. The view from up there must be amazing.

The driver poked his head out the window.

“Hey, you’re not allowed on this property.”

I froze, swallowing hard. “I-I’m waiting on Ethan.” I had to shout to be heard over the roar of the engine.

The man assessed me and winked, transforming his face into a devastating grin.

“Lucky son of a bitch. You fine as hell, boy.”

I wanted the ground to swallow me. He barked a laugh as he handled the truck, slowly maneuvering the vehicle to the left where the other two trucks were parked.

“You ready to go?”

I spun around. Ethan had returned. Oh gosh, the trucker must think we were together. Should I tell Ethan so he could set his employee straight?

“You all right?” he asked, then frowned in the direction of the truck. “Morris didn’t say anything untoward, did he?”

“Oh no. It’s fine.”

“He did say something. What did he say?”

“He just said I looked fine.” I ducked into the car, so I didn’t have to read the expression on his face. He was probably laughing at what his trucker saw in me.

“Did he make you uncomfortable?” Ethan asked as he got in the driver’s side. “Did he say it in a harassing way?”

“No, I think he meant it as a compliment.”

“Hmm.”

What did “hmm” mean? Ethan didn’t look any more satisfied that his employee hadn’t exactly been harassing me.

“And I think he believes we’re together.”

“Well, we are. You’re here with me.”

“Like together, together.”

“Oh.” He shook his head. “Ridiculous. Don’t take what he says to heart. He never thinks before he speaks.”

I wished the car seat would fold me into two like a pretzel. Worse than what his employee had said was the way Ethan had dismissed it. He thought the whole idea of an us was ridiculous. Which it totally was, but why then did my heart ache?