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Epilogue - Dahlia

I wake up to sunlight streaming through the windows, casting golden patterns across the bedroom floor.

For a moment, I just rest there, savoring the warmth and the tangle of limbs surrounding me.

Evan's arm is draped across my waist, his breath tickling the back of my neck.

Leo sleeps on my other side, one hand resting possessively on my hip.

Onyx and Axl are sprawled at the foot of our ridiculous custom-made bed, their bodies forming a protective barrier between me and the door.

My pack. My Alphas. Mine.

It's been six weeks since Hammond's facility, six weeks since they saved me, six weeks since we all decided this arrangement wasn't temporary. The world has changed dramatically in that time, both my world and the world at large.

The cure worked. Not just on Mara and the infected shifter we captured, but on thousands of others.

Evan used his resources to mass-produce and distribute it globally, while I worked with medical teams to refine the formula.

The virus that was meant to destroy shifter-kind has been neutralized, and Hammond's "containment" program was dismantled.

Hammond himself is locked away in a secure government facility, facing charges that will keep him there for several lifetimes. His research has been seized, and his network of collaborators has been exposed. The world knows what he tried to do and what we stopped him from doing.

I stretch carefully, trying not to wake them.

My body feels different this morning. Heavier somehow, and more sensitive.

I've been feeling off for a few days now, but I've been too busy to pay much attention.

Between press conferences, research papers, and establishing our unusual household, there hasn't been much time for self-reflection.

As I shift to sit up, a wave of nausea hits me. I freeze, waiting for it to pass, but it only intensifies when Evan rolls closer; his scent is suddenly overwhelming.

Oh no.

I carefully extricate myself from the tangle of bodies, moving with a stealth I didn't possess before my Omega awakening. None of them stir as I slip from the bed and pad quietly to the bathroom, closing the door behind me before I lunge for the toilet.

After emptying my stomach, I sit back on my heels, trembling slightly. This is the third morning in a row. I can't ignore it anymore.

"Dahlia?" Onyx's voice comes through the door, concerned. "You okay in there?"

"I'm fine," I call back, wincing at how unconvincing I sound. "Just... give me a minute."

I rinse my mouth and splash cold water on my face, staring at my reflection in the mirror. My skin glows with a radiance that has nothing to do with the lighting, and my eyes seem brighter somehow. I place a hand on my still-flat stomach, a suspicion forming that I'm not quite ready to voice.

When I walk out of the bathroom, all four of them are awake and watching me with varying degrees of concern.

"You look pale," Leo says, immediately moving to feel my forehead.

I duck away from his touch, suddenly overwhelmed by his scent. "I'm fine. I feel a little queasy."

"You've been 'queasy' every morning this week," Evan points out. "And you barely touched dinner last night."

"Maybe I'm coming down with something," I suggest, though I don't believe it myself.

Axl sits up, running a hand through his sleep-mussed hair. "Or maybe it's something else."

Our eyes meet, and I see the question in his. He's more perceptive than the others sometimes give him credit for.

"I need to go to the lab," I say abruptly, grabbing clothes from the dresser. "I have some tests to run."

"Tests for what?" Onyx asks, his voice is deceptively casual.

I pull on a t-shirt and jeans, avoiding their gazes. "Just some follow-up work on the cure. Nothing important."

None of them believes me, and I can tell by the way they exchange glances, but they don't push. That's one of the things I love about them. For all their Alpha posturing, they respect my boundaries.

"I'll make breakfast," Leo offers, climbing out of bed. "Something light for your stomach."

"Thanks," I say, grateful for the change of subject. "I won't be long."

I make my escape before they can ask more questions, hurrying down to the lab in the basement of our new home.

After the events at Hammond's facility, we decided we needed a place that could accommodate all of us and provide security.

Evan purchased this estate on the outskirts of the city.

It's twelve acres of wooded land surrounded by a state-of-the-art security system.

The lab is my sanctuary, a place where I can think clearly amidst the chaos of our unconventional relationship. I close the door behind me and lean against it, taking a deep breath.

"Computer, engage privacy protocol," I say.

"Privacy protocol engaged," the AI responds. "All monitoring systems disabled."

I move to the equipment I need. A simple blood test will confirm what I already suspect, but I'm not taking any chances. I draw my blood, then prepare the sample for analysis.

While the computer processes the results, I pace the length of the lab. If I'm right, and I'm almost sure I am, our lives are about to change again.

The question is, who's the father?

I laugh softly at the absurdity of the situation. Four Alphas, one Omega, and a heat cycle that lasted for a week. It could be any of them. It could be all of them, in a way. Omega biology is still largely uncharted territory, especially for someone like me who can bond with multiple Alphas.

The computer chimes, indicating that the analysis is complete. I take a deep breath and look at the screen.

Pregnancy Confirmed. Gestation: Approximately 7 weeks.

Even though I was expecting it, seeing the confirmation sends a shock through my system.

I grab the vaginal ultrasound wand and insert it inside of me, looking for a heartbeat.

To my surprise, I find four! I'm pregnant, and I'm pregnant with quadruplets!

Lives are growing inside me; babies created from the bonds I share with my Alphas.

I run additional tests to check hormone levels and genetic markers. Everything looks normal, though "normal" is a relative term when dealing with an unprecedented multi-bonded Omega pregnancy.

I sit up heavily on the lab table, my hand moving instinctively to my stomach. Four babies. Our babies.

For a woman who spent most of her life devoted to science, the idea of motherhood never featured prominently in my plans.

But now, knowing four lives are growing inside me, lives created from the most unexpected and powerful connections I've ever experienced, I feel a surge of protectiveness and joy that takes my breath away.

The question now is how to tell them.

I save the test results on my secure server and clear the screens. This news belongs to all of us, but I want to find the right moment, the right words.

As I make my way back upstairs, the scent of breakfast greets me.

They are all in the kitchen when I enter. Leo is at the stove, Evan is reading news on his tablet, Axl is perched on a counter strumming his guitar, and Onyx is leaning against the island, drinking coffee. They look up when I enter, and I see the question in their eyes.

"Is everything okay?" Evan asks, setting down his tablet.

I nod, moving to pour a glass of water on myself. "Yes."

Onyx's nostrils flare slightly, and I know he can smell the change in me. His eyes widen almost imperceptibly, but he says nothing.

"Sit," Leo orders, gesturing to the table. "I made plain toast and scrambled eggs. It should be gentle on your stomach."

I obey, suddenly ravenous despite the nausea from earlier.

As I eat, I watch them move around each other with the easy familiarity we've developed.

It wasn't always this smooth. The first few weeks were a tangle of jealousy, territorial disputes, and the occasional physical altercation.

But we've found our rhythm, each of them carving out their role in our unusual family.

Evan handles the business and security aspects, using his resources to protect what we've built.

Leo manages practical day-to-day operations; his mind is always alert to potential threats.

Onyx provides the connection to the shifter community, bridging the gap between our world and theirs.

And Axl brings joy and spontaneity, reminding us not to take ourselves too seriously.

And me? I'm the center, the Omega who holds them all together. The scientist who found the cure. The woman who loves them each differently but equally.

"You're quiet this morning," Axl observes, setting his guitar aside. "What's going on in that brilliant brain of yours?"

I look around at them, these four extraordinary men who've become my world. They deserve to know now.

"I have something to tell you," I say, setting down my fork. "Something important."

They immediately go still and focus all their attention on me. The intensity of four Alpha gazes is still overwhelming sometimes.

"Is it about the tests you ran?" Evan asks, his voice carefully neutral.

I nod, taking a deep breath. "I've been feeling strange lately..."

"Dahlia, are you...?" Leo asks

"Yes," I confirm, unable to keep the smile from spreading across my face. "I'm pregnant."

Axl whoops, nearly falling off the counter. Leo freezes, spatula in hand, eyes wide with shock. Evan's tablet clatters to the table as he stands abruptly. And Onyx, lets out a sound that's half laugh, half sob.

"You're sure?" Evan asks, moving to my side.

"Completely," I say. "About seven weeks along, which means..."

"It happened during the heat."

I nod. "But it’s not just one baby, we are expecting four! I would guess one for each of you, or all of you, in a way. Omega biology is complicated, especially with multiple bonds."

"OMG! Does it matter?" Axl asks, jumping down from the counter to join us. "These are our babies. All of ours."

"Axl's right," Onyx says. "The babies are pack, regardless."

I hadn't realized how worried I was about their reaction until this moment.

Leo kneels beside my chair, placing a gentle hand on my stomach. "Four babies," he murmurs, awe in his voice. "Our babies. So happy!"

Evan's hand joins Leo's. "How are you feeling about this?" he asks.

"Scared," I admit. "Excited. Overwhelmed. Happy." I look around at their faces, seeing my joy reflected in them. "Very, very happy."

Axl drops to his knees on my other side, pressing a kiss to my temple. "You're going to be an amazing mother, Dr. Baldwin."

"We'll need to increase security," Evan says, already planning. "And convert the largest spare room into a nursery."

"I'll call my cousin," Onyx adds. "There are traditional shifter birthing rituals we should consider."

"And I'll write the best damn lullabies ever heard," Axl promises with a grin.

I laugh, tears of joy spilling down my cheeks. "I love you all so much."

They surround me entirely now, their hands on me, their scents mingling into the familiar comfort of pack and home and safety. I've never felt more protected or more cherished.

"Well, boys," I murmur, placing a hand over my belly. "Looks like we're having pups."