Page 41 of Finding Forever with the Alpha Pack

I settle on the stairs, the warmth of the water enveloping us as I lean back, letting Grace rest against my chest. Her body feels weightless in the hot water, her head nestled on my shoulder. I hold her close, savoring the quiet moment as Griffin reaches over to switch on the jets. The gentle bubbles rise, massaging her tired body from every angle, soothing the tension that’s been lingering for days.

“Best investment ever. Good thinking, Nic.” Grace’s voice is soft, a contented smile on her face as she turns her head to press a kiss to my cheek.

I chuckle, shifting slightly to align her better with the jets. “This was actually a group idea,” I remind her, glancing up as Griffin and Conrad approach with washcloths, ready to help bathe her.

“Barrett wanted a heated tub,” Conrad mentions, dipping the cloth into the water before gently running it over Grace’s shoulder.

Griffin grins, his eyes meeting mine before he adds, “Ethan and I wanted a big enough tub so that more than two people could fit in it at a time. You know, since there’s usually at least two of us with you.”

Grace lets out a quiet laugh, holding onto my arms a little tighter. “That’s true,” she agrees, her voice barely above a whisper.

“Lorcan asked for the stairs and the rail,” I add, watching the way her eyes soften in appreciation. “So he can get himself in and out easily.” I lean in, kissing her cheek as she turns her head slightly to look at the two rails lining the step-down tub.

“Very thoughtful,” Grace murmurs, her smile growing as she closes her eyes, letting the warmth and the jets work their magic. “I’m glad you could make it work for everyone.”

Conrad’s voice cuts through the peace, gentle but practical. “We still need to measure and weigh the babies and call the clinic,” he reminds us.

Grace sighs, a pout forming on her lips as she turns to look at him. “Can you and the moms do that? I want to float for a while longer.” She shifts in my arms, clearly reluctant to leave the comfort of the water. “This feels too amazing to leave just yet.”

Conrad leans over, pressing a kiss to her forehead. “Of course, sweetness. Take as long as you need.”

Grace pats my arm, her eyes fluttering closed once again. “How long can the water stay hot for?” She yawns, her body relaxing even further into mine.

“As long as we have power and water in the tub,” I reply, kissing her forehead and giving her a gentle squeeze.

“Good.” Her smile is sleepy, content, as she drifts off in the warm embrace of the tub.

I glance over at Griffin, giving him a nod before gently passing Grace off to him. She snuggles in close, her arms wrapping around him as easily as they had me, her body molding against his as if she’s always belonged there. I smile to myself, watching the way she clings to him, so at ease, so loved.

We’ve come a long way, all of us. Sharing Grace’s attention hasn’t always been easy—especially for us alphas. The instinct to claim her, to hold her attention, to be the one she focuses on, it’s hard to shake. But Grace, having four alphas, a beta, and anomega in her life, makes for an interesting game of emotional jenga some nights. And yet, somehow, we’ve made it work. Every day, we get a little better at knowing when to step back and when to be by her side.

Later in the evening,I walk into the room and can’t help but laugh at the sight before me. Grace is nestled among a mountain of pillows, nursing Ethan, and Lorcan’s babies. While Barrett, sitting right beside her, wears some sort of ridiculous fake boob contraption, happily feeding his son and singing softly to him. The sight is almost too much.

“Barrett, what are you doing?” I chuckle, shaking my head as I approach. His setup is both hysterical and strangely endearing.

Barrett, completely unbothered, grins and continues in his singsong voice, “Who’s the daddy? I’m the daddy,” before planting a tender kiss on Dante’s nose. His pride practically radiates from him as he cradles his son.

I lean down to kiss Grace on the forehead, still grinning. “Seriously, Barrett, what are you doing?”

Without missing a beat, he puffs up his chest, proudly displaying the contraption strapped across him. “I’m breastfeeding my son.”

Grace, her voice soft and full of affection, explains with a smile. “He’s feeding Dante my breast milk. We pumped it earlier, before I started feeding the other two.” She lets out a soft sigh, glancing at Barrett with that adoring look in her eyes. “He’sbeing such an amazing daddy, just like I always told him he would be.”

I can’t help but smile at the two of them. The warmth in Grace’s voice and the way Barrett cradles Dante—it’s the scene that melts your heart. “How are the other two doing?” I ask, leaning in to check on Maeve and Ethan’s son, both contentedly nursing.

“Maeve only likes my left breast. Bishop isn’t picky at all.” Grace giggles, clearly amused. “He’s just like his daddy that way.”

I raise an eyebrow, glancing between her and Ethan, who just shrugs. “So wait, we have a Deacon and now a Bishop?” I say, catching on to the unintended theme in the names.

Grace keeps giggling, kissing the top of her babies’ heads. “I guess so. Maybe we’ll get the whole set one day.”

A yawn escapes her, and I can see the exhaustion settling in. She leans back against the pillows, her eyes growing heavy, though the love she has for her family radiates from her even in this moment of fatigue. I watch her, surrounded by her children and mates, and feel the peacefulness of the scene wash over me. This is what home looks like.

When my mom arrives with the other three children, I hold a finger to my lips, signaling them to be quiet. Grace is lying there, her eyes closed, and I’m not sure if she’s asleep or just resting. Either way, I don’t want to risk waking her.

“Daddy?” Nina’s tiny voice tugs at my heart as she grabs onto my shirt. I scoop her up into my arms, kissing her cheek as I guide the rest of the children over to see their new siblings.

“Yes, baby?” I whisper, keeping my voice low as we approach the cluster of tiny, bundled babies nestled between Grace and Barrett.

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