Page 101 of Tied in Knots
We fall silent. We will never speak of what Xander did, what we were all complicit in doing. Pete got what was coming to him. End of story.
“Ah, here’s Oliver now,” Dad says, gesturing to the Range Rover headed our way.
We hang back.
Faith has spotted the car and is running towards it.
Oliver gets out, he is frail and has been mistreated for many years. But he catches Faith when she flings her arms around him, squealing with delight at seeing her beloved father once more. Anne rushes up to them, a totally different woman to the one we took from that crappy house a few weeks ago.
My heart fills with warmth for them as Derek gets out of the car as well and they embrace as a family for the first time in years.
Faith pulls away from her dad and beckons us over. As one, we surge forward, Xander closer than us and reaching her first.
I hope her dad will be proud of her choices,us. It means a lot to me that he accepts us.
“Dad, this is Sebastian,” she says, grabbing my hand as I get closer to her.
“We’ve met,” Oliver says with a smirk. “You used to be a little snot-faced kid running riot in your dad’s chambers.”
“Ugh,” I groan, remembering that I was a bit of a tearaway. “Good to see you again, Mr. Halstead.”
I hold my hand out, but he grabs it and pulls me to him for a hug my father would never give me. “It’s Oliver,” he says and squeezes me before he lets go and turns to meet his daughter’s other mates.
She smiles secretively at me, and it tells me all I need to know.
She is having our baby.
My heart pounds in my chest and my palms start to sweat.
All I can think of in that moment is that this is the happiest I’ve ever been, and it can only get better from here.
“I love you,” I murmur softly, drawing her to me, inhaling that delicious scent of hers.
“I love you and our family,” she replies. “And I can’t wait for it to grow bigger and full of even more love.”
“Me either.”
Ben takes her from me then, gently holding her, needing to be near her. We all do. Harvey can’t keep his hands off her either and Xander is closer to her than I ever thought he could get to another person.
It fills my heart with joy, and I know that forever is going to be perfect.
Epilogue
Faith
Three months later
Wrapping the thin cotton scarf around my neck that smells like all of my alphas, I take a steadying breath and then plaster a smile on my face. Dressed in a white summery dress with big strawberries on it, I shove open the door to the informal sitting room, I find my alphas shooting a game of pool. They look up when I enter, smiling and excited.
“Well?” Sebastian says, racing over with the enthusiasm of a young puppy. “What did he say?”
“Sit,” I say, gesturing to the couch.
His face drops into a serious expression and he leads me over to the couch. I sit and they gather around.
“Everything is fine,” I say. “More than fine. DFP…” I giggle that I still call him that and Ben snorts. “…got the results back from the amnio, and we’re having a boy!” I know that will delight them and I’m not wrong. Cheering and laughter ensues with high-fives and exclamations in a manly manner of prowess and whatnot.
“Also,” I interrupt them and hope that they don’t go fucking ballistic when I impart my next bit of news. This is the part that makes me nervous. “Don’t be angry with me, but I don’t like surprises. Never have, after my dad... Anyway, I needed to know on a level that wasn’t just curiosity or a need to single any of you out. It goes soul deep. I asked the gynae to do a DNA test at the amniocentesis. Are you mad?” I chew my lip nervously.
