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Ray has never heard Pete growl before. The sound, deep, guttural and powerful, caught him off-guard. He snapped his head to the side in shock. Pete wasn't just growling. His eyes were murderous, teeth bared in a snarl - right after Hank reached out to touch Ray's stomach to feel the baby kicking.
“Woah, okay,” Hank pulled his hand back as if he were burned. He looked to Art for help, who was just as shocked as he was. “I wasn't gonna punch him in the stomach, Jesus.”
“Pete,” Ray squinted his eyes at his Alpha. At his voice, the red fog slowly started dissipating from his eyes. He blinked, seemingly in disbelief himself.
“Shit,” he mumbled under his breath. “I'm sorry, man.”
“You Alphas are insane,” Hank huffed. “What the hell did you think I was going to do to him?”
Pete - while being a little shorter than Ray - always felt so huge, always and proudly standing tall, but now, he shrunk on the couch, shoulders slumping. Ray has never seen him like this before.
“I guess it's getting late,” Art said, clearly assessing the embarrassment permeating the air. “Gotta let Ray rest.”
He practically yanked Hank off the couch. They obviously felt awkward, if the way they dashed out the door was any indication. Ray turned back to Pete who at this point hung his head and looked like he was about to throw up.
“Pete,” Ray started. He shifted closer to Pete on the couch and placed a hand on his back. Pete made a sound like a wounded animal, burying his face in his hands.
“What was that?”
“I don't know,” Pete sighed. He pulled his hands back from his face, and then gave Ray such a pained look, that Ray's heart immediately ached for him. “It just came over me. When I saw him trying to touch you, I… lost it.”
“They're our friends.”
“I know, fuck, that's why I feel like shit.”
Pete slumped back against the back of the couch. “I felt like I wasn't in control of what I'm doing. I just had to protect you. From anyone.”
Ray smiled. He nuzzled Pete's neck, rubbing his nose along his bond mark. The touch made Pete shiver, and his arm went around Ray, pulling him close until Ray's bump snuggled neatly against his side.
“Alpha instincts, huh?”
“I never wanted to be like this, Ray,” Pete stared forward with a deep sigh. “I never wanted to be aggressive. I always hated Alphas that were like that, possessive and shit. I had a phase like that, too, but I left it behind. I don't wanna go back to that.”
He peered down at Ray's belly, the ever-growing bump that carried their baby. He rubbed over the swollen curve of it, with another deep sigh.
“I especially hated Alphas that treated their Omegas like their possessions. All territorial and violent.”
“Love, you're pretty far from that,” Ray assured him. He placed his hand over Pete's. “We have instincts, it's just the way it is.”
“I feel like I could explode since you've gotten pregnant,” Pete admitted shakily. He scooted down until he was face-level with Ray's belly. He rested his cheek against it. “Like I'm always on the lookout. I feel like I have to protect you from everything and everyone.”
Ray ran his fingers through Pete's hair, lightly massaging his scalp until he could feel Pete relax against him. “You've always protected me, Pete.”
“Yeah, but I'm overdoing it now. I don't want you to feel like you're an object. With a shitty, possessive Alpha who growls at our friends like a rabid dog.”
It wasn't like Ray didn't notice Pete being more on edge lately, but he chalked it up to general anxiety over expecting their first child. And Pete has always been protective of Ray. Ray never even assumed that Pete was fighting some sort of internal battle about his instincts. Now, that he saw just how sad, how insecure his mate was, his heart broke.
He slipped his hand under Pete's face to cradle his jaw. He lifted Pete's face so he was looking into his eyes. Ray gave him a soft smile. He loved this man so much, with every single flaw that Pete believed he had.
“You're the best mate any Omega could ever wish for,” Ray told him softly, gently tracing the scars on Pete's face with his thumb. Pete leant into the touch, eyes slipping close. “I love you so much, Pete. You take care of me so well. And I know you will take amazing care of our baby.”
“I wanna be a good mate for you, Ray,” Pete whispered. His arms went around Ray's ample hips, grown even wider to give space for their little one growing inside. Pete nuzzled his face against Ray's chest, breathing in his scent deeply. His scent, that was always so sweet, only got more delicious with the pregnancy hormones.
“I wanna be a good father.”
“You will be,” Ray shushed him, cradling him like he was a child himself. Pete melted into him.
“You already are.”
Pete looked up at him, at his beautiful face, the pink tint of his freckled cheeks, the shine of his eyes: it was true what they said, that pregnancy made people glow. Ray was breathtaking.
“You're so fucking perfect, Ray,” Pete drawled into the soft skin of his neck. He kissed over Ray's bond mark while his hands cupped Ray's belly, mapping out the gorgeous curve of it.
“No, you're perfect,” Ray argued softly, but the breath caught in his lungs when Pete continued kissing his neck. His Alpha's scent got stronger, muskier, making Ray's head spin. Pete wasn't the only one who was going crazy with hormones.
“My perfect Alpha,” Ray whispered, tilting his head to the side to give Pete better access to his neck. His own scent was overwhelming, causing Pete to release a shaky breath against his skin.
“How could you ever doubt yourself? Look how happy you make me. Look at me.”
Pete did. He looked at Ray with such awe, the stars could get lost in his eyes.
Ray smiled at him, wide enough that his face hurt. Every single word he said was true. He was over the moon with happiness, and it was because of Pete.
“Look what a perfect thing you created,” Ray continued, pulling Pete's hand back to his belly. Just as if on cue, their baby moved inside. Pete slipped off the couch and knelt between Ray's legs, between his soft, plump thighs, and kissed his stomach right where he felt their baby move.
“You talk like you had nothing to do with it, baby,” Pete murmured against his belly. ”When it's your incredible body carrying our baby. This is why I wanna be good for you, Ray. Because you're a dream come true and I wanna be someone you deserve.”
He continued kissing all over Ray's stomach, first through his shirt, then he lifted it up and pressed his lips against his bare skin.
“I can't believe I have a mate like you, that I got someone like you pregnant. That it's my baby growing inside you. I don't ever wanna ruin it.”
“You can't,” Ray promised. Pete propped his chin up on his belly, smiling up at him. Ray's heart felt full to bursting.
“I love you so much.”
Pete gave his bump one more kiss. “I love you too, baby.”
“Honestly,” Ray continued, his lips curling into a cheeky smile, ”you growling at Hank and being all overprotective was actually really sexy.”
Pete gave him a slightly doubtful look, but there was an intrigued little smile tugging at the corner of his lips.
“Was it?”
“Mhm. You're not the only one with heightened instincts, you know.”
He bit his lip as his cheeks flushed.
“You know, if you wanna prove just how good you are to me… then maybe you can take me to bed and show me how good you can treat me.”
Pete's eyes immediately lit up. He all but jumped to his feet and grinned widely at Ray. Ray was relieved to see the clouds of insecurity gone from his eyes.
“I'd be more than happy to,” Pete said eagerly. He extended his hand to Ray and gently pulled him to his feet. That proved to be a little difficult nowadays, with Ray's constantly expanding midriff. Ray heaved a sigh once he was on his feet, resting his weight against Pete's side.
There was a spring to Pete's step as he led the way to the bedroom, which made Ray smile. That was the version of his mate that he loved the most: happy, carefree and confident.
He was going to make sure Pete will always be like that by his side.