Page 58 of A Baby for the Beast
"It's only funny to me because I know identical twins smell the same," Lucas tells me, a hand tangling in my hair as he draws my face to the crook of his neck, right where my bite is.
His scent gland is there, and I inhale, making sure he's not playing some cruel trick on me, and he's not lying. The peppermint is so strong it burns my nose a little, but my mouth knows what it needs to do. My tongue flicks out to taste him. The flavor of him explodes in my mouth and causes me to moan in ecstasy.
"You smell the same," I say, a little breathless with this information.
"We do," Lucas chuckles, tightening his grip on the back of my head and pulling me to him so my lips are back on his scent gland. "But you're never going to be close enough to know that ever, ever again."
I try to answer him, but my mouth is busy getting my fill of my mate's taste. I want to go back home right now and fix the nest, sniffing it and placing all the best pieces in the best spots.
I lap at Lucas's throat twice more before a soft cry pulls us away from one another. I scramble over to Tessie almost as quickly as Lucas, but he beats me by a hair, lowering himself close to our daughter, whispering to her and checking to make sure she's okay.
I stare at him, unable to believe just how lucky I am. Not only because I scent matched him, but for everything else too. This is my mate, my alpha, and because he wants to be, the father of my daughter.
"I was serious about not going near Henry," Lucas tells me, tilting his head so he can look up at me but not have to leave being close to Tessie.
"What about family dinners?" I ask, a tease returning to my voice now that I know everything is going to work out.
"We're never going again," Lucas says, daring me to argue with him.
Tessie reaches up with one of her tiny hands, stopping our conversation while we both stare in amazement at her for a moment, until I break the moment.
"I should tell Henry we're not going because you think I won't be able to control myself and might seduce him."
Remus is out in an instant, standing to his full height and cupping my face between his hands as his growl rumbles around us. "Play this game with me in six weeks when I can give you the knot you so desperately need if you're being this bratty."
I bite my lower lip and pop it. "What if I want to be a brat for six weeks?"
Remus closes his eyes, his forehead resting on mine, his breath brushing over me in warm waves. When he opens his eyes, they're blazing golden, and he's softly shaking his head. "I'm yours to torture, omega, but I'll get back at you."
"I know you will," I tell him, wrapping my arms around the back of his neck and pulling him in close for a kiss.
We kiss until we're breathless, and then we stare in wonder at the beautiful little girl who gets to be the center of our world. Lucas wraps his arm around me, and we don't move until the rest of the family comes back to see our sweet little girl.
They all coo and fawn over her, because of course they do. She's the first baby in a family filled with people who all love being close to one another. If anything, my daughter is going to be spoiled rotten until Janie has her baby, and then that one will be just as spoiled.
I sit in the hospital bed, trying to ignore the pain between my legs and enjoy having everyone around. I cry, because of courseI do, and when it happens, four alphas start purring, and there would've been a fifth, I'm sure, but Jace went to the vending machine to get a snack. I sniffle and wipe my nose, appreciating that Lucas asks everyone to leave so we can have some more time with our daughter and rest. Really, I want to cry and be grateful for all of these people who love us without feeling like I'm bringing down the mood.
"I can't wait to spend my life with you," Lucas says, pressing his lips to my temple and covering me up with blankets as I close my eyes.
I tell myself it will be for just a second, but I'm gone in less than a few heartbeats, feeling safe and comforted by my alpha's shitty purr and the knowledge that he won't let anything happen to me or Tessie. He's here, for as long as I want him, and I don't ever want to give him up.
21
Hayley
One Year Later
Even if I wanted to pretend Kyle wasn't part of my daughter's biological makeup, I wouldn't be able to with how much like her sperm donor she looks. It's almost comical how little she shares physical traits with me. Her hair, the small amount of it she has, is almost white with how light it is, and her eyes are the brightest blue I've ever seen.
No one mentions it. Which I understand. You don't want to be the first one to be like, 'wow, that kid looks nothing like the two people who claim to be her parents.' But this kid obviously looksnothing like Lucas or me, though Remus does tell everyone she takes after him. It's met with skeptical glances and sometimes quirked brows because I just know that before people know about the whole thing, they think I cheated on this amazing man. Not that it's anyone's business except for mine and Lucas's, but still.
There are times I wish Tessie looked more like me, with dark hair, dark eyes, and tanned skin instead of Kyle. His half of the genetics must've been strong, though, because she even has his nose.
"I can't believe he pled down and only got seven years," Scott says, flopping down onto the couch next to Lilah. "I feel like life would've been the better option."
"Do they give life for that kind of thing?" Sarah asks.
Before we came to family dinner tonight, Lucas asked me if I wanted him to tell everyone not to mention the news about the trial, or lack of a trial, wrapping up. I told him I didn't mind. It's not like I'm unaware of everything that's happened.
