The plane has landed and I'm the first person out of my seat. It has taken me 72 hours of traveling to get here, but I am finally home. During the flight, I slept. I would not say I was well rested; I have crossed 8 time zones and jet lag has me in its clutches, but I don't care. I am an hour away from seeing Nhu.
Not much happened on this last flight. I did hear from Mark, and he confirmed that Janis had, tampered with my email. She had been logging on to my account for years. All compassion I had for that wretched beta withered away in the last 24 hours. I am thoroughly disgusted by her behavior. I feel like I dodged a bullet. She could have been my wife. The thought makes me shudder.
I messed around on social media to see what everyone has been up to. Okay, I was mostly looking at Nhu's timeline. While I was scrolling, I noticed a grassroots campaign. It caught my eye because I saw my surname in big letters. It looks like they are going after my dad and his company.
They say they have evidence of fraud and dangerous working conditions. This is nothing new. Over the years several groups have risen to expose and protest my father's shady business practices. I almost started scrolling again but the words omega, and unborn child caught my eye.
Somehow this group got a hold of the information about my parent's extortion attempts to get Strawberry. There was a recording. I listened to it. It was my dad.
When you are told that someone you love has done something awful, you tend to imagine it in the softest light. Hearing it for yourself; let's just say It was shocking. My feelings about my family are complicated right now. I don't think the reality of what they have done has fully sunk in.
I need time to process what has happened and get more information before I meet with my parents. Whether I confront them directly, or through an attorney depends upon what I find out. It may be easy to bully an omega, but not an alpha. In this society, the law favors the alpha.
While I stand and wait for the plane to dock and the doors to open, I check my air tag to see where my luggage is and laugh. It is still in Paris. Good, I don't have to waste any time going to baggage claim and I am now less than an hour away from seeing Nhu. I am so excited I can barely contain my temper with the passengers ahead of me.
Finally, I step off the plane and race through the terminals to the street. Max is waiting for me at the curb. I jump into the car and immediately smell Nhu mixed with another alpha's pheromones and tense up. The scent is coming from Film who is in the back seat.
"I figured I would let you get this out of your system before you see NuNew.", Film says.
I am doing my best to hold back a growl because I am grateful, beyond grateful, for Film's help. But I can't help how the alpha in me reacts to smelling my omega all over another alpha. I thought I was prepared for this. All delusions of preparedness are shattered when a large rumbling growl erupts from my chest.
"Aww. He is saying thank you Film." Says Max.
Both Film and Max are laughing.
"You owe me fifty dollars.", says Film.
My growl intensifies. My own cousin bet against me.
Film had the right idea. It was a difficult drive to NuNew's house, but I gained control of my emotions. Well done, Film! I looked at the amazing people I had in my life and felt gratitude.
"Thank you, both of you. I will never forget this.", I say.
They both wave me off and protest, but they know I mean it.
"Anything happen while I was on the plane?", I ask.
"Only NuNew driving everyone crazy getting ready for you.", Film says.
I can't wait to see him.
"Where is he? All I know is he is not at his parent's house.", I say.
"We are about 15 minutes away. He is in a little house off Canyon Road. We hid him there to keep your parents away, but they found us not long ago."
"Oh, I forgot to tell you, there is a restraining order against your parents. They can't come within 100 yards of NuNew and Strawberry. Unfortunately, that did not stop Gun or Janis from stopping by. They were not included in the order.", Max says.
"Shit.", I say.
Restraining order? That is serious. Before I can ask any questions Max's phone rings. He hands his phone to me because he is driving.
"Who is it?", he asks.
The screen says NuNew's Mom.
"It's Nhu's mom."
Max looks sharply at me. I pick up the phone.
"Max, there are men here at the house. They are after NuNew.", whispers Mrs. Perdperiyawong.
"Mrs. Perdperiyawong, it's me, Zee. Where is NuNew?"
"He is right next to me- Hold on...", says Mrs. Perdperiyawong.
"Max it's NuNew."
"It's Hia baby. Tell me what is happening."
"Hia! They have my dad surrounded. I think they are going to hurt him."
"Where are you right now?"
"In the house. We are watching through the window."
I relay this to Max and Film who tell me to tell Nhu to go hide in the woods.
"Nhu, I want you to go out the backdoor with your mom and go hide in the woods.", I say.
"Can't Hia. I am not leaving Dad.", Nhu says.
ΩΩΩ
My pregnant mate is somewhere in the woods being hunted by thugs, and Mr. Perdperiyawong is all alone trying to hold off the rest. And where am I? Not where I should be, protecting my mate. No, I am stuck in a car, miles away.
My hands are tingling and I feel like a tightly wound spring. The tension in my body is building. I need to find Nhu, or I am going to lose what little control I have.
"Park here, and we can go on foot the rest of the way.", Film says.
The car stops moving and we all jump out of the car. I am ready to run to Nhu's rescue, but I don't know the way. It feels like Max and Film are moving too slowly, even though they are jogging alongside me. We turn up a narrow road. It's steep. I want to keep running but Max stops me.
"Slow down. Do you think these guys are going to give us time to catch our breath?"
I am warring with my anxiety. I need to get to Nhu. I have no idea if he is alright. Panic looms over me like the oppressive thunderhead that appears before the storm.
"Please be alright. Please be alright.", I think, over and over in a desperate mantra.
We are close to the house now. We can hear someone barking commands. It is Mr. Perdperiyawong.
My phone buzzes in my pocket. I look. It could be NuNew.
Nhu: "We are hiding in some bushes. We are safe."
Zee: "We are here. We parked down the road and are almost at the house."
Zee: "Do not move until you hear me calling for you."
Nhu: "Please be careful."
Zee: "You will be in my arms in no time at all."
I am determined now. Knowing Nhu is safe has given me wings. I am ready to fight. We creep up to the mouth of the driveway and we see three men with their legs apart and arms splayed out on the hood of a car. Mr. Perdperiyawong has a shotgun and is yelling from the porch.
"Get your guy back here.", Mr. P. says.
"Our phones are in the car.", says the thug.
"You better pray he can hear you shouting then.", Mr. P. says.
"Oi, Davis, we need to go. Come back. Can you hear me?", the thug yells.
We hear nothing. The thug yells again.
"We are leaving. Come back now before the cops come. The old man has a shotgun."
The three of us look at each other. No one knows we are here. I point at myself and Max and point to the woods. Film nods and stays crouched. We silently creep through the trees trying our best not to make noise, but we are big alphas. The thug that is hiding in the woods will probably hear us coming.
Somehow luck is on our side because we see a large man parallel to the house watching the scene of Mr. Perdperiyawong and the three thugs. He is so intent that he does not hear us.
Of the two of us, Max is stealthier, so he creeps above and around the thug. I stalk closer. The man hears me and looks in my direction. To cover up the sound of Max, I run towards him like I am going to tackle him. The thug prepares for a fight when suddenly Max tackles him from behind.
ΩΩΩ
The cops have arrived and are taking the four men away.
"Where is my wife and NuNew?", asks Mr. Perdperiyawong.
"They say they are safe. They are waiting for me to give the all-clear. I am going to get them.", I say.
"I am coming with you.", he says.
I text NuNew.
Zee: "All clear. I am coming to get you. Come out when you hear me?"
I start at the back of the house and walk into the woods with NuNew's dad.
"They probably went that way.", Mr. P says.
"Nhu!"
"Zee!"
I hear a faint call. I start running in that direction and call out. My heart is hammering in my chest. We are moments away from reuniting.
"Nhu!"
I hear Nhu and Mrs. P. running through the debris in the forest somewhere ahead of me, but I cannot see NuNew. I pick up speed leaving Mr. Perdperiyawong behind me. I can't help it. I have been longing for this moment for so long.
"Zee."
I see NuNew and his mom. Our eyes lock and he lets go of his mom's hand and starts running toward me. He looks so round and cute and pregnant...PREGNANT...No running.
"Don't run!", I yell.
But there is no stopping my kitten. He jumps into my arms, and I hold him and Strawberry to my chest. I gently put him down. I am frantic to make sure he is okay. I try and hold him at arm's length, but he is not having it and winds his arms around my neck. He steps on his tiptoes and brushes his lips to mine. I freeze, letting him smell me and nuzzle me. I can smell Film all over him, but I have my emotions under control, thanks to Film.
NuNew nuzzles his face into my scent gland, and I explode coating him in pheromones. He is purring and nuzzling, stimulating more pheromones. Instead of the usual ecstasy, I feel when he stimulates my gland, I feel deeply satisfied and contented.
I slide my hands down Nhu's body and find Strawberry and rub slow gentle circles into Nhu's abdomen. I begin cooing to my omega and pup. I am still leaking pheromones like a fire hydrant and Nhu is happily bathing in them. Then he releases his. They are sweeter than before. Ah, here it is, that familiar ecstasy.
"MINE!", I growl.
"My Omega."
NuNew stops his nuzzling to say.
"My Alpha."
I pick him up in my arms. Heedless of anyone and everything and start walking toward the house. Nhu latches onto my scent gland with his lips and starts taking greedy gulps. My poor famished omega. He is starving for my pheromones.
In a jumble of lips and glands, and arms and legs we make it to his room. I smell Film but his scent is nothing but an afterthought. We fall onto the bed, and I hold my hungry purring kitten and let him feed. I feel so fucking good. I feel complete. I moan into NuNew's hair as I satisfy my primal role as the mate of a pregnant omega. But something important is missing. I feel my canines elongate in preparation to mate, but we have not discussed mating, so I try and resist. I look at NuNew and his canines are ready and dripping too.
NuNew seems to come to his senses and with a groan detaches from my neck and examines my teeth. I let him explore my mouth and I delight in seeing him so close to me. God, I missed him. He looks perfect, but I also can see that his health is not what it should be. My poor pitiful omega. My heart swells with love and at the same time, it hurts.
I shake my head to clear my mind from its instinctual lustful haze and I begin to let my hands wander to Strawberry. I am trying to find the right words. I don't want NuNew to think that I am doing this because of Strawberry. Strawberry happened out of sequence, that is all. It has always been my intent to mate and marry Nhu, and then have Strawberry. Now I need to convince him of that. I never want him to doubt our love.