His Two Alphas

by Anna Wineheart

  They went back and forth over the names, but Micah kept glancing at the door, too. It didn’t feel right making this decision without Kai here.

  The minutes crawled by even slower.

  Then the door opened, and it was Kai, it was finally Kai back in Meadowfall, and Spike’s heart did somersaults. He tore through the room, throwing himself at his brother.

  Kai caught him with strong arms, his lips hot when Spike dragged him into a rough kiss. Kai tasted like vending machine coffee, and he smelled like elm and rental car, and faintly, musk from a few hours ago. Beneath Spike’s palm, Kai’s heart pounded. Yeah, Kai was scared, too. So Spike released Kai, hauling him to the bed.

  At Micah’s side, Kai stopped, his gaze raking over their omega—worried, and longing. Then his lower lip trembled, and he gathered Micah into his arms, giving Micah a slow, sweet kiss, dragging his wrists over their omega. So Micah finally smelled like theirs again. Micah groaned against him, curling his fingers into Kai’s hair.

  “Missed you,” Kai murmured, dropping kisses all over Micah’s face.

  Micah smiled, nuzzling Kai’s cheek. “So did I. Spike, too. Welcome home.”

  Kai laughed softly, and buried his face in Micah’s hair. It made Spike happy, just seeing Kai and Micah together again. They’d missed each other so much, too.

  Then Micah tensed through the next contraction, wrapping his arm around his belly. Kai growled, rubbing Micah’s back, murmuring soothing words to him. But Kai met Spike’s gaze, helpless and fearful. There was only so much an alpha could do during childbirth.

  The midwife bustled in, shooing Kai off so she could take her readings. Then she pulled a glove on, had Micah spread his legs, and pushed her fingers inside their omega.

  Possessiveness rose up through Spike’s chest. Mine. He growled, stepping forward. On the other side of the bed, Kai did the same, his eyes narrowed.

  “You’re six centimeters dilated, dear,” the midwife told Micah. Then she shook her head at Kai and Spike. “Growl at someone else.” She clicked her tongue. “Someone should educate all you alphas about midwives. Maybe in school. It’s like you don’t know what a midwife’s supposed to do.”

  Well, maybe, but Micah was still theirs.

  Then she left, and Kai and Spike clambered onto the bed, rubbing their wrists down Micah’s thighs, marking his skin.

  “Ours,” Spike growled.

  “Yeah.” Kai rumbled, nipping at Micah’s shoulder, kissing down his jaw, sweeping his palm down Micah’s belly.

  Micah chuckled, making himself comfortable against the pillows. “Gods, the two of you.”

  “You’ve gotten big,” Kai murmured, his eyes dark. “Doesn’t feel the same on video.”

  Then he pulled Micah’s hospital gown up and off his belly, and kissed all over Micah’s baby bump. He followed the dark line down Micah’s abdomen, to the thatch of hair between Micah’s legs. Micah squawked—he was completely naked from the waist down, and Spike couldn’t help admiring him.

  On impulse, Spike pulled his phone out. Snapped a picture of Kai kissing Micah’s naked belly, Micah looking at their alpha with his eyes soft. It was one of those rare moments that he didn’t know if he’d see again—they didn’t know if Micah wanted another pregnancy after this baby.

  “Hey there. I’m finally back,” Kai growled against Micah’s belly. “Sorry I was away for so long. Might want to come out soon so you don’t put your dad through so much pain.”

  On cue, another contraction rocked through Micah’s body. Micah panted, grasping their hands, his expression strained. Spike tucked his phone away, his heart aching for his omega.

  “Maybe we shouldn’t get you pregnant anymore,” he said.

  Kai winced. “Yeah.”

  When the contraction faded, Micah shook his head, his skin covered in a sheen of sweat. “I’ll be fine.”

  Kai looked dubiously at him. Spike chuckled, kissing Micah’s forehead. “I told you,” Spike murmured. “You’re stronger than you give yourself credit for.”

  “He really is,” Kai agreed, stroking the back of Micah’s hand.

  And it felt good, too, Kai savoring their omega along with Spike. Kai finally saw what Spike had seen in Micah, after all these years.

  Spike rounded the bed to crowd against Kai, just to feel his brother by his side again. When he glanced down, he found Kai with mismatched shoes. Kai probably hadn’t even noticed where he’d stuck his feet when he’d hurried out.

  Kai reached for Spike then. Something warm and light slid around Spike’s throat—fabric. And suddenly Spike caught on to what Kai was doing. His stomach began flipping anew. “Now?” Spike croaked.

  “What?” Micah frowned. “Kai? Why are you putting a bowtie on Spike?”

  Kai stroked his thumb over Spike’s pulse point—he could tell how nervous Spike was. “It’s quiet now. And you’re not exhausted yet.”

  Spike took the bowtie from Kai, fastening it on himself so Kai could do his own. His hands only shook a little.

  “We know it isn’t super formal and everything,” Spike said, helping Micah into a sitting position. “We’d wanted suits and ties.”

  “For...?” Micah stared suspiciously at them.

  “We were hoping for something grander than this,” Kai added. “But we can’t exactly hop out and change into suits and ties at the hospital. Hell, I didn’t even know where I’d be when I got the call. And Spike didn’t want to bring stuff to blow the surprise.”

  Kai finished his bowtie. Then he reached into Spike’s back pocket for the ring box. When Spike linked his fingers with Kai’s, he couldn’t tell if it was sweat from his own hand, or Kai’s, or if they were both just sweating buckets.

  Spike knelt alongside his brother. Micah’s eyes widened, and Kai opened the ring box, holding it out to Micah.

  “To the most important omega in the world,” Kai murmured, his trembling hands the only indication of his nerves. “The best and the bravest.”

  “The one who changed our lives,” Spike added. He couldn’t breathe. “You literally saved us from being homeless. I don’t know if you know how important you are.”

  “The strongest person we know,” Kai said.

  “And you’re still the superhuman one, you’ve been carrying our baby for so long.”

  Kai squeezed Spike’s hand. Together, they said, “It’ll be the greatest honor if you’d marry us.”

  Micah’s mouth fell open. He whimpered, staring at them both, tears welling up in his eyes. “Both of you...”

  “We’re not exactly impossible,” Kai said, smiling slightly, with an uncertain edge to it—they didn’t know if Micah would accept the proposal for sure. There could’ve been any number of reasons not to.

  “We really want to show you off as our own,” Spike said hopefully. “And mark you everywhere, all over again.”

  “And we want you and our baby, and every other baby, too.” Kai grinned. “Not that it’s a requirement.”

  “And we want to stand by you no matter what.”

  “And tell you that you’re beautiful.”

  “Forever,” Spike added.

  Micah’s face crumpled. For a moment, Spike’s heart stopped. But Micah smiled, and through his tears, Micah said, “Yes. Yes! I love you both.”

  He reached for them. Relief tumbled through Spike’s chest. Micah would marry them. It was unbelievable, and maybe it was a dream. Elation spread through Spike’s chest, all the way to his fingers and toes.

  He and Kai surged up as one, gathering Micah into their arms, dropping kisses all over his face. Spike met Kai’s gaze, finding the same relief and joy in his brother’s eyes.

  This promise that Micah made... it would change the rest of their lives. “I’m so glad,” Spike murmured, pressing his forehead against Micah’s temple. He breathed in lungfuls of his omega’s scent. Mine. “Thank you.”

  Micah kissed him softly on the lips, stroking his face, marking everywhere he could. “Thank you for believing
in me. Both of you.”

  “Wasn’t difficult at all,” Kai growled. “You probably made it too easy for us to love you.”

  Micah blushed. Kai nuzzled him, sliding into his mouth in a slow, deep kiss. Spike rumbled, content to just press up close against his alpha and omega, all of them touching.

  After a beat, Kai turned to Spike, their faces just inches away. “Spike?”

  “Yeah?”

  “Marry me,” Kai said.

  Spike’s heart stopped. His ears rang, and he couldn’t look away from the gray, dark depths of Kai’s gaze.

  They’d spent so long talking about this proposal, discussing the gems on the rings, the plans to surprise Micah, the things they’d say to him, that Spike had completely forgotten about the alpha-alpha part of the wedding. Or maybe Spike hadn’t been sure that Kai wanted to go through the trouble of getting a marriage certificate for Spike and himself, when only one state legalized it.

  But Kai did. Kai was asking him now.

  And Spike’s throat closed so tight, he couldn’t speak.

  “Go on,” Micah whispered. “Kai’s waiting for an answer.”

  Kai couldn’t look away, his gaze anticipating, almost nervous.

  Spike remembered Kai at ten, a wary boy who didn’t trust Spike. He remembered Kai at thirteen, grumbling when Spike told him about one Micah Davis. He remembered Kai at fifteen, his lips hot on Spike’s, his alpha scent heady and powerful.

  He remembered Kai at twenty, stepping up to Spike’s hospital bed, his expression haunted, his heart in his eyes. And then later, when Kai had cradled Spike, and whispered those three little words.

  Kai had always been there. He didn’t have anything to fear from Spike.

  “Of course I will,” Spike growled. He hauled his brother in, kissing Kai fiercely on the lips. Kai groaned, kissing back, their teeth scraping on each other’s lips, their fingers pulling tight on each other’s hair.

  Kai wanted to marry him. That, on top of Micah agreeing to marry them... All of this was like a dream come true. Spike swallowed past the lump in his throat.

  And Kai dragged his wrist down Spike’s jaw, marking him with elm.

  With Kai and Micah’s scents on him, Spike finally felt like he was home. With his alpha, and his omega. Spike’s heart felt like it might burst right there.

  Kai slipped Spike’s ring onto his finger. Micah did the honors for Kai, and Spike nudged Micah’s ring onto his pinky. The rings were all perfect.

  Micah frowned. “How did you know it wouldn’t go on my ring finger? You didn’t even try.”

  Spike broke into a coughing fit. He wasn’t going to admit that he’d sneaked up on Micah.

  Kai said it for him. “He tried to put the ring on you while you were sleeping.”

  Micah flushed, and Spike’s face burned hotter. “Kai! You weren’t supposed to tell.”

  Kai shrugged. “Micah asks. He gets answers.”

  Spike laughed. Then Micah cried out, hunching around his belly. The next contraction made the blood drain from his face.

  “I think the baby’s on her way,” Micah panted, clutching his belly.

  Spike trembled, all the joy in that moment forgotten. What if things didn’t go right? What if they lost Micah now?

  Kai gritted his teeth. “I’ll get the midwife.”

  * * *

  “Push,” Spike said a while later, hovering over Micah as Micah heaved. “You can do it! Just a little more to go!”

  “I’m pushing,” Micah snapped, the tendons at his neck straining, his hands shaking with how hard he was clenching his fists. “Why don’t you try shoving a watermelon out your ass?”

  Spike winced. Kai grimaced along with him.

  “Spike didn’t mean it,” Kai said, really to defend him.

  Except Micah snarled through his next contraction, and even Kai stood down. Spike shuffled closer to Kai, holding Kai’s hand. “Micah’s scary when he’s pissed,” Spike mumbled.

  “What did you say?” Micah flicked a dangerous glance at them.

  “He says you look impossibly beautiful,” Kai said. “Spike offers ten months of utter servitude.”

  Okay, maybe Spike might kill Kai instead.

  But Kai squeezed Spike’s hand, leaning in to kiss Micah gently on the lips. “We believe in you,” he murmured. “You’re doing really great.”

  “Yeah, we’re really proud of you,” Spike added, rubbing Micah’s back. “Just a little more to go. If you need anything...”

  Micah growled, his hair matted with sweat, his skin damp. Spike had never seen a more beautiful omega in his life. But what if their encouragement wasn’t working? It only seemed to make Micah more frustrated than ever.

  “Maybe if you’re pissed with me, it’ll help you push harder?” Spike volunteered. It sounded as good a plan as any.

  “Spike,” Kai said in warning, actual fear darting through his face.

  “Like if I tell you that you aren’t pushing hard enough,” Spike continued, aware that he was risking his neck, and maybe even everything between his legs.

  Micah’s blue eyes flashed. “Yeah? Go on.”

  “Spike,” Kai muttered, tugging on his hand. “No.”

  But it seemed to make Micah breathe harder, his entire body tensing up. So Spike tried again. “Like, I can push twice as hard, probably—”

  “Spike,” Kai hissed. He rubbed Micah’s chest placatingly, except Micah was staring daggers at Spike now, his fists clenching.

  “And if you’d just hunch up a little and push when I tell you to push,” Spike added.

  Micah’s eyes became narrow slits. Kai paled. Kai squeezed Spike’s hand tight enough to stop the blood flow. “He’s seriously gonna murder you, Spike. Shut up.”

  “But Micah’ll need the baby out first before he murders me,” Spike said, banking on the hope that Micah would forgive him when this was over. “Otherwise he can only waddle, and—”

  “Spike Ventura,” Micah growled, in that low snarl that sent Spike’s balls shrinking back into his body.

  “Push, Micah,” Spike whispered loudly. “Remember to push.”

  Micah growled, rearing off the bed. He pushed, and Spike watched the heave of his body, the sinewy muscles and his clenched teeth, and there was such strength in Micah’s body. The stark beauty of his form. The sheer determination to get their baby out.

  So he could murder Spike.

  But that was helping, right?

  “Both of you, get out,” the midwife said, jabbing her finger at the door.

  “But then I won’t get to see Micah push!” Spike said.

  Micah bellowed and he heaved, and if eyes could shoot daggers, Spike was certain he’d be pinned against the far wall with pointy bits a hairsbreadth from his balls.

  “Ignore him,” Kai pleaded with Micah. “Please.” He held his arm out in front of Spike, as though that could keep Micah away if he got furious enough.

  “C’mon, Micah, on the count of three,” Spike said.

  Micah’s eyes burned. Kai groaned. “I won’t have anything left of you to bury after this, Spike.”

  “One,” Spike said. “Two...”

  With an animal cry, Micah heaved, and suddenly there was a bloody mess between his legs, and Micah turned toward Spike, his blue eyes snapping, his chest pumping with the effort.

  Kai stepped between them, wrapping his arms around Micah—to hold him down, Spike was sure, because Micah was glaring at Spike over Kai’s shoulder as though looks alone could roast.

  “Damn, you sure are beautiful when you’re mad,” Spike said. That was the truth.

  Micah continued to glare. And for a moment, fear stabbed through Spike—had he ruined everything with his omega, by pushing him too hard?

  “You know he’s an idiot,” Kai said rapidly in Micah’s ear. “He’s only trying to help. Don’t kill him. Please.”

  Micah held Spike’s gaze, long enough that Spike squirmed, regretting everything he did. It seemed that was enough for Mic
ah, because Micah laughed softly, flopping back down against the bed. “Oh, gods, Kai. You and Spike. You’re impossible.”

  Relief washed through Spike like a torrent. And his knees grew weak, suddenly. For a moment there... he’d been truly afraid.

  “You did it,” Kai murmured, giving Micah a deep kiss. “You did great.”

  Spike watched them, glad that he hadn’t ruined things between Kai and Micah. Then the midwife came forward with a squirming, wailing bundle.

  “Congrats on your baby girl—she’s beautiful!” The midwife set the baby carefully on Micah’s sweaty chest, a bundle of flushed red skin and some blood smears, and squinted-shut eyes and a dusting of hair.

  Her nose... it was a little bit stubby, like Spike’s. Her hair was brown, like Micah’s. And her eyes...when she squinted a little, Spike caught a glimpse of copper.

  Micah broke into a tearful smile, murmuring at their baby to soothe her. The wails subsided a little.

  That was their daughter. They were dads now. His own flesh and blood, his own baby.

  He knew the moment he felt the connection between him and that baby, the same moment Kai’s mouth fell open, and he reached forward.

  Kai trailed his fingertips down their baby’s back. Then he carefully set his palm against her, so large against her tiny body. “She’s ours,” he croaked, his throat working. His eyes filled with wonder.

  Micah met Kai’s gaze. “Ready to be a dad?”

  Kai nodded, cracking a tiny smile. “Yeah.”

  Gods, Spike loved his alpha. He’d figured Kai would come around, but to see it happen... that was something special. Kai met Spike’s gaze. In that moment, an understanding flickered between them. We’ll protect our baby girl.

  Micah cradled the tiny child against himself, his smile wobbly. When Spike could no longer stay away, he approached his omega, sheepish. “Sorry for being a pain,” Spike mumbled, glancing warily at Micah. “I just—”

  Micah closed his hand around Spike’s arm, hauling him close. “Spike Ventura,” Micah muttered, staring hard at Spike. “The nerve of you...”

  “The same nerve that started all this, right?” Spike traced his fingertips along Micah’s jaw, stroking his lower lip.