Chapter 237: Pheromone Rejection and Withdrawal Symptoms

The next morning, the sunlight streamed through the east wing windows, casting a soft, golden glow across the master bedroom as Reid stood in front of the full-length mirror, looking entirely out of his element.

Instead of his usual broad-shouldered leather jacket or casual Serpents hoodie, he was wearing a impeccably tailored charcoal suit. His posture was stiff, his hands fidgeting with the dark silk tie draped around his neck. It was his first official day stepping into the corporate ring at the McCoy Empire—leaving behind the familiar ice and entering a world of boardrooms, high-stakes negotiations, and executive pressure.

I stepped up behind him, quietly taking the tie from his restless fingers.

"Let me," I whispered softly.

Reid let out a long, shaky breath, his grey eyes meeting mine in the mirror’s reflection. Up close, I could feel the subtle, tight knot of anxiety thrumming right beneath his skin. He was trying so hard to project a calm, unbothered Alpha exterior, trying not to break down or let his nerves show in front of me. But I knew him too well.

I expertly folded the silk, sliding the knot up into a clean, crisp finish, then reached over to the velvet display case on the dresser. I picked out a sleek, understated silver wristwatch and strapped it securely around his broad wrist.

"You’re overthinking again, Reid," I murmured, leaning up to press a warm, lingering kiss right against his flushed cheekbone.

Reid flinched slightly in surprise before his posture melted, his hands instantly coming up to rest gently over my waist, pulling me flush against him.

"You’re going to do just fine," I said, looking straight into his eyes with unshakeable confidence. "You’re young, you’re smart, and you’ve got a long way to go. Nobody expects you to conquer the entire empire on day one."

A breathless, shaky laugh spilled out of Reid’s chest. The tension in his shoulders finally gave way as he leaned down, capturing my lips in a deep, desperate kiss that tasted of raw devotion and quiet relief.

"I’m going to work hard, Kain," Reid rasped against my mouth, his grey eyes burning with a fierce, burning resolve as he pulled back just an inch. "I’m going to make sure I take care of you and our baby like a real man. I’m going to live up to being your husband."

"You already do," I smiled, smoothing down the lapels of his suit jacket. "Now go. Don’t keep your mother waiting."

With one last possessive squeeze around my waist and a final kiss to my forehead, Reid turned and headed out the door to face his new corporate reality.

Because Reid had been attached to my side for the past few weeks straight—his rich, grounding pheromones constantly surrounding me like a protective cocoon—I hadn’t felt the slightest hint of trouble. But the exact moment the heavy estate doors clicked shut and his SUV drove away, the reality of an omega pregnancy hit me like a runaway freight train.

It started ten minutes later.

A butler quietly entered the suite to clear the morning coffee tray and deliver my course materials. The second he stepped into the room, a wave of unfamiliar scent washed over my senses—and my stomach instantly rebelled.

My nostrils flared, my heart spiked with sudden, irrational distress, and a deep, violent nausea surged up my throat. The butler’s presence felt intensely overwhelming, wrong, and offensive to my newly hyper-sensitive omega instincts.

"Get out," I choked out, covering my mouth as I stumbled blindly toward the bathroom. "Please—just leave!"

I barely slammed the bathroom door shut before collapsing in front of the porcelain bowl, retching violently until my chest burned and tears pricked the corners of my eyes.

The morning sickness had officially kicked in, and it was absolute hell.

Without Reid’s comforting scent of frozen pine flooding the room to anchor me, my body felt entirely out of control. When a maid later brought up a lunch tray featuring a rich, pan-seared beef dish, the iron smell made my stomach turn so violently that I had to ask them to take it out of the east wing entirely.

I suddenly loathed the smell of beef; even the thought of it made my head spin.

I couldn’t stomach a single bite of food. Every pheromone in the estate that didn’t belong to Reid felt invasive and unbearable.

By mid-afternoon, I was curled up on the center of our massive bed, wrapped tightly in Reid’s discarded pajama shirt, burying my nose into the fabric just to chase the fading traces of his scent.

My body felt heavy, uncomfortable, and bloated as the subtle swell of my belly pressed against my waistband. A creeping, irrational paranoia began to twist in my chest—Where is he? Why isn’t he here? What if something happens to him out there?

My hands trembled over my stomach as I stared at the clock on the nightstand, counting down the agonizing minutes until my Alpha came home.

By 7, Reid finally came back. The moment his briefcase hit the floor—efore he could even kick off his shoes—I scrambled off the bed, practically throwing myself into his arms. I wrapped my arms tightly around his neck, burying my face deep into the crook of his collarbone, and began to sob uncontrollably.

The immediate scent of frozen pine flooded my senses, and my body shuddered with overwhelming relief, but the tears wouldn’t stop.

"Kain?!" Reid gasped, his hands instantly locking around my waist and pulling me up against him to support my weight. He was visibly confused, his grey eyes wide with sheer panic as he cupped the back of my head.

Fidora stepped in right behind him, her eyes narrowing as she took in the sight of her son holding a sobbing, trembling omega. "Kain, what’s wrong?" she asked.

"I feel... I feel terrible," I wept into Reid’s neck, my fingers clutching at the back of his suit jacket like a lifeline. "Reid, help me... please, don’t leave again."

"Shh, I’ve got you, honey. I’m right here," Reid rasped, his Alpha pheromones flaring instantly—thick, warm, and possessive—wrapping around the room to soothe my frantic instincts. He buried his face in my hair, kissing my temple over and over while his hand cradled the small swell of my belly.

Fidora turned her head toward the hallway, her sharp, authoritative voice cutting through the heavy air as she looked at the nervous butler standing near the archway.

"What happened here today?" she demanded, her eyes narrowing.

The butler stepped forward tentatively, wringing his hands. "Madam... Master Evans was completely unable to stomach his meals today. He had a severe reaction to the scents around the estate shortly after Young master Reid left. He asked the staff to clear the wing and locked himself in the suite all afternoon."

Reid’s head snapped up, his jaw clenching as he realized what had happened. It wasn’t just ordinary morning sickness—my body was experiencing severe pheromone withdrawal and rejection without him there to anchor me during my pregnancy.

"He hasn’t eaten all day?" Reid’s voice dropped into a low, protective growl that vibrated straight through my chest.

"I tried," I sobbed quietly, rubbing my wet cheek against his lapel as his scent finally began to settle the violent churn in my stomach. "Everything smelled wrong... the beef made me sick... I just wanted you."

Fidora’s expression shifted instantly from suspicion to deep, maternal understanding. She looked at her son, taking in the way I was practically attached to his torso.

"It’s pheromone reliance," Fidora said softly, stepping closer. "His body is rejecting any environment that doesn’t smell like his Alpha while the baby is settling. Brad went through the exact same thing with you, Reid."

She looked at the butler calmly. "Instruct the kitchen to clear all heavy meats and red meat from the east wing menu immediately. Send for Brad, and have them prepare light, neutral broths. From now on, no staff enters this wing without neutralizer sprays."

Betas may not excuse pheromones, but they had scent all the same and I reacted to them.

Reid froze for a fraction of a second, his grey eyes wide as he looked at his mother in disbelief. "Really, Mom?"

Fidora paused, her back straight, but the usual icy sharpness in her posture melted into something raw and heavy. She turned her head slightly, her gaze settling on me with an intense, quiet gravity. ℴ

"I know what Brad went through when I decided I wanted to keep working despite his withdrawal symptoms," she said quietly, her voice dropping into a tone laced with a deep, lingering guilt she had clearly never forgiven herself for. "I thought just scenting him enough before I went to work would do the trick. It didn’t."

She tightened her lips, stepping toward us and resting a cool, gentle hand on Reid’s shoulder. "Kain is fragile as it is right now. If he takes on even more mental strain, he won’t be strong enough for the delivery. I won’t let history repeat itself in this house."

The hallway fell completely silent. Reid swallowed hard, his arm tightening around my waist as the weight of her words settled over both of us.

"Thank you, Mom," Reid said, his voice rough with genuine gratitude.

Fidora gave a single, firm nod, her gaze softening as she looked at me one last time. "Rest, Kain. Let my son take care of you."

With that, she turned and walked down the grand corridor, leaving us in the quiet sanctuary of our wing.

Reid didn’t wait another second. He kicked the suite door shut with his foot, scooped me up into his arms, and carried me straight to the bed. He stripped off his suit jacket in one fluid motion, tossing it aside, and pulled me down against his chest under the heavy duvet.