The Omni-Wolf’s Choice novel Chapter 99

Chapter 99 Fish, Anyone…?

Bridget’s POV

Conversation dies on the spot.

How are we supposed to keep this from her? Luna Kendra clamps onto a suspicion like a

dog that’s found a prize and refuses to let go.

Around the breakfast table it’s Ryder and me, Connor with Evelyn, Lucas with his mate,

and the rest of the usual chaos: Therese, Beatrix, Montgomery, and the twins, Aiden and

Adrian. At the head sit our hosts-Alpha Marcus and Luna Kendra-looking far too

pleased with themselves.

I clear my throat, genuinely confused. “I’m the newest one here. Why does dreaming

about fish even matter?”

Kendra’s gaze slides to me with an unsettling little glint, like she knows something I

don’t. Maybe I’m imagining it. Maybe I’m not.

Aiden groans and shakes Chapter Unlocked, Enjoy Reading!

Adrian leans in like he can’t wait to tell the story. “Mom’s great-great grandma-

everyone called her Big Momma-used to get fish dreams. Whenever she did, it was

basically proof someone in the family was pregnant.” He lifts a hand quickly. “And

before anybody starts, it’s not me. But I have always wanted to know-are we talking

fish in a river, or like… fried fish?”

“That is irrelevant,” Luna Kendra snaps, scanning us one by one. “What matters is: who

is giving me a grandchild?”

Silence thickens until it’s almost loud. No one breathes wrong. No one blinks too hard.

Evelyn, on the other hand, looks like she’s about to melt straight through her chair. I keep

my eyes off her on purpose. If she breaks, she’s dragging me with her.

“Kendra,” Alpha Marcus says gently, reaching for her arm, “stop cornering them. If

anyone is pregnant, they’ll tell us when they’re ready.”

She exhales, the tension easing like he’s turned a dial down. It’s ironic-calming people is her gift. Yet somehow he’s the only person who can do it to her. Like Ryder does to

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“I just want to confirm my visions are accurate,” she insists.

Ryder smirks. “You just want an excuse to start buying things.”

I cut my eyes at him.

‘Do not poke your mother right now,’ I send through the mind-link.

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Kendra’s head snaps toward him. “Don’t poke me right now,” she says, voice sweet and

dangerous at once, giving him that mother look.

I shove food around my plate like it’s fascinating.

“I can hear your heart rates,” she adds, pleased with herself.

Her attention drifts, pauses on Beatrix.

Beatrix jerks back. “Whoa-nope. Not me. Never.” She glances at Montgomery, then corr

ects herself fast. “I mean… we would never. We have never!”

Montgomery doesn’t even look up. “I train. That’s it.”

Beatrix’s expression folds into equal parts wounded and furious. She makes a sound of disgust and leans back, arms crossed.

Adrian nudges Aiden with her shoulder. “Well, Aiden. Your turn.”

Aiden throws his hands up. “Mom, I’m as pure as the moment I arrived in this world!”

Adrian loses it, laughing so hard she practically collapses.

This breakfast is spiraling into a whole production. And if I weren’t quietly carrying twin

babies that no one here knows about-except Ryder-I might actually be enjoying it.

“Don’t even pretend,” Luna Kendra warns, narrowing her eyes. “So? Still no one wants to

answer me?”

Her gaze lands on her other two kids.

Ryder stays maddeningly calm. Evelyn looks like she’s about to faint. Connor is reclined

like he’s watching a show.

Kendra sits up straighter, suddenly theatrical. “Fine. Then I’ll serve something special-

an entrée my grandmother used to make for us when we were young. Absolute

perfection.” She gestures to the staff.

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In an instant, servers appear with covered dishes and set them down in front of all the

women at the table.

Adrian cranes her neck. “Hey, where’s mine? Am I not a woman, Mother?”

Kendra’s stare could cut stone.

Adrian lifts both hands. “Okay, okay. I surrender.”

Kendra beams, as if she’s offering a blessing. “This is ideal for wolves who must always

be prepared for battle. Vitamins. Omega-3s. A lovely piece of my Swedish heritage.”

She raises her hands.

The domes come off.

“This,” she announces proudly, “is Surströmming.”

Fermented herring.

It’s arranged with anchovies, potatoes, onions, whipped cream, and an assortment of other things that immediately become irrelevant because the smell hits like a physical

slap.

It’s the most aggressive, punishing odor I’ve ever encountered. How can something that used to be fish be this vile and still qualify as food? It has to be rotten. It has to be.

My brain scrambles for explanations-old recipe, family tradition, some historical

nightmare-when my body makes the decision for me.

The twins inside me want it gone. Now.

My throat tightens, that horrible prelude where swallowing becomes impossible. I slide

my hand under the table and clamp onto Ryder’s knee.

Oh, goddess. Why does the Luna hate me?

Breathe. Focus. Think peaceful thoughts. Don’t-

Evelyn makes a sound.

“Oh goddess!” she gasps, pitching forward.

Then she throws up on the floor between her chair and Connor’s.

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Connor jerks back, barely avoiding it. Evelyn keeps retching, the sound awful, the mess

spreading.

“Bucket,” Connor barks.

Staff sprint.

Adrian drops her utensils like she’s done with life. “And I am officially finished with

breakfast.”

Aiden, of course, reaches for the dish in front of Evelyn and pulls it to himself. “Not me.

This is actually good.”

Adrian gags at him. “You are revolting!”

Aiden answers with an obnoxious, satisfied “Mmm,” like he’s auditioning to be

disowned.

“Evelyn-my baby!” Luna Kendra gasps, clutching her hands to her chest. “Get her

ginger!”

Ryder’s voice brushes my mind. ‘You okay?’

I can’t even manage a swallow, let alone words.

Beatrix goes pale. “Oh goddess, I’m not pregnant, but watching people throw up makes

me…”

She turns and vomits into her cloth napkin.

Montgomery bolts upright to avoid the splash. “Seriously-more buckets!” he shouts, waving someone down. When the bucket arrives, he gathers Beatrix’s braids back and

steadies her while she heaves.

Alpha Marcus’s tone turns sharp. “Now look what you started, Kendra.”

My throat clamps tighter. Heat floods my face. Bile creeps up like it’s climbing a ladder.

I look at Ryder-please, do something-

“Bucket!” Ryder yells instead.

Heads swivel from Evelyn to me.

I shake my head hard, trying to signal no, no, it’s fine, it’s nothing, but no one believes

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Adrian’s eyes go wide with delight. “Oh my goddess-two babies! You’re both

pregnant!” she blurts, before Kendra can even say it.

“No… I’m…” I try to start the lie.

The twins refuse to cooperate.

I lurch forward, and suddenly Ryder is beside me, holding my hair back with one hand

and the bucket with the other as I throw up.

Across the table, Aiden reaches right over and steals my dish. “More for me!”

Adrian stares at him like he’s a medical mystery. “What is wrong with you?”

Lucas and Therese sit frozen, watching the breakfast table turn into a battlefield.

When I finally stop gagging, Ryder releases my hair and rubs my back in slow circles.

“You too!” Luna Kendra exclaims, eyes shining. “I thought my dream was only about

Evelyn! Two pregnancies-two babies! Oh, I need to start shopping!”

Ryder’s grin turns boyish as he brushes my mind again. ‘Can I tell her?’

I give the smallest nod. At this point, there’s no point pretending.

Ryder straightens, practically vibrating. “Mom! Two-two babies. We’re having twins!”

Therese claps a hand over her mouth. “Oh my goddess-twins!”

Kendra wobbles like she might faint from joy. “So that’s three grand babies total. I need

to sit down.” She flicks her hand.

A gust of wind sweeps through, and all the fish horror-plates, stench, the whole cursed

situation-whirls away.

Hopefully straight back to the gates of hell.

Aiden watches it go, offended. “Hey! I was going to eat that.”

Kendra moves to me with water and ginger, offering it with surprising gentleness-like she’d just done for Evelyn. “Bridget, I truly am sorry. I didn’t mean to make you sick. I only knew my daughter was hiding something.” Her smile turns sly. “Looks like my son

was, too.”

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I take the glass, hands still shaky. “It’s fine. I just… I don’t want this to become pack

news. Can we keep it quiet until I’m at least showing?”

Kendra considers, then nods.

Ryder, naturally, makes it worse. “You are the Omni-Wolf,” he says, thoughtful. “What if

your timeline is different? Wolves usually carry for four months, but maybe ours will be

sooner.”

I give him the dirtiest look I can manage while holding ginger.

“Perfect,” I mutter. “Another accelerated disaster brought to you by the Omni-Wolf.”

Laughter ripples around the table.

After a beat, I join in too.

Ryder’s palm settles on my still-flat stomach, warm and steady. The nausea eases

almost instantly.

The twins feel him. They know it’s him.

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