Page 63

Chapter Forty-One

Sorcha

S orcha came into the guest room and found Teal reading to the boys. The older omega had been home from the hospital for five days and seemed almost back to normal, other than a constant low-grade fever and being fatigued enough to require bedrest.

Looking up, Teal asked, “Everything okay?”

“Mm-hmm,” Sorcha replied. “I don’t mean to interrupt. I only wanted to check your temperature and see if I could get you into the bath. You could probably manage that if I helped.”

Zayne laughed. “Daddy Sorcha, don’t be silly! Big omegas don’t take baths. They take showers!”

“Well, that’s usually true,” Sorcha replied, pulling the little boy from the crook of Teal’s elbow and hoisting him onto his hip. “But sometimes when daddies aren’t feeling well, they take a bath. Just like you.”

Garin and Kino lifted themselves up from Teal’s other side, grabbing the pile of picture books as they went.

“Is dinner ready?” Kino asked.

“Not yet. Niall said soon. But I bet he’d love it if you went downstairs and offered to set the table.”

The twins made their way past Sorcha, and he put Zayne down on the floor to go with them.

“You were okay with them?” he asked Teal.

“Yeah. I can’t believe how tired I feel, though. I’ve gone from commanding the courtroom to being out of breath after one story.”

“You’ll bounce back soon enough.”

Teal nodded. “Whatever Niall’s making smells delicious. I’ll be grateful when I’m past the broth and soft foods phase of my recovery.”

“Stomach okay?”

“Mostly, although I’ve been having some belly upset for…other reasons.” The omegas shared a knowing glance. “So, Niall is making dinner. Ronan’s still at work?”

“Yes. This was his first full day back, so he texted that he’s staying a little late to play catch-up. Probably a good idea, since he’ll need to take a few more days off soon.”

Teal exhaled carefully. “Jax?”

“Downstairs in the office. He and Niall have been waiting until late the past few nights to go over to their side.”

“He hasn’t been in to see me alone since that night he held me.”

“Give him time. I don’t know if it’s a beta thing or what, but Jax and Niall are both being cautious about everything .” Sorcha sat down on the edge of the mattress.

Teal pulled the younger man closer to him. “I think it’s an omega thing. We’re just naturally more open, more expressive—”

“Careful,” Sorcha chuffed. “You sound like pro-alpha propaganda.”

Chuckling, Teal clarified, “Being expressive and sensitive doesn’t make us less-than. It’s just part of being an omega. But I think for you and me, we accept things as they are because all we need to do is feel something is right to know that it is.”

“Whereas our beta family members continue to insist on things making sense.”

“They’ll get there, and in the meantime, Ronan will keep growling at us to take care of ourselves and growling at them about how much they’re wanted.”

Sorcha held a hand against Teal’s forehead before producing a thermometer from his shirt pocket. “You’re hot.”

Teal’s upper lip twitched. “Thank you.”

Sorcha pffted. “I guess I walked into that one. But seriously, your temperature is higher than this morning.”

“You know why.”

“How long do you think we have?”

“I’m not sure. Nothing about this heat has been normal. Even before High Court I felt weird.”

“And you’re sure you want to…try?”

“I do. It might be my last chance.” Teal pulled Sorcha to him again and grabbed one of his hands, pulling their joined fingers into his lap. “But, my darling, if you’re worried that me having a breeding heat might take away from your own joy, you can tell me, and I’ll understand.”

“My joy? What do—” Sorcha’s jaw dropped. “You heard me?”

“I’ve been waiting for the right moment to talk to you about it, but we haven’t had much time alone since I’ve come home.

” Teal reached his free hand over and placed it on Sorcha’s stomach.

“Hearing the news helped me come out of that weird sleep I was in. Like I was deep underwater and the knowledge that we’re having a new baby provided the light that guided me back to the surface. ”

“You’re happy?” Even with all the assurances Ronan and Teal had given him, Sorcha still needed to hear it.

“I’m over the moon, my darling.” A tear ran down Teal’s face.

“Because it means that a year from now, we’ll have at least one new baby in this family.

And I’ve known for a while how much I want that.

Months ago, I hadn’t considered that this might be the universe’s way of fulfilling my wish.

But that’s exactly what’s happened.” Teal reached up to cup Sorcha’s face with both hands.

“You’re my wish come true. You and our new baby. ”

Sorcha’s eyes brimmed with tears. Soon, he was crying in earnest. Of all the new emotions he’d experienced since finding his family, joy still felt the most foreign. And the most exhilarating.

Three sets of feet pounded up the stairs.

Ronan arrived first. Sorcha hadn’t even realized he’d come home. “What’s wrong?” the alpha asked, looking panicked at the sight of the two omegas crying.

“It’s okay,” Sorcha said, jumping up to give Ronan a hug. Niall and Jax stood behind him.

“Then why are you upset?”

“We’re happy,” Teal said from the bed. He gestured with his hand for the other men to come into the room.

“Because Teal’s feeling better?” Niall asked. Jax made a noise implying this was also his guess.

“No,” Sorcha replied. “Because…” He took a deep breath but found himself too overcome to finish.

Ronan raised his nose in the air, nostrils flaring as his head jerked. Finally, his gaze lasered in on Sorcha. “Really?” he breathed out in amazement.

Sorcha nodded. Teal grinned widely.

Ronan ran over and lifted Sorcha off his feet, spinning them in a circle and peppering his face with kisses.

“So, I take it Sorcha is carrying the next little McGinn?” Niall asked.

“That’s right.”

“Congratulations.” Niall tipped an imaginary hat.

“That's such amazing news!” At Jax’s words, everyone looked at him. “What?” he asked. “I can’t be excited Sorcha’s having a baby?”

Sorcha smacked at Ronan’s hands. “Let me down, alpha.” As soon as his feet touched the floor, he was in Jax’s arms, hugging him. “Of course you can be excited.”

“It’s good that you’re expecting, little omega,” Niall said. “Because it’s been so dull and boring around here. We needed some extra excitement.”

They all chuckled as Sorcha crawled back on the bed with Teal. Ronan’s chest puffed with pride. “Should we tell the boys tonight?”

“I think so,” Teal said. “We can tell them together after dinner. They’ve taken this all in stride so I’m guessing this will be good news for them. Zayne’s been saying for a year he wants to be a big brother.”

It gratified Sorcha to see everyone’s elation. He curled up next to Teal, wishing the same for his partner. He wanted the other omega to have the successful breeding heat he longed for.

Even though Sorcha believed Teal’s assertion that Sorcha’s pregnancy was enough to make him happy—that Teal’s own pregnancy would simply be frosting on the proverbial cake—Sorcha still wanted it for him.

One week of having Teal mostly silent in bed had driven home how much he loved and needed the other omega.

He wanted all their dreams to come true.

***

Two days later, Sorcha woke in the dark of night to feel Teal radiating like a volcano beside him. The other omega had only returned to their bedroom the evening prior. He reached over to shake Ronan awake, but the big alpha was already halfway there.

“It’s time,” Sorcha whispered-shouted to Ronan. He placed a hand on Teal’s shoulder. “Teal, are you awake?”

“Mmm.” Teal hummed faintly, but after a few seconds he managed a choked, “Yes.”

Just that morning, the three of them had discussed Teal’s impending heat.

With his body already stressed due to not being able to fully recover after the poisoning, Teal would likely be fairly mentally checked out during the experience.

Dr. Kinzinger had been blunt that this heat would be risky and fraught for him.

Sorcha sent off a text to Jax and Niall, who were asleep on their side of the duplex. When they didn’t reply immediately, he banged his fist on the wall. He had to do it a few times, but eventually he heard them stir. A minute later, they let themselves in the McGinns’ unit.

A subdued knock sounded at the bedroom door and Ronan commanded the betas to stop playing around and come in.

Niall and Jax had been so urgent in responding to Sorcha’s message, but they looked nervous as they stepped into the room.

“His heat?” Jax asked the alpha, as though needing Ronan to confirm.

“Yes,” Ronan answered. “I finally scent the shift I’ve been waiting for these past few days. It’s time.”

“He’s okay?” Niall’s question was tentative, the concern clear on his face.

“He’s fine,” Sorcha said, determined to stay positive.

“His body was made for this. He’s a little banged up right now, but we’re going to help him.

I’m guessing we have about three hours until his first wave starts in earnest.” Sorcha tried to tamp down the memory of his own terrible first hours of heat, writhing in agony, a prisoner of his bedroom.

His thoughts must have shown on his face, because Ronan placed a firm hand on his wrist. “Teal’s going to be fine, little one. It won’t get as bad as yours because he’s not alone. We’re going to give him what he needs.”

“Okay,” Sorcha murmured.

“We’re here to help,” Jax said. “Do you want us to wake the boys and take them to our unit?”

Ronan started to answer, but Teal moaned from the bed, “No.”

“No?” Ronan asked his husband.

“No.” Teal turned his head weakly toward Niall and Jax. “Need you…both.”

Niall chewed his bottom lip. “You want us to stay in the house with you?”

An exasperated huff escaped Sorcha. “C’mon, Niall. You know what he means.”

Niall looked at Jax and Jax nodded.

“You’re sure?” Niall inched closer to the bed. He directed the question to Teal, but his eyes also darted to Ronan and Sorcha.

“Yes,” Teal replied, the most forceful he’d been since waking. “My body…is…so tired. I need my…family…my partners.”

Niall sat down on the bed, taking one of Teal’s hands in his. With the other, he tugged Jax to stand next to him. “Of course we’ll stay, Teal. If that’s what you want.”

“Okay. Ronan will…tell you…what to do,” Teal panted. “I…trust you…all.” With his last breath before succumbing to fatigue, the omega glanced at his alpha. “Breed me.”