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Luca

The weekend rolls in with a kind of peace I haven't felt in years. The kind that sinks into my bones, soft and warm, like I actually belong here. Life with my mates has settled into something real, something I don’t have to question every second of the day.

But that doesn’t mean I’m not jumping out of my fucking skin.

We had to stop at the hospital again for another DNA test because, of course, the first one was inconclusive. Quentin said he’d try to get a sample of Hudson’s DNA to test against the Kellers’ for a more definitive answer, but it would take time.

And now that time is up.

Quentin called this morning, letting us know the tests are done, that he’s just waiting on the paperwork. That by the end of the day, we’ll know. And that means that every second until then feels like a goddamn eternity.

To celebrate—or maybe just to keep me from losing my mind—Luther promised a trip out to pick up new pillows and clothes. Something small, something normal. Something to start fully living in this house, this home.

So now, I’m sitting on Grayson’s lap at the kitchen table, scarfing down a bowl of cereal like I haven’t eaten in days.

Blake is across from me, watching with thinly veiled amusement as milk sloshes over the edge of the bowl, splattering onto the table. “You don’t have to race,” he teases, shaking his head, but his grin betrays him.

I look up, mouth still half-full, swallowing hard before grinning back at him. “But pillows,” I say, as if that explains everything.

Luther chuckles from his spot near the counter, shaking his head. “Sweetheart, eating faster isn’t going to make this next step go any faster.”

“I know,” I sigh, setting my spoon down with a clatter before leaning back into Grayson’s chest, letting the warmth of his body settle me for just a moment. “But I’m ready to start our forever. I want to hear that the baby isn’t Hudson’s. I want to hear that he’s locked away or some bullshit.” There’s a beat of silence, something tense creeping into the air, but I bulldoze through it, sitting up straighter, rubbing at my stomach. “He still hasn’t tried to contact us about the baby and I know he would know. Everyone at the station knows.”

And that’s the part I can’t figure out. Hudson isn’t the type to sit still, to let things play out without his interference. The fact that he hasn’t come knocking down our door yet? It makes my stomach twist in ways I don’t like.

Blake must see something on my face because his teasing grin softens into something else. “Maybe he knows it’s not his,” he offers, but there’s no real certainty in his voice.

Grayson hums low in his chest, his fingers tapping against my thigh. “Or maybe he’s planning something worse.”

Luther doesn’t say anything at first, just steps up beside me, warmth pressing against my side as he leans down, catching my chin between his fingers. He tilts my head up, pressing a slow kiss to my lips, licking away a drop of milk at the corner of my mouth before pulling back with a smirk. “Finished?” he asks, voice low and amused.

I grin up at him, lighter than I’ve felt all morning. “Finished.”

He chuckles, giving my thigh a quick squeeze before pulling away. “Alright then, let’s get this over with.”

I push off Grayson’s lap, my body buzzing with nervous energy, and immediately Blake is there, draping himself over my shoulders dramatically. “I still don’t think we should let you go out in public,” he says, half-joking, half-serious. “You’re dangerous when unsupervised.”

I snort, elbowing him lightly. “Says the man who can’t go five minutes without trying to climb into someone’s lap.”

Blake grins, unbothered. “I don’t see the problem.”

Luther sighs, shaking his head fondly before grabbing his keys. “Alright, children , let’s move.”

The ride to the station feels too quiet, even with Blake curled against me in the backseat, Luther gripping the wheel like he’s ready for a fight, and Grayson tapping his fingers against his thigh, his tension bleeding into the space around us. Maceo is a silent wall on my other side. I should be relieved. Quentin called, said the results were in. We’re about to find out the truth, about the baby, about whether Hudson has any legal hold left on me. But I can’t shake the unease curling in my stomach, my eyes darting to every car, every alley, waiting for him to appear.

By the time we pull up to the station, my skin is itching with anticipation. Ward meets us at the entrance, his expression unreadable, but there’s something different about him. Something lighter. He doesn’t waste time with small talk, just nods and leads us through the station. But instead of the usual interrogation rooms, we step into an actual office. It’s nice, larger than I expected, a dark wooden desk, two small couches, framed pictures on the walls.

We all settle onto the lounge, Blake pressing close against my side, Grayson and Luther bracketing us in, Maceo resting on the armrest beside Grayson. It’s not lost on me that they’re still shielding me, even here.

I glance around before raising a brow. “Why aren’t we in one of the other rooms?”

Ward leans back in his chair, a smug grin spreading across his face. “Because I’ve been promoted.”

I blink. “Wait, what?”

He smirks. “After all the bullshit that happened to Luther and then you, I’ve been working my ass off to get the corruption out of this precinct with the chief. As you may notice, Peyton isn’t here.”

My brows practically fly off my face. “You’re serious?”

“Dead serious.”

Luther grins, nodding approvingly. “Well, damn. About time.”

Grayson tilts his head. “What happened to Peyton?”

Ward shrugs. “Officially? He’s on ‘extended leave.’ Unofficially? He got caught feeding Hudson information.”

Heat flares up my spine, burning through my chest, my hands clenching into fists against my thighs. “So, he was helping him?” Even though I was aware, it’s so different actually hearing it.

Ward nods. “Enough to get himself booted before they could do any real damage control. Peyton’s lucky he hasn’t been arrested. But that’s not why I brought you in.”

I swallow hard, forcing down the knot in my throat. “Then why?”

Ward leans forward, clasping his hands together, his grin widening. “Because I wanted to see your faces when I told you that Hudson has been arrested.”

Blake tenses against me, his breath catching. Luther’s jaw goes tight, his fingers twitching where they rest on his knee. Grayson is the first to speak. “You’re serious?”

Ward nods. “Over in the next county. Apparently, he decided to take another Omega and got caught red-handed abusing her.”

Something cold settles in my stomach. I should feel relief, but instead, all I feel is anger. “What about everything else?” I ask, my voice coming out harsher than I mean it to. “Hearthstone? The other Omegas?”

Ward’s expression shifts, just slightly, something unreadable flashing across his face. “Luther brought it up,” he admits. “But we haven’t found any other connections to it other than Hudson’s donations. Hearthstone is pretty tight-lipped.”

I grit my teeth, my pulse hammering in my ears. “So that’s it?”

“No,” Ward corrects. “But now that Hudson is in custody, things are changing. He doesn’t have anywhere to go. His resources are running out.”

Hudson has connections. Too many for me to believe that this is over, that we’re just going to walk out of here today and live the rest of our lives in peace. The thought makes my skin crawl, the weight of uncertainty pressing against my chest like a slow-building panic. The second Ward told us Hudson had been arrested, a part of me wanted to believe that it was done, that the nightmare was finally behind me. But my gut tells me otherwise.

I fold my hands in my lap, pressing my fingers against my thigh, grounding myself as I try to keep my voice level. “Hudson has connections,” I say again, slower this time, watching Ward carefully for his reaction. “You really think this is going to stick?”

Ward exhales, leaning forward with his elbows on his knees, his expression calm but firm. “His connections won’t work this time. Not in the county over. There’s no one to rescue him there, no judges that will look the other way. No one is protecting him anymore.”

It should make me feel better. I should feel relief at those words. But something about it doesn’t sit right. Hudson has always found a way out. Every time he’s been backed into a corner, he’s walked away unscathed, like nothing ever touched him. The fact that he’s suddenly locked up now, after everything, doesn’t make sense. He should’ve been arrested the first time. When I told them what he did. When I showed them. But he wasn’t. And now, suddenly, he is?

I’m not the only one questioning it. Blake’s shoulders are tense beside me, his arms crossed over his chest, barely restraining his frustration. “I don’t know why he wasn’t arrested and charged when it was Luca,” he snaps, his voice sharp with anger. “Why did it take him doing it to another Omega?”

Ward sighs, rubbing a hand over his face before he finally speaks. “Because he had officers here looking out for him,” he admits, and I catch the way his jaw clenches. “They’ve been fired, and I’m hoping there aren’t any lingering connections, but Hudson’s going away for a while.”

His words should bring comfort, but they don’t. Because there’s something about the way he says it—like he’s still not entirely sure. Like there’s a chance Hudson could slip through the cracks again. I can see it in his expression, in the way his lips press together, in the way his fingers tap against the armrest of his chair. He wants to believe this is over as much as we do. But we all know better.

Then, Ward says something that makes my stomach drop. “The Omega they found… she wasn’t breathing when they got to her. You’re lucky it wasn’t that bad for you.”

I school my features, force myself to keep my face neutral, to push down the memories clawing their way up my throat. Because it was that bad for me. More times than I can count. All the nights I spent in that house, the times I thought I wouldn’t make it out, I’ll fall apart if I focus on it. And I refuse to do that in this office, in front of Ward, in front of anyone.

I swallow hard, keeping my voice steady as I finally speak. “So what now?”

Ward watches me for a moment, as if weighing his words. “Now? We focus on making sure his arrest holds. He’s in another jurisdiction, which means fewer people willing to look the other way for him.” He pauses before adding, “That doesn’t mean he’s done trying to get out.”

“So it’s just that easy?” I ask, forcing my voice to stay even. “That’s all it takes? It’s over? We just get to move on?”

Ward leans back in his chair. “If you want it to be. Luca, you have some restrictions, but nothing that should keep you from enjoying your life with your Alphas. You’ve earned it more than anyone and your babies deserves all the love you can give them.”

Something twists inside me, a strange discomfort I can’t quite place. I blame it on the hormones, on the stress of everything, on the fact that I still don’t know who the father of this baby is. It’s too much, too fast. My body hasn’t even caught up with everything yet. My mind sure as hell hasn’t. I shift again, rolling my shoulders. “So we’re good to go?”

Ward nods. “Yeah,” he says, standing up. “I just need to photocopy your new ID and get it in the system. Other than that, you’re all set.” He offers a small smile, something that looks almost genuine. “I hope the next time we see each other, it’s under better circumstances.”

We all stand, shaking hands. The ID gets copied, the necessary paperwork filed, and then I’m out the fucking door. I don’t wait for the others. I don’t slow down. I push through the station, out into the fresh air, needing the open space, needing the sun on my face, needing to breathe.

Blake catches up first, jogging up beside me, his brows drawn together, concerned. “Luca, what the hell?”

Luther’s voice follows right after, firm, steady. “What’s wrong?”

I turn to them, my stomach twisting, heart racing with something I can’t explain. “I don’t trust him.”.

Grayson frowns. “Ward?”

I nod, shaking my head as I try to put my thoughts into words. “Something is off,” I mutter. “A promotion? Peyton gone? That other detective gone? And now Hudson? Just like that?” I snap my fingers for emphasis. “It’s too easy.” The way he brought up the bundle in my belly was also strange but I don’t bring that up.

They don’t say anything at first. I can tell they want to believe it, that they want this to be over just as much as I do. But I see it in their eyes. The same doubt. The same suspicion curling in their chests. Before anyone can say anything else, my phone rings.

Except it’s not on me. It’s in Maceo’s pocket. He pulls it out, glancing at the screen before a slow, relieved smile spreads across his face. “It’s the doctor’s office,” he says, holding it up.

Blake grabs my hand, squeezing it, but it doesn’t help. I can’t fucking move. “I don’t know if I can answer it,” I admit, my voice small, choked. “Someone else do it.”

Maceo doesn’t hesitate and puts it on speaker, Quentin’s voice coming through steady, professional, but there’s something lighter in his tone, like he’s about to drop something big. “Is Luca there?”

Maceo, still holding the phone, glances at me before answering. “We’re all here.”

“That’s even better,” Quentin says. “I couldn’t get a DNA sample from Hudson’s file, and you made it very clear you didn’t want to reach out to him.”

My chest tightens. I can already feel the dread creeping up, bracing myself for the worst.

“But,” Quentin continues, “I was able to see his file.” There’s a pause, just long enough to make my breath hitch before he says, “Luca, he’s unable to have kids. It would have never been his. Did you know that?”

I blink, my stomach dropping to my fucking feet. “What?” I choke out.

Hudson fucked me all the goddamn time. I was sure that’s what he wanted from me. To get me pregnant. To tie me to him permanently. To own me forever. Blake’s arms wrap around me, solid, grounding, but I feel like I’m floating outside my body.

“No,” Quentin says. “He’s sterile.”

Everything I thought, everything I feared, everything that kept me up at night, the horror of carrying his child—it was never even a possibility.

Quentin clears his throat. “Based on the bloodwork, though, I’m happy to announce that Blake is the father.”

A strangled noise tears from my throat before I whip around and throw myself at Blake, pressing my lips to his, my entire body trembling with relief.

Blake lets out a shocked grunt as his back slams into the car, his arms catching me just before Maceo is grabbing me by the collar and yanking me back.

“Jesus Christ,” Maceo mutters, reaching past me to steady Blake. “We’re going to have to watch the both of you.”

I’m grinning so wide my face hurts, my hands dropping to my little belly. I can feel the warmth spreading through me, tears welling up in my eyes before I can stop them. “It’s not Hudson’s,” I whisper. “It’s not Hudson’s.”

Blake cups my face, tilting my chin up so I meet his gaze. His eyes are shining, his expression soft, full of something I can’t quite name. “I told you it would be okay,” he murmurs. “Because you’re mine, cupcake.”

I nod, choking on a small laugh, pressing my forehead against his. “Yours.”

Quentin clears his throat on the other end of the line, reminding us that we’re still on the phone. “And would you like to know the sex?”

I barely hesitate. “Yeah.”

Quentin pauses, just long enough to make me nervous. Then—

“You’re having twins, Luca. Twin boys.”

For a second, all I can do is stare at the phone, my mind trying to catch up, my heart hammering against my ribs. And then—Grayson groans so loud I think half the parking lot hears it. “I swear to god, if you give birth to Omegas, Luca, I’m going to have your ass.”

I wiggle my ass at him, still dazed, still buzzing with joy. “You’re already allowed to have it.”

Blake laughs, burying his face in my neck, kissing me over and over, his hands resting on my stomach like he can already feel them.

Luther shakes his head, amused. “Twin boys. Holy shit.”

But I barely hear any of them because another realization hits me.

I jerk back, eyes wide. “Pillows,” I gasp. “I was promised pillows.”

Luther chuckles, ruffling my hair. “Next stop, pillows.”

Blake grins so wide it hurts. “You’re going to be so fucking big,” he says, his hands sliding down to my stomach, his voice full of awe. “I love it.”

And for the first time in forever, I feel nothing but happiness.