Lost Alpha

Event January 01, 2024

We are all sprawled out on James' couch. We celebrated the new year together. I look at my friends, James and Jelly are a little tipsy and have been wrestling over the TV remote.

"Kdrama!", James said.

"Horror.", Nat said.

"Kdrama. Aow. That hurt. Give it back. You beast. Give it back." James said.

"Ha, ha, ha. I am not- Oooof.", Nat said.

Nat's phone pings and he immediately stops and looks at his phone. The TV remote lies forgotten on the couch. We all recognize the alert Nat assigned to Max.

"Oh NO!", Nat said.

He starts furiously typing. I am watching this like a sated lazy cat. My belly is full of treats. It's way past my bedtime so I am sleepy, and I am content spending time with my besties. Dr. U was right. I needed to get out of the house. I am not really focusing on the conversation between James and Nat, but something in the tone of James' voice alerts me.

"He can't come here.", James said.

"I know. Shut up and let me focus.", Nat said.

"I am going to go outside to meet him. I will leave with him, okay?", Nat asks.

I am not sure what is going on, but Jelly comes over and gives me a hug and kiss on the cheek.

"See you soon Mommy.", Nat said.

"Happy New Year, Jelly."

Grabbing his bag and his jacket, Nat leaves without putting on his jacket or hat. It's cold outside and Jelly hates being cold. The situation has penetrated my sleepy vibes and I look over at James who is pacing.

"James, are you okay?"

He looks at me and whatever was on his face is smoothed away and he smiles.

"I'm okay."

"Where did Jelly go?"

"With Max."

That made sense. They were in love so of course they would find each other as soon as Max was free. I wonder if I will ever have someone like that. I rubbed my little baby bump. Strawberry was starting to show. I indulge in a fantasy of Hia being crazy about me. Rushing to my side every chance he can get. Protecting me and Strawberry from danger. How wonderful.

A lot of my dreams lately are about Hia protecting us. Since I have never been a scaredy cat, I assume it is the pregnancy making me think I need someone to protect me. When in truth I am perfectly safe.

We both look toward the door at the same time. Jelly was outside. He was pleading with someone. Then I heard an alpha roar. Is that Max?

James leaps up and looks out the window.

"You have got to be fucking kidding me right now."

"What is it? Is Jelly, okay?"

"If there is nothing to hide then let me say high to James and NuNew? Why is that wrong? Is there something you are not telling me? Are you hiding a guy in there?", Max says.

I can't make out what Nat says in return, but I shift from a content omega to an alert freaked out omega in seconds. A rumbling growl tears out of my throat, and I stand up.

"Shit. Shit. Shit.", James said.

"NuNew, they are having a fight you are not in danger. Okay Nhu? You know Max. He would never hurt the baby."

I heard what he said, but I am still terrified. I feel all keyed up like a violin string wound to tight. My chest is rumbling with a warning growl.

"What the fuck is that? I can hear an alpha growling in there.". Max said.

James turns to me. He has a big desperate smile on his face.

"Nhu, let's go to my room. Okay?"

"I am going to give you my headphones and you can listen to some calming music. Remember Dr. U does not want you to get upset. Remember the baby. You cannot get upset."

I don't want to go. I want to keep my eye on the danger but when he tells me to remember Strawberry I will myself to calm down and follow him. But it is hard to turn my back on what is going on a few feet outside the door.

James hands me the headphones and syncs them to my phone and I open Spotify and open my pregnancy playlist. They are positive songs I have picked to help remind me that the doom and gloom is not real. I curl up on James' bed and play a number game while on my phone and let the music do its work.

Thanks to the noise cancelling on the headphones, I am not aware of the fight escalating and I fall asleep.

A vibration wakes me up but when nothing happens, I close my eyes again and drift.

I found out later what happened but by then it was too late.