Epilogue
Another Three Months Later
“Come along, mutt,” I grumble, climbing out of bed. I flick the sound off on the baby monitor as Karma stretches languidly. If she wakes up my sleep-deprived omega…
I don’t know what I’ll do, but the furry beast won’t like it.
“I’ll force you to sleep in your kennel downstairs until you learn some manners,” I mutter while Karma circles my feet.
She’s grown so much, but I know she still likes to be let out if we’re up during the middle of the night. Which we are continually, now that Aspen has arrived.
I head across the hall into the nursery. It’s the room Tanner stayed in when he first arrived.
I nearly chuckle to myself.
That was back when I had a delusional hope I’d still be able to get rid of him.
Aspen lies on her back, gnawing on her tiny fist as her legs kick. She’s quite displeased that her needs haven’t instantaneously been met.
I scoop her out of her crib and lift her bottom to my nose, which wrinkles with the odor. “No wonder you’re furious.”
The nighttime feedings are the worst. I never know if I should change her before or after her bottle, but in this instant, it’s an emergency.
I get to work, providing Aspen with a fresh diaper as Karma scratches her ear, making her collar jingle. The appendages have failed to stand up, which the vet warned us meant we’re in for a lifetime of having to focus on keeping them clean and likely extra ear infections.
They are how they are, and there’s no changing it now, but I do find them cute.
I pull Aspen up to rest on my forearm. “To the kitchen, we go.”
“Man,” Locke says around a yawn as he jogs into the kitchen. “I swear you have superhuman hearing.”
I snort, tickling Aspen’s tummy while she sits on the counter in her vibrating seat. “I don’t know what to tell you. I manage to sleep through your snoring, but the first fuss, and I’m wide awake.”
He chuckles. “You’re smitten. It’s okay. You can admit it. She’s pretty fucking great.”
“She is,” I agree, smiling as she gives me a gummy grin. “Why are you so happy in the middle of the night, huh?”
Karma whines at the sliding glass door.
“I got sidetracked,” I admit. “You may want to let her in.”
Locke nods, jogging off toward the living room. The bottle warmer finally signals it’s done, and I snatch it up to test the temperature.
I have a feeling Locke was going to try to steal my feeding time. Karma came in clutch. I’ll have to give her an extra treat tomorrow.
How quickly life can change.
Three More Months Later
“I swear, the three of you are ridiculous,” Laken says, laughing as she lies stretched out on the couch.
“Come on, sweet pea,” Tanner coos, squatting down to get in on the action. “Show them who’s your favorite.”
“Certainly not you,” I growl, slamming my forearm into his hip.
“I’m just going to sit here peacefully and prove the two of you wrong,” Locke says, yanking his hair out of the hair tie.
That cheating bastard.
He knows how much Aspen enjoys tugging on it when it’s down. She’s met all of her milestones early, and crawling is another she’s right on the edge of perfecting.
I stretch out my hands, wiggling my fingers and mentally willing her to show these other two that they aren’t truly the favorite.
Around the time she starts remembering things, we won’t be able to have this type of rivalry, but for now, it’s all in good fun.
She rolls over onto her belly and pushes herself up. The rocking on her knees starts, and I prepare my acceptance speech for the most loved father of the bunch.
Karma runs in, sitting in front of the television, and Aspen takes off.
The three of us all try different methods, but the little heathen heads straight for Karma.
Laken busts out laughing, and my frown only grows.
“Better luck next time, gentlemen.” Laken grins. “See, us ladies stick together in this house.”
She truly is the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen.