by A. R. Ford
“Thank you,” Emmy whispered. Damp spots on my shirt confirmed my suspicion that she was crying. “This means I won’t have to be away from my friends. I had to leave Posie behind. I miss her. It’s nice to have friends here.”
A dark sedan appeared in the distance. Shielding my eyes from the sun’s glare with one hand, my remark appeared casual. “Hmm, I wonder who that is? I haven’t seen many dark sedans visiting Baron’s mansion since we’ve lived here.”
The sedan stopped short of the main gate. The door opened, and a pink-haired Beta stepped from the car. Sunglasses prevented a clear view of her eyes. Emmy hummed, frozen in place.
“Evan?”
“Yes, dearest?”
“Is that who I think it is?” she whispered.
“Emmy!” Posie shrieked, now at a run with her arms held wide.
“Posie!” Emmy responded. She ran toward her friend with arms outstretched.
Friends embracing is beautiful beyond imagining. The tendril pulsed with adoration. Emmy communicated her appreciation. I gave her my thanks.
When at last the friends parted, Posie approached with a shy grin. “Thank you, Evan. Jade Island is beautiful.”
“It’s good to see you again, Posie. I hope you’ll consider staying. Emmy missed you. I couldn’t bear to see her unhappy.” Emmy’s hug followed my words.
Emmy insisted on helping Posie get settled in the mansion. Posie was accepted into our group, without question. Everyone knew the importance of the Beta in bringing Emmy back into my life. Without Posie, having my Omega by my side was a questionable possibility.
I noticed throughout the day that Emmy peeked out a south-facing window. That habit was repeated during the weeks that followed. We enjoyed keeping up to date on the progress of our home.
Our party of friends gathered around the massive dining room table in Baron’s mansion that evening. Maria insisted on preparing a special dinner to welcome Posie to Jade Island. Who could protest otherwise? Maria was a fabulous cook.
Joseph arrived for dinner a few minutes after everyone began eating. Posie’s eyes locked on him, tracking as Joseph approached her chair. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Posie. I am Joseph,” came his oddly stilted introduction, which was accompanied by Posie offering her hand. Joseph dropped a kiss on Posie’s knuckles.
“I’m Posie. Wait, you already knew that,” Posie laughed, a glance cast in Emmy’s direction. “It’s good to meet you.”
I wasn’t surprised when Joseph and Posie excused themselves from the table after dessert. A definite attraction between the two grew throughout dinner. Joseph asked if he could sit with Posie. She agreed. Their softly murmured conversation carried on throughout dinner.
“Joseph and Posie like each other,” Emmy observed. “I have my friend, and she has a suitor.”
“It’s a good day,” Baron replied. He took the baby from Hailey.
The strong bond between Baron, and his son, was evident. Strange. I never thought to see an Alpha of Baron’s stature handle a tiny being with such gentleness, and care.
Seeing Baron with his son gave me hope that I could be better than the bastard who called himself my father.
*****
A few months passed while our home slowly grew from the foundation laid on our property. Life settled down in some while growing chaotic in others. The day Emmy and I moved into the home was one of the happiest of my life. It gave me great pleasure to have a pregnant, bossy Emmy give specific directions as to where each piece of furniture should go. The nursery was the room we spent the most time in.
“I want the crib by the window,” she sighed. “Fresh air, and sunlight, are good for babies.”
“The crib must be put together, first. I’ll work on it if you will sit in the rocking chair with your feet up.” A glance at Emmy’s feet revealed swollen ankles that looked painful, skin stretched tight, dimpling with the least bit of pressure.
Emmy settled into the rocking chair. I pushed the ottoman into position. She automatically placed her feet on its cushioned surface. The directions for assembling the crib in one hand, she called out the pieces, and parts needed, for each step of the process. It took a little over an hour to put the crib together. Once it stood in the specific location she pointed out, I turned to face my mate.
“How is it possible that you are even more beautiful?” I brushed a kiss against Emmy’s temple, a hand coming to rest on her swollen belly. Our son stirred beneath my hand.
“Love makes things more beautiful,” she quipped.
We worked together over the course of a few days to prepare the nursery for the baby’s arrival. Emmy’s nesting efforts assumed a frantic tone. She rarely voiced pride in the nests she constructed. Instead, she would hiss in frustration before tearing the nest apart, only to begin reconstructing it. I waited patiently at her side, handing items to be utilized in the nest’s construction upon her demand.
Dr. Morris gave an update on Emmy’s due date during her last checkup. “We should have a baby in a few weeks.”
“Weeks?” My mouth snapped shut. A sense of shock built within me. Welcoming a baby in a few weeks was not something I planned on.
Emmy took my hand. “We can do this, Evan. You’re stronger than you think.”
“Fights, I can handle. Exploring the world, I can handle. This is a real live baby we are talking about.”
“That’s what all new parents think. If it was impossible to learn how to parent, none of us would be here,” Dr. Morris cautioned. “Baron and Hailey are wonderful parents. Ask them for some tips.”
Baron and Hailey invited us to dinner that night. After the meal ended, the men retired to his study for after-dinner drinks, and cigars, while Hailey and Eliane entertained Emmy.
“Has Dr. Morris given an update on Emmy’s due date?” Baron asked as he poured three snifters of brandy.
I took the snifter from Baron’s hand. “A few weeks, he said. Is it normal to be nervous? I feel as if I might fall apart, sometimes. And I can’t do that. Emmy needs me now, more than ever.”
“I’ll be in the same boat within a few months,” Vito remarked. He took a puff of the cigar. After releasing a puff of smoke into the air, he leaned his head back. “Do you realize how much things have changed in the past year? Thinking about it makes my head spin.”
Baron took a seat behind the desk. He leaned back in the chair. “I can tell you one thing, for certain. Having Hailey, and our son, in my life has changed me for the better. Not once did I expect we would find so many Omegas. Omegas who are now living happily with their mates.”
“And One World is no longer a threat,” I mused. Several minutes passed in silence as we sipped the brandy, and enjoyed the cigars. “I’m worried I won’t be a good father.”
Baron’s soft laughter surprised me. “You’ll do fine, Evan. Apply everything you’ve learned about love since Emmy came into your life. If you’d like to babysit one night, I’m certain Hailey would welcome a date night.”
“Diapers. Onesies. Pacifiers. How am I to keep it all straight in my head?” The muttered musing served no useful purpose other than allowing me to vent.
Being in the quietly supportive company of my best friends soothed my nerves. I’m certain the brandy had a positive impact in that area. By the time I left Baron’s study, the jitters calmed. I presented myself to Emmy as the calm, strong mate she needed.
Less than a week later, Emmy came into the study while I sat managing our investment portfolio. So deeply entranced in the data displayed on the COMM screen, I did not immediately acknowledge her presence. The oddity of the moment hit me. Emmy wasn’t talking. An unusual occurrence for my mate. I shut the COMM unit down.
“You’re unusually quiet.” My remark brought Emmy onto my lap where she sat with her head on my chest.
“My back aches,” she admitted. “I’m so miserable. My belly is huge. My ankles look like they belong to an elephant.”
My lips came to rest on her forehead, a hand
on the belly she viewed as huge. I saw her as the most beautiful thing in this world. My mate required assurance. “You’re beautiful, Emmy. And this belly you say is huge? Our child lies safely within your womb. Would you like me to rub your back?”
Emmy groaned, her fingers tightening on mine until I thought she would break them. “I think that’s a contraction.”
Now was not the time to fall apart. I realized those words were my inner mantra as Emmy’s delivery date approached. “How long has this been going on?”
“A few hours,” she murmured. “I thought it was false labor.”
“We need Dr. Morris.”
I flew into action at that point. Dr. Morris arrived not long after my phone call. We coached Emmy upstairs where he conducted an examination.
“Five centimeters dilated,” Dr. Morris announced. “Now would be a good time to take a shower. Hot water seems to ease things along.”
The next few hours passed in a blur. Emmy stood in the shower with hot water beating down on her back. She left the shower when the water ran cool. She became restless, pacing incessantly, pausing to breathe through contractions. Dr. Morris announced it was time to get into the tub if we wanted to proceed with a water birth. My mind swirled drunkenly. Birth?
Emmy’s moans became more intense with each contraction. I held her hand, sponged her brow, and performed any other task she asked of me. At the stroke of midnight, Emmy gave the final push that brought our son into the world. He cried, red faced, and squirming. My admiration for my mate increased a hundredfold. She was the strongest woman I knew.
“He looks just like you,” Emmy murmured while holding the baby to her chest. She giggled when the baby grunted, rooting at her bare breast.
“It’s perfectly fine to let him nurse,” Dr. Morris advised.
The baby latched onto his mother’s breast with little encouragement. His soft, contented grunts brought my smile. “This is the happiest I can remember being in my entire life,” I observed. “Thank you for my son, madam.”
“You’re welcome,” Emmy murmured, wide eyes holding my gaze. What passed between us said it all. Emmy was the perfect Omega for me. I was the perfect Alpha for her, for my son.
All of our friends gathered the next day in the great room downstairs. Big O appeared with a ledger in one hand. Emmy glanced up, surprised when I tugged her hand.
“I understand my services are needed, once again,” Big O announced. “Evan, do you take Emmy as your lifelong mate, and mother of your children?”
“I do,” I announced with a grin at Emmy. She gaped when I slid the ring onto her finger.
“Emmy, do you take Evan as your lifelong mate, and father of your children?” Big O continued. He beamed at Emmy while waiting for her response.
“Yes.” Emmy replied. “When were you going to tell me about this?” she asked me.
“Now seems as good a time as any.” My reply brought a snort from my mate. She pushed the ring I gave her onto my finger. “I knew I could never let you go, Emmy. Am I forgiven?”
“You are,” she murmured.
Our guests applauded when Emmy and I signed our names in Big O’s ledger. It would always stand out in my mind that ours was the second official marriage to take place on Jade Island. I prayed it would not be the last. And from the way Vito and Eliane look at each other, I would almost bet their marriage will be the third.
Life is much different, now. Hailey continues to work on the true history of our people. The Walker family corresponds with her on a regular basis. My days, and nights, are blurred together from sleep deprivation. My respect for parents has increased dramatically since becoming a father. My love for Emmy knows no bounds. At night when I lie down to sleep, my dreams are of an Omega with strawberry blonde hair who stole my heart with a kiss.
*****
Wait! Don’t leave just yet. Keep reading for a sneak peek of Twisted Fates, book three in the Hidden Gems series!
Twisted Fates
Hidden Gems Series Dark Omegaverse
Book Three
A.R. Ford
Copyright 2020 © A.R. Ford
Chapter 1
Kade: Twenty Years Earlier
“Mama! Bad men are coming from the beach!” I screamed, legs pumping as hard as I could force them to move.
Mama turned, eyebrows raised in surprise at my warning. Papa stood beside her in the garden. They worked the rich, dark earth together early in the morning before the heat of day made it miserable to do so. Always side by side.
Rata tat tat!
The sound of a gun’s rapid fire behind me brought Papa’s shout to run inside our cottage and hide. An odd pattern of crimson circles appeared on his shirt. A second later a similar pattern appeared on Mama’s shirt. Surprise filled their eyes. Trickles of red flowed downward. It became a river before my parents collapsed on the ground.
Rata tat tat!
Another burst of gunfire brought screams. Other members of the village ran. More adults fell dead in the streets. People dressed in grey uniforms carrying weapons systematically shot the elders. Boys close to my age were herded like cattle in the direction the men came from. Someone grabbed me as I stood transfixed in horror, eyes riveted to the place where my parents lay.
We were herded onto transports like cattle. Tears or outward signs of fear were handled with indifference or violence. More than one boy bore the bruises of an unkind hand. Hours later the transports landed. Once again, we were herded like cattle into a fenced-in area. Male Betas carrying weapons stood guard. One by one, we were herded into a building.
The examination rooms intensified the horror. Not certain of the purpose, I submitted, knowing to refuse the exam would lead to trouble. Those who resisted or failed the exam were herded through a door. The sound of gunfire forced an icy spear of terror through my gut. Refusal or failure meant death. I knew that much for certain.
It was only the beginning of the horrific experience that awaited us. We were placed in cells. Fed slop unfit for hogs. Every few months more exams were forced on us. Refusal occurred rarely. Those who refused did not return to their brethren to huddle in groups on the floor of the cold stone cells.
Years passed in the same manner. Alphas were important to those who ran the prison. One World. It was embellished on their uniforms beneath the solitary crimson globe signifying their purpose to rule the entire world.
Occasionally an Omega appeared in the clutches of the bastard guards. My stomach turned when I saw what a pack of feral Alphas did to the first Omega. Her cries of fear and pain rang out in the corridor. By the time they were done, she lay dead on the floor of the cell.
“Back!” a guard shouted. “What the hell did you do to her? You were supposed to impregnate her, not kill her.”
The feral Alphas only glared and growled as their hold on an Alphas true nature slipped away.
One World turned us into feral beasts who knew only how to destroy and procreate. No longer were we proud Alphas who guarded their mates with their life, who protected and nurtured the rare Omegas given to us upon occasion. More than one died at our hands.
During those rare moments of lucidity, I chose to occupy my mind with plans of revenge. Any exercise that could be undertaken in the cell developed my physicality. My brethren respected me. The guards came to fear me.
Fear did them no good the day one guard stepped too close to the cell. My hand caught his throat, crushing it in an instant. He died gasping for breath, shuddering as he expired. The keyring filled with keys at his hip drew my attention. The key set all of us free. We took their weapons, killing every One World employee in the prison. Their weapons and armor became our weapons and armor.
The others followed me into the light for the first time in over a dozen years.
“What will we do now, Kade?” one Alpha growled. Gorn was his name. We became inseparable after that day.
“We save more of our kind, create our home here. We will never be taken prisoner again.” The words too
k no thought.
And that is precisely what we did. The gutted prison became the Garrison. The building was carved far into the side of a mountain from an entire vein of black granite. The medical bay set up with equipment necessary to treat my people. One World’s transports became ours. We learned. We grew. Others came to join us. We rescued more Alphas from One World prisons.
Five years after our coup, I stood at the top of the stone stairway leading from the Garrison into the courtyard. The first stirrings of an Alpha’s need to control and protect grew stronger. I would assume power here. From the bowels of a prison would rise the world’s greatest king. Now all I needed was to find my queen. The search for her began the next day.
My men were none the wiser. They did not need to know my plans. When the time was right all would know who I was.
Chapter 2
Mia
Wandering away from the village was not a wise decision. I knew this yet did it anyway. I craved something different, something more exciting than the humdrum routine. Day in and day out, the same thing occupied my time. Cooking food. Gathering food. Gathering firewood. Working in the garden.
The cool water on the beach called my name. I obeyed. Wandering along the pristine white sands of the shore, I searched for oysters. A pearl would fetch a handsome sum of credits.
Inattention was my second mistake.
It was only when I waded into the surf with skirts held in my hands that the heavy thud of footsteps attracted my attention. I glanced in the direction of the sound, while shielding my eyes with one hand.
Lit from behind by the rays of the sun as it settled toward the horizon, he looked more massive than perhaps he was. A mane of long, flowing hair drew my gaze. Hair that flowed onto massive shoulders rippling with muscles. I knew before he came within a hundred feet of me that he was an Alpha. The rich, heady scent filled flared nostrils starved for such a delicacy. Beta instincts, nothing more. He wore leather pants and boots, his upper body bare.
