19. Bellamira
Chapter nineteen
Bellamira
Adira and I sat outside at one of the small tables on the deck while Nyla laid on a blanket in the grass with Lettie happily babbling, crawling around, and ripping out the previously perfect greenery. Lettie had her morning meal while the three of us had coffee and were waiting for Elera and Hazelle to come down for breakfast.
I knew what they were up to, and it made me smirk against my coffee mug as I took another sip. I was pleased that my mother seemed to accept Hazelle. If she didn’t, there were other ways to show just how infatuated Elera was with her, but I knew they’d be reluctant if it came to that.
Thankfully, I didn’t think it would.
“How are things really?” Adira jogged me from my thoughts, and I set down my mug.
We were all dressed much more casually than usual. Nyla had on a flowing dark blue skirt and a simple white crop top on. Adira was in tight black leather pants and an oversized charcoal gray crop top as well. As for me, my dress was simple, dark red, with my signature corseted top and a flowing skirt that went to my knees. The sleeves were a few inches wide, accommodating my large breasts so my shoulders didn’t hurt anymore than they had to.
I didn’t need to exude power today outside of my natural aura. Although, my stilettos wouldn’t hurt.
“They’re as good as they seem, Adira. Elera and I are truly happy with how things have unfolded. Hazelle has been a lovely addition, and I don’t see that changing. Even if I lost interest, I could never remove her from Elera without hearing about it constantly. She’d bring my mother and everyone else into it.” I bit the inside of my lip, letting a semblance of weakness out. Adira was the one person who I could do that around. She never judged, and typically, she knew exactly where I was coming from.
It wasn’t a real worry, but what ifs plagued everyone.
I know what you mean. I don’t think I could ever bring in another after finding Nyla.” She placed her boot covered foot on the ground and sat back as she watched her mate.
“It’s different for you. Nyla is your true mate. You got lucky from the beginning.” Her lips pulled up into a smile as Lettie let out an incredibly loud screech. “Not that I think I’m any less lucky. We are proof that fate isn’t everything.”
“Truer words, Bella.” Adira sighed and sat forward. “I never expected an infertile Omega to be sold in such a way. She was lucky.”
“Everything you’re thinking already happened, Addie.” Her eyes darkened. “They sold her after they got bored, but she was used as a toy, one without consequences, for years.”
“I truly hate this world and the Alphas in it.” Adira gripped her coffee cup, and I was worried it would shatter at any moment. She was more passionate about the atrocities found in our culture than I was. I protected what was mine and did what I could to save others and place them, but she took a higher interest, especially since finding Nyla. The what ifs haunted her too. “She’s pregnant. Only a month in though.”
“That’s sooner than I expected.” That was a statement for her alone. Other Alphas would have impregnated her the moment her next heat set after birthing the previous child, but I was glad to say my immediate circle was nothing like that.
“Certainly sooner than I wanted. She deserves time with Lettie, alone, and Lettie deserves time with us without a sibling vying for attention as well.”
“You’ll make it work. Just plan to have family time and solo time with each of them and each other. Like everything else, it’s about knowing them and finding balance.” I leaned forward. “And it’s not like you can’t afford a nanny to be around to help out. They don’t have to be a substitute for an absent parent. They can be a helper, ensuring the children get what they need and you, as parents, get the help you need as well.”
“For someone who can’t have children, you speak as if you’ve had many,” Adira jested, and I laughed with her.
“I’m not an idiot, Adira. I’ve been prepared since I made the deal with Elera’s parents. She might want some one day, whether they are hers or we adopt.”
“I think that’s a lovely idea,” Nyla said as she stepped onto the deck with Lettie and the blanket in her arms. “The sun is a little too bright, and I don’t want her to get burned.” She adjusted the blanket on the wooden floor and let Lettie do her thing again, roaming around and pulling at things, my shoe included.
“I’m sure Lettie would appreciate some cousins as well since Roe doesn’t seem to be in any hurry.” Adira knelt down and grabbed Lettie, blowing a raspberry on her cheek.
“I have thoughts about that, but none I want to voice right now. But don’t you worry. We will find him a place sooner than later, even if we have to fight my mother to make it happen.” We all laughed, knowing as long as the Alpha was a kind one, she wouldn’t cause a fuss in the least.
Footsteps sounded from inside before the glass door slid open and Elera and Hazelle stepped out, freshly showered and dressed. Elera had on a pale blue sundress with a high neck leading to short sleeves and a low back with a bow at the base of her neck keeping it all up. Hazelle was in dark washed high-waisted jean shorts and a mustard yellow bandeau top with a small white bow on the front. They both had on flats, white and black respectively, preparing for our later adventures.
“Good morning, My Mistress.”
“Did you sleep well, Mistress Belle?”
They spoke at the same time and came to kiss me in greeting.
“Good morning, my pets. I did. And what have you two been up to?” I smirked, pulling Hazelle closer as her face turned bright red.
“Oh, well, we did things, then showered.”
“Where we did more things as Hazelle said, My Mistress,” Elera teased Hazelle, poking her in the side, producing a giggle from the ticklish Omega.
“And what are these things you did?”
“Cut it out, Bella. She might only be nine months old, but I don’t want her hearing about your pets’ sexcapades.” Adira rolled her eyes and stood up with Lettie in her arms. “Are you hungry again, you little monster? I am. Let’s go eat.” She didn’t wait for any of us before entering the house and sitting at the dining room table.
We all laughed and followed her in, taking our seats before enjoying a simple breakfast of waffles, fruit, and juice.
We decided to spend the rest of the morning exploring the shops. Nyla, Elera, and Hazelle were given free reign today, and we would end the shopping spree with lunch before parting ways.
Lettie stayed in Adira’s arms or her stroller as we walked around, keeping our eyes on our loved ones.
“What about this?” Nyla asked the others as she held up a sheer black dress similar to the burgundy one Hazelle wore last night. “We could match!”
“Really? You want to match with me?” Hazelle’s voice was filled with awe and worry. She looked at Elera, then back at Nyla.
“Yes, really! That’s what friends do. Or I used to do that when I had friends.” Nyla grimaced, then started to put the dress back on the rack. “It’s silly. We don’t have to.”
“No, no! I’d love to. I’m new to all of this. I didn’t want you doing it because you felt like you had to include me.”
“Oh, no, I want to do it. I think we’d be a cute trio, don’t you?” Nyla pulled the dress back out and looked around. “Do you already have something like this, Elera? I don’t see anything in a good color for you.” That was true. The only other options were a pale purple and yellow that clashed with her skin tone.
“I do, actually. It’s a dark blue.”
“Perfect! I definitely have something to go under it, but I’ve never had something like this before.” They all laughed and chatted about how they’d have to have a girls night with just them and these would be their uniforms for it.
“What have we done, Addie?” I whispered.
“Created two families that actually enjoy each other.”
“Sounds too good to be true.”
“Yeah, it does.”
We both stood there, gobsmacked by the idea that our hard work and attempts to be better than the others was paying off.
Lunch was at The Boug, a tapas restaurant. With the variety of smaller dishes, we ordered an overabundance to make sure everyone had something they liked, and we were all full by the end.
We had cheese and bread, an ocean medley with crostini, lamb shank with a red wine sauce and mashed potatoes, a bossam platter, chicken shawarma with toum, beef and veggie empanadas, and a large caesar salad.
Everyone filled their plates, Lettie included who got bits and pieces of everything that was appropriate.
“What do you think, Hazelle?”
“Hm?” she said around a mouthful of shawarma. I laughed, enjoying the humorous sight, and a sense of pride swept through me. She had come so far, and food was a thing of joy now.
“That answered it. It’s delicious, isn’t it?” I took a bite of the lamb shank, loving the texture of the meat to fat ratio and the slightly gamey flavor that was unlike anything else I had tasted. The sauce mixed perfectly, adding to the robust dish.
A chunk of cheese flew onto the table, and we all stopped and stared at Lettie. Adira’s nickname of little monster was never more fitting as she let out a grunted growl followed by a squeal as she mashed her food offerings together on the high chair.
“Wow,” Hazelle breathed out. “Is that normal?”
“Sadly, yes.” Nyla let out on a sigh. “Very, very, annoyingly, messily normal.”
“And to think you’ll have two doing that soon.”
Nyla gasped and turned to Adira, anger blazing in her eyes.
“Another baby!” Elera shrieked, scooting closer to Nyla. “Really? How long?”
Nyla gave in, giving Adira a pass for the moment, but I knew there’d be hell to pay later.
“Only a month, so we have a long way to go, but I’m hoping we have an Omega. We can’t change the way things are without teaching all designations their worth.” The sincerity in Nyla’s voice was awe inspiring, and her words were truer than I wanted to admit.
“I never thought of it that way, but you’re right, Nyla. It starts with people like Adira and My Mistress.” Elera’s eyes lit up as she looked at me, and I knew we would be having a conversation sooner than later, but we both knew Hazelle needed more time before chaos reigned in our house again.
“Can we babysit?” Hazelle’s question caught us off guard, but Nyla and Adira agreed immediately.
“Of course! If you want to take this monster off our hands for an evening, we would be so grateful. I love her with all my heart, but she’s…”
“A lot?”
“I was going to say insane, but yes, a lot works too.” Nyla wiped Lettie’s face but gave up after she rubbed more across her cheeks, trying to eat more lamb. “Stay a pigsty, then, but you’ll be getting a bath when we get home.”
That didn’t sound like such a bad idea, especially with Monday looming overhead and another week of work. At least my hours were adjusted, and more time with my pets was on the horizon.