24. Babies, Babies, Babies

Babies, Babies, Babies

Dalton

B eing at peace over not getting pregnant was one thing. Quite another was dealing with the baby boom in Sweetwater.

First, we had sweet Hiroshi with their little girl, Kanako. You better believe Larken had me over there almost as soon as she was born, so I could cuddle her. Larken fussed over Hiroshi in such a brotherly fashion. It was adorable.

Roan, trying to do his best friend thing, questioned me about the state of our contract. Luckily, Larken and I had discussed it before our visit and we agreed we would tell them, but basically only them. We wanted people to believe what they wanted about us.

A couple of enforcers clearly thought too much about their value, thinking alphas had the right to dictate their relationships. They still thought omegas and betas were lesser and thought I was using Larken just to get a baby, then I'd leave him out in the cold. So, out of spite, we kept our relationship to ourselves. We didn't want them saying I was lying and doubting how we really felt about each other. We would prove it when we stayed together, kids or not.

The next of the babies to be born in the pack was Axel's princess, Rieka. As Uncle Dalton, I had to get my cuddle time with the cute elf-wolf. Honestly, she was too pretty for words. She had all the best qualities from her parents.

I cried during Axel and Teárlach's wedding, not out of any remaining feelings, but just because I felt so happy my friend was with his soulmate and I was pretty sure I was sitting with mine. Maybe one day Larken and I would have a wedding.

Sweetwater gained a pregnant omega, Levi, with his fated mate, Robin, and their son, Rune. They were expecting another child together. While Robin wasn't Rune's biological father, he acted as if he was. He loved the little boy so much, it really was the sweetest thing. Imagine my shock, and delight, finding out that Rune was Kade's little brother! Kade's bio dad was a dick, long dead, thankfully, though he made cute kids.

Levi came from the Greenbriar pack, one with a similar outlook on things as Blake had for our pack. It was only natural we would enter into a formal alliance with them .

The partnership with them was mutually beneficial. We were bigger than Greenbriar, financially better off after all our hard work and the links with the Northarbor coven, demons, and, of course, royal elves. They gave us better fighters, since they were arguably better trained than us. Never discuss that in front of Deke, of course.

They took some of our shifters; we took some of theirs, when the packs found fated and chosen mate bonds. Naturally, there were more babies due out of those matings.

It felt like babies were everywhere. Of course, I couldn't hold back my envy. Chase heard it all the time at work, and Larken at home. Even though I was blissfully happy with Larken, I just wanted something else to tie us together.

One of the best things about being in an alliance with Greenbriar was the permanent portal we had there. Witches used their magic to root the portal in Greenbriar into the ground, making it less of a drain.

With them working with us, we had new avenues for gaining our supplies. We could use places in Greenbriar or even slightly farther out. There was no way the aviary could block us this way. Technology was still an issue. Older vehicles were fine, even phones, but anything medical was a problem. Something to do with how the portal split the fabric of space.

Though the attacks had lessened, it felt like the aviary was waiting, drawing a breath before they let loose. They also appeared to have both the mayor and law enforcement doing their bidding. The mayor's office was a constant thorn in our side. Our good mayor had even deigned to visit us to make sure that the compound, which wasn't in his area, was operating within code.

You better believe we were. It was my literal job.

So as we approached my next heat, I was having baby envy, seeing happy couples everywhere, and fighting to keep the mayor from trying to take over the pack. Most of which I was hiding from my friends. They had enough going on without the extra drama. I had it handled. Mostly.

In honor of his marriage, Blake wanted to gather the packs, Greenbriar and Sweetwater, together and celebrate, since most had missed the wedding.

"You ready for this? We can skip out if you'd like," Lark offered. He'd smartened up his wardrobe, wearing a gray button up under a cashmere gray sweater. It accentuated the width of his shoulders nicely.

"And miss my cuddles with Kanako or Rieka? No thanks. This uncle has to be a presence in his niblings' lives, you know," I teased as I straightened my shirt. I left the tie off. I had my blazer for warmth since while it was nearly March, there was still a bite of cold in the air.

The pack had gone to a lot of effort to make the yard at the rear of the mansion look magical. There was probably a lot of magic involved, actually, since the witches, demons Toth and Mori, and so many elves, were there.

"Dalton! Larken!" Tate called to us.

I sat down in a chair and was presented with a baby. "Hello Kanako," I cooed. All I got in return was a gummy smile. She was so sweet.

"Dally!" Jewel toddled towards me, breaking into her wolf form at the last moment

"Careful!" Larken swooped down to steal the little girl into his arms.

She squealed. "No! Dally!"

"He's holding your sister. Wait a minute, okay?"

"Here," I offered to whoever was paying attention. "Take the baby. I want Princess Jewel hugs."

As I expected, Jewel stopped her fussing and waited patiently for me to hand off her sister. I didn't let her away with such behavior a lot, especially since alphas should never get their way all the time. She would be a handful, but she would learn to respect people .

"That was very nice waiting, Princess Jewel. Would you like to come up for a hug?"

"Please." Her speech was impeccable, which is why I was blaming Chase for her always calling me Dally rather than my name. I would never admit I liked it.

We arrived just in time for Blake to take the sort of stage. He had his voice magically amplified.

"Thank you all for coming to celebrate with us. Axel and Teárlach's mating and marriage has sealed a bond between the Sweetwater pack and Abrocaelum. I, for one, can't wait to see more of the elves shift and find love. Actually, I have had one more couple come to me with good news."

I already knew about Hakeem and Candace being mated because I had been the one they came to about getting a larger house. Candace and her son, Riff, had a little two-bedroom house. Moving Hakeem into there was impossible. They needed a much bigger place. Especially now that they had news.

"Candace and I would like to announce that we are pregnant."

Yes, another baby for the Sweetwater pack. I had another brief pang of jealousy and brushed it off. Larken and I were so new. There was time. Lots of time for us to enjoy each other before a little one came along. We discussed getting another pet in the meantime .

Everyone around us congratulated the pair. It had to be especially poignant for the elves. Many likely feared the prince was a one off. His daughter the only one of a generation. Now they had Hakeem and ívarr becoming fathers since Michaella was also pregnant. Yes, our midwife was having a baby.

Blake stepped forward again. "Thank you, Hakeem and Candace. We are so happy for you both, and of course Riff, too. You're going to be such a happy family. Our blessing to you."

The crowd was especially noisy. I couldn't really blame the elves. Cryabell had her owl form, as did the queen. Both were over the age where they could have children, so their designation didn't matter. The queen was an alpha, though. ívarr wondered if that was why she could only have one child.

"I have more news," Blake went on once everyone quieted. "We have successfully trialed the alpha bond potion and now have a former beta pair! Congratulations, Jake and Sebastian. We hope you are blessed with little chicks soon!"

We finally had a beta pairing turned into an alpha and omega. The potion tied Sebastian to the pack forever, though not Jake. They had shown nothing but loyalty to Sweetwater. I couldn't see them wanting to move on, even if they could .

"Jake goes into heat before me. They could be pregnant before us," I pointed out to Lark while Jewel went to join her brothers.

"I'm putting a baby in you this time. Last time was just the warmup."

"You know I don't mind. A couple of days locked away to have sex with you is worth not having a baby," I joked. It fell flat.

"Look!"

We all cried out with joy seeing Janet, The Luna and another figure watching us.

"That's their mom," I whispered, afraid to break the spell and make them vanish.

The Sweetwater men each saw their mother. She watched them back, something like pride on her face. Thanks to her, they had broken the cycle and forged a new, better way for shifters. We stood with allies their father never would have dreamed of having, and were much more prosperous for it.

The gathering broke up not long after. I saw Chase watch his twin walk away with his husband.

"Do you not want to go?" I asked him.

"Nah, it feels like a them moment." Chase felt brittle to me, on the point of breaking. He needed to be with people.

"We need to do something fun. Maybe some drinks and bowling at the center?" Larken suggested. He made it crystal clear he was including Chase in the invitation. My mate was very perceptive.

"Sure. We should ask some others. Deke's been quiet. Want me to ask him?" Chase scanned the thinning crowd for his cousin.

"Sounds like a plan. Roan, Hiroshi, Tate, Asher?" Larken looked at each of them. Roan nodded after a prod from Hiroshi, who declined.

Xavier picked up Maddox. "Go on now, both of you. I'll have a night with my grandbabies and Hiro."

Chase returned with his cousin in tow. "Let's do this!"

We took the celebration to the bowling alley, drank too much cider and rum, ate far too much food when Winter appeared with a bunch of tasty treats. We begged him to join us, more than a little tipsy. Do you know how he repaid our friendly overture? The cook utterly destroyed us in bowling.

Winter cackled mercilessly as he took his winnings with him. "Don't leave this place a mess!" he ordered.

Roan was practically unconscious on Asher. Tate was picking up empty bottles and plates. Chase was speaking in a quiet tone to his cousin. He had barely left his side all night.

"Come on, time to go home!"

With Larken at my side, I made sure they all got safely home .

"Want to stay with us tonight?" I asked Chase.

"Nah, I'm going to stay with Deke." Chase dropped his voice. "He's having a hard time with everyone paired up."

"I get that."

Chase hugged me tightly. "Must be hard, with all the babies, but your time is coming, and it's going to be great, you know."

"Yeah." He didn't know how much I needed to hear that from someone else. Larken did his best to keep me going, but some days it was hard.

"Do you think she's mad at me?" Chase wasn't letting go. Damn, he was heavy as he slumped, giving me most of his weight.

"Who?"

"My mom. Because I didn't want to change."

Oh, that hit me like a punch to the gut. Chase sounded so vulnerable. I stroked his hair. Larken caught my eyes and nodded. He gave us this moment.

"I think your mom wants you to be happy. Are you?"

"I am," he said firmly, the shine of tears in his eyes. "A mate isn't what I want." He smiled, the threat of tears ebbing. "I want to go from house to house, always having a home with my family. Being an uncle is the best, isn't it?"

"It is the best. You're great at it." He really was. Chase was always there for his family. For me, too. "Your mom is proud of you. I am too."

"You're such a good friend, Dalton. I'm glad you and Lark are mates now. He makes you shine."

Chase said the sweetest things sometimes. I would tease him about it, but it was too damn cute.

"Alright, I'd like my mate back," Larken said with a grin as he extracted me from Chase's hold. "Deke's waiting for you."

We made one last check of the building before we left for home.

"I needed that. Thank you." Larken always knew how I was feeling without me having to say a word.

"Anything for you. You know that, right?"

"It's a nice reminder of all the things we have going for us. Pack and our friends."

"Family. They are our chosen family." Larken squeezed me closer to him being my solid support as we walked home together.

"We'll be okay even if we don't have a baby, won't we?"

Larken wrapped me in his arms and bent to kiss the tip of my nose. "We won't have to wonder about that. It'll happen for us."