“That’s way too cheesy, even for you,” Ulric blurted but he was getting an inkling where this was headed. His heart skipped.
Gage huffed. “Yeah, I brought cheese, too.” He reached into his overnight bag and pulled out a bottle of powdered parmesan. “Because this is going to be the cheesiest moment of our lives.”
Ulric groaned. “I can’t believe you. Gage, we’re here for a c-section and you brought a bottle of cheese.”
“At least I’m not sprinkling it on you.” Gage kissed Ulric’s knuckles. “But maybe we can do that at the wedding?”
Then he froze.
Ulric bit down his smile, but his heart was racing now. “What wedding?”
“The, uh.” Gage scowled. “Damn it.”
“Were you... going to propose?” Ulric couldn’t help smiling. He peeked between their hands—there were rings there. Gage had gotten them both rings. Simple steel bands with words engraved across their curved surface.
Ulric’s throat grew so tight, he couldn’t speak.
“Let’s just start from the beginning,” Gage muttered, mad at himself. “Ulric. Father of my children, love of my life, alpha of my heart, the most perfect person in the entire world—”
Ulric scooted close and kissed his cheek. He couldn’t let Gage do all of this himself. “Will you marry me?” Ulric asked.
Gage cracked a smile. “I’m never going to have the most perfect proposal, am I?”
But he folded their hands tightly together, leaning his forehead against Ulric’s.
“It doesn’t matter if it’s not perfect,” Ulric whispered. “You’re perfect to me.”
“Damn, babe,” Gage growled. “I love you.”
He kissed Ulric fiercely, so possessive that delight raced all the way to Ulric’s toes. So Ulric kissed him back, biting his lip, claiming his alpha’s mouth. Because he liked being possessive, too.
“Yes,” Ulric whispered. “I’ll marry you. It’ll be an honor, Gage.”
Gage’s eyes lit up; he growled and brushed his fingers through Ulric’s hair, cradling him close. Relief flickered through his eyes. “Thank fuck. Wouldn’t have known what to do if you’d said no.”
“You could ask me again.” Ulric grinned, kissing his lips.
Gage laughed. And now his entire body relaxed; he dropped kisses all over Ulric’s face. “I can’t wait for us to be husbands, babe. Such an honor.”
Ulric’s heart swelled so much, it felt like his chest might burst. Gage traced his scent all over Ulric’s skin.
When Ulric looked back at the rings, Gage took one of them, sliding it onto Ulric’s finger. “It says, ‘To the most beautiful alpha’,” Gage whispered. “‘Cuz I want you to remember that.”
Ulric’s heart fluttered. “You’re too good to me, Gage.”
“You’re my favorite person in the world.” Then Gage picked up the ring he’d gotten for himself, smiling wryly. “I’d wanted to have them carve ‘The Muffin’s Stud’ on here, but I figured it was kind of silly.”
“Aw, that would’ve been perfect.” Ulric laughed. “What do you have on yours?”
Gage showed him. In small lettering, Gage’s ring held the words, Remember where home is: Ulric. Ulric’s throat tightened. Gage kissed him again, and Ulric felt every ounce of Gage’s love in his touch.
A knock came on the door. Then the midwife stepped in, clucking at them. “Lie down on the beds, both of you. We’ll need to prep you for surgery.”
Ulric’s pulse tumbled. Gage squeezed his hand and helped him onto the bed. Then he shuffled onto his own, more nurses coming in to clean them up.
After what felt like an eternity, they were rolled into the operating theater—they’d made a special request for both of them to be in there at the same time.
The spread of scalpels was pretty fucking intimidating. The doctor set up a curtain around Ulric’s abdomen so he couldn’t see the grisly details. The nurse gave him some local anesthetic.
Ulric reached out; so did Gage. They linked their fingers across the space between their beds, oxygen masks on their faces.
That skin contact with his alpha made all the difference in the world.
He felt the faint pressure of the scalpel; Gage’s grip tightened around his own. Ulric squeezed his hand. “I’ll be fine,” he said.
But Gage looked more worried than ever. Ulric suspected that he’d feel the same when it was time for Gage to have the surgery. So he touched Gage’s wrist, the part where he’d left his bonding mark. That was a promise.
Gage’s lips thinned. Ulric wanted to go over and hug him, and tell him that everything would turn out all right.
The doctor sliced deeper and deeper. Ulric caught a glimpse of blood; Gage’s grip tightened so much, Ulric thought Gage might yank his fingers off. “I’m okay,” Ulric said.
“Fucking tell me when it’s over,” Gage muttered, his eyes narrowed. “Hate that I can’t do anything to help.”
“You’re helping.” Ulric squeezed his hand. “This helps.”
Gage huffed into his mask; Ulric focused on him instead of the disconcerting pressure of the scalpel—he didn’t know how omegas did this, either. But he now had a newfound respect for them.
As the c-section progressed, Gage held Ulric so tightly that his fingers went numb. He felt Gage’s worry thumping through his own heart, he felt Gage’s sheer hope that things would turn out okay.
Just when he thought the doctor could slice no deeper, the doctor lifted out a small, bloody shape—their baby. Ulric stopped breathing.
The nurse cleaned their baby’s airways. And Florin began to wail, tiny jerky movements of his limbs. Ulric reached out for him; the nurse set his baby gently on his chest. Florin was tiny against him, his little face and his delicate hands, his eyes shut tight.
This was his and Gage’s baby. Ulric didn’t know how, but he felt a connection to this child immediately—Florin was the most beautiful little bundle in the world. “Hey,” he murmured. “It’s me. Your other dad’s there, I’m gonna hand you over to him real soon.”
Florin fell quiet, listening to Ulric’s voice. He was adorable. And everything they’d done—the implants and the hormones and the doctor visits—that had all been worth it to have him.
When Ulric looked up, he found Gage staring at them with an intensity that made his heart tighten.
“Love you both,” Gage murmured.
Ulric brushed his wrists over Florin. A nurse brought their baby over to Gage, and Gage cradled him, blinking hard. Then he murmured at Florin and marked him, too.
Gage looked so good, holding their child.
The doctor cleaned Ulric up and stitched him back together. Soon after, the nurses gave Gage some local anesthetic, and brought over a fresh set of tools for Gage’s c-section. Ulric’s heart thumped.
“I’ll be fine,” Gage said, squeezing Ulric’s hand.
But now that he could only sit by and watch while the doctor sliced open Gage’s belly, Ulric couldn’t help feeling nervous, too. Gage’s face twitched with each incision; Ulric remembered what that had felt like. And he didn’t like the thought of Gage being cut open, even if it was necessary for the birth.
“We’ll be watching a ton of movies together after this,” Gage said. “Relax, babe.”
“I’ve already given birth,” Ulric said. “You can’t tell me to relax.”
Gage’s smile widened. “Relax.”
“If I relax enough, I’m going to piss myself.” Truthfully, Ulric wouldn’t be able to relax until they had both their babies with them, and Gage recovered from the surgery safe and sound.
“Hush,” the doctor said.
Ulric bit down his words, holding Gage’s hand. Gage squeezed his fingers.
As the c-section progressed, the doctor’s scalpel went deeper, disappearing from sight. Inside Gage. Ulric struggled to breathe, his heart thumping, his stomach twisting. Then, finally, the doctor lifted out their second child, just as bloody as Florin had been. Ulric sucke
d in a quick breath; Gage stroked his fingers.
The doctor suctioned Sage’s mouth and nose. Sage began to wail—such a wonderful sound. And the nurse brought him over to Gage, gently setting their second son on Gage’s chest, next to Florin. Ulric’s heart missed a beat.
“Hey, Sage,” Gage murmured. “This is Florin, your brother. I’m your dad, and your other dad’s waiting to come say hi.”
Ulric wanted to hold them, too. “You did it,” he told Gage, his voice rough.
“You did it, too.” Gage grinned, his arms full with their babies. Ulric would’ve reached out for him otherwise.
It wasn’t until Gage had gotten stitched up and they’d all been wheeled into the neonatal ward, that Ulric had a chance to cuddle with his family. Gage got permission to push their hospital beds together. He and Ulric shuffled sideways until they lay next to each other, their arms brushing, one son on each of their chests.
Then Gage rested his head against Ulric’s, bringing Ulric’s hand up to kiss his fingers. “This is what it’ll look like when we get home, too.”
Gods, Ulric looked forward to that. Gage helped ease Sage onto Ulric’s chest, next to his brother. And now there were two children on Ulric—the babies that he and Gage had been carrying for so long. Two lives that he and Gage had created together. They smelled sweet, along with Gage’s clove and Ulric’s anise scent. They smelled like family.
“They’re so beautiful, babe.” Gage smile warmed Ulric’s entire body. “Can’t wait ‘til we can snuggle together with these guys.”
Ulric had a sudden vision of all of them together, the boys growing up happy in their home, Gage with him every step of the way. Ulric would make sure that his children both knew they were loved.
It hadn’t been an easy journey, facing his fears, his poor regard of himself. But then he’d met Gage. And Gage had showed him that he was worthy of love; Gage had proved over and over that he would be there for Ulric no matter what.
Ulric could look at himself without cringing now. He could appreciate the sight of Gage kissing his bare body—he could almost see what his alpha saw in him.
His heart full of gratitude and love, Ulric held his children close, bringing Gage’s wrist to his lips. He kissed the silver scar on Gage’s scent gland. “Thank you for being mine,” Ulric murmured, so happy he could cry.
Gage’s smile in return was full of joy. “Forever yours, babe.”
Epilogue
“Dino roar!” Sage stuck his fingers out in an imitation of a T-rex’s claws, chasing Gage through the living room. “Eat Papa!”
Gage laughed and ran away in slow-motion, giving Sage a chance to catch up. Before Sage could, Florin cornered Gage from the other side of the couch, flapping his arms like one of the flying dinosaurs.
“I eat, I eat!” Florin tried to bite at Gage; Gage had the good sense to stay away from those teeth. Except Florin latched onto him anyway, tiny teeth gnawing at his pant leg.
“Nooo,” Gage groaned. “I’m being eaten! Daddy, save me!”
“Technically, I’m not old enough to be your daddy,” Ulric said, biting down a laugh.
Gage rolled his eyes. “Not that sort of daddy.”
Ulric grinned. “I think that new dino cartoon was a fantastic idea. Keeps them occupied, lets their imagination run wild.”
“Yeah? Are you going to turn into a dinosaur and eat me, too?” Gage grasped Sage and swung him up into the air; Sage shrieked in delight. At his feet, Florin reached up, wanting a Sky High Fly too.
In a way, Gage was glad Sage and Florin weren’t identical twins—it would’ve been so difficult to tell them apart. Unlike his brother’s green eyes, Florin’s were hazel like Ulric’s, except they both had Gage’s dark hair.
Ulric strode over, swinging Florin into the air. Florin squealed. “Maybe I’ll eat you later,” Ulric said. “After these dino terrors have gone to bed.”
“Terrors!” Florin said, smiling toothily.
“Yeah, definitely terrors.” Gage hugged Sage close, flopping down onto the couch. Moments later, Ulric followed suit, Florin squirming on his lap.
The boys had turned two a couple months back. They’d gone to the park to celebrate, Florin and Sage sharing a birthday cake. Ulric had picked it out; after the initial cake-eating, Gage had fed Ulric some of the leftovers in bed.
After spending entire days with their boys, sometimes it was nice just to have some quiet time with his alpha, too.
Sage squirmed off Gage’s lap, squeezing with Florin onto Ulric. “Me, me, me!”
“What do you want, hon?” Ulric asked.
“Hug!” Sage beamed.
Ulric laughed and pulled both boys into a hug.
Having Sage and Florin didn’t just bring Gage and Ulric closer—the children had loved Ulric from the very first day. Gage had witnessed Ulric’s delight when he played with them, he’d seen Ulric looking at himself in a mirror, only for any wistfulness to fade away when one of the children tottered up to him, wanting kisses.
Slowly, over these years, Gage had convinced Ulric that he was beautiful all the way around. Ulric still had curves, and Gage especially loved his ample ass. Sometimes he thought maybe Ulric might get tired of how much Gage grabbed his butt, except Ulric always smiled whenever Gage did that. These days, Ulric walked more confidently, he held his head higher.
Ulric thrived when he was loved; Gage was only too happy to give it all to him.
“You’re beautiful,” Gage whispered in his alpha’s ear. “My stud muffin babe.”
Ulric snorted, elbowing Gage lightly. But the compliment turned the tips of his ears pink.
“Damn, Ulric.” Gage caught Ulric’s chin and kissed him full on the lips. Every time Ulric got flustered, Gage wanted to pin him down and kiss him senseless. “So glad I married you.”
He stroked the ring on Ulric’s finger, remembering Ulric walking down the aisle with him, hand in hand, Gage’s family surrounding them. Their neighbors had been there, too. So had Gage’s cousin, Jesse, and his family. They’d all shaken powdered cheese onto the aisle.
Ulric had been breathtakingly beautiful in his suit, promising to be Gage’s. Then Gage had kissed him, and like a lot of the times he kissed Ulric, everything else faded away, leaving just them and their little family, Ulric the most perfect person in Gage’s life.
Ulric’s parents hadn’t been at the wedding. His mom had said something about her failing business. Gage was kind of glad they were absent—they’d ended up sharing that day with people who were happy to see them married. And that was important.
“You know, I don’t think we’ve danced since the wedding.” Gage nudged his husband. “Dance with me, babe.”
Ulric cracked a smile. “Right now?”
“Why not? We could show Florin and Sage, too.”
The only other time Gage had seen Ulric dance was when he’d done it with Wilkie, back in the kitchen so long ago. Gage pulled Ulric to his feet; the boys scampered off, and Ulric put on the waltz music they’d played after the wedding. The dulcet notes of a saxophone purred through the room; Gage’s heart skipped.
“Still remember how to dance?” Ulric grinned mischievously.
“You might have to show me.” Gage held Ulric close, squeezing his love handles. “Gorgeous.”
Ulric let Gage lead the dance—really because it was easier for him to match Gage’s footwork, than for Gage to try and keep up.
Joy bloomed through Ulric’s face as the music filled their chests. Fifteen seconds in, the boys came running up, reaching for Gage and Ulric, wanting to join in. Ulric laughed.
“Is there such a thing as a family waltz?” Gage asked. “Four of us in a circle?”
“I don’t know, but I’ve seen two-year-olds dance before.” Ulric looked excited. “I think we’ll be able to teach them.”
They had Sage and Florin join in, one boy on each side. Ulric started the music over, showing their children the basic steps of a waltz. Five minutes in, the boys were m
imicking him, fumbling a little, but they were all having fun.
Then the boys got distracted, Florin wandering off to cuddle with his stuffed dino, Sage following him. Gage pulled Ulric back into a slow waltz, pressing their bodies together.
None of Gage’s internet mailing list had this kind of fortune.
“What’s so funny?” Gage frowned.
“Nothing.” Ulric bit down his smile. “It’s just... I used to imagine you had this mailing list. You know how some online stores have a button? ‘Notify me when this item becomes available again.’ Except it was a mailing list for when you became available.”
Gage furrowed his brow. “Why?”
“Because everyone would want a piece of you!” Ulric laughed. “I figured there’d be a long line of people waiting for your attention—five hundred? Two thousand? And I’d never get a chance.”
Gage shook his head, smiling, too. “I suppose that’s possible. None of those mailing list people got me, though.”
“Nope.” Ulric looked at Gage’s arms around him, so happy that Gage’s heart skipped.
As the next song began, Gage pulled Ulric into yet another dance.
“How about we do this for the rest of our lives?” Gage murmured, kissing his alpha. “You and me and our children, and all the love in the world.”
Ulric turned his hand toward Gage, his ring sitting snug on his finger. The warmth in his gaze melted Gage’s heart. “I already promised it, Gage. You’d better be in for the long haul.”
Gage laughed and kissed him harder, grateful for everything. “Definitely, babe.”
Gage and Ulric’s bonus scene will go out to my mailing list subscribers on Jun 18, 2020, so be sure to subscribe before then! Alternatively, you’ll find all Meadow Street Brothers bonus scenes on my reader group (Anna’s Wine Shack) - join us, we’re a friendly bunch!!
Don’t want to leave Meadowfall yet? Read about Jesse and Dom’s story in Alpha in Heat - and get ready for more rough alpha/alpha sex! :D (Jesse doesn’t know he has a uterus for the longest time… until he finds out in the most shocking way!)
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