Page 50 of All That We Keep
"I'm engaged!" Luca announces to the crowd through the screen, his joy so infectious that everyone starts cheering and clapping.
"I guess it's time to party!" I announce, standing up and raising my champagne glass high above my head.
"Hell yeah!" the crowd responds enthusiastically.
"You're welcome to stay for as long as you want," I continue, already moving toward the edge of the stage. "However, I'm on my way home because I have my pack to celebrate with, I have an Omega to take care of, and I have babies to father." I make an elaborate bow before stepping off the stage and then let Maceo and Luther guide me toward the car.
Luther leans down, his lips grazing my ear. “I’m assuming you already have the wedding planned?”
I snort. “No, but I’m sure Luca does.”
29
Epilogue
Blake
A week later, life has settled into a rhythm that feels both completely foreign and perfectly natural at the same time. Luca is nursing Samuel while curled up in our nest, his face glowing with contentment as our son feeds peacefully. James is cooing at Luca’s side, his fingers already curling around nothing, stronger than they should be.
I've discovered changes in my body that I wasn't expecting, even after everything Quentin explained about my Delta designation. Some of the softer fat that accumulated around my waist and hips as an Omega is melting away, leaving me with a tighter, more defined physique that feels simultaneously familiar and new. My muscle tone is more pronounced now, and I find myself moving with a different kind of confidence and strength.
The most noticeable change is that I'm not producing slick anymore during arousal. The wet heat that used to gather between my thighs when Luther or Grayson touched me has been replaced by something different, a dry heat that builds with different intensity patterns. It's taking some adjustment for all of us to navigate this new aspect of our physical intimacy, but the connection and pleasure remain just as intense.
I walk out of the bathroom wearing nothing but a pair of loose cotton pants, my chest bare as I move toward where James is starting to fuss in his bassinet. The morning sunlight streaming through the windows catches the subtle changes in my body, highlighting the new definition in my shoulders and arms that came with the Delta transition.
"Hey there, little man," I murmur as I lift James carefully, supporting his tiny head as I settle him against my chest. "What's got you all worked up?"
James immediately turns his face toward my chest, his little mouth opening and closing as he searches for something. He makes soft sucking motions against my skin, his tiny hands grasping at nothing as instinct drives him to seek nourishment.
"Baby, I don't have any of that," I tell him gently, shifting him in my arms. "That's what your other daddy is for."
I start to move toward Luca to hand James over, but something wet and warm trickles down my chest. I look down in confusion and see a small stream of milk falling from my left nipple, the white liquid catching the light as it drips onto my skin.
"Uh, what the fuck?" I say, my voice carrying a mixture of shock and bewilderment. "I'm leaking."
Luca looks up from where Samuel is still nursing, his expression shifting from surprise to delight. "Well, give him some food then," he says with a smile that's part amusement and part genuine excitement.
"I don't know what's happening," I protest, staring down at the evidence of my body's unexpected capability. "I don't get it. How is this possible?"
Luther appears next to the couch, having heard my confused exclamation from wherever he was in the house. "Did you read anything in that packet Quentin gave us beyond the basic definition of what a Delta is?" he asks, moving closer to examine the situation.
"No, everything just happened so quickly," I admit, feeling somewhat embarrassed by my lack of preparation. "Between the company crisis and Ward and the babies coming early, I didn't have time to study the specifics."
Luther settles onto the edge of the nest, his voice taking on that patient tone he uses when he's explaining something important. "Blake, your body will fluctuate to fit your pack's needs. So, although you're not really an Omega anymore in the traditional sense, that doesn't mean your body can't produce what's necessary to support your Omega and your children."
He gestures toward where Luca is nursing Samuel, the picture of contentment and natural ability. "Right now, you've got two baby boys who need frequent feeding, and Luca can't nurse both of them at the same time without exhausting himself completely. His body is amazing, but even he has limits."
The logic makes sense, but the reality is still overwhelming. "So I guess I'm up for nursing duty," I say, the words feeling strange in my mouth. "The fuck, I can't be nursing," I protest, even as James continues to root against my chest with increasing determination. "I have a company to run. Board meetings and product launches and strategic planning sessions. How am I supposed to do any of that if I'm lactating?"
"Well, it seems like you're going to have to be both a daddy and a CEO,” Luca muses, “Besides, I think it's incredibly sweet. Our bodies are working together to take care of our babies."
Maceo chooses that moment to enter the room, taking in the scene with obvious amusement. "And hey, if you leak at work, I'll just suck on the other nipple," he says with a playful grin that makes it clear he's mostly teasing.
My eyes go wide with horror at the suggestion. "Absolutely not! Nobody's sucking on my tits at work! None of that!"
The laughter that fills the room makes me relax into the pillows. Even in my embarrassment and confusion, I can feel the love and support surrounding me. James is getting more insistent now, his tiny cries becoming more urgent as his need for food overrides everything else. I look down at him, this perfect little person who shares my DNA and Luca's, who came into existence because of the love our pack shares.
"Okay, little guy," I say softly, adjusting my position so I can bring him closer to my chest. "Let's see if this works."
