Page 387 of Alpha Mates

“Love you too,” I reply but Levi’s already running off towards his best friend.

I stay, watching as Sammy jumps on him before other kids rush to Levi with big smiles like he’s a pop star. I drive away before he could spot me still hovering, heading home with a full heart and a surprise birthday party to finish.

“You cannot still be sleeping,” I say the moment I slip into our bedroom and spot Aiden still sprawled across the sheets.

“I would be if you weren’t talking,” he grumbles, which means he’s not. He’s just being lazy.

Crossing the messy room, I stop at the crib beside our bed and lean down to pick up Peter, who’s starting to wake.

“You’re sleeping too much,” I say as I turn with Peter in my hands, nose wrinkling as I get a whiff of the bomb in his diaper. “Get up and do something, Aiden.”

“I’m sleeping for three,” Aiden whines, rolling over while I take Peter into the bathroom. “Let me be.”

“Just because you’re pregnant doesn’t mean you can lounge around. Get up and take a shower, you fat hobo!” I say, snickering to myself, when a loud gasp travels my way.

“I am not fat!” Aiden protests from the bed. “And we’re a week away from these twins coming out. I’m allowed to rest.”

“You need a bath,” I counter while I change Peter’s diaper.

Luckily, Peter is a quiet as always, and he doesn’t spray me in the face with pee like his brother used to. I clean my baby boy up, grinning down at him while he watches me, blue eyes blown wide with wonder.

Peter’s only three years old and the quietest little thing ever. I loved him for it. In a house like ours, Peter was a treat, especially after the tornado that was Damon as a baby.

I have him cleaned and wrapped back up in no time, and settle him back down in his crib before I go to my other big baby.

Aiden glares up at me, pouting as he lifts a hand. Wordlessly, I help him up and he shuffles back with his massive stomach that’s much larger than mine ever was, but then again, I never had twins. Finding out Aiden was pregnant had been one of the most hysterical moments of my life, then discovering they were twins? Priceless.

“Hagen won’t stop kicking me,” he says, poking a finger at his stomach while I help him up onto his feet.

“Oh God, that name. Jaden was better than that,” I say, making him scowl. “What about Phillip or Ch—”

“No. I get to name him,” he declares. “He’s Hagen and she’s Josey.”

“It’ll be you dealing with their wrath when they’re older, not me,” I say while I help him undress so that he can get in the shower. I stay outside, watching and waiting to help him after while I lean against the counter.

“When will you be back to start prepping for the party?” he asks while he scrubs his skin.

“In two hours max,” I promise. “I’ve got to meet with Beckett, and he’ll take everything else on. Isabel should be getting here much later, so we won’t have to worry about that.”

“We’re finally going to meet the guy she calls the greatest man on the planet,” he says, glancing back at me with a grin. “It took her a couple of years, but she found him.”

“Yeah, she did,” I agree, smiling as I think of my friend.

It’d been years since Isabel went to the Academy, but only one since she met her mate. It wasn’t in the Academy itself, but within the Council base, which she went to work in after she graduated. She was our pack’s brightest representative and as a reward for all her work, Goddess finally led her to her mate.

“Alright, I’m done,” Aiden says as he pushes the door open and lifts his arms. “Towel me.”

I snort before I give in and help him.

Aiden vowed that this would be the one and only time he was getting pregnant, and if that was the case, then I didn’t mind pampering my guy.

“Why are these balloons blue?” I shout as I shake one of the balloons in front of my best friend’s face. “I said black! I specifically said black!”

Beckett looks between me and the navy-blue balloons before asking, “Aren’t they black?”

“No, Beckett!” I shout. “They’re not!”

Beckett takes another glance, his eyes squinting, before he shrugs. “I don’t think anyone will notice.”