Not His Omega To Love by GS Holmes

16Ethan

“Phone’s been ringingoff the hook, Finch,” my secretary said as soon as I entered the small office area where we completed paperwork even though the majority of the administrative tasks had gone paperless.

“Business line?” I asked Bev.

“Your cell phone.”

“Thanks.”

“I would’ve answered it, but I think that’s outside my jurisdiction.”

“That’s fine, Bev.” I dropped heavily into my office chair and checked the clock on the wall. Just a few minutes until two. I had at least another hour before I would leave.

I frowned at my missed calls log. Several were from Reggie and one from Cody. My finger hovered over the number, but instead, I redialed Reggie’s number.

The phone call was cut off on the first ring, but a message came in.

Reggie:In class. Can’t talk, only text.

Me:What’s wrong?

Reggie:Cody’s in trouble.

My hands were so shaken so badly I typed gibberish and had to clear the message box and retype the words.

Me:What kind of trouble?

Reggie: Everyone knows. It’s his fault. He and his friends were blabbing, and someone overheard.

Shit. This was bad.

Me:Are you in any trouble?

Reggie:No, everyone kind of thinks you’re the father.

Me:What?

What the hell were these kids smoking? How did they come up with this theory?

Reggie:It’s your fault. You dropped him off at school. Someone saw you give him money. Now everyone thinks we broke up because I found out he was cheating with you.

Of all the absurd stories I’d ever heard, this one beat them all.

Me:What did you do?

Reggie: Nothing. You already know where I stand. I’m going to get out of this town to play football.

And how could I fault him for having a goal and going after it? But for a moment, I resented him for not sticking up for Cody. I couldn’t imagine the hell he must be going through. Not only was he pregnant, but if they thought his baby was mine, he would be hounded mercilessly. I might have left high school decades ago, but kids were still cruel.

I returned Cody’s call, and his phone rang twice before he answered. “Hi.”

My heart squeezed. His tone was so bewildered.

“Where are you?”

“At the house. They sent me home. Suspended for two weeks.”

“For doing what?”

“Getting knocked up.”

“That’s bullshit. They can’t do that to you.” I pushed away from the desk. “I’m on my way. Can I get you anything?”

“No, please don’t leave work on my account. I’m fine. There’s nothing you can do.”

“Don’t cry.” The words spilled from my lips. “Please, I can’t bear it when you cry.”

He sniffled. “Okay, I won’t cry if you bring ice cream when you leave work. At your regular time, not before.”

“Flavor?”

“Surprise me?”

“All right. I’ll be home in about an hour. Don’t cook. I’ll bring home dinner for everyone.”

“Fine. I’ll put on one of those horror movies you always watch. That should keep my mind occupied.”

“Good, we’ll work this out, okay?”

“Okay. I don’t know how, but I believe you.”

Minutes after the call ended, I sat still in the same position, staring at the phone in my hand. The conversation left me feeling… odd. Like something had shifted between us. Something monumental, but what if it was one-sided?

Fuck, everyone at his school thought he was pregnant with my child. My heart warmed over. The prospect of Cody having a child for me didn’t alarm me at all. I’d never thought much about family after having Reggie and the big split. I’d invested so much time into work and building a company while raising the only child I had from afar. What if this was another chance to help raise a child? Cody’s child. Cody’s and mine. Reggie wanted nothing to do with the baby.

I shook off the impossible thought. That could never happen, and I would do well to remember that.

Keeping my promise to Cody, I didn’t leave work early like I wanted to do, which was just as well, as we had a problem with a shipment I had to handle personally. I ended up leaving half an hour later than I had planned. Thankfully, the Italian place was en route to home. I picked out a simple lasagna dish, which I knew Cody loved, then bought six different flavors of ice cream. I couldn’t choose.

I drove quickly home to prevent them from melting. Reggie’s car was parked in the driveway. That was a surprise. I grabbed the bag with the cups of ice cream and went inside. The television in the living room was on, but I detoured to the kitchen to put the goodies in the fridge.

When I stepped into the living room, I froze. Reggie and Cody were on the same sofa. They weren’t sitting thigh to thigh but seeing them together reminded me of that kiss in the hall. Again. Would I never forget it?

“Thank fuck, you’re here,” Reggie said, and Cody swiveled his head to me. He stabbed a button on the remote, and the movie he’d been watching paused.

“Language,” I scolded him without any heat behind it. I couldn’t fault him when I would swear too, but I had noticed Cody didn’t curse.

“My language is hardly the issue here,” he grumbled. “Why did you have to take Cody to school?”

“Because his ride couldn’t make it, and you left early. If you hadn’t, you could have brought him.”

“And have everyone think he’s carrying my baby?” The look of horror on his face would have been comical hadn’t the situation been so dire.

Ignoring him, I took the armchair to the left of Cody. “Tell me what happened?”

“It was my fault. My friends and I were talking, and someone overheard.” He pulled his feet up beneath him and wrapped his arms around his belly. “Piper and I thought we could shrug it off. I never imagined it would spread so quickly. It was written all over the bathroom walls, calling me names and making wild statements.”

“That I’m the father of your child?”

“They’re so stupid.”

“But how did you get suspended?”

He sighed. “A custodian complained about the graffiti in the bathroom, and so I was called in to see the principal. He asked me if it was true.”

“And he said yes.” Reggie shook his head.

“I couldn’t lie.” Cody glared at him, his chin jutting out. “Some of us haven’t had the kind of practice others do on the subject.”

I could applaud him for finally putting Reggie in his place and standing up for himself. “Cody’s right. Lying would’ve made it worse when his condition came out.”

“He suspended me for two weeks,” Cody said. “It’s still up in the air if I’m allowed to attend prom and graduation.”

“Your valedictory speech?”

“He gave it to someone else.” Pain flashed over his face. “So now I’m in limbo, not sure if I’ll graduate or be allowed back on the school grounds before the final day.”

“I’m pretty sure it’s not legal to keep you out of school because you’re pregnant. There are laws in place to protect omegas from this sort of thing.”

“I did tell him that, but he said something about being able to use suspension to bar me from the graduation ceremony. He can suspend me on moral grounds.”

“That’s discriminatory.”

He shrugged. “I don’t know what else to do.”

“All because you had to keep the baby,” Reggie muttered.

“It’s stupid.” Cody lowered his legs to the floor. “If I’d been bonded, none of this would’ve happened. They’re discriminating against me not so much for being pregnant but for being unbonded and pregnant.”

He was completely right.

“What do we do now?” Reggie asked. “There’s nothing else to do.”

Cody’s sigh filled the room. “I’m just so sad I won’t be able to rub it into my parents’ face that I made it despite them kicking me out.”

And he deserved that little victory. People expected him to fail because he chose to keep his baby. He should prove them wrong. He was a kind and wonderful young omega who deserved that.

What if…? If he was married, his life would be less difficult. He could join the family’s health insurance policy. All his school problems… at least the dire ones would be taken care of.

“I have an idea.”

Cody’s face lit up, and he turned his wide eyes on me. “You do?”

“It’s not the best of ideas, but it might work, and it can be short-term. Like only for a year. Maybe less.”

“What’s that, Dad? Send Cody away for a year?”

I scowled at him. “No, I’m talking about you two getting bonded. Strictly for practical reasons unless you want otherwise.”

“Are you insane?” Reggie cried. “I’m not bonding with anyone out of convenience.”

“Even if it helps Cody to finish his last month and graduate?”

“I can’t—won’t do anything like that.”

“Think about it for a minute.” I sat up straight. “We’d be able to get Cody on our health insurance. And he’ll be able to graduate. What do you think, Cody?”

“I-it sounds like it could actually work, but I don’t think we could convince anyone Reggie and I are together.”

“Exactly.” Reggie jumped to his feet. “Like seriously, if the idea is so good, why don’t you bond with Cody? Everyone already thinks his baby is yours, and you two spend more time together than Cody and me.”

Silence descended. I swung my gaze from Reggie to Cody, who blushed a pretty pink. Did Reggie suspect how I felt about his ex? Did Cody know?

“That actually makes a whole lot more sense,” Reggie said. “I don’t want to be bonded when I’m going to college. That would be a disaster. If you bond with Cody, it won’t disturb anyone’s life. It’s not like you’re seeing anyone, Dad, and as you said, it’s an arranged bond, so who cares about the huge age gap? It won’t be real.”

I swallowed against the dryness in my throat, my stomach flipping. “Cody?”

“I-I…” He scrambled to his feet and tore out of the room, covering his mouth with his hand.

So much for thinking he would go along with the idea. The thought of bonding with me, even a partial bond, was so repulsive it had driven him to retch.

“If bonding with him is the solution, I can’t do it.” Reggie shook his head. “I’m sorry, but I don’t want to be tied to him like that, and honestly, Cody didn’t seem too thrilled at the idea of being that way with me either. I’m going out for some fresh air. Maybe you two can work something out since you’re so concerned about him.”

Left alone in the room, I balanced my elbows on my knees and buried my face into my hands. This was a nightmare. Why was teen pregnancy so difficult? He had only a few weeks to finish high school. Why did this have to happen now? And what kind of stupid solution had I come up with? But was it stupid? Being a bonded pregnant omega would be the norm, even though he was young. It would save him so much trouble, not just now but also when he was ready to start college. He wouldn’t be the first omega rejected because of pregnancy, although the reason was always disguised as something else.

Time to go back to the drawing board and think of another solution.

Tiny footsteps padded into the room. I dropped my hands as Cody returned to the sofa. He sat with his feet together and his hands on his knees.

“I’m sorry. It was a stupid suggestion,” I said. “You don’t have to worry about it. I’ll think of something else, perhaps talk to the principal and let him see reason.”

Cody bit his bottom lip, then released it. “I’ll do it.”

I gaped at him. Did he just say…?

“You’re right. I-if I am bonded, they can’t keep me suspended. I get to graduate, and when I start showing even more, people won’t treat me like crap.”

“Are you sure? We can find another solution.”

“But none that takes care of all the problems like this one would.”

“I’ve been having a little difficulty getting you added to our family’s health insurance plan,” I admitted. “If we do this, you and the baby will have coverage.”

“That’s a huge bonus. Medical bills can be so expensive. I’d like to have that reassurance for the baby.”

He looked so determined, but his body was stiff. This wasn’t going to be the bonding he’d dreamed about, but it didn’t have to be a horrible experience either.

“We’d have to do it immediately so you can go back to school when your suspension is up.”

His face crumpled. “This isn’t how I envisioned getting bonded.”

His words hit home that this was all a sham. Not meant for pleasure but to allow Cody to push back against a society that would ostracize him for being unbonded and pregnant.

“I know, and I’m sorry, but think of it this way. Omegas who are divorced from their bonding have far more privileges than any other omega.”

“But we wouldn’t need to get divorced, since we won’t…” His eyes skittered away from me.

“Right. We could annul the bond on that basis. Even better. It will be like it never happened.”