Alpha’s Baby(54)

Neither of us had the courage tell our parents about our relationship as the author of the tape wanted us to.

So the only thing I had to do was make sure I screened every piece of mail that came through the house before Bella and I left off to our own place. Then, we could tell them and not care how they reacted.

“I don’t know,” I finally replied. “But we’ll think of something.”





Chapter 24





Bella





“The governor is throwing a party this weekend to open the new theater, and he’s going to be giving me an award for it,” Terry announced at the dinner table one evening over a plate of steak, rice, and potatoes.

I was seated on one side of the table with Mother, and Stefan was on the other side with his father. He hadn’t given much eye contact throughout our meal, and I was a bit disappointed. A part of me, the naughty part, wanted to stick my foot across the way and massage him with it. I could only imagine the look on Stefan’s face if I did.

My mom let out a startled gasp. “Why, that’s wonderful, Terry!”

“Congratulations, Dad,” Stefan chipped in, grinning and clasping hands with his father in a bro-like manner.

“Congratulations, Terry!” I added.

Terry beamed at all the praise we piled on him for the next five minutes before dropping another bombshell.

“And you all are expected to attend.”

Stefan and I let out a groan simultaneously, but my mom clapped in an excited fashion.

“There is no negation here,” Terry warned the both of us, seeing our sour expressions. “You both have to go.”

“But I don’t even have anything to wear,” I blurted. I regretted the words as soon as they left my mouth.

“You know what that means, don’t you?” asked my mom.

I knew if I didn’t answer, she would say what she wanted anyway. “What?”

My mom beamed. “It’s time to go shopping.”



“My gosh, Bella, are you gaining weight?” my mom asked as she struggled to zip up my size-two ball gown, a beautiful white, frilly number that reminded me of a wedding dress.

Of course I was gaining weight, but I didn’t want to tell my mother that.

I sucked in my breath, trying to become as small as possible. I wanted to fit in the dress as much as she wanted me to. Not being able to fit in it absolutely terrified me, and it meant I was saying goodbye to one of the things that had been permanent in my life.

My precious size two.

“Finally,” my mom huffed as she managed to pull the zipper all the way up my back thanks to my efforts. “I hope that holds.”

I held in my breath as long as I could.

“I can’t breathe,” I gasped, letting go of the air. The dress made several popping sounds, and the zipper unzipped itself halfway down my back.

“Lay off the donuts, why don’t you?” Mom half-joked.

I can’t, I thought. The baby is hungry.

I decided to remain mum on the issue. I couldn’t argue that I wasn’t pigging out every five seconds. I thought about blowing up at her about shaming me but decided not too. It’d come off as too fake. Mom was getting wise to my fake rants and my real ones.

“All right, let’s get you out of that thing and let’s try some other ones that are, um, maybe two sizes bigger.”

Two sizes? I about fainted.

I must have tried on several different gowns, a couple of size threes and a couple of fours. Unfortunately, I felt the most comfortable in a four.

When I finally found the one I wanted, I quickly forgot about the disappointment of going up two dress sizes.

“This is the one!” I proclaimed.

“That looks great on you!” my mom exclaimed at the dress I decided on.

It was a dashing red lace number that showed off my new curves in such a flattering manner that even a blind man would be impressed. The bottom part of the dress flowed behind me in a train. I would have to be careful with it at the party, but I suspected there would be other women there with similar dresses.

I twisted my body around, checking out my back side.

Eat your heart out, Stefan, I thought, shocked at the new fullness of my ass.

Baby got back.

“Thanks, Mom,” I replied.

Mother wrapped her arm around my waist and beamed into the dressing room mirror. “I’m sure you’re going to turn heads.” Ruffling my hair, she kissed me on the cheek.

The only head I want to turn is Stefan’s, I thought in protest, but I knew better than to say so.

“Now,” my mom said with a grin, stuffing all the dresses I had tried on into my hands to put back on the hangers. “My turn.”



I was filled with giddy excitement when we arrived back at home in my mother’s black Mercedes Benz. I had a new dress that I was sure would knock Stefan off his feet, and I actually looked damned good in it despite gaining weight. I had been dreading going to the party before, but now I actually had something to look forward to.