Chapter 318 Protective Overload
Author
When Elara hit sixteen weeks, Alpha Dominic wanted to give her complete peace of mind. He had his team at Morrison & Associates draft the paperwork to transfer two-thirds of his assets into her name.
"There. Now I’m basically your sugar daddy in reverse. You’ll have to keep me in designer suits and Italian leather shoes. Feel better about your financial security?"
It was impossible not to be moved. But when Charlie horses hit her calves at 3 AM, jolting her awake like someone was stabbing her with hot pokers, she started questioning every life choice that led to this moment.
After these two little parasites evacuated her body, she was getting her tubes tied. No discussion. No negotiation.
Occasionally, she found herself wondering if her mother had endured this same special brand of torture carrying her.
Those old resentments, buried under years of hurt and abandonment issues, started shifting into something that almost resembled understanding.
Maybe her mother hadn’t been the selfish bitch Elara had always thought.
It was a weird revelation to have while your unborn children were using your ribs as soccer goals, but there it was.
For the first time in years, Elara actually felt something other than anger when she thought about the woman who’d given birth to her.
--
By the fifth month, Alpha Dominic stopped going to the office entirely. They were joined at the hip 24/7.
Elara was starting to feel suffocated.
Hannah showed up one afternoon with her oversized purse and a guilty smile.
Elara caught on immediately, practically bouncing in her chair. "Oh, Dominic, Hannah and I need some girl time. We’re going upstairs. Don’t follow us."
Alpha Dominic’s eyes narrowed as he watched their obviously scheming retreat.
The moment the bedroom door closed, Hannah dug into her bag like she was dealing drugs and pulled out a Häagen-Dazs ice cream bar. "You get three bites. That’s it. Don’t make me the bad guy here."
Elara could have cried with relief. Alpha Dominic had put her on lockdown from everything good in life.
She didn’t want much. Just a taste of something that wasn’t kale or quinoa.
She’d tried sneaking out to hit the Dairy Queen down the street, but the man followed her everywhere like a paranoid bodyguard.
And after the kidnapping, she couldn’t so much as check the mailbox without three guys in black SUVs tailing her.
It was like living in witness protection. She’d had to literally beg Hannah to smuggle in contraband.
The spring heat was brutal, and even with central air blasting, Elara felt like she was burning up from the inside.
She’d done her research on pregnancy forums. One ice cream bar wasn’t going to kill anyone.
The moment that chocolate shell cracked between her teeth, Elara felt human again.
"Love, Linda wanted me to bring you some cut fruit. I’m coming in."
Elara’s eyes went wide as saucers. "Hannah, quick! Make it look like you’re eating it!"
Hannah immediately grabbed the ice cream bar and took an Oscar-worthy bite.
She even improvised. "God, Alpha Dominic , your AC is crap. It’s like a sauna in here. Thank God I brought my own snacks."
Elara nodded enthusiastically. "I’m so sorry, Hannah. I’ll call the repair guy tomorrow."
Alpha Dominic looked at his wife with barely hidden amusement, noting the telltale chocolate smudge at the corner of her mouth.
He reached out and wiped it away. "Sure thing. I’ll get right on that AC situation."
"Next time you’re gonna lie to me, babe, maybe don’t leave evidence on your face."
When cornered, Elara’s default setting was full attack mode.
"So what if I had some! It’s three bites, not a whole pint! You act like I’m shooting heroin instead of eating a tiny bit of ice cream!"
Alpha Dominic immediately went into damage control mode.
He rubbed her back gently, his voice soft and patient.I’m not the villain here, love. Dr. Hayes said you’re borderline for gestational diabetes. Your last glucose test was already elevated. I’m just trying to avoid you ending up on insulin shots."
Elara’s shoulders sagged. "I know you’re right. I just... I feel like I can’t enjoy anything anymore."
"Just two more weeks, babe. Then hopefully we can relax the sugar police routine."
Elara knew she was being a hormonal nightmare.
She glanced at the ice cream bar in Hannah’s hand and swallowed hard.
"Fine. But the minute I’m cleared for normal food, I’m eating nothing but junk for a week."
Alpha Dominic grinned and kissed her forehead. "Whatever makes my crazy pregnant wife happy."
"I’m not crazy, asshole."
"Of course not, love. You’re perfectly rational."