Chapter Twenty-Four
Indy
Dad kept texting me.
I know you’re busy with a pregnant omega, but can we find time to shift together? Don’t you miss Perish Field?
Why my dad was addicted to that bitter alfalfa, I would never know. Most unicorns liked it sweet. Very sweet.
I replied, Yeah. I am pretty busy right now. But I’ll let you know.
We saw my parents often. They hosted a dinner for us every Saturday night.
They adored Bram and couldn’t wait for grandchildren to arrive.
They never discriminated, never said they hoped for a unicorn grandchild instead of a wolf.
They really were great parents. And they were building us a big house on the side of the lands closest to that of Seth’s shimmer.
His parents, who were the wealthiest family in a hundred square miles, chipped in.
In the meantime, Seth, Bram, and I managed to fit inside my beloved cabin by my favorite stream.
It had two bedrooms. We got a new giant bed and made the second room into a nursery.
All this was temporary, but we loved it.
The house being built for us was awesome, but it would be hard to give this place up when we moved.
The door to the cabin banged open. In walked a tall alpha. My love. He carried take-out bags.
“Dinner has arrived. A rare steak, large, for the wolf omega with child, two big salads with extra carrots, and chocolate cake for dessert.”
Bram ran up to him, still lithe even with his baby bump. “Tell me you didn’t forget the loaded baked potato.”
“The what?” The light in Seth’s eyes danced.
“You didn’t forget, did you?” Bram made a grimace. “Oh no!”
Seth laughed. “I got three of ’em, sweetheart. Yum.”
Bram snatched one of the bags from Seth’s hand, ran to the dining table, and set out the food.
I walked up to Seth and took the second bag from his hand. “Thanks.”
“How’s he feeling?” he asked softly.
“Better. He’s hungry now.”
Bram had had morning sickness pretty bad, but it usually went away later in the day, and his appetite returned.
Seth was great about making sure Bram had all his favorite foods on hand.
Our omega was slim, except for his bump.
He couldn’t afford to lose any more weight.
Plus, that baby inside him needed sustenance.
Our dining table looked out over a green glade where butterflies liked to perch. Bram had grown up in the woodlands, but not ones so beautiful as these. He kept saying, “It really is a magical place. Makes me believe in unicorns.”
It was a cute joke. If possible, it made me even more enamored of him.
We had planned a wedding but not until next year. It was going to be a huge affair because, well, Seth and I were two alpha steed princes of neighboring kingdoms with a wolf omega as our third. Every unicorn around would want to attend.
In the meantime, we were all three married in heart and soul.
My little cabin had been the perfect honeymoon setting.
We made love all day and shifted to roam the woods in the dusky evenings.
It was paradise. I would never take for granted how privileged I was.
I’d been depressed before the San Diego trip, but now, my life had become better than any dream I’d ever had.
We ate every bite of food Seth had brought.
The sun was just setting. I opened the sliding glass doors to the patio that jutted up on the back glade. The music of the crickets started up, accompanied by the shushing of leaves in a light breeze.
Seth and Bram cleaned up the kitchen while I turned on the outdoor fairy lights.
It was still warm out, the summer season gentle upon the forest. I went out and arranged the lounge chairs in a tight line then undressed. I left my clothes neatly folded on one of the lounges then moved into the glade as my beast transformed me.
I threw my head back, feeling my horn grow to full length, then trotted into the glade to graze. I had just eaten dinner, but my beast was always hungry.
I turned my big head toward the patio when I heard footsteps. Bram and Seth were already undressed, coming out to join me. Seth immediately shifted. Bram, still in human form, came up to me and stroked my mane and sides.
“You’re like silk, Indy. Both of you. I always want to touch you.”
Slowly, I lowered my spiky horn to let him touch that, too. He put his hand on it and rubbed for a few seconds. He had described the feel of it as cool and polished, like touching steel. Only it wasn’t dark like metal but white flecked with gold.
My beast loved flattery. He nickered and tossed his head until his mane flew up and rippled. When I turned my head to look at Bram again, a golden wolf stood beside me, gazing up at me with eyes of love.
A heavier footfall approached on the grass. Seth came up beside me, gently nuzzling my horn with his. We both made a call to the wild, a sound horses never made but unicorns did. Some said it sounded like a whale song.
Together, we ran off into the woods, a pregnant wolf at our heels.
For over an hour, our beasts explored. I knew these woods like the back of my hand, but I never tired of them.
When we got back to the patio, the lights welcomed us. We sat on the lounge chairs and stared out into the night. Seth went inside and brought out lightweight blankets for each of us since we hadn’t bothered to get dressed.
“When you become alphas of your herd and shimmer, will we still sit outside together like this to watch the night?” Bram asked.
“Always,” I said.
“We’ll make family a priority,” Seth said.
“Plus,” I added, “our townships are small. There’s not a lot going on that we have to deal with.”
“Well, there’s budgets,” Seth reminded me. “And town hall meetings. And it seems like my father is on the phone all the time. Business dealings. But I think that’s his private investments.”
“Weren’t you two trained for this?” Bram asked.
“It’s more like inheriting a title. At least for my herd, it is,” I replied. “But yes, we know what’s required of us. And we’ll learn more as we go along.”
Seth nodded. “You don’t have to worry, sweetheart. We’ll always be here for you. And for our kid.”
Bram rubbed his baby bump. “It’s so magical to be carrying a life inside me. You two brought so much magic into my life.”
“Same,” I said. “You pretty much single-handedly saved our lives. And our relationship.”
“Happy to do so.” Bram let out a long breath.
Seth got up, his blanket falling around his magnificent body. “Anybody want anything? I’m going in for some lemonade.”
“I’ll have a glass,” I said.
“Me, too.” Bram reached out to stroke Seth’s muscled flank.
“Later for that, dude,” Seth said with a chuckle.
“Promise?”
Seth winked.
As I watched my two mates banter, my heart filled up. Our bond glowed in my mind. All was right with the world.