Page 40 of All That We Keep (Always Yours #3)

Blake

Six months later, and I'm holding Samuel on my hip as I put James down for his afternoon nap, the routine so familiar now that I barely have to think about the sequence of movements.

Both boys have grown so much in these past months, their personalities starting to emerge in ways that constantly surprise and delight me.

James is the more serious of the two, always watching everything with an intensity that matches Luther, while Samuel is more like Grayson - quick to smile and fascinated by anything colorful or musical.

Quentin said they might both be Omegas but I’m banking on Alphas.

They’re too headstrong for any other designation.

Granted, we won’t really know until they hit puberty.

The nursery has evolved over time to accommodate their growing needs, with soft play mats and annoying, loud toys scattered around the space.

The walls are covered with artwork that Grayson created specifically for them, whimsical scenes of dragons and castles that will grow with them as they develop their own imaginations.

I just finish pulling James’ blanket over him when I hear Luca's footsteps in the hallway. He appears in the doorway with a mysterious smile and something hidden behind his back, the kind of expression that immediately puts me on alert because it usually means he's up to something.

"Where are all of our other mates?" I ask, noting the unusual quiet in the house.

"Oh, they're downstairs eating lunch," Luca replies casually, but there's an excitement in his voice that he's trying to contain. "I just wanted to show you something first."

He brings his hands forward to reveal a small wrapped box. My immediate reaction is to groan internally because I have a pretty good idea what this might be.

"Did you get me another necktie?" I ask with mock exasperation. "You know how much I hate those things."

Luca has been on a mission for the past six months to get me to dress more "professionally" for work, constantly buying me ties and formal accessories that I refuse to wear.

The company employees have been making comments about my casual dress code, suggesting that I need to present a more traditional CEO image.

But I've steadfastly refused to conform to their expectations, usually showing up in band t-shirts or button-down shirts with several buttons undone, much to Luca's amused frustration.

It’s become more a joke than a requirement, many of the employees becoming extended family and babysitters that I hadn’t expected.

"No, it's not a necktie, I promise," Luca says with a laugh, reaching forward to take Samuel from my arms so I can focus on opening the box.

I accept the trade, settling Samuel against Luca's chest, where he immediately relaxes into the familiar comfort of his other father's embrace.

I open the small box and pull out what appears to be baby clothes, tiny garments in soft pastels that are clearly meant for a newborn.

I examine them with confusion, trying to understand why Luca would be giving me infant clothing when our boys have long since outgrown this size.

"I'm not sure which one of them is supposed to wear a tutu," I say, holding up what looks like a frilly pink outfit, "but I mean, if you want to put them in there, I think the yellow would look fantastic on Samuel."

Luca's expression shifts to fond exasperation. "You're dumb as shit.”

"What do you mean?" I ask, genuinely confused.

"Bear," Luca whines, wriggling his whole body to prove a point, "we've been trying for almost three months to have another baby. Three months of visits to the fertility clinic, of procedures and hoping and waiting for results."

We had decided months ago that we wanted to expand our family, to give James and Samuel a sibling. Maybe it was irresponsible to expand our family so soon but we were excited that we were finally altogether. Nothing was stopping us from doing whatever we wanted in our happily ever after.

I just didn’t actually think it would take so soon.

Correction, I didn’t think it would take so long.

We had been fucking like rabbits.

"Oh," I breathe, the simple word carrying the weight of sudden realization. "You're pregnant."

"Yeah, with your baby," Luca confirms, his face glowing with joy and pride. "I went to the clinic with you and Grayson two weeks ago for the procedure," Luca continues, his voice growing more excited with each word. "I just got the results today. I'm pregnant and it's a baby girl."

The information takes a moment to fully process. "Wait, you're pregnant with my baby girl?"

"Yes," Luca says, tears of happiness starting to gather in his eyes. "She's yours biologically, Luther's going to be her other daddy and I'm going to carry her and love her just like I did with the boys."

I drop to my knees without thinking, my hands reaching out to touch the small swell of Luca's belly that I now realize I've been too busy and distracted to notice. Beneath my palms, I can feel the subtle changes that indicate new life growing inside the person I love most in the world.

"That's my baby girl in there," I whisper, my voice thick with emotion.

"Yeah, it is," Luca confirms, his own voice breaking slightly with tears. "You're going to be a daddy again, and I'm going to carry her for you, and we're going to have a complete family with children who share all of our genetics in different combinations."

That's when I hear footsteps on the stairs, the rest of our mates filing into the nursery, their faces just as excited about the information.

"I guess Luca told you the good news," Luther says with a knowing smile.

"How did you guys all know?" I ask, wiping tears from my cheeks as I look up at them from my position on the floor.

Luca's cheeks flush with embarrassment and amusement. "Because they've all been having sex with me regularly and paying attention to my body changes, while someone has been such a workaholic that he hasn't been in the nest with me enough to notice that I've got a little belly again."

The gentle accusation hits me with a wave of guilt.

It's true that I've been throwing myself into work since Ward's arrest, using the company restructuring and creative projects as a way to channel my energy and ensure our financial security.

But in doing so, I've missed important moments with my pack and failed to notice the subtle signs that should have been obvious to someone who loves Luca as much as I do.

"I'm so sorry," I say, pushing to my feet and reaching for both Samuel and Luca. "Let's rectify that right now."

Luca squeals with surprise as I gather Samuel and bring him over to his crib before settling him down for his nap alongside his brother. Both boys are getting drowsy anyway, their afternoon routine disrupted but not destroyed by this momentous news.

"Hey, be quiet," I tell the boys in a whisper. "I need to go fuck your other daddy to show him how much I love him."

"Blake," Luca protests with a laugh, "let's not use words like that around them. They're going to start speaking soon, and I don't want their first words to be curse words."

"Yeah, like that's going to happen anytime soon," I dismiss with a wave. "They're babies, Luca. We have months before we need to worry about vocabulary. Now, let's go," I continue, my voice dropping to a more intimate register. "I've got someone very important to thank properly."

Luther's deep chuckle fills the room. "You keep talking like that, and you're going to be the one getting thoroughly appreciated," he warns with obvious amusement.