39. Hazel
Chapter 39
Hazel
B uying nursery supplies had scratched a deep, animalistic itch I didn’t even realize I had until I was in the store. I was far more at ease now that the small room to the side of my nest we’d designated as the nursery was full of soft, colorful items.
The guys had left me to my own devices as I organized and reorganized some of the drawers in the nursery. Phillip occasionally dropped by to encourage me to have a drink of water or eat a snack.
Between my own purchases and all the beautiful items Mrs. Kingswood had bought us, the nursery was looking amazing. All the things I had been gifted were exactly the right style, which was hilarious, considering I wasn’t even sure what I wanted the nursery to be when she got them for me.
While I was reorganizing the same drawer of onesies for probably the fourth time, the doorbell rang. I ignored it; one of the guys would get it.
Knowing my pack, it was probably takeout. As soon as some sensation came back to my legs, I would go and see what food they had procured. I had lost track of time while sitting crossed-legged on the nursery floor, and my limbs had gone numb.
Hopefully, it’d be Italian.
Or Mexican.
Or Thai.
Anything would have pleased me in my perpetually hungry state.
I was almost done with my reorganization when Seb entered the room, a serene smile on his face as he watched me fiddle with all the baby items.
“Hey, you okay? What food did you guys order?” I asked, putting the last onesie away and smiling at my best friend turned pack mate.
Seb shook his head. “We didn’t order food.”
“Oh, I thought I heard the doorbell ring.” I pouted at him, sad that there was no delicious food for me.
“Yeah, we had all your mail and packages forwarded from Dallas house, and a bunch of stuff just arrived.”
“Ooh!” I clapped my hands together in excitement. “Good! I swear, in my silly baby brain moments, I’ve sent so many things there. You would think I would remember I changed my address, but nope.”
“I can tell, from the small mountain that’s arrived at the house. It’s all in the kitchen. Why don’t you come get a snack, and we can work through it?”
“Sounds like a plan!” I said, lumbering after him.
The kitchen island was covered with packages. I had really been ordering a lot, but in my defense, a baby needed a lot of items!
“Did you order the whole store, sweetness?” Cormac chuckled from where he was sitting in the breakfast nook, shoving mac and cheese into his mouth.
“I like having options… and I may have gotten carried away with internet shopping a few weeks ago,” I said primly. “Do you guys want to help open these?”
“Sure,” Seb agreed.
Cormac nodded around a mouthful of food, putting his fork down and getting up.
Together, we attacked the pile. Burp cloths covered in ducklings. Pacifiers with moons and stars decorating them. There were even little baby hats with plants and farmyard animals on them.
“This baby is going to be the best prepared child in the history of babies,” Cormac joked, adding yet another pack of onesies to the growing pile. They had little turnips on them, and they were absolutely adorable. I had been powerless to say no when I saw them online.
“Better to be over prepared than under prepared.” I shrugged, grabbing another package.
“We should order them baby skates!” Cormac declared excitedly. “You know any child of ours is going to end up on the ice at some point. Best to start them young!”
Seb snorted. “Unless they have the balance of their lovely mother. Hazel can’t skate in a straight line.”
“I’m not that bad!”
He laughed. “You were on the ice for three minutes, then injured yourself.”
I pouted, throwing him a quick glare before picking up a few more packages. He followed my lead and also started going through them.
“Our child won’t be on the ice for a few years. You can take them to get outfitted when the time is right, as long as you get them all the protective gear.” I glowered at Cormac.
“Of course, sweetness! I would never let our kid go onto the ice unless they’re padded up like the Michelin Man.”
I laughed, shaking my head at that mental image.
“Did you order more wall decals?” Seb asked, cocking his head as he looked at a bulky paper envelope he had plucked from the pile.
“I don’t think so. What’s that logo?” The envelope had an official-looking emblem on it.
Seb’s eyes widened as he brought the paper closer to his face, reading the smaller print. “It’s from a lawyer’s office?”
“What?” I took the envelope out of his hand, ripping it open. The paper inside was heavy, luxurious.
Petition to establish right of custody for maternal grandparents.
My mind stuttered, reading the words several times before I could find the words.
“My parents are suing me for grandparents’ rights?” I shouted, loud enough that Seb winced before the words registered.
“What? Give me those!” he said, taking the papers off me and flicking through them.
Cormac walked to the kitchen entryway with a frown and bellowed in the direction of the stairs. “Ro! Get your ass down here! Philly boy, you too!”
My heart pounded in my chest as I desperately tried to catch my breath. Were my parents really trying to take my child away from me? The legal papers were dated only a week prior.
Cormac strode over to me, pulling me into his arms. It was like he could sense that I was about to fall apart. Tucking my head under his chin, I took several deep breaths. His sweet root beer scent was usually so calming, but nothing was going to calm me down right then.
Who was I kidding? Of course, my parent’s would try to take my child away. They were the kind of coldhearted and narcissistic people that would believe they were entitled to the child.
“What’s all the shouting about?” Roman asked sleepily as he appeared in the doorway, clearly having been woken from a nap.
“Hazel’s parents are suing for custody of the baby,” Cormac explained over my head.
My body started to tremble as I thought about what this would mean. I wouldn’t have wished my upbringing on my worst enemy, let alone my sweet, innocent child.
Roman stalked forward, snatched the papers out of Seb’s hand and started reading. His facial expressions ricocheted between shock and unadulterated rage, any trace of sleep long gone.
“What bullshit is this?” he roared.
Deep down, I knew he wasn’t angry at me, but the loud growl of an alpha made my body tremble even more. Cormac rubbed his hand along my back, soothing me.
“They’re going to try and take my baby?” I asked in a watery voice.
Roman shook his head. “There’s no way in hell we’re going to let that happen.”
“They have money and connections; they can make it happen.” I sobbed. My hands trailed down to my belly, protectively cradling my bump.
“We have more money and more connections. I’m going to message the family lawyer, and we’ll go see him as soon as possible, okay?” Roman gently cupped my cheek. Sandwiched between him and Cormac, I did my best to control my breathing.
“Why would they even want my baby? Surely, they realize with an omega mother and alpha fathers, the baby is most likely going to be either an alpha or omega. It’s not going to be a beta.”
Seb grimaced. “The idiots probably think it’s a chance to redo raising you.”
“They can’t force my child to be the perfect little monogamous beta they never had!”
“And we won’t let them,” Cormac soothed, his hand still making circles across my back.
Roman took a step back, pulling his phone out of his back pocket. “I’ll be right back. I’m going to make a call.”
“The lawyer?” Cormac asked.
Roman shot a grin my way before speaking. “My mother.”