Page 26 of The Omega's Beary Merry Christmas

“Well, I love it. Thank you. I wish I had something for you.”

“You do.” He leaned in close and whispered in my ear. “My bear smelled my present this morning. You’re pregnant.”

“I’m having a baby?” I said, far too loudly.

Natalie ran over, dropping her presents from her lap to the floor.

“I’m gonna be a big sister! I’m gonna be a big sister!” At least I didn’t need to worry about her being upset about the news.

I looked to Bert—he was the one with the answers, not me. I didn’t even know it was possible to know so soon. But I trusted both him and his bear.

“Yes, you’re going to be a big sister—the best big sister.” Bert wrapped his arm around my shoulders. “My bear told me this morning.”

“I’m gonna be a big sister!” Natalie squealed. “That is so much better than going to the beach—and so, so much better than a doll. Sorry, Daddy, but it’s true.”

“No, I agree. It’s pretty awesome.” Shocking, but awesome.

We hadn’t planned this, but we also hadn’t done anything not to plan it. In my heart, I guess I’d always assumed we would have a baby one day.

There was still a lot to talk about, a lot to figure out, but the joy and love filling this room told me that it all would work out, that we were going to get our happy ever after, just like in the fairy tales.

“This calls for celebrating,” Natalie declared.

“It’s Christmas—it’s already a day for celebrating,” I reminded her.

“Yes, but this calls for cupcakes. With all the frosting. You can’t celebrate without cupcakes.”

Bert looked at her, dead serious. “Cupcakes without frosting are muffins.”

“See? That’s why he’s my papa. He gets it.” She hugged the two of us.

I loved how she differentiated between her father and Bert. He wasn’t taking Mark’s place; he was someone new, someone who brought all of us together. He was her papa and my mate.

We finished up the presents, Natalie loving each one more than the last, but none nearly as much as she loved the news of her new sibling.

As she put them away in her room, I got out the supplies I’d brought for cupcakes. They weren’t fancy, just a box mix and a jar, but they were going to be delicious.

“Does this mean we get to live here now?” Natalie asked suddenly, catching me off guard. I hadn’t even seen her come out of the bedroom.

“If that’s what your dad wants,” Bert said, wrapping his arms around me from behind. “But if he wants us to stay in the city, we can do that too.”

“Bears do not belong in the city,” she stated matter-of-factly.

Bert laughed and explained that she was right when it came to wild bears. But he also promised that he’d do anything to keep us together as a family and that as a shifter, he’d be fine there. I wasn’t sure how true that was. His bear loved to roam outside, and you couldn’t do that in the middle of the road and not be noticed.

“I think it’s time for a change.” I could easily turn my job remote, and why would I want to live somewhere my mate couldn’t thrive. “I vote we live here.”

“Me too,” Natalie said.

“Me three.”

And just like that, it was decided.

As we made cupcakes, we talked about what it would be like to live here. Bert mentioned turning Natalie’s room into hers permanently and adding an addition to the house for when the baby came.

For the first time in many years, Christmas was filled with hope for the future, love for the present, and an appreciation for the past.

“Merry Christmas, my sweet girl,” I said, handing her a cupcake with frosting piled high.

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