52. Zara

Many knots later, my heat passes, and I feel invigorated and renewed. As I tidy up my nest, I smile. Susan is bringing Mia home soon, and I want to be all tidied up and ready to cuddle her and devote my attention to her. I wonder if she will know I'm now her step-mama. Will she have a sense of the family we've created? She's only three months old, but I like to think she would feel the warmth and love that fills our home. Like she can sense that the people who surround her are bound together by a fierce, protective love.

Making my way downstairs, I see Liam and Henry in the open doorway, screwdrivers in hand, while Ben glares at a piece of paper in front of him.

"What are you doing?" I ask with a smirk.

Ben turns to me, and his glare turns into a grin. "Trying to install this doorbell cam. Just in case."

"Trying?"

"It's harder than it looks," Liam grumbles.

"Why didn't you get a wireless one?"

"Because we want it on all the time, not just an app on your phone," Henry grunts.

Fair enough.

"Did you try YouTube? Cuz, you know, I fixed the bathroom door lock after a tutorial."

Three sets of alpha eyes turn to give me annoyed stares. "YouTube?" Liam scoffs. "No. We've got this."

Giggling as I hold my hands up and leave them to it, I go to the kitchen to brew up. I'm sure a nice cuppa will help ease the alpha-ness, and they'll be more amenable.

There's some bustling going on and then a wail as I assume Susan and Mia have arrived.

Hurrying back to the front door, I see Ben holding Mia close, breathing in her little baby scent and a look of adoration on his face.

"Hey, baby," I murmur, going to them and stroking her head. "How is she?"

"Better, her temperature is back to normal," Susan says, pushing past the alphas in the doorway with a curious stare.

"Don't ask," I say with a snicker. "Tea?"

"Love one," she says, and we leave the men and baby to sort out the camera.

I can feel her eyes on me as I make her a cup of tea, and then she clears her throat. "Thank you," she blurts out.

Frowning, I turn to her. "What for?"

"Being you." She flings her arms around me, tears in her eyes.

I return her hug with a smile. "I know this is sudden, but when you know, you know. You know?"

"I know," she says, pulling away and reaching for the kitchen roll to tear a piece off to dab at her eyes. "I'm just so happy Ben has found the right one. I never liked that Nicole," she says under her breath. "We tried to tell him, but he wouldn't listen, and then she got pregnant… You know what? None of that matters now. You're here, and you've made him happy. I can see it in his eyes."

"I won't hurt him," I murmur, knowing she needs to hear that.

"I know you won't. You're a good woman, Zara. A good omega and a wonderful mother to Mia."

Tears prick my eyes at this validation. I smile at Susan, warmth swelling in my chest. "Thank you," I murmur back. "That means a lot coming from you."

With two cups of tea cradled in my hands, with Susan bringing the third, we make our way back to the commotion that is now our front door. The sight that greets me makes me chuckle; Ben is muttering under his breath, holding the instruction manual upside down, while Liam and Henry seem to be having a silent argument over which screw goes where.

"Here," I say, extending the peace offering of a steaming cup towards them. Ben looks up, gratefully accepting the tea and taking a long sip before turning back to the doorbell cam with renewed determination.

"We don't need YouTube," Liam insists again, taking his tea, though his tone holds less conviction this time.

"Didn't say anything," I say before bending down to pick Mia up from where she's gurgling happily in her pram next to the men.

Susan and I exchange smiles and she says, "Well, I'll leave you to it. You look like you've got your hands full." She gives Mia a soft kiss and a tickle under her chin, and then she leaves, shaking her head, her shoulders shaking as she holds back the laugh, I know she's dying to let out because I am too.

Once she's gone, the alphas finally concede defeat – sort of.

"Fine," Henry says, putting down his tea on the side table. "Let's give it a quick glance, just to check our progress, yeah?"

There's a comical huddle around Liam's phone as they watch and then mimic the steps.

"I knew that," Liam huffs out. "See?" He proves it by showing the alphas what to do… apparently.

I settle on the couch with Mia cradled in my arms, watching these big, tough alphas fumble through instructions designed for mere mortals. I can't help the laughter that bubbles from my lips when Liam drops a screw, and it rolls into oblivion, only to be followed by Henry's cursing as he tries to search for it.

"We're supposed to be good at this," Liam mumbles, almost like he's admitting defeat to the universe.

"You are good at many things," I assure him with a grin. "This is just not one of them."

Ben gives me a mock glare over his shoulder. "Tea and sarcasm, is it? That's what we're getting now?"

"Absolutely," I respond, popping a dummy into Mia's mouth as she starts to fuss. "It's part of the service."

Mia settles down, sucking contentedly as the boys resume their task. They look like some sort of modern art installation – three handsome men in various states of DIY disarray. Finally, there's a triumphant click, and the doorbell cam lights up.

"Ha! Got it!" Ben exclaims. His eyes meet mine, and there's triumph mixed with relief in them.

"Yes, you got it," I say dryly. "YouTube got it."

"Shut up," Liam grins now, shaking his head but there's no annoyance in his eyes, just playful irritation.

Henry stands back, wipes his hands on his jeans as if he's just finished a masterpiece. "Check it every single time, Zara. Every single time. Okay?"

I give him a mock salute. "Got it, boss."

He gives me the finger back, which makes me snort and jostle Mia into wriggling in my arms. "Nice," I say.

He grins as I stand up and take Mia upstairs. She is ready for a bottle and some cuddle time. Ben follows me as I knew he would.

When we get to the top of the stairs, Ben's hand finds the small of my back, a light touch that brings comfort and warmth along with it. I feel him close behind me as we walk into Mia's nursery, the pastel colours and soft fabrics inviting us into a world filled with peace and love.

"Need a hand?" Ben asks, watching me prepare the bottle, his eyes flickering over Mia and then back to me.

"I've got it," I say. "Unless you want to feed her? You must've missed her these last few days."

"More than I thought possible," he murmurs, but doesn't move to take her from me.

He watches us as I sit, his gaze softening when Mia latches onto the bottle with an eager little noise that fill the room with life. She gazes up at me with those big eyes that are just like Ben's, full of trust and innocence.

This moment feels like one of those quiet triumphs that nobody talks about – the simple act of feeding your child while surrounded by love. It's these moments I want to hold on to, to remember when things get chaotic or when doubts creep in at the edges.

Ben seems to understand without a word spoken; he moves closer until he's sitting on the arm of the big, cosy chair, his arm comes around us in a casual embrace – protection, love, support all bundled into one effortless gesture.

"You're amazing, you know that?" he murmurs into my hair, his breath warm against my skin. I can feel his chest vibrate with the timbre of his voice, a soothing rumble that's as comforting as the chair I'm nestled in.

"I'm just feeding Mia," I reply, trying to downplay the moment, but internally I'm basking in his praise.

"That's just it, though, isn't it? You make it seem so simple, so easy. But you're doing everything, Zara. You've single-handedly brought this family together. It was broken, shattered into a million pieces, and you fixed it," Ben says. He presses a kiss to the top of my head, and it feels like a seal over his words – a promise, a recognition.

I laugh softly, shaking my head. "I'm hardly doing it all on my own. I've got you three as my right-hand men."

"Right-hand alpha mates," he corrects me teasingly. "You can't forget that part."

"How could I?" I snort gently, careful not to disturb Mia, who is now half-asleep, her sucking slowing down as she drifts off.

"We try our best," Ben says with mock solemnity, and then his tone shifts to something lighter. "And speaking of trying our best," he continues with a smirk, "I think Liam and Henry have plans for tonight after Mia's down for the night."

"Oh? Do these plans involve more DIY disasters?" I ask with raised eyebrows.

Ben chuckles slowly. "Hopefully not. But perhaps a quiet dinner? Liam found a recipe for a curry that he's convinced he can master. Henry, not so convinced, is there to supervise and hopefully make it edible." He chuckles.

"Sounds perfect," I say, finishing Mia's feeding and gently burping her before laying her in her cot. She's a little slice of heaven, and I swear she understands every word we say. "We all need a quiet night. Good food, a bit of wine, and the best company," I add, feeling the energy in the room lighten.

Ben stands up and stretches his arms above his head. "Should we leave them to it then? Let's see if they can handle dinner without setting off the smoke alarm."

I laugh lightly. "I have faith in Liam's cooking skills—or at least Henry's ability to salvage them."

We make our way downstairs, where Liam and Henry are already arguing.

"It's not rocket science," Liam is saying with a huff, his hands brandishing various spice jars like weapons.

Henry snatches one from him. "Yeah, but it might as well be with you in charge."

It's all banter, though. "I think Liam can handle it," I say, giving him a bright smile before I turn to Henry and add, "It's just that his enthusiasm sometimes outpaces his skill set."

Henry lets out a loud guffaw as Ben tries not to laugh too hard.

I perch on a barstool at the kitchen island, ready to watch the show. Ben pours me a glass of wine and joins me, our knees brushing as he sits on the stool beside mine.

Liam looks over at us with a fierce glare, but the glint in his eyes gives him away. "Watch it, or I'll ban you from the first taste test," he warns, though the smirk on his lips tells me it's an empty threat.

Henry shakes his head, rummaging through the fridge for the chicken. "Just concentrate on not burning down the kitchen, mate."

I sip my wine, feeling content as I watch the two of them bicker and move around each other with an ease that speaks of years of friendship turned into something more meaningful. We are a true pack: friends, lovers, and everything in between.

"We've done well – more than well – and this life we're creating is as real and beautiful as anything I could have ever hoped for," Ben says, taking my hand and kissing my knuckles. "Thank you for coming into our lives and staying even though I'm a bad-tempered asshole."

"You're not really bad-tempered, and there was never any doubt I would stay. I knew you needed me, you and Mia."

We share a smile and the sound of sizzling from the stove as Liam finally starts cooking, which has Henry darting over to lower the heat. The scene is chaotic but strangely harmonic, like an orchestra warming up before a performance.

As they continue their masterpiece, Liam stirring the curry with Henry directing every move – I lean into Ben, feeling his warmth against my side.

Happiness fills my soul, and I hope that my parents would've approved of this pack we've created and are building on with shared memories and love.