Epilogue
Oriana
I n just a few short hours, I would have everything I’d ever dreamed of. Despite the painful contractions, I was smiling when I walked into the birthing center.
My pack could not say the same. Shockingly, Roman, Hudson, and Tate were a mess. Cameron and Lane were my rock through it all, making sure everyone had what they needed, loading me in the car, and getting us here in record time.
In fact, Cameron had been that way the entire pregnancy. He’d rubbed my feet when they were swollen, made sure I had every craving, even at ungodly hours of the night, and was reading just about every book he could on pregnancy, babies, and parenting.
Sometimes, it still hit me right in the chest when I thought about how far we’d come.
A little over a year ago, I was a mess, driving into town expecting the worst, only to find my entire future waiting for me. In fact, part of my future was already by my side, I just didn’t know it yet.
Hiring Tate, Hudson, and Lane as my fake pack was one of the best decisions I ever made. What had started as such a petty way to get back at Cameron turned into a pack that was really mine—one that stuck by me through the drama and ensured that I had the life that I deserved.
That we all deserved.
Now, here we are, almost a year later, about to welcome our sweet little girl to the world.
Back at our pack house, we were already ready for the new phase of our lives. Thanks to the baby shower, and her daddies already wanting to spoil her rotten, we had everything we could ever need.
There were bassinets waiting in most of the rooms. In fact, they each had one in their bedrooms, along with her crib in our master bedroom.
The nursery was painted a blush pink, the décor a mix of white and gold, accenting it perfectly. The room was sweet and elegant, and I loved everything about it.
“If I pass out, somebody catch me,” Roman said as we were led to our room. We found a birthing center not far from home that had everything we needed.
In fact, when I started having contractions, they already had Henry over at Mama Whittaker’s and had the car warming up.
At least Lane had. Cameron was busy trying to whip the others into shape when they were in their freak-out moment.
Roman nearly passed out once already, and Tate was barely holding it together, looking more freaked out than I’d ever seen him. It was completely out of character.
Hudson was no longer stoic, but practically frantic, afraid that we’d forget something or not get there in time. He developed a fear of me giving birth in the car after one video a few months ago.
Sometimes, alphas were dramatic.
“Welcome in, Whitaker pack. Are we ready to meet your daughter soon?” Nurse Jennings called out. She had been the one we’d had all our consultations and meet-and-greets with, along with Dr. Marks.
He was a kind beta who looked like a huge nerd and was incredibly intelligent and compassionate. Every one of my mates liked him.
He was the perfect man for the role, easing the guys’ worries as much as he could during our initial visits, and I had a feeling he’d be doing more of that today.
Nurse Jennings made quick work of getting me changed into a gown that was much better than the standard hospital gown and walked us through a lot of the procedures.
I whimpered as another contraction hit, this one nearly bringing me to my knees.
Thankfully, Cameron and Lane were on either side of me, catching me and leading me to the bed.
Nurse Jennings was already moving, hooking me up to the monitors to watch the contractions on the screen. I barely caught my breath when another one hit.
“Looks like it’s baby time,” she said, rushing out to get the doctor.
“Oh god, oh god,” Roman started. He rushed to my side and held my hand. I don’t know who was squeezing harder—him or me—but it didn’t matter. Having him there was keeping me sane.
Now that we were facing the moment of truth, they were all calming down and putting me first like I knew they would. They followed every order that the doctor and nurse gave them when they walked back in.
After a quick exam, the doctor was scrubbing his hands and having the nurse help him into gloves, the staff getting the sterile environment ready and walking the guys through the steps.
Then he was settled at the end of the bed, guiding my feet into the stirrups.
“Alright, Oriana, are you ready to push?”
Famous last words.
The next couple of hours were a blur of pain, me yelling at my pack, and them taking everything with a smile.
There was a steady flow of gentle words from my pack assuring me that I was doing an amazing job.
Then I pushed one final time, and a few beats later, I heard it—the beautiful cries of my baby girl—before she was put against my chest.
Tears welled in my eyes as I looked down at her. We never had any intentions of finding out who the biological father was, because they would all be her dads, but as I looked down at her it was obvious.
She was a perfect mix of me and Lane. The odds of a beta getting me pregnant were slim, but leave it to him to beat the odds.
Honestly, he was the perfect dad to go first. This was his family and it was growing. Something he’d always wanted.
Our daughter had copper hair, just like me, and her rounded cheeks and little nose looked like my baby pictures.
But her teal eyes and the shape of her face, was all Lane.
“She’s beautiful,” Lane was the first to break the silence. “Just like her mama.”
“There you are, sweet little Bailey,” Cameron said in a soft voice. He was the only other one who knew I’d settled on a baby name.
Bailey settled as Cameron broke out in a soft lullaby. The one he sang to her every night before bed.
I swear my heart exploded in my chest. One body was never meant to contain so much love.
I adored my pack. They were the perfect protectors, some of my best friends. They knew me better than I knew myself and made sure that I was never truly alone. Now, looking down at my baby in my arms, and seeing the love glowing on their faces, I knew they’d be even better fathers.
Holding my daughter, and knowing the waiting room was filled with grandparents and uncles—some by blood and some honorary—that this little girl would have a life full of family, and one loyal pup that would never leave her side.
Three days later, I was finally back home. I’d never been more grateful to see our pack house.
Hudson and Lane helped me inside and settled me on the couch. Cameron quickly got a fire going while Roman carried the car seat with our baby inside. Tate grabbed a few blankets and brought over the bassinet, though I doubt we’d need them much. This little girl didn’t get put down often, and I had no intentions of starting now.
In fact, the car ride was a little bit too long in between the last time I held her.
As if they could read my mind, in moments, my sweet girl was back in my arms—Bailey Vivian Whitaker. Named after a grandmother she hadn’t met.
Lane had openly cried when I announced it, then held our girl, telling her all about the woman she was named after.
While I respected the need for most families to stay away after the birth and let the pack acclimate, I wanted mine close. Brandon was dying to visit and they’d all given us space once they knew she was born.
And I wanted my dad.
When I heard the tires on gravel, I couldn’t help but grin. He was going to love Bailey as much as he loved me.
The door flung open without a single knock, and soon Brandon was rushing inside.
“Where’s my baby?” he demanded, eyes searching me out. His smile widened when he saw me.
I expected him to go right for Bailey, but instead, his hands found my head, placing a kiss there and checking in on me.
“How are you feeling, Little Bird?”
“Exhausted and happier than I thought possible.”
“I remember that feeling well,” he said, giving me a gentle look. Finally, his eyes drifted down to Bailey, and I watched him fall in love with her.
“You can hold her,” I said. He sat down next to me in the seat that Hudson had vacated and held Bailey close.
“Hello, Baby Bird,” he said, giving her a variation of the same nickname he’d given me.
Tears welled in my eyes, and I blinked them away, loving that he was sharing this with her. He gave me a little wink, telling me he knew exactly how I was feeling.
“I’m your grandpa, and I can’t wait to watch you grow up. You have one of the best mommies in the world. I know, because I raised her myself.”
His voice was gentle and soothing, and she was trying her best to blink her eyes open and look up at him, even though she’d been pretty sleepy up until this point.
Listening to him talk to her, I drifted off, still exhausted from the labor. It was a short nap when I heard her cries, my eyes popping open almost instantly and searching her out for her next feeding.
All day was a revolving door of everyone greeting our sweet, little girl. Every boundary we set was met—hand washing before holding her and making sure that I was comfortable before doing anything.
At the end of the day, when it was just our pack settled in the nest with our little girl snuggled between us in a tiny bassinet, it finally felt real.
We were no longer just a pack, but a family. And we’d have one hell of a story to tell our little girl when she asked how we all met.
I wanted her to know that even if someone made mistakes and there were impossible odds stacked against you, that fate always found a way to give you exactly what you needed.
Cameron and I needed each other just as much as Roman needed to be seen, and Lane needed a family that was permanent. Tate needed to find me to learn to trust again, and Hudson needed to learn that there was a difference between having your needs met and truly being cared for.
I like to think that we all gave each other those things—a true balanced pack where everyone had a role to play and no one was overlooked.
I loved them all more than anything.
With Bailey added to the mix, I was truly whole again.
The End