Page 97 of Glitterati Omega

Rupert furrowed his brow. “That’s not enough. I had my mother, but I’ve always … felt very lonely. I knew my father didn’t love me.” He closed his eyes. “I didn’t really have anyone else, just … just Mother and Charli, and then …” He pressed his lips together. He glanced down. “It doesn’t matter.”

“Roo …”

He shook his head. “You said it yourself, I might die. Then what? It doesn’t matter how much I love the baby if I’m dead. Or what if the cancer comes back? The baby has to have other people to love them. A lot of other people.”

He lifted his head, forcing himself to stop and breathe. He didn’t need to have another crying jag. He glanced guiltily at Winston. “My father never loved me, I loved my mother with my whole heart and that wasn’t good enough, and it wasn’t good enough for Thomas either, so—”

“Rupert,” Winston said, taking his hand again.

He shook his head. “I just don’t … I couldn’t stand it if … if our baby ever felt the way that I have.”

Winston leaned over and kissed his cheek again. “I’m sorry I scared you,” he whispered, then pressed their foreheads together. “I am scared myself, that I’ll lose you. But you shouldn’t think like that. You’ll be fine. Mama will make sure you’re fine.”

“Your mother—”

“Did not have Mama Thandiwe. She did not live with us then. She lived in the next village, still training.”

“Your brother.”

“Did not have her either. He went to live in another village, with his alpha. Mama Thandiwe was on her way, but she was too late. Mandisa—she has had Mama Thandiwe. It has not been easy for her, but she is alive. We will get through this.”

Rupert exhaled, then pushed back. “We have to go back to Houston,” he said. “We have all my care set up there—I need to set up more appointments. I need another ultrasound, and then there will be more in the last trimester and we have to think about …”

Winston squeezed his hand. “I know, love.”

Rupert shook his head. “Your mother won’t be there.”

“We’ll bring her with us,” Winston said, stroking his cheek. “It is good for family to visit.”

Rupert took another hasty breath. Winston smiled. “Are you ready for dinner now?”

Rupert nodded shyly. He glanced down, putting his hands over his belly again, feeling embarrassment flood him over the fact he was hungry. Logically, he knew that made perfect sense; he had a baby growing inside of him. Yet he couldn’t shake the thought he should have been less hungry than he was. The Johannesburg doctor’s words echoed in his head.

“Mm,” the alpha hummed, almost like a song, then moved away to get some pots and dishes off the crowded counter. Rupert inhaled deeply again, pausing, hands splayed over his belly.

“Winston,” he said finally.

“What, love?”

“I … The baby. I can feel the baby moving.”

“Oh?” Winston turned around, holding a spoon in one hand and a dish in the other. Rupert nodded frantically. He dropped his head again, framing his belly with his hands, laughing a little.

“I … oh, Winnie, our baby is …”

The alpha perched beside him, setting the utensil and the dish aside. Rupert glanced up at him. “I’m so …”

Winston held out his hand, holding Rupert’s gaze steady. Rupert nodded, and the alpha laid his hand over the bump. “Hello, little one,” he said gently, and Rupert wanted to burst with glee.

Winston lifted his gaze to Rupert’s again. His smile got wider, and he laughed a little. “It’s a little strange,” he said.

“It’s a miracle,” Rupert said, then looked down again. He closed his eyes. “Thank you.”