Silas #3
“I am.” She swallows, giving her a shy smile. “It’s nice to finally meet you. Evander doesn’t stop talking about you.”
Emmeline groans. “Please, don’t believe anything he says. Listen to Isaac instead.”
Isaac winks at her. “To be honest, Em, he’s mostly got you on a pedestal you’d kill him for putting you on behind your back.”
Cassidy giggles, and her hold on my hand relaxes. Emmeline laughs, too, stepping closer, and within seconds, they’re talking over one another about how long they’ve been trying to meet.
Uri moves towards me, lowering his voice now that everyone is occupied. “Dellan has been fed before we got here, but he was trying to sleep in the car. He might stay cheerful for another seven minutes or so.”
“Optimistic,” I say with a rueful smile at the other alpha.
“I’m trying something new,” he says with a laugh. “Are we okay to put him down in here when we go through for dinner?”
I nod. “Of course. Would you rather put him in a bedroom?”
He shakes his head, but before he can explain, Dellan makes a soft noise from where Evander is bouncing him under Paxton’s watchful eye.
Cassidy turns immediately and smiles at the adorable little boy. Emmeline notices.
“Would you like to hold him?” she asks. “He’s due a nap soon, and honestly, I think you’re the only one my brother might hand him over to.”
Cassidy looks at her as though she’s just been offered something impossibly precious.
“Oh.” Her free hand presses against her stomach. “Are you sure?”
“Completely.”
Emmeline carefully lifts Dellan free from Evander’s arms, supporting his small head against her palm while the alpha pouts but doesn’t complain.
He’s tiny. Round-cheeked, dark-haired, and blinking sleepily at the chaos around him with the vague contempt of someone who already knows he’s the most important person here.
Cassidy releases Isaac’s hand reluctantly to take him. For one terrible second, she looks terrified.
Then Dellan settles against her chest, instinctively nosing against the warm scent gathered beneath her throat as though he already knows she’s someone safe.
To reward her, he tugs on her glossy hair with a wet fist.
Little rascal.
Her entire body softens, one hand supporting his head and the other cradling him close.
Her scent blooms through the room, warm and sweet and instinctively soothing. I’ve never seen her so… instinctive.
Well, other than when she built her nest last weekend.
Every one of her mates goes silent around the crowded room, attention turning towards her almost as one.
I can’t help it. She’s… perfect.
Evander moves first, drifting closer with a look of complete awe on his face.
Harlan’s eyes are locked on her, his careful indifference fooling nobody as he inches closer with the rest of us.
Isaac smiles and chats to Oscar, who clearly doesn’t give a fuck about whatever Isaac’s saying.
I don’t either.
I can’t fucking breathe as I watch my mate. Cassidy looks down at the baby in her arms and smiles, entirely unaware that every man who loves her has forgotten how to look anywhere else.
Fuck. I hadn’t realised how badly I wanted this until I saw her holding a piece of our future in her arms.
Not now, Silas. Not anytime soon.
Cassidy’s young, and we’ve got plenty of time to discuss it. We promised a year before kids were even mentioned.
But, fuck, this is…
One day, she’s going to have our child, safe in her arms, protected by all of us.
This is my pack.
My mate.
My family.
I can see everything I’ve been fighting for finally taking shape in front of me.
It doesn’t take long for the room to settle around Dellan and Cassidy.
Apparently, a five-month-old is the easiest way to neutralise a house full of alphas. Even our parents are less… territorial for fear of disturbing the little one.
Uri stays near Cassidy, watching with the calm vigilance of a man who trusts her but still knows exactly how fragile the small person in her arms is.
Paxton stands behind Emmeline with one hand resting lightly against her waist, whilst Oscar begins unpacking the rest of Dellan’s things with military precision.
Sterling sits on the edge of the sofa, his posture immaculate as he talks to his aunt and uncles, all while angling himself towards the baby.
“I was telling you about the revised projections,” Isaac says to Oscar.
Oscar nods vaguely. “I’m sure you were.”
“You haven’t heard a word I’ve said, have you?”
“No,” Oscar replies blandly. “I’ve already read the report. You’re just wasting my time.”
Isaac laughs. “Tell it how it really is, Oscar.”
The alpha frowns, pausing with a rattle in his hand. “I thought I did.”
Fuck, I can’t handle the open honesty.
Across the room, Evander is trying to tempt Dellan’s attention away from Cassidy by wiggling his fingers in front of him.
The baby stares at him like he’s stupid, which only makes Evander wiggle his fingers harder.
“Come on, mate,” he murmurs. “You know I’m your favourite.”
Dellan turns his head and buries his face against Cassidy’s chest, more than likely inhaling her scent.
Uri lets out a booming laugh, black pepper and honey filling the room as Evander looks personally betrayed.
“Five months old, and he already has better judgement than you, Ev,” Harlan says.
Evander glares at him. “You haven’t even held him.”
“I don’t need to. He’s clearly intelligent enough to pick the best person in our pack,” Harlan says with a smug grin. “And you’re not the one who’s known him his entire life.”
“He’s the godparent, too,” Uri adds, smirking. “What a poor showing you’ve got here, Ev.”
Despite himself, Harlan drifts closer until his shoulder nearly brushes hers.
I notice.
Of course, I do.
I’m not willing to miss a single thing tonight.
Dad and Darwin move towards the drinks together, stopping beside the champagne bucket on the sideboard. Dad asks what Evander has opened while Darwin laughs about Elliot banning him from choosing wine.
Julie settles beside Elliot, listening with genuine interest as he explains something about their trip.
Mum and Vivienne settle near the end of the sofa and begin talking as though they’ve met dozens of times rather than once, Celeste touching Vivienne’s arm lightly as they compare notes on their future grandchild.
I’ll be keeping an eye on that discussion. I don’t want Cassidy overhearing it and panicking.
For the first time since the doorbell rang, Cassidy looks entirely relaxed. Her shoulders have lowered. Her scent has softened.
She’s still holding Dellan carefully, unconsciously swaying with him as she laughs now. Emmeline tells her something about Evander trying to assemble the travel cot without instructions.
“I didn’t need instructions,” Evander protests. “I am more than capable of building something.”
“You put it together backwards,” Oscar says, his tone dry and matter-of-fact.
“It would’ve been fine,” Evander protests.
Isaac rolls his eyes. “It collapsed. Don’t lie.”
“Only once,” Evander says, his cheeks flushing as Cassie gasps in horror.
“While you put the practice doll you bought inside it,” Paxton says. “You called your sister and confessed to murder.”
“I was ready to kill you for that,” Uri adds, sneering at Evander. “Scaring her when she was so close to her due date.”
Evander points at his sister. “You’re meant to be on my side.”
“I’m firmly on Team Cassidy,” Emmeline says with a shrug. “I believe us omegas need to stick together. We’re already outnumbered.”
“Yes, we are,” Cassidy agrees, rocking the tiny human in her arms.
“Then again, we betas are pretty outnumbered, too,” Isaac offers. “It’s only the alphas who are in abundance.”
“And they make it exceptionally clear,” Sterling says, causing everyone to laugh.
I focus on the bright sounds coming from my mate, letting each laugh smooth another sharp edge inside me.
This is exactly what I’d hoped for.
People interrupting one another. Insults thrown without malice. Cassidy smiling in the middle of it all, no longer looking like she’s waiting for someone to realise she doesn’t belong.
Because she does.
We just needed to love her long enough for her to believe it, too.
I cross the small gap between us, stepping around Evander’s abandoned wineglass before resting my hand against the small of her back.
She looks up at me immediately, her body softening into my hand as though she’d been waiting for me to come closer.
“You okay?” I ask quietly.
Her smile softens as her fingers find mine at her waist. “I’m really good.”
This time, I don’t need to search her face to believe her.
Dellan makes a small, unhappy sound and gives me a tiny warning growl.
“Oh, no,” Emmeline says, reaching for her son. “I’ll take him. I’m so sorry—”
“Sorry?” Cassidy asks, surprised. She hands him over but gently places her hand on Emme’s arm. “Don’t apologise for anything he’s doing. He’s a baby—he’s perfect, aren’t you, love?”
Emmeline grins. “I meant for the growl he directed at Silas.”
“Wait, he did that to me?” I ask, affronted.
Emme nods. “He’s a little… possessive. He likes Cassidy and, um, does not like you near her.”
Harlan barks out a laugh, warm brioche and honeyed citrus brightening around him, although he’s not the only one.
I look at the baby with betrayal, but he doesn’t care, instead cuddling with his mum.
Cassidy gives me a confused look and asks, “He can already decide who he likes?”
“It’s definitely a scent thing,” Emmeline answers. “He’s only really like this with me and Lia, so I think it’s because you’re an omega. He’s likely going to be one, too.”
I gape at the very smart, capable woman in front of me, wondering how she can be so obtuse.
“Oh,” Cassidy answers, surprise lacing her tone.
Evander shakes his head my way, mouthing, “Don’t correct her.”
Okay, then. Clearly, they’re all content to let her live in her denial for now.
But it’s obvious that Dellan’s going to present as an alpha. His instincts are already strong.
Emmeline settles her son against her shoulder, lavender and chamomile thickening instinctively as he noses against the scent at her neck.