Page 9 of An Alpha’s Guide to Finding the One

Her next breath is calmer, but she shivers against me. “I have a thing against big lights,” she starts, and all four of us nod in agreement because fuck a big light. “So I have these cute little star shaped fairy lights that I hung under my bed and would plug in only when I was actually in the nest. I swear! I never left them unattended or plugged in for longer than a few hours at a time. But… I fell asleep in the nest and the next thing I know I’m waking up in a firefighter’s arms and there are flames everywhere. So it had to have been my fault. I was selfish and couldn’t just deal with the big light, and I put everyone in danger!” I watch on helplessly as she collapses into breathless sobs interspersed with raspy, wracking coughs.

I need to get ahold of the fire chief and investigator, but I can’t bring myself to move away yet. Not when I don’t know when or if I will get the chance to hold my omega like this again.

Because whether she knows it or not, Lainey Ryan is my omega.

I’m not sure if it’s smoke inhalation, exhaustion, or some sort of stress-induced breakdown, but being held by this virtual stranger who smells like spicy gingerbread is the most safe I have felt since I was a little girl. The embarrassment I should be feeling is nowhere to be found, instead I find myself burrowing into this alpha’s, Lawson’s, chest. There’s a ragged purr sputtering through his chest that nearly triggers my own, but I choke it back at the last second, not wanting to embarrass myself more than I already am.

There’s so much going on I can’t even bring myself to focus on my one night stand turned baby daddy is somehow also in this room and bears a striking resemblance to the man holding me.

My emotional word vomit slash confession has drained the last dregs of energy left in my body after the trauma of tonight, and I find my eyes unable to stay open a moment longer. A strong hand strokes down my matted hair, bringing the scent of smoke and sugar cookies with it. I am dying to see which one of these men smells so sweet, but everything hurts and all I want to do is rest.

There is no way to tell how much time has passed when I finally wake up again, but the hushed voices around me have me keeping my eyes closed for a while longer.

“The hospital is asking about our health insurance because they couldn’t find any for Lainey. Can we add her to ours without a bond?” The one I think is Lawson asks.

“Sure, if we want to be arrested for committing insurance fraud.” Someone snorts, but the sound is not at all amused.

“She’s pregnant with my baby. That has to count for something, doesn’t it?” I barely hold in my gasp. So they know I’m pregnant and somehow figured out it’s the football players. But what does that have to do with my insurance - or lack thereof? Why would the hospital even ask them?

“Unfortunately no,” the man that commented on my nest situation starts. “It would be one thing if the baby were already here, but they aren’t and the government doesn’t really give a shit about pregnant women.”

With those words, I decide I have eavesdropped enough and groan, squirming in the uncomfortable hospital bed. The groan isn’t exaggerated, I’m really sore and my lungs are on fire. I can tell someone put the oxygen mask back on me at some point, and the constant airflow is making my nose itch.

I try to sit up, but gentle hands grip my shoulders and keep me from moving too far. “Woah there, little mama. Try not to move too fast. The doctor said you might be dizzy or nauseous when you wake up, in addition to being in pain. How are you feeling? Want me to grab a nurse?”

My eyes are irritated and watery meaning my vision is blurry when I first open them, which has to be the reason I open my eyes and see a literal adonis standing at my bedside with my shoulders still encased in his careful grasp. There’s no way someone as beautiful as him is here for me.

Messy, sandy blond hair and deep brown eyes are the first things I see, quickly followed by a breathtaking smile bracketed by the most devastatingly hot dimples I have ever seen in my life. It’s impossible to tell what his body looks like under the baggy sweatshirt and joggers, but he’s tall and broad in a way that makes my mouth water.

After a thorough perusal that makes my cheeks warm, my eyes land back on his mouth, which is now quirked in an adorably shy grin. “I’m Wyatt Hanna, Law’s pack mate. Along with these other two buffoons that failed to introduce themselves. I’m guessing you aren’t feeling too terrible?”

His teasing tone is enough to knock me out of my stupefied stare but as I clear my throat, another coughing fit takes over and all four men converge on me, hovering like they’re worried. Which makes sense, I guess, if I’m carrying the tattooed one’s baby. Which reminds me…

“What’s your name?” The question comes out like an accusation, which is unfair of me, but it’s too late to change it now.

He looks terrified, but there’s another emotion swimming in his eyes I can’t name. Relief, maybe? But he quickly shakes it off and aims a cocky smirk at me. “Lucky Daire. The younger, much hotter brother.”

I raise a single brow at the brooding sheriff perched at the end of my bed. “Is he serious?”

Lawson chuckles, shaking his head. “Unfortunately.”

Lucky scoffs, opening his mouth to retort, but the final alpha in the room cuffs him upside the head and steps forward, holding out a hand and introducing himself in a deep southern drawl. “Rhys Rivers. It’s a pleasure to meet you, Lainey.”

Rhys is the one who scared me earlier with his sudden question about my nest, and it makes sense why my instinctual reaction was fear. Rhys is scary. He’s definitely over six feet, maybe about the same height as Lawson, but every visible inch of skin is covered in tattoos. If I thought Lucky had a lot, Rhys is a completely covered canvas. Add that to his black, shaggy hair, the piercings in his ears, eyebrow, lip, and the general ‘fuck you’ air he radiates, he looks like someone you would never want to meet in a dark alley.

I reach out to return his handshake, but instead he turns our hands over and kisses the back of mine with a playful wink.

Oh, hell.

There’s a quick knock on the door and then a doctor steps in, looking delighted when he spots me sitting up. “Miss Ryan! You have no idea how good it is to see you up and talking. You gave us quite a scare for a moment, there.”

My eyes dart to the other men in the room, confused, and Lawson places a warm hand over my ankle. “You were struggling to breathe without coughing when you first got here. Your oxygen dropped dangerously low and they nearly had to intubate you.”

“Yes, it was very lucky your alpha came in with you and was able to soothe you enough for the supplemental oxygen to work. We try to avoid intubating pregnant patients as much as possible.” The doctor continues mindlessly as he checks the machines around me, writing something on a clipboard before clipping it back on the end of the bed. “Well, everything looks good, so a nurse will be in to check on you soon. Just press the call button if you need anything, and we should have you out of here tonight!”

He leaves without another word, leaving the room blanketed in a silence so thick it could be cut with a butter knife. Lucky clears his throat, looking at me with no shortage of questions in those gorgeous hazel eyes. They are even prettier than I remember. Green and gold with flecks of brown around the irises. “So… you’re pregnant?”

I nod, cheeks hot with shame. I’m not ashamed of the pregnancy, but maybe a little ashamed of my actions that led to it. “I am.”