Page 7 of Prelude to a Revolution

“Shhhh, love,” he murmurs against the top of my head as he drags me closer. “We’ll find a way. Don’t worry. Another child is a blessing.”

I look up at him, my eyes widening as I stare at his tired face. “But -.”

“Let’s see, you’re crying all the time, you’re in such a fragile state, and,” Gemhardt pauses to tap his nose, “your scent has changed. I was waiting for you to find out before I said anything. Besides, we both know my nose isn’t foolproof. We could both be wrong.”

Gripping me in his arms, Gemhardt slides me onto his lap and forces my head against his chest where the purr is the strongest. I’m unable to resist the lull as it vibrates through my body. This was how he kept me sane when I was pregnant with Karis, but he’s far too busy, far too important to keep around the house just so I can keep from going insane.

Closing my eyes, I think about the small stash of pills I keep hidden from him. They won’t hurt the baby, but they certainly take the edge off when he’s not home. With the way betas are rioting, he’s always being called away. The few off days we have are sacrosanct, cherished. I don’t need to waste them by siphoning off his remaining humanity. He needs to be whole for the children.

The children!

I shoot up in his lap, my pulse racing a mile a minute.

“Annora is in there with Karis. You’re fine. They’re fine. You need to relax.” Pausing, he slides his hand down to cover mine and brings them both up to my stomach. “This much stress isn’t good for the baby. I need you to calm yourself for me.”

The words themselves should be soothing, but underneath it is the soft bite of an Alpha command. Gemhardt never abuses his power over me, but he wields it when he feels it’s necessary, and right now, it is. Until his order, my hysteria crept up my body, paralyzing me in his arms. I have to keep it together. For the safety of my children, I have to keep it together.

In a fluid motion, he stands up from the bed and sets my feet on the floor. Though I wobble for a moment, I soon steady under his firm grip. Once more, I look up into his eyes, expecting censure or even a bit of anger, but his eyes are clear, his gaze never wavering in his steadfast love for me.

We never talked about birth control, but maybe we should have. The procedures were almost inhumane, but it would keep us from having yet another omega. Thankfully, the tests can only tell us if we’re expecting a boy or girl; it doesn’t know the dynamic, but soon enough, they’ll be able to tell and assign in the womb.

When that day comes, it will become hell on earth. Every now and then, I dream of whisking the girls away and traveling to Laxa, seeing if they’ll take us in. I have visions. Those visions should be the proof I need that their blood runs through my veins. Unless it’s all a lie and something my mother told me to make me think I was better than some Sector One gutter beta living in the now-named death sector.

Shaking my head, I force the thought out and smooth down my clothing. The girls will need to eat soon and so will Gemhardt. I’m no longer hungry, but they shouldn’t suffer because of me. When I go to pull away, Gemhardt stops me and hands me a small kit.

I know exactly what this is. We used one with both Annora and Karis. It will let us know definitively if I’m expecting or not. But I don’t doubt that I am. Between Gemhardt’s nose and my hormones, there’s no doubt in my mind, but knowing him, he will not rest until he knows for certain.

With a soft smile, he curls his hand around mine, making a fist around the test, before squeezing me and heading out to see to the girls. At least he’s happy about it. I’m dreading it with every step I take towards our shared bathroom.

Sounds of raucous laughter filters into the room as Gemhardt plays with the girls. What should be a joyous sound is discordant and wrong. It’s flat notes peppering the air. Fake. They’re not happy. They can’t be. How can they be when such violence simmers in the air like the suns at Zenith? It vibrates the very ground we walk on, and I’m certain that note will not be the last one I receive.

I’m in danger. But from what? From whom?

Sitting down on the toilet, I open up the case and stare at the needle, my heart beating in a tripping staccato. The tip blurs as my hand quivers. It’s not the needle; it’s what the needle represents. We’re already pushing our luck by hiding two omegas. How can we handle a third?

“Please, Ilaria. Please. Goddess of fertility. Hear my prayers. My pleas. I need you. I need you now more than ever. I need your holy light to shine on me, a humble beta seeking your guidance. Grant me an Alpha or a beta. There is no way I keep another omega safe. Please?”

On the last whispered word, I plunge the needle into my thigh, letting the fatty muscle take the pricking blow. Holding it still, I force my leg to remain motionless, letting my free hand jerk about to shake off the excess adrenaline flowing through me.

The beep.

That damning beep.

I’m pregnant.

Looking down, my breath comes out in a whoosh. It’s a boy. I’m going to have a boy. Fear no longer rakes down my spine with its icy claws. The chance of having a male omega is so rare that when it happens, the city practically comes to a standstill. If things are bad for female omegas, it’s worse for the men. They become the biggest pawns of them all because of how scarce they are.

But for me to have a male omega is so out of the realm of possibility that I can finally breathe and relax. If we have an Alpha, he will be safe, always. If we have a beta, then we will protect him as best as we can, but he’ll never have to face the same hardships as his sisters. We will never have to expend extra resources on hiding him.

We can breathe.

Chapter 3

Gemhardt

Annora stands at the stove, her slight frame quivering with effort as she stirs the stew. She hasn’t touched the fish yet, but that’s Sonria’s job, anyway. Holding Karis close, I hazard a glance towards our bedroom, waiting to watch for when Sonria comes out. But she never does.

Tipping my nose up in the air, I scent in her direction, but detect no notes that make me think she’s afraid. I know I’ve asked a lot of her, but we both have to make sacrifices to keep our children safe. There are no other options. Before having children, she agreed with me, but now, it’s wearing on her.