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"What do you mean she can't tell?" Hudson barks, sounding like a broken record.
"I don't know!" I snap, feeling off kilter and hating it. "Look at her," I tell them both, wondering if she's their mate, too, and hoping my theory that we'd share a mate is right.
Both of their heads turn, and they stare at the brunette beauty. I glance that way, too, and it takes a second, but her eyes dart to our table, and she locks eyes with first Mason, then Hudson.
I hear twin gasps come from them. "She's yours, too. Isn't she?" I demand.
"Yeah," they both say, wonder and longing in their voices.
"What the fuck?" Hudson growls, his knuckles turning white on the table like he's holding himself back from something. "What's wrong with her?"
I almost punch him in his stupid face for daring to call our mate defective in any way, but I see his gaze is fixed on her in a look of concern. Turning back to our mate, my body goes rigid as I see her bent over with her arm tucked protectively against her stomach. Her beautiful face is twisted up in agony, and I fight to control my alpha, who wants to stomp over there and demand to know what's wrong so we can fix it.
Then as quick as it came, she stands back up and frowns down at her stomach, clearly as surprised as we are.
"What's wrong with her?" Mason whispers.
"I don't know, but we need to leave before I go completely caveman," my whisper back is harsh.
They both nod, and we head out the door a second later, making a point not to glance back so we aren't tempted to push her just yet. It takes every ounce of strength I possess to walk away from her now that I've found her. I'm sure Hudson and Mason feel the same.
We're not giving up though. No, we just need to regroup and figure out why our mate can't tell she's ours.
Three
Summer
I'm sittingin the waiting room of a doctor's office, my knee bouncing with nerves. I've tried to avoid this since I can't give the doctor my real name, insurance information, or documentation. I considered going to an ER that wouldn't ask for it, but that would be an expensive visit. One I can't afford right now.
Then I found this office online, and there were a few reviews that suggested this place was veryacceptingof omegas in troubling situations. That's what I try to focus on as I sit on the edge of this uncomfortable waiting room chair and stare around at the deeply impersonal feel of the office. There aren't any pictures. No art on the wall or games for children to play. It looks like they set up shop in this building just last week, and my nerves are going haywire, hoping I'm not about to get my kidney stolen and sold on the black market.
After several minutes of seriously considering leaving, pain assaults my stomach again. I barely contain my agonized groan. This is why I'm staying. It's been almost a week since St. Patty's Day, and these aches and cramps have been coming more frequently. It's not normal, and it's not heat pains. My next heat isn't due for a few more weeks at least.
I'm lost in my thoughts when the door to my left opens, and a pretty young beta pokes her head out. "Summer?" she calls, looking directly at me. The only other people in this waiting room are men in their 50's or 60's so it's not a big jump to assume I'm who she's looking for.
"That's me," I croak, still feeling the ghost of pain in my abdomen.
She gives me a dazzling, friendly smile and ushers me through the door to a hallway with patient exam rooms on either side. I'm instructed through the basics. The pretty beta nurse checks my height, weight, blood pressure, and a few other essentials. She pulls up a chart and starts asking me what brought me in. I list my symptoms, when they started, and when they got worse. She frowns while listening to me, but I can't be sure if she's just concentrating on getting all the information down or if she's concerned by what she hears.
“Would you say this started before or after you began the heat and bond suppressants?” she asks me in a matter of fact tone. One I’m not fooled by, seeing as she is avoiding eye contact with me. I confirm it was after, which earns me another nod.
She leaves after she gets all the information, and I'm alone in the sterile exam room for what feels like ages before the nurse comes in again, this time flanking a striking, confident-looking alpha doctor.
"Good morning, I'm Doctor Elizabeth Tanner," she states, just as confident as she looks and holds out her hand for me to shake.
"Morning," I parrot. My whole body feels stiff. The last time I was in an exam room, I was being told I was pregnant, and right now, I'm feeling all kinds of messed up in the head over it. Part of me is repressing the tainted memories, and the other half of me is projecting losing my baby onto how this visit is about to go. It's safe to say I don't feel any warm and fuzzy emotions at this moment.
"I looked over your chart,” she starts. Her brow is furrowed in the same expression the nurse was wearing when I gave her my symptoms. "How are you feeling?"
"Erm...fine right now. The pain hits me randomly, and it's debilitating for a second, and then it goes away. But I've been getting these cramps more frequently the past few days," I repeat what I told the nurse.
Doctor Tanner nods along with my words, listening intently. "I'm definitely concerned. I want to run a few blood tests. They're rapid results so we'll have them back in about thirty minutes after the draw if that's okay with you."
Nervous energy dances across my skin as my hairs stand up. I don't like the sound of that. When have I ever gotten blood results back that soon? It usually takes days for those to come in. So what is so bad now that the tests need to be rushed? But I don't have the energy to ask questions, or maybe I'm too scared to. So, I nod my assent.
Fifteen minutes later, one prick of a needle and four vials of my blood drawn, I'm sitting in my seat, fiddling on my phone and trying to pass the time.
My phone pings as I'm scrolling through social media, and I groan when I see it's my boss. It's Friday, and I'm going into work late this morning because of this appointment. Jerrick Price has been a pretty good boss so far. He's just a little intense sometimes, but I attribute that to his alpha nature.
