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Scarlett

Scarlett’s mind was racing and her hands shook with nerves.

She closed her eyes and tried to refocus as she set the hot glue gun aside, but it didn’t help.

Tears started to roll down her cheeks and she shoved her chair away from her desk.

When she couldn’t settle herself, she stood up and sought out Vince, who was spending his evening in the workshop.

Ezra and Mateo had gone to get their suits from the dry cleaner, but Scarlett suspected that they had an ulterior motive.

The second Vince saw her, he had her wrapped in his thick arms, her cheek pressing into his chest. “What happened?”

“The centrepieces fell apart.”

“The ones that you made?”

“Yes. It’s all my fault. I shouldn’t have stacked them in the box and…” She sniffed, feeling awfully stupid for crying over such a small detail.

“Would you like me to help you?”

“You would do that?”

“Of course.”

She nodded and the second she did, Vince swept her up in his arms and carried her back inside. Once she’d brought everything downstairs, they sat at the counter and glued the rhinestones back on the bows she’d made for the table toppers.

They’d barely started when Mateo and Ezra returned, and she averted her eyes so she didn’t see their suits. Mateo chuckled and she heard his footsteps walk up the stairs. “Don’t worry they are covered.”

Ezra already had her chin pinched between his fingers, running his thumb over her blotched cheek. “You’ve been crying.” When she opened her eyes, she saw his gaze drift to the rhinestones. “Over decor?”

“They broke.”

“No one will care about centrepieces once you enter the room.”

“I care,” she protested.

Seeing where his night was heading, Ezra let out a long sigh and sat to her other side. “Fine. What do I have to do?”

She showed him how to fix each one and repeated it once more when Mateo joined them, insisting on helping too. “Do you need us to do anything else before tomorrow?”

“No. I didn’t have this planned either, but I was getting everything together for your assigned tasks tomorrow, and they just… fell apart.”

“I can’t wait to see everything come together,” Mateo hummed.

She still hadn’t allowed them to know all the details.

Everyone had become part of the planning in some way, but Scarlett was the only one who had all the pieces put together.

She was nervous, but excited. Part of her still thought it was surreal.

In just twenty-four hours, they would fulfil their bond and she would finally be able to call them hers.

“You are tearing up again, love.”

She looked over at Mateo, accepting his offered tissue. “I just can’t believe it’s tomorrow.”

“It does feel quite surreal, doesn’t it?”

“In a good way?” she asked, unable to keep her insecurities at bay.

“A very good and special way.”

“We are very excited to be yours,” Vince agreed.

Ezra ran the back of his fingers over her cheek and softly kissed her forehead. “There is no need for you to worry. All three of us will stand under those branches, eagerly awaiting your arrival.”

She reached up and laced her fingers over his, leaning into the touch. “I love you so very much.”

“We love you too, princess.”

“I would like to cuddle with all three of you tonight.”

An hour later, she sat on Mateo’s bed, waiting for Ezra to join them. Vince was to her left, and Mateo to her right, so she patted her lap to signal Ezra to lay his head there.

“I would like to talk about something before we go to sleep.” Once Ezra was comfortable, one of Scarlett’s hands combed through his hair while the other reached out for Mateo. “I would like you to listen first. Calmly .” The last word she directed to Ezra.

“Of course,” Mateo agreed like the sweet pup he was, while Vince—and shockingly Ezra—gave silent nods.

“I want to be a mother,” she blurted. Scarlett shook her head, smiling to herself.

“I mean, I’ve always wanted that, but I’m ready to talk about becoming one.

But I’ve discovered that even though I want that, I don’t want to sacrifice my studies for it.

I know you two want children, but our parenting will have to be different from most traditional roles if you want to become fathers. ”

“And you would like to know how we feel about it?” Mateo softly asked.

“Yes. If you don’t feel comfortable with a nontraditional household, it won’t stop us from having children, the timeline would just be different.”

Mateo visibly tried to contain his excitement, but he was failing miserably in a sweet and loving way. “I would be very excited to stay home and take care of the babies, but I have some rules I would like to have set in place.”

“Rules?”

“You have to be sure you’ve recovered properly after birth. I don’t want you to overwork yourself, not during your last trimester and not in the months after.”

“I wouldn’t. I would take at least a semester break, maybe two, but I don’t want to set it aside all together to raise them until they are old enough for me to return.” Ezra was rather still and silent, so she turned her attention to him. “How do you feel about that?”

“As I said before: I will restrain Mateo the first chance I get and fuck you until you give me an heir.”

She chuckled and let her hand slip from his hair to his jaw to force him to look up at her. “I do remember that quite clearly. Are you comfortable looking after your baby?”

“Yes,” he answered matter-of-factly.

“And once Mateo’s comes? Would you feel comfortable looking after both?”

“Yes.”

There was no hesitation, and she had no words to describe the warm, tingly feeling it gave her. “Now, maybe if you ask Mateo nicely to wear condoms, I will consider you getting rid of yours.”

Ezra tilted his head out of her grip and glared at Mateo. “Unless you want me to give you a home vasectomy, wear the damn condoms.”

“Ezra,” she warned, though she couldn’t hide her grin.

Ezra gritted his teeth. “Please.”

“Fine,” Mateo laughed, but when his eyes fell on Vince he fused his brows and became serious. “Why are you keeping Vince out of this conversation?”

“I already know how Vince feels about all of it. He has agreed to help raise our children. Though if they misbehave, he might give them back to their fathers and steal me away instead.”

Ezra pushed himself out of her lap and onto his heels, hurt stinging his features. “You talked to him about this first?”

“Yes, Ezra, I did. I already knew how you felt about being a parent and that it is something dear to your heart. Vince, on the other hand, never saw himself as a father. Having children in his life will be a drastic step. I wanted to hear how he felt about it without you pointing a gun at his head and forcing an answer less than the truth.”

Ezra snapped his mouth shut, knowing that Scarlett was right.

“And are you comfortable with all of this?” Mateo asked his friend.

“As Scarlett said: I am and I will help you as much as you allow me to.”

Ezra needed a moment to calm the evident storm he had brewing in his mind and then with a much softer voice, he asked, “When would you be ready to start conceiving?”

“That depends on you. A child is a huge addition to the family.”

“We are ready,” Ezra and Mateo answered in unison, turning to Vince to await his answer.

Scarlett’s quiet mate was clearly in a mischievous mood, taking his time answering. Finally, once the tension in the room was so thick it could have been cut with a spoon, he nodded.

“Are we financially ready? And do you know what kind of consequences that brings to our lives?” Scarlett questioned further.

“Money is no object, and I believe we do know what we’re getting ourselves into,” Mateo answered for everyone.

“We will have to homeschool and choose our friends wisely. Children say what is on their minds without a filter. Keeping our secret will be much harder with a child around.”

Ezra chuckled darkly. “Let the kid scream out to the world that I’m a warlock. Once they see me, they’ll understand and have no doubt our child has a wonderful imagination.”

“Scarlett, we all grew up having to hide ourselves to some degree. We know what it means and are ready to take on the new challenge.”

Scarlett relaxed, letting out her breath. “Of course you are.”

“Does it scare you?” Mateo asked, sensing there was more to her worry.

“A little, because my pack has shrunk quite a bit.”

Mateo gave her a soft smile. “I know, and I understand that it seems so much more daunting to you now. You are not alone— we’re not alone.

My parents will be thrilled to welcome their first grandchild, and your pack is not far away either.

I’m sure if we talk to your brother, he will let you visit.

Maybe our children can make friends within the pack too. ”

“Thank you. I needed to hear that out loud.”

With his fingers curling around her waistband, Ezra hummed. “I don’t suppose you would let me start this whole new chapter tonight?”

Scarlett shook her head, prying Ezra’s fingers away from her clothes. “No, not tonight.”

“What a shame.” Scarlett yelped, as Ezra grabbed her by the ankles and tugged her down the mattress. “Let’s get you all comfy so you can get your beauty rest.”

Laying on Ezra’s chest, she listened to his heartbeat and let it guide her into her dreams. Mateo laid to one side, Vince to the other, and both spoiled her with caresses, giving her just a taste of the chapter ahead.