Page 42 of His Omega Bear

I nodded, relieved that this hadn’t been as bad as it could have been. I really had wondered why Rhys’ family lived like a ten minute drive away and I’d yet to meet them. I knew he worked with his brothers. He had no issue talking about them and their partners. He clearly loved his nieces and nephews… It hadn’t made sense. A part of me had wondered if they wouldn’t approve of us. Maybe because I already had a child… several reasons had come to mind.

But meeting them now they were nothing but welcoming.

“He’s not home right now, but he should be back soon. You’re welcome to wait here if you’d like.”

Gabe exchanged a glance with Hunter, then nodded. “Yeah, he was in a meeting when I left.”

As we settled into conversation, I got to know Rhys’ brothers. Hunter and Gabe shared stories from their childhood, painting a picture of a close-knit family that sounded incredible, which raised the question yet again: why didn’t Rhys want us to meet?

It was clear that their bond ran deep, and I began to understand why they would show up to check me out.

As the afternoon wore on, Emilia woke up from her nap and joined us in the living room. She was initially shy around the unfamiliar faces, but Hunter and Gabe quickly won her over. It was clear they were used to being around little ones. Watching them interact, I could see the same compassion and kindness that I loved in Rhys.

Eventually, the sound of the door opening signalled Rhys’ return. He walked in, stopping short when he saw his brothers sitting on the couch with Emilia giggling on Hunter’s lap.

“Rhys,” I said, smiling at his stunned expression. “Look who’s here.”

Rhys blinked, then looked between his brothers. “Hunter! Gabe! What are you doing here?”

“We came to meet your ma— Jaxson,” Gabe said with a laugh, standing up to embrace his brother.

Rhys returned the hug, clapping Gabe on the back before turning to Hunter. “You guys could’ve called, you know.”

“We wanted to surprise you,” Hunter said, hugging Rhys as well. “And it looks like it worked.”

Rhys glanced at me. I could tell he was checking to see if I was okay with them being here. “We’ve been getting to know each other.”

As they settled back onto the couch, Rhys reached for my hand, pulling me in for a quick kiss. When Emilia noticed he was back, she started making sounds to be picked up.

Hunter waved a hand dismissively. “No need to explain. We get it. We just wanted to see you, meet the new family, and make sure everything’s good.”

“It is,” Rhys said, squeezing my hand. “It really is.”

We spent the rest of the afternoon sharing stories some of Jayson and laughing. The initial tension Rhys carried melted away. I saw a side of him I hadn’t seen before, one that was deeply rooted in family. It made me love him more and also made me wonder why he hadn’t introduced us.

When Hunter and Gabe finally left, promising to visit again soon, Rhys turned to me, his eyes shining with happiness. “Thank you,” he said softly. “For welcoming them, and for understanding.”

I hugged him tightly. “You could have introduced us ages ago. They’re great.”

Rhys snorted, “Yeah they are but wait till you meet the whole family in one go.”

I wanted to ask him why he’d waited so long, but decided I would trust he had a good reason. He’d never given me a reason to doubt him, so I wasn’t going to start now.

Chapter 15

Rhys

As one day blended into another, our little family had settled into a comfortable rhythm. The days were a mix of work, play, and quiet moments that made my life feel complete. Jaxson, Emilia, and I had become a team, each day bringing us closer together.

Today, Jaxson and I were going out on a date. But first, Emilia had a play date of her own with Serenity. We were dropping her off with Sage, who was taking both girls to the library, and then to the park to meet up with his cousin Simon and his kids.

As I buckled Emilia into her car seat, she giggled, her little fingers reaching for the toy dangling above her. “Ready for your big day out, sweetheart?” I asked, kissing her forehead. She babbled in response, her eyes bright with curiosity.

When we arrived, Sage was waiting outside for us. “Hey, guys!”

“Hey Sage. How you’re a brave man!” Jaxson teased.

Sage waved a hand in the air like it was nothing as I unbuckled Emilia’s car seat. He came over to grab her diaper bag and smiled down at my girl. “Ready for a fun day, Emilia?” he asked her, reaching to take her car seat. Serenity was holding onto his leg, a wide smile on her face.

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