Alpha Lost

Epilogue

Biologically, the imperative for Alphas and Omegas was to breed. Despite thousands of years of evolution and technological advances, basic biology couldn't be denied including the raging hormones of a gestating Omega and an overprotective Alpha.

For the first three months of a nine-month pregnancy, the only check up an Omega tolerated was from her own Alpha. As long as her Alpha could scent the young without the sour smell of distress, an Omega didn't chance the doctor's office until the fourth month. Or truthfully, doctors refused to have pregnant Omegas for a visit until that milestone. Before that fourth month, encroaching too much on a breeding Omegas' personal space resulted in more than one personal injury or destroyed office.

Malcolm and Selah were due in court this afternoon for the verdict in Sarah's trial. Selah had worked closely with the younger woman in the past months, and she and Ashlyn both testified at her trial. They'd gotten the call this morning that the jury returned a verdict, but before they headed to the courthouse and met up with Telia and Ashlyn, they'd kept their very first appointment with the obstetrician.

According to all her expectant mama research, they should be able to see the baby today, and if they were lucky, they'd find out the gender. She'd had friends who'd wanted to be surprised, but she and Malcolm were both too excited to wait.

Now she wished they hadn't come.

It had started when a perky assistant who showed them to an exam room commented, "You're only four months? Wow! I'd have thought it was closer to seven!" Malcolm gripped her hand tightly and steered her towards the exam room when she'd started towards the clueless Beta.

Now they watched the screen as the tech moved the ultrasound wand over her distended belly, but the look on the tech's face wasn't reassuring.

"What's wrong?" Selah's heart sped up at the concerned look on her face.

"Let me check something, and then I'll get the doctor to come and see you."

With that cryptic statement, the tech turned on the speakers and an amazing sound filled the room.

A heartbeat.

But even to Selah's untrained ear, something didn't sound right. She expected it to be fast like the baby books described, but it wasn't a strong ba bump, ba bump, ba bump sound. It was more like ba ba bump bump, ba ba bump bump.

Grasping Malcolm's hand, she tried to control her panic while they waited for the doctor to join them.

"Easy, mate. I don't sense anything wrong." Selah heard his words, but she also smelled the concern he couldn't hide.

Once Dr. Yakourn entered, it was another exam with the wand, and while listening to the erratic heartbeat, the doctor seemed to be talking to herself.

"It's too early for this behavior. Don't be shy." she'd muttered to the screen until finally with a pleased noise she'd exclaimed, "Gotcha!" and snapped another picture to add to the line of screenshots already feeding out of the machine.

"Okay, sorry for the delay, but sometimes young Alphas can be stubborn." Dr. Yakourn had said, turning on her stool to face them and turning off the speaker.

"Young Alphas? Plural? Is everything okay?" Nerves made Selah's voice quiver, "Why does the heartbeat sound so out of rhythm?"

"So far it looks like everything is proceeding just as it should. I'm sorry the tech wouldn't answer your questions, but it's just standard procedure for me to interpret the results for you." The doctor's easy, motherly tone both comforted her and riled her Omega at the same time.