Page 34 of Manix
I gave her a pointed look. “Uh, yeah I did, actually? I’m a grown ass man, with my own Pack. I figured you’d just let me get around to telling you the hows and whys when I was ready.”
Mom snorted like I was a fool—which, granted, I apparently was—and said, “Are you going to introduce us to thefemale Omegayou have in your Pack house?”
If she got any more pointed, I’d cut myself on her meaning. I looked at Gatlin for help, but he just shrugged and held up his hands. Damn traitor.
“Mom, Dad, Dumbasses. This is Naja and her daughter Luisa. They are staying with us for a little while.”
My dad, who was an Alpha, firmed his jaw. “The heat?”
I don’t know who flushed harder, my dad or Naja. “Yes.”
Mom gasped. “Did you…?” She looked between Naja and Raiden, obviously drawing the right conclusion.
“Yes.”
The squeal of joy my mother let out scared Luisa, making her cry. Mom immediately stopped, her face apologetic. “Oh, I’m sorry, sweet thing. I didn’t mean to scare you,” she cooed as she walked over to the couch. “I feel so rude, but you must understand—I didn’t think this would ever happen again in living history for the Manix.” She swallowed hard, and I knew that was step one toward ‘Mom bursting into tears.’ Ugh, I’d have to run interference, but Mom wasn’t done yet. “I’m sorry, I’ve been terribly rude. I’m Selena. That is my husband Orson, and my twins, Trace and Tycen. It’s wonderful to meet you.”
Naja didn’t look uncomfortable, but I could see she was tugging at her shirt, like she was very aware that it didn’t go down to her knees.
“Mom, let Naja get changed, and we’ll go out and sit on the porch. I’ll explain some things without you embarrassing her to death.”
Mom gave me a droll expression, but Naja looked relieved. Raiden skimmed his hand down her arm reassuringly. “I’ll hold Luisa. Take as long as you need,” he said softly, and she threw him a thankful smile.
“I’ll be right back,” she said politely, high-tailing it out of the room like her ass was on fire.
As soon as she was out of sight, Mom jumped up and down and did a happy dance, racing over to wrap me in her arms. “I’m so happy for you, son.” Then she moved around my Pack, kissing their cheeks heartily until she was back at Raiden. Her eyes softened when she looked between him and Luisa. “You’re going to be such a wonderful parent, Raiden.”
My sexy, confident Omega swallowed hard. “Thanks, Selena. You’ll make a wonderful grandmother.”
She let out another whoop of noise, softer this time, and jumped back toward my dad. “Do you hear that, Orson? We’re going to be grandparents. Wait until I tell Jeff and Jack!” I noticed my other two dads weren’t with her, but I wasn’t surprised. They worked for the Manix Legion and had jobs in procurement. But I was surprised she wasn’t calling them already. Probably waiting to grill me for all the facts.
I herded everyone to the deck, and Seven picked up a weird toy cube thing that Luisa seemed to like best. He stuck it on the outdoor table in front of Raiden, who talked to her softly, flicking switches and playing with the cube. Gah, even the sight of them like that was making me damn emotional.
Dad slapped me on the back. “You better start explaining how a physical impossibility is getting changed in your spare room.”
So I did, in a low voice. From the time that Seven smelled her on the breeze, to now. I left out the more sensational parts though, because it was none of their business.
Still, Mom burst into tears. “She’s an absolute miracle. I just…” She trailed off, at a loss for words, which was the true miracle.
My dad was the practical one. “You know the Legion will find out eventually.”
Gatlin growled low in his chest, making my dad raise a brow. They were pretty evenly matched Alpha-wise, but my Dad had experience and Gatlin had youth. “Not if we all keep our mouths shut.”
Tycen, the quieter, more astute twin was shaking his head. “Seven’s nose is good, but this close to Maxton? The wind is going to shift and someone will work it out. We’ll keep it to ourselves of course”—he nailed his twin with a look—“but you better work out what the hell you’re going to say to the Legion. And if she does leave before they find out, how are you going to explain a knocked up Raiden? That shit won’t make no sense. You can’t hide this forever.”
Gatlin shrugged. “We’ll figure it out when that happens. But I’ll move all of us off the mountain before we kowtow to the Legion; you know this.”
My dad nodded. He knew our stance on the Legion and their archaic rules. He didn’t disagree either, despite being old school. He might be a cog in the greater Legion machine, but it didn’t mean that was what he wanted for his children. What any of my parents wanted for us.
“Tye is right—best to be prepared, but you do what you feel is right for your Pack. And for both your Omegas.”
I sighed. “She isn’t ours, Dad.”
“Yet,” Seven muttered, and my Mom smiled at him fondly. She had such a soft spot for Seven. She loved all my mates like they were her own flesh and blood. She’d always been the powerhouse that kept my family running, and it had everything to do with her huge heart.
Luisa decided she’d had enough of not being the center of attention and held her arms out to Seven. “Sev, up?” she asked, and my Beta complied in a heartbeat, because he was only Manix and that cuteness was just irresistible.
My mom smiled smugly. “Well, aren’t you the cutest little thing to ever walk the earth? You keep all these Manix on their toes, sweetheart?” She wiggled her eyebrows like they were blonde caterpillars on her face, making Luisa laugh and try to do it herself. It mostly resulted in her chubby little face contorting weirdly, but still, it was cute as fuck.
