Page 96 of Knot Just Their Nanny
“Yeah, just overwhelmed, but in a good way,” she replies, helping him with the plates.
Liam looks over at us, a knowing twinkle in his eye. “So, what are we celebrating?”
Zara and I exchange a glance, and it’s like there’s an invisible thread that connects us all. It doesn’t need words – it’s written in our shared laughter and the ease of our movements around each other.
“We’re celebrating family,” I say finally, pulling out the chairs for us to sit down. “And what we have now, and what’s hopefully coming soon.”
Their faces light up with comprehension and joy, as we sit down to eat. The curry is perfect—flavourful and just the right amount of spice. Liam’s proud grin is infectious as we heap praise onto him.
“Looks like you’ve got some competition in the kitchen,” Zara teases Henry playfully.
“Oh, I don’t mind at all. As long as we’re together and happy, that’s all that counts,” Henry replies, giving her hand a squeeze.
Liam raises his glass. “To family, love, and a future with more little feet padding around.”
We all agree, filling the room with the unmistakable sound of a family that’s found each other at last.
Epilogue
Zara
Nine months later
My eyes flutter open, and a warmth wraps around me like a snug blanket. The bedroom is all soft glow and quiet, the kind of morning light that sneaks through the edges of the curtains and whispers that today’s going to be a good one. I stretch out, arms reaching for the ceiling as I smile.
It’s Mia’s first birthday today. Nine months have passed since that tiny, wailing bundle turned my world upside down in the best way possible.
I slip out of bed and tiptoe across the room, my senses on high alert. I can hear the rest of the house is awake, but I don’t want to make a sound, wanting this little moment to be just me for a few minutes.
The bathroom feels cool compared to the cosy warmth of the duvet I’ve just left behind. There’s no dawdling; I know what I’m here for. I rummage through the cupboard, finding the little box I stashed away for when the time felt right.
The timing is definitely right today. It’s Mia’s birthday, and here I am, about to find out if she might be getting the news of an upcoming sibling as a gift. I take the test and wait while the minutes tick by.
A nice, long breath escapes me as I glance at the result. My heart does a little skip, filling me with a warmth that even my bed can’t provide. It’s like all the happiness inside me has bubbled up to the surface, and it can’t be contained. But there’s no rush to announce it, no desperate need to share—just yet. This moment, it’s mine, a tiny secret bubble of joy.
I step out of the bathroom, knowing today’s going to be so much more than cake and candles. It’s the start of another chapter, another little adventure, and I can’t wait to see the looks on my alpha’s faces when they hear. But for now, it’s just me and this happy little secret, wrapped up in the soft morning light.
I nip down the hall to Mia’s room quickly as she is protesting loudly now. A little bubble of laughter escapes me as I push open the door and there she is, all big blue eyes and a mop of curly dark hair, making her look just like her daddy.
“Morning, birthday girl!” I beam at her, my heart swelling up so big it might just lift me off the ground.
She greets me with a toothy grin, reaching out with those tiny hands that somehow grip my heartstrings every single time. “Mama!”
“Gotcha,” I say as I scoop her up, peppering her face with soft kisses that make her laugh and squirm in delight. Her happiness, so pure and infectious, fills the room like sunshine, and I whisper against her cheek, “Love you more than all the stars, little one.”
Holding her close, I breathe in the scent of baby shampoo and that unique Mia smell, a mix of warmth and innocence that wraps around me like the cosiest blanket. It’s moments like this, with her cuddled in my arms, that I know we’ve built somethingextraordinary, something full of love and light out of a dark situation.
“Ready for your big day, munchkin?” I ask, nuzzling her nose with mine, and her giggles are the only answer I need.
I shuffle down the stairs with Mia nestled against my shoulder, her little hand playing with a strand of my hair. As we descend, the familiar sounds of morning in our house wrap around us. The clink of crockery and the low rumble of laughter tells me the day has already kicked off in the kitchen.
“Careful, mate, that pan’s about had it,” Ben’s voice carries through the hallway, laced with humour.
“Hey, don’t blame the pan, blame Liam,” Henry retorts, and I can almost see his cheeky grin from here.
“Both of you, hush, or you’ll wake the birthday princess,” Liam says, his tone softer but still buoyant with the easy banter they share.
I round the corner into the kitchen, and I see my three alphas, like pillars of strength and love in our home. Ben is at the island, leaning back against it, with a coffee cup in hand, and with that warm, inviting smile that was so rare at first but now shows him for who he really is. His dark hair is still wet from the shower, but those keen eyes miss nothing, especially not his daughter making her grand entrance.
