Page 113 of Knot in Bloom
For a moment, complete silence. Three alphas staring at two pink lines like they’re trying to decode a foreign language.
Then Levi’s fork clatters to his plate. “Is that...?”
“Positive,” I whisper, my voice thick with emotion. “We’re having a baby.”
The explosion of love and joy through our pack bond hits me like a tidal wave. Pure alpha pride and protective instinct and overwhelming happiness that makes my eyes fill with tears. Reid’s bergamot spikes with possessive satisfaction, Caleb’s sandalwood turns warm and woodsy with fierce protectiveness, and Levi’s cedar carries so much tender emotion I can barely breathe.
“A baby,” Reid breathes, wonder in his voice as he reaches for the test. “Our baby.”
“How far along?” Caleb asks, immediately dropping to kneel beside my chair, his large hands hovering over my stomach. “Can I...?”
“About six weeks, I think. I see Dr. Barker tomorrow to confirm everything.” I take his hands and press them flat against my belly. “I suspected after what Reid noticed, but I wanted to be sure.”
“The scent changes,” Reid murmurs, moving behind my chair to nuzzle into my neck. “Your body was already getting ready.”
“Already protecting our baby,” Levi adds softly, joining Caleb on the floor. His voice goes rough with emotion. “Growing our little one.”
The possessive way he says ‘our little one’ sends heat straight through me. Through the bond, I feel their absolute certainty—this isn’t just my pregnancy, it’s ours. Completely shared, completely ours.
“Are you happy?” I whisper, though their emotions flooding through our bond already give me the answer.
“Happy?” Caleb’s voice is rough. “Sadie, I’ve never wanted anything more in my whole damn life.”
“We’re gonna be parents,” Reid says against my throat, his breath warm. “All four of us, raising our baby together.”
“A real family,” Levi whispers, his forehead pressed to my thigh.
I thread my fingers through his hair, feeling his contentment vibrate through our connection. “The absolute best family.”
“I’m calling Dr. Barker first thing tomorrow,” Caleb announces, already shifting into full alpha protection mode. “Making sure you get the best care.”
“And I’m researching cribs,” Reid adds, still nuzzling my neck. “That spare room gets perfect morning light, but we’ll need to think about acoustics...”
“And I’m cooking whatever you can keep down,” Levi promises against my leg. “Any craving, any time. Even if it’s pickles and ice cream at three AM.”
The overwhelming love I feel for them—and feel from them through our bond—makes my throat tight. “I love you all so much it hurts.”
“We love you too,” Reid murmurs, pressing soft kisses behind my ear. “You and our baby. Always.”
Dinner gets forgotten as we spend the next hour talking about nursery colors and baby names and all the dreams we never knew we shared. Through the pack bond, their absolute devotion wraps around me like the warmest blanket, and I can feel how much this means to each of them—Reid’s quiet joy, Caleb’s fierce protectiveness, Levi’s tender wonder. This child will grow up surrounded by more love than I ever imagined possible.
Two weeks later...
The Thanksgiving festival is everything I hoped it would be, but my body has completely different plans.
I’m barely two hours into setup when the nausea hits like a freight train. Not the gentle morning sickness I’ve read about—this is full-body revolt that has me gripping my booth’s table edge while trying not to vomit on my prize arrangements.
“Sadie?” Lila appears at my elbow, immediate concern in her voice. “You okay?”
“Fine,” I lie, then immediately contradict myself by lurching toward the nearest trash can.
“Oh honey,” she says with instant understanding, rubbing my back as I dry heave. “How far along?”
“Eight weeks, according to Dr. Barker,” I gasp between waves of nausea. “This is normal, right?”
“Completely normal and absolutely miserable,” she assures me. “I’m at twenty-eight weeks now and still get occasional waves. Dean nearly lost his mind during the first trimester trying to find anything I could keep down.”
“Mrs. Anderson wants to discuss Christmas wedding flowers,” Levi says, appearing with coffee that makes my stomach lurch violently.
