by Aria Grace
“No.” I tugged on his hand until his gaze found mine. “Dr. Harrison’s idea sounds like the best plan.” I indicated the door which now had the nurse holding his scrubs in it. “You get dressed so you can be with me through all of this.”
“I love you,” he whispered before nodding and heading to meet the nurse. Dr. Martin was more than right that he’d have puked if he saw just what they were going to do to me next.
It turned out that Dr. Martin had been worthy of the other doctor’s praise, and he had me ready for surgery in record time. Unlike in the last hospital, they had me walk myself to the OR with Coop dressed head to toe in medical garb and holding my hand the entire trip. My other hand was occupied by pushing my IV cart. All kinds of dead man walking jokes popped into my head, but I held them, not wanting to add any more stress to Coop.
The OR was filled with more people than I had imagined when Dr. Harrison said there would be extras. It was reassuring having a set of people there just for the baby and the others all seemed nice enough when they introduced themselves. Of course, knowing they were all watching as I climbed on the table and flashed them all made it a little awkward.
Not as awkward as when they all watched me get my catheter, but my comfort was the least of my concerns. I wanted to know all was well with my baby, and that we’d both make it through in one piece. As they put up the blue paper screen, the one they used to prevent me from seeing what they were doing and probably to keep fathers from passing out, they fastened my arms to the boards on the side of the table. I knew it was for my safety and that of my baby, but feeling so restricted had tears forming in my eyes.
“Shhh, love.” Coop wiped away my tears. “You’ve got this.”
And he was right, I did. Only ten minutes later, I heard the beautiful sound of our child crying as the doctor announced we had a beautiful baby girl. The time from her initial scream until they laid her on my chest was the longest of my life. Hearing her but being unable to see her was almost too much. They offered to let Coop follow them to where they were weighing, measuring, and cleaning her up, but he refused to leave my side.
When the time finally came for the nurse to settle her on my chest, my arms now free, the tears came in earnest, but unlike before, they were tears of pure, unadulterated joy.
26
Coop
It was touch and go for a while there, but Ash proved just how strong he is by recovering faster than any of us expected. And despite seeming like forever, I was finally taking my husband and new baby daughter home to meet her sister.
Sylvia was just weeks away from her first birthday when we carried Kaitlyn into Killian’s house for the first time. She wasn’t walking on her own yet, but the few days she spent with her cousin must have given her the courage to start walking along furniture because she seemed ten times faster than she had a few days earlier.
As soon as she saw Ash, she walked along the sofa and then took two steps toward us before dropping to her knees then crawling to Ash’s feet.
“My baby.” Ash immediately scooped her up and into his arms. “I missed you so much. You look like you’ve grown in the past week.”
Marcus tsked. “She eats more than Ez does. That kid is gonna be a linebacker if you let her.”
I smiled at that. Killian used to always say the same thing about me when I was a kid. And now that Sylvia had a mouthful of teeth, she really did enjoy eating. A lot.
“A girl after my own heart.” I pulled her out of Ash’s arms and gave her a tight snuggle. I missed her so damn much. “Are you ready to meet your baby sister?” I asked Sylvia while Ash lifted Kaitlyn out of her baby carrier.
“No.” Sylvia shook her head. “Me.”
“Yes, you’re our big girl. A big sister. And you have a baby sister named Kaitlyn.” I held Sylvia close to her sister so she could get a good look.
She turned her head away in disgust. “Me.”
Oh, this is going to be fun. “Yes, Sylvia.” I gave her a kiss on her cheek. “You are a big sister now.”
She slowly turned to look at Kaitlyn. She didn’t seem impressed, but I knew that would come in time. I’m sure Killian thought the same way about me when I first came home. And that reminded me of something I needed to tell Ash.
“Hey, babe. If you’re up for it on Saturday, Killian and Marcus are doing a little birthday party for Ez. He turns two next week.”
Ash started to nod then his face turned almost white. His eyes were wide as he looked at me. “What day is today?”
“The fifth, why?” I carried Sylvia to the sofa and sat down, expecting Ash to follow with the baby. When he didn’t, I started to get worried. “Ash, why? What’s going?”
“Sylvia’s birthday is in three days.” He shuffled to couch and sat beside me. “I can’t believe I almost forgot about it.”
I wrapped my arm around his shoulder and pulled him to my side. “You didn’t forget. You’ve just been distracted. But it’s fine. We can do something for her at family dinner. I’ll talk to Marcus and Mama and we’ll handle it.”
Ash just shook his head and closed his eyes. “I’m already failing to juggle two babies. That’s why people my age shouldn’t have kids.”
“Stop that!” I gave his shoulder a shake. “You’re an amazing father. Do you hear me?”
He just shrugged. “So we can still do some kind of party for Sylvia...with only three days’ notice?”
I kissed his temple. “Let me make a few calls.”
Ash had absolutely nothing to worry about. When I explained the situation to Marcus, he went into full-blown party planning mode. His little girl was only three months old yet he had the energy of three alphas. I expected a small cake and maybe a few balloons, but when we arrived at Killian’s place for the joint party for Sylvia and Ezekiel, I was blown away.
Apparently, Chloe heard there would be a gathering of people in need of pets, so she had a full petting zoo set up in the yard with animals ready for adoption. That little girl was on a mission and the fact that her dad was a local vet just gave her plenty of animals to work with. I wasn’t surprised to see cats, dogs, and a potbellied pig. But the goats were a new addition to her program to get all the local animals in need of adoption placed into forever homes.
Sylvia wanted to visit the animals, but we diverted her through the house to say hello to Mama. As expected, Mama immediately pulled her granddaughter into her arms and showered her with love and kisses. “My sweet girl is already a year old!”
“Me.” Sylvia wrapped her arms around Mama’s neck as if claiming her as her own. She still hadn’t completely warmed up to having to share her world with a new baby, but I wasn’t worried. It was actually a good reminder for me and Ash to give Sylvia equal one-on-one time. If she was slightly easier going, we might have focused too much on Kaitlyn and that wouldn’t have been fair to our sweet Sylvia.
“Yes, you’re Grandma’s first baby girl. My special girl who is having a birthday party today.” Mama pointed to the pink princess cake sitting on the kitchen counter. “That’s for you.”
“Me!” Sylvia started bouncing and pointing to the cake. “Me!”
“Not yet, sweetheart.” Ash took her from Mama’s arms. “Let’s see where your cousin is so we can wish him a happy birthday too.”
Ash disappeared to the backyard with Sylvia while Mama waited for me to take Kaitlyn from the carrier.
“She’s so beautiful, Coop. I’m so proud of you.” I gave my sleeping baby a kiss on the head then handed her to Mama.
“Thanks, but I didn’t do it alone.” I looked out the window to find Ash. He was surrounded by a group of friends holding gifts for Sylvia. “Thank god…”
She cuddled the small bundle in her arm then patted my cheek with her free hand. “You’re already a better husband and father than many in your position would be. Don’t ever forget how much you’re loved.”
“I know, Mama.” I wrapped my arm behind her back and gave her a half hug. “I won’t.”
27
Ash
“You think Killian is pulling it off?” I asked Mama.
“If he hasn’t figured it out already, we’re safe. Killian’s a vault.” She smiled back at me, her hair in a loose bun, wisps of baby’s breath adding just a touch of elegance. She’d been my partner in crime as we planned the surprise wedding.
I’d known from the get-go that Coop had romantic visions of fancy tuxedos and a cake that was taller than me when he bought the ring I wore. Life, however, had other ideas, and while we would both treasure our first wedding day, even if it was while I was on bedrest, in a room the size of a matchbook, wearing flannel pajamas, we both needed this—a real wedding like that out of a story book.
Three months after our beautiful Kaitlyn was born, we were going to be wed, surrounded by family, friends, and oh so many flowers. When I went to Mama with my idea, she nearly knocked me over as she wrapped her arms around me with gusto. At least I knew where Coop got his love of weddings.
I’d always been indifferent about them, never envisioning myself as being married, much less that omega who offered a five-course dinner served in a glamorous tent complete with dance floor and twinkling lights. Turned out past Ash had been wrong, and I was very much that omega.
Try as I may, Mama refused to take a dime for any of the wedding expenses. She had received some settlement over the gas explosion that destroyed her home and repeated until she was blue in the face that she always dreamed of giving her boy the wedding he always wanted. After many failed attempts to convince her otherwise, I conceded and that was when things really started to happen. It was hard to tamper her exuberances, not with the joy that beamed off her, so I embraced it instead.
“The kids are all with Marcus?” I asked as the horse and buggy pulled up to the house.
“All four. I think it’s giving him ideas,” she mused. It was giving her ideas as well. Mama would be happy if her sons gave her an entire soccer team worth of grandbabies.
“I’m pretty sure Marcus had those ideas already.” Marcus loved being a father more than anything, and it was no secret he had his eyes on a spectacularly large family. “I’d be surprised if he wasn’t holding back on announcing another pregnancy just to not steal my thunder.”
“You too!” She clapped, bouncing on the balls of her feet. “I thought it was me and all my wishful thinking.”
“You know Coop and I are done,” I reminded her, not wanting to think about it too much. When the doctor told me I needed to shut down my baby factory only moments after they gave me Kaitlyn to nurse for the first time, I gave them the okay. It wasn’t until we got home that the impact of what they had done slammed into me. I wasn’t unrealistic. I knew that after the potentially deadly pregnancy I’d just endured that having more babies was beyond reckless, but the finality of it still tugged on my heart a bit.
“I do, and you two were meant to give me two beautiful granddaughters.” She kissed my cheek and gave my hand a squeeze. “Marcus, though? Marcus was sent to give me at least eight.”
“He might have something to say about that.” I scoffed because that man was probably thinking ten...but still.
“True enough.” Her phone buzzed and she pulled it out. “That’s Killian.” She turned it in my direction, holding it too close for me to read even if she weren’t about to do it for me. “He’s five minutes out. Let’s do this thing.”
“You are so romantic, Mama.” I chuckled.
“Get in the buggy already.”
I climbed in, trying my best not to wrinkle my tux. The driver took us to the “hiding” spot as Mama prepared for her part in getting Coop to the altar.
After what felt like an eternity, the driver got a text letting him know it was time, and we were off to meet my groom. Technically, he was my husband, but same difference.
As we rounded the corner, Coop stood at the end of the aisle, waiting for me. He looked amazing standing there in his tux, his joy obvious to anyone who saw him. As we came to a stop, he approached the buggy, holding his hand out to me. I took it, and he helped me down the stairs and directly into his arms.
“You look good enough to eat. New suit?” He kissed my neck where he would later mark me. We’d already decided to wait until we had our second wedding to complete the mating ritual. He thought that would be a year from now, as we’d originally discussed. That would have allowed him to take a longer vacation after having been with the company long enough to bank his time. Change of plans. We could still take that vacation in a year, but the wedding had waited long enough.
“It’s a special day.” I nipped his earlobe the way I knew he liked. Not that I should’ve been doing any of that given the far larger group gathered in front of us than I had anticipated. Mama. “Surprised?”
“Like you wouldn’t believe.” He leaned in, kissing me soundly and stopping only as the cheering began. “Sounds like our cue.”
We walked down the aisle, arm in arm, to the music of a harp because—Mama. We reached the pastor, a real one this time, and we kept our hands intertwined as we spoke our vows. Not a dry eye was in the place except for Ez who was singing some song about a train at the top of his lungs, much to Marcus’ dismay. I’d completely missed it the day of our wedding, but videography was a wonderful thing.
The rest of the afternoon, we dance, laughed, ate our wedding lasagna, and enjoyed our time with family. I couldn’t have imagined a better day. Of course, for the last hour or so, I was ready for the day to be over and our night to begin.
I’d been Coop’s from that very first day, even if I hadn’t admitted it to myself. I legally became his that afternoon in our bedroom when our future was in question due to my medical issues, and he became legally mine for all of our friends and family. I was ready to be his in all ways, and tonight I would.
The hotel I booked for the night was extravagant, but Coop was worth every penny. He kissed me in the elevator, as we walked down the hall to the room, and on every step of the way from the door to the bed. In my mind, I wanted to slowly strip out of my tux while Coop sat back and relaxed. But in the heat of the moment, we tore at each other’s clothes as if they were on fire.
But the fires were burning just below the fabric and deep within our hearts. “I love you, Coop.”
Coop shoved my pants down my legs, taking my boxers with them as they fell to the floor. “You too. Now get these damn things off.”
I laughed at his excitement as I rid myself of every last stitch of clothing and hopped onto the bed. He stood at the end of the bed, naked and staring at me with a hunger in his eyes I’d never seen before. “I love you so fucking much, Ash.”
My heart felt like it would burst out of my chest as he crawled over my body. The anticipation of finally sealing our mate bond was intense, and my mind wasn’t able to focus on all the sensations I felt. So I focused on the only one that mattered. Coop closed his lips over mine and kissed me with a fire that was almost tangible between us.
With every swipe of his tongue and press of his lips, I gave him more and more of myself. He worked my body open with his hand but his mouth opened up my heart. All the words that he’d said out loud and through kisses filled me with a happiness I never thought possible. And when Coop finally entered me, my focus followed his mouth as it moved across my jaw and down my neck to the place where he bit into me.
I sucked his tender skin into my mouth and bit down on him at the exact same time, making him mine in a way that went beyond rings and paper. The change in me was almost instant and I knew everything would be right in my world until the day I died.
Upcoming MPregs
From Aria Grace and Lorelei M Hart
From Aria Grace
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