Page 25 of Finding Forever with the Alpha Pack (Return to Wolf Creek #4)
Chapter 25
Ethan
“Mom, Gracie is going to murder us...” I mutter, the words escaping like a frustrated growl as I roughly rub my hands over my freshly shaved head. The dining room feels unbearably small with all the anticipation pressing down on me. Three cakes, perfectly frosted and decorated, sit on the table, and my nerves are a live wire. Only close family friends are here—Ambrose, Nic’s sister, and Andrea. It’s a small gathering, but that doesn’t make it any easier.
“She will not.” Agnes’s voice is firm, a grounding presence, as she and Uri arrive, bringing the kids with them. She flashes me a reassuring smile, but it does little to settle the turmoil in my chest. “This is very thoughtful, the way we’re doing it.”
I glance at the baby A cake again, my mind spinning. By the timeline, this one has the highest probability of being mine. The thought sends a shiver of both excitement and anxiety racing down my spine.
The sound of a car pulling up outside makes my breath hitch. Three doors open and close, and I freeze, staring at the cakes as if they’ll somehow reveal the answers on their own. The front door creaks open, and then I hear it—Gracie’s voice, light and teasing.
“We’re home!”
“In here!” I yell back, trying to keep my voice steady, but I can’t help the way my nerves ramp up, shifting into overdrive. My heart pounds so hard it almost drowns out the rest of the sounds. This is it.
The moment Gracie steps into the dining room, Barrett swoops in, plopping a crown on her head with a mischievous grin before leading her to the table. “The time is upon us to see which genders are joining our family,” he announces dramatically, then hands Grace the largest knife I’ve ever seen. My stomach drops.
“Are you sure the knife was a wise decision?” Nic’s voice calls out from the sidelines, his concern mirroring my own. He’s only half joking.
“Probably not, but here we are,” Barrett says, shrugging casually as he steps back, giving Grace the space—and the knife. I can’t tell if he’s fearless or just crazy.
“Deacon?” Grace calls for the littlest member of our family, and with Griffin’s help, he toddles over to his momma’s side. My breath catches as I watch them. “Which cake should we cut first?” she asks gently. Deacon’s little face scrunches up in concentration before his tiny finger points confidently to the middle cake. “Good choice.” Grace’s smile is radiant as she glances over at Agnes. “Care to join me?”
Her gaze shifts to Agnes, then to Ruby. Both moms step forward, their hands steady as they place them over Grace’s, guiding the knife through the cake. With a twist of the blade, the inside reveals itself in a brilliant pink.
“We have a girl!” Agnes announces, her voice filled with joy. She and Ruby step back, giving Grace a moment to process. I catch the glimmer of tears in Grace’s eyes before she blinks them away, a proud smile on her lips.
“Nina? Do you want to help cut a cake?” Grace asks, her voice soft and inviting. Nina, still a little shy, nods, and grabs Nic’s hand, pulling him forward. She stares at the two remaining cakes, her gaze lingering on the first one, but then Ashina growls softly, her protective instincts surfacing.
“I want to cut C.” Nina’s eyes dart between her dad and Grace, and when they nod, she steps up, small fingers wrapping around the knife handle. With Nic’s help, they slice through the third cake. The interior is a striking blue.
“It’s a boy,” Nic announces proudly, his voice strong and full of emotion.
I exhale a breath I didn’t realize I was holding. Two down, one to go. My eyes flicker to the remaining cake, my heart racing. Ashina’s hand wraps around mine suddenly, her tiny fingers squeezing tight. My gaze snaps to hers, and she’s staring at me with a determination that almost knocks me off my feet.
“Come on, Dad, let’s cut it.” The smile she gives me is small but genuine, and my throat tightens. It still floors me, the way she calls me Dad so easily, like I’ve always been here. I swallow hard and nod, letting her lead me to the table.
Grace smiles softly, handing me the knife, stepping back to give us this moment. “Go ahead, Ethan,” she murmurs.
I guide Ashina’s hand, our fingers intertwined around the handle. “Let’s do it, pumpkin,” I whisper, the words almost catching in my throat. Together, we press the blade down, cutting through the layers slowly. I pause, fear constricting my chest, before we twist the blade and?—
Blue. The interior is a deep, vibrant blue.
“It’s a boy!” Ashina squeals, her excitement bursting free. She leaps up, her arms wrapping around my neck, and I drop the knife, hugging her back tightly. My heart swells, emotions surging, and I struggle to keep it together.
I glance at Grace, who’s watching us with a smile that’s both proud and bittersweet. This is what we’ve been waiting for. Despite that, doubt gnaws at me.
Please, let the doctor be right. Let this be real.
But for now, I hold Ashina close, letting the hope settle in my chest. The excitement around us fades into the background, and I focus on the warmth of her hug, the way she trusts me so completely. For this moment, everything feels perfect.
We celebrate well into the evening, the house alive with laughter and warmth, but it does little to ease the tightening knot in my chest. There’s maybe two, three weeks left of this pregnancy, and then everything changes. We’ll be a family of thirteen. It sounds surreal, overwhelming even, but it’s happening, and the weight of it presses harder with each passing day.
An hour ago, Deacon decided I looked comfortable enough and curled up on me, falling asleep almost instantly. His little body was warm and peaceful, and I didn’t have the heart to move him. Then, about thirty minutes ago, Gracie joined him, settling against me and drifting off into sleep, her breathing slow and even. It’s moments like this that should bring me peace, but the quiet magnifies the tension building inside me.
“Need a hand?” Conrad’s voice breaks through my thoughts, and I look up to find him smiling down at me.
“That would be nice,” I admit, nodding toward Deacon. Carefully, Conrad lifts the little one off of me, cradling him as he takes him to bed. Nic comes over next, his eyes full of that quiet understanding, and together we shift Gracie, making sure she’s comfortable before I tilt the recliner back. Maybe I’ll get a few hours of sleep before work in the morning. This stable day job... it’s for the birds, but at least it keeps me close to home.
The recliner clicks into place, and Gracie snuggles into me, pressing her forehead against my throat. The scent of her hair fills my senses, grounding me for a moment. I carefully rest a hand on her swollen stomach, feeling the gentle movements beneath my palm. It’s surreal, knowing that in a matter of weeks, these little lives will be with us, part of our pack.
I can’t stop the small smile that pulls at my lips as I feel one baby shift, a light flutter against my hand. It doesn’t matter whose they are—Nic’s, Conrad’s, mine—I already love them all. Even so, there’s a part of me that prays to whatever gods might be listening, that at least one of them is mine.
The biggest prayer, though, is for their health. I want them all to be born strong, healthy, and ready to take on the world. It’s not just about bloodlines; it’s about the family we’re building, the love that’s already filling this house to the brim. And as I lie here, with Gracie curled up against me and the weight of her stomach pressing gently into my hand, I can almost convince myself that everything will be okay.
But the anxiety doesn’t fully fade. It lingers, like a shadow, reminding me that this calm won’t last forever. There are storms ahead—there always are. For now, though, I focus on the soft, rhythmic rise and fall of Gracie’s breathing, and I let myself hope that when the storm hits, we’ll be ready.
Morning comes way too soon. I’m not ready for it, but there’s no stopping the day from dragging me into its clutches. Griffin leans over me, whispering, “Ethan, you need to get ready for work.” His voice is soft as he carefully scoops Gracie off of me like she’s the most delicate thing in the world.
“Stupid adulting,” I mutter under my breath as Griffin heads out of the room with her in his arms. I stretch, feeling the stiffness in my back and hearing the satisfying crackle of my joints as I adjust the recliner into a sitting position. Sleeping in that thing was a terrible idea. I should’ve taken Gracie back to my room last night, but now it’s too late for regrets.
Dragging myself up, I shuffle toward the small walk-in closet we built downstairs—just in case one of us crashes in the den and needs to get ready for work without trudging back upstairs. I step into the closet, pulling on my sheriff’s uniform. The badge, the belt—it’s all part of a life I never expected for myself. I roll my eyes as I straighten my shirt. Oh, how the mighty have fallen.
But I can’t deny the results. My reputation has given me one clear advantage—criminals don’t even try to run or fight back. They know better. And I’ll admit, it’s made a difference. Since I accepted the badge, crime in our town has dropped by almost forty percent. I guess there’s some value in the job after all.
As I glance down at my phone, I see the reminder for today. Nicolai’s father is being sworn in as a pack elder, and they’re choosing one more. I know they’ve been in talks with my mom, wanting her to be the first female elder. She’s already told them she’ll accept, as long as it doesn’t interfere with her taking care of her grand pups. Typical of her.
Stepping out of the closet, I make my way to the kitchen. Mom’s already there, like always, with my food packed and a large thermos of coffee waiting on the counter. “Try not to murder anyone today, okay?” she teases, batting my arm playfully.
“As long as they don’t FAFO, they’ll be fine,” I shoot back, leaning in to press a kiss to her forehead. The playful banter between us is familiar, comforting.
Before I can turn to leave, her hand reaches up to pat my cheek gently, her eyes soft with pride. “Your father would be proud of you, Ethan. You’re an excellent mate and a great father. You make me proud, too.”
Her words hit me square in the chest, and I damn near choke up. I wasn’t expecting that. I nod stiffly, trying to hold it together, and kiss her forehead again. “Thanks, Mom.”
I step outside, the morning light already creeping across the sky. My squad car sits in the driveway, and for a moment, I just stare at it. The cage. I hate being confined, but this one... this one I can actually do some good in.