38. EPILOGUE ONE

Chapter thirty-eight

A MONTH LATER

REID

The smell of scorched batter is the first thing that hits me when I walk into the kitchen, mug in hand and a vague hope that caffeine will wake me up enough to deal with whatever chaos Ethan is currently orchestrating. And, oh, there’s chaos. Flour is dusted across every surface like fresh-fallen snow, a half-empty carton of milk teeters dangerously on the counter’s edge, and Ethan—my beautiful, relentless Omega—is standing in the middle of it all like a whirlwind in human form.

“Today’s the day!” he announces, wielding a whisk like it’s Excalibur. His hair’s a mess, there’s a smudge of batter on his cheek, and his apron is crooked. “I can feel it. This is the day I perfect the pancakes.”

I sip my coffee slowly, leaning against the counter as I watch him fling himself into his mission with the same manic energy he applies to everything. “It’s been two weeks, Tahn,” I point out. “I’m not sure you can call this a ‘day’ thing anymore.”

“Details,” Ethan snaps, shoving a hand into a bag of sugar like it personally wronged him. “The diner closed, Reid. The pancakes. They’re gone forever. Someone has to step up and that someone is me.”

I hum around my coffee, amused as I watch him measure out ingredients with military precision before immediately upending the bowl onto the counter. “You sure you don’t want me to help?”

“No!” Ethan whirls on me, his eyes wild. “This is my sacred duty. It has to be perfect. If I can’t do this, how are we supposed to get married?”

The mug freezes halfway to my lips and I blink at him. “I’m sorry, what?”

Before Ethan can answer, Zana stumbles into the kitchen, rubbing her eyes. She looks like she just rolled out of bed—her hair is mussed and her shirt is barely buttoned, showing off my favorite part of her. She spots me standing there like I’ve just witnessed a revelation and snatches my coffee right out of my hands, taking a long sip.

“What did I miss?” she asks, her voice scratchy from sleep.

I point at Ethan, who’s muttering about baking powder ratios and how “this better fucking work.” “I think he just proposed. But, uh, I’m not sure who to.”

“Definitely to both of you,” Ethan growls without looking up, his frustration mounting as he flips a pancake and promptly burns it. He sighs dramatically and slams the spatula down. “I want to get married, okay? I want my sister there, and I want babies, and I want—” He looks up, his chest heaving with emotion and glares at us like we’ve offended him by just existing in his space.

I burst out laughing, doubling over and clutching my stomach. “Babies?” I choke out, wiping tears from the corners of my eyes. “Ethan, the only way we’re having babies is if Zana gets pregnant.”

Zana, mid-sip, nearly spits out the coffee she stole from me. “Excuse me?” she says, her voice sharp as she sets the mug down. “There will be no babies. I’m on birth control, thank you very much.”

But now my brain’s gone rogue, painting a picture of my Alpha— my fierce, sharp-edged Zana —with a baby bump. The image is so ridiculous and so…endearing that a wild grin spreads across my face before I can stop it.

“Oh, no,” Zana says, narrowing her eyes as I set the coffee cup on the table. “Reid. Don’t you dare—”

Too late. I grab her around the waist and toss her over my shoulder, her outraged yell muffled against my back as I make a beeline for the nest. “You’re not pregnant yet, Alpha,” I say with a laugh, “but we can work on it.”

“Reid!” she shouts, smacking my ass as I stride out of the kitchen. “I’m not doing this! Put me down!”

Ethan’s cackling behind us, scrambling to follow. “It doesn’t mean we can’t practice! ” he calls out, his voice bright with mischief.

I don’t stop until I’ve dumped Zana into the nest, her indignant glare piercing through me like a dagger. Ethan dives in right after, snuggling against her side with a satisfied hum. I collapse next to them, pulling Zana close even as she mutters threats under her breath.

“No babies,” she says firmly, poking my chest for emphasis. “Got it?”

“Loud and clear,” I say, grinning as I press a kiss to her forehead. “But Ethan’s right. Practicing is fun.”

Ethan giggles, his fingers lacing with mine. “Told you.”

Zana groans, but there’s a smile tugging at the corners of her lips as she leans into us. Just before she flips me onto my back, I realize that I’m not in control of this game. “Just so you both know, I’ve got a lot of pent-up stamina. Both of you better be ready to get fucked today. And Ethan? Please go turn off the stove.”

I burst out laughing as Ethan darts out of the nest, yelling ‘shit’, seconds before the laughter turns into a drawn-out moan, Zana already seating herself on my cock.

“You’re right, baby. Practicing will be fun.”

“Alpha, I can’t get pregnant.”

“Doesn’t mean I can’t try.”