Chapter 98
“Happy Birthday Tuck!” Sarah’s voice carries as she shouts through the door. Spencer walks in behind her, carrying Little Ben in one arm, and automatically sliding his shoes off to put on the rack by the front door.
“Well, at least everybody knows you’re here now.
” Teddy’s voice precedes him from the kitchen a moment before he walks through.
“Steve made a huge fucking cake, Shorty. So, I’m sorry in advance for the sugar high they’re gonna be on.
” He doesn’t even try to hold back the snort of laughter as he nods towards the child in Spencer’s arms, and Miguel, who has a death grip on Greg’s hand.
Our son stares around the room cautiously before suddenly squealing in delight and running for Jake when the big dog walks down the stairs.
Sarah’s voice is mostly a pained groan. “Thicc, I swear to all that is fucking holy, if we make it through this day without going to the hospital, then these two can bounce around their rooms all night long, I don’t care.
Let the daddies handle it. Seriously, I need to go into labor just so I can take a fucking vacation right now. ”
Spencer sets Ben on the ground, and he starts to toddle towards Teddy as the big alpha reaches down to run his palms over Sarah’s lower back, making her groan.
“Come on baby, I was legal last year. Don’t you need one more for your pack?
” Tuck banters playfully as he walks out of the door to the game room, closing it behind him.
The child lock is already in place to keep the littles from trying to make their way downstairs.
His arms come around our omega, squeezing carefully against her hugely pregnant belly.
I watch on, smiling fondly at my family, and the little shit who still calls my mate a “mini-muscle-mommy.” He’s more right now than when he first started.
Spencer just leans forward and kisses Sarah on the head.
Greg waits until Tuck pulls back and then punches him in the arm while Alistair growls.
He really does sound a lot like his dads right now.
“Yeah, ’cause that wouldn’t be super awkward at all for you to have kids that were only sixteen years younger than you.
Besides, I’m pretty sure Kelly would kill us both.
Plus dude, remember I’m like the awesome, hot aunt.
This isn’t a telenovela.” Tuck looks confused for a moment, and it’s clear he doesn’t understand our mate’s ridiculous taste in movies and television.
“Well, when you put it like that it just sounds creepy.” Tuck smirks as he picks up a squirming Miguel, who’s now trying to climb on top of poor Jake.
That dog has the patience of a saint; he just rolled over onto his back and wagged as our son covered his face in kisses.
It’s a good thing Ben is busy trying to catch Teddy right now, otherwise he’d probably get knocked over by the long, flailing tail.
Kelly comes down the stairs, glaring at her brother and almost tripping over the prone dog who still hasn’t gotten up, despite being rescued from slobbery kiddo.
“Oof. Jake, baby, go play outside for a bit, ok. I bet Sam’s out in the shop finishing up Tuck’s present.
” The birthday boy passes Miguel over to Kelly and races Jake to the back door.
There’s a few loud thumps and some creative cussing before I hear the door slam. “Oh my gosh, you are getting so big, little bit.” She hefts him up, balancing him on her hip before Spence reaches over and retrieves him.
“Sorry, Kelly…um…you fall…a lot, and he’s still pretty breakable.”
The beta just laughs. “No, that’s fair. He is getting big though.
He’s gonna be five just before Christmas, right?
” Sarah nods in agreement, her hand rubbing over her stomach as Kelly looks between our pack members before settling on Sarah.
“So, you think this one’s gonna be another probable alpha? ”
My little mate laughs. “I don’t know, I just wish they would vacate the premises. My ankles feel like they’re gonna explode if they don’t stop swelling soon. I’m ready to have my body back.” Kelly nods in understanding, even if they never decide they want kids.
“Yeah, I remember when Mom was pregnant with Tuck. She was exhausted all the time. Plus having these little guys running around on top of that. Girl, you are braver than me. Oh, Xan’s out back if you want to go say hi.
He brought the girls and they’ve been following Tuck around.
I’m pretty sure J.J. is in love with my brother and Lexi is keeping an eye on them so she can shank him if he hurts her twin.
I swear even for a six-year-old, she’s kinda scary when it comes to her sister.
” She laughs uncomfortably at the thought, but the girls are sweet, and there’s nothing wrong with being a little overprotective.
Greg scoops up Ben, and we start towards the back door.
I hear Kelly’s mom squeal in excitement when Spence walks out the door first, now carrying Miguel.
“Oh my gosh, you’re getting so big.” Like mother, like daughter, I guess, smiling at how life has turned out.
My parents might be coming over soon. They offered to watch the kids tonight after the party so that Sarah can get some solid rest before the newest arrival.
Not that that’ll happen anyway, our poor girl can’t sleep for shit; she’s so sore.
Spence’s voice is its usual low rumble. “Hi, Mrs. Parker! Hi Mr. Parker! Miguel, you wanna go say hello!” The high voice of our oldest son babbles incoherently a mile a minute as I step out the door onto the porch and see him wrapped up in Kelly’s mom’s arms. They’ve taken on the role of extra grandparents since Kelly says she never wants kids and Al’s family all live so far away.
Not that they don't visit; we see them at least twice a year during the holidays.
It’s like Sarah and Al switched out; his parents call at least every other week to check in, and she hasn’t spoken to anybody but her Uncle Miguel since we became official.
As soon as Spence learned that Sarah still wanted to be in contact with them, he hunted them down on social media to add to his family group.
Now Angela, Steve, and I have a group chat once a month to exchange recipe ideas—Al‘s dads pop in sometimes, but they’ve been busy lately.
..still trying to build him mom’s greenhouse.
There have been some real stinkers, but I’m always learning new things. They say it keeps you young.
Not to mention all of Spence’s sisters have taken to the role of aunts like ducks to water.
Though I swear if Claire doesn’t stop teaching my kids how to align their chakras, we might have an issue.
I’ve already gotten a couple of calls from the daycare.
Apparently, an almost three-year-old talking about meditation to his class is considered evil.
I’ve always lived in the bible belt, but I never realized how nuts people were.
Seriously, I’d think getting your kid to sit still for more than five seconds would be something parents would embrace, but maybe I’m just too old.
Miguel has wiggled free of the affection and is now following around J.J.
and Lexie, which Lexie seems fine with, and keeps trying to distract her sister back to the more age-appropriate infatuation.
Sarah settles into a folding chair with a loud sigh, and I feel so bad for my little mate, but she insists that she really wants at least one girl and is determined to keep having kids until we balance the scales a bit.
I’m getting too old to deal with the newborn time schedule, but thankfully everybody in the house helps out—wherever it’s needed.
Steve is even attempting to teach Spence how to cook, not that it’s going well, but the little alpha has a lot more patience than I thought he would. I think spending time with the kids is actually a bonus for him. He has his cat, but he seems to enjoy being a pseudo-uncle.
It’s kind of funny how our family has grown from me and Spence to all this. I never thought I would have a pack, let alone a mate and kids…and now half the damned town it seems. I’m certainly not complaining.
Sarah lets out a loud groan, and I hear Spencer’s, “Oh, shit!”
Three matching responses of “Language!” come from various sources as both my and Spence’s families round the corner of the house, but the big man is starting to panic as he scoops Sarah up, nearly knocking Billy over in a mad sprint to the car.
“Hey, Mom! Love you, watch the kids, ok? We gotta go to the hospital!” His voice barely registers as I take in my mate’s frantic breathing and wet shorts. Oh, shit is right. Apparently, we’re about to have another baby.
Greg quickly scoops up Miguel and Ben, handing one over to each set of grandparents.
His voice is relaxed, but his shoulders show how on edge he really is.
“Hey, sorry. We’ll call you when we have some news.
Sorry about this.” Mom just laughs, kissing Ben’s curly hair while Spence’s mom wraps her arms around Miguel, and I can just imagine how she looked when Spence was that age.
Alistair
Four hours later, we have a daughter. Sarah always insists on being surprised.
We’ve discussed different names, and her only real input was “Not something that starts with an S” and that’s fair.
We’ll figure it out; we’ve got time. Spence and I are both on spring break from teaching, and Paul’s been building up leave for the past nine months.
Our little mate has gotten a lot curvier in the last five years, and she’s still sexy as hell, never more so than right now when she’s worn out and tired from bringing another member of my family into this world.
I don’t know how I ever thought my life would be complete without her.
END