Page 72 of Let It Snow (Eden’s Omegaverse #7)

Using the hospital’s precise scale, Snow and I even run a little experiment to see how much milk I’m actually producing. We weigh the babies before and after each feeding, and to my surprise, I’m making about 10 milliliters per breast, nearly half of a newborn’s daily portion on the very first day.

The realization hits me so hard it feels almost ecstatic. When Snow tells me the number, I can’t help but tear up. He sits down beside me and squeezes my hand firmly.

"You’re incredible, you know that?" he says softly. "I don’t think many omegas would go this far. You have my full respect, Summer. I know this isn’t easy for you."

I sniff, trying to steady my voice.

"It’s not, I won’t pretend it is. But it’s worth it. They’re worth it. Someone once told me babies are small for such a short time, and life is so long. On that scale, the sacrifice doesn’t seem that huge… actually, I don’t even see it as a sacrifice. It’s an investment."

Later that same day, we take care of all the formalities. Theo and Tim officially give up their parental rights and sign the necessary papers. Soon after, Snow and I are ready to take our babies home.

Lake, of course, helps us through everything, and Aiden and Jordan come too.

There’s this small moment when Lake hands Aiden the babies to hold, and I see strong emotion on the patriarch’s face.

He’s usually in the background, living in the shadow of the bright star that Lake is in their home, with his quiet but supportive presence, yet right now his own feelings come through as he welcomes his grandchildren.

Aiden’s a man who loves family life, big families especially—well, he wouldn’t have eight kids otherwise—and he obviously truly cherishes every new addition.

I can tell it won’t just be Lake spending time with the little ones.

Aiden looks just as happy to have babies filling their house again.

In the meantime, I’m a bundle of nerves as we all pile into the car. I really feel like a brand-new parent, and I guess I am. That thought finally starts to sink in.

At home, during the first few days, I can’t take my eyes off the babies. I constantly want to be near them, to hold them, to watch them. I sometimes wake up in the night just to check if they are breathing! And of course, I nurse them often to stimulate milk production.

Jordan becomes our courier, bringing fresh milk from Theo every day.

Feeling like a broody hen, I build a big, soft nest where we all sleep together, and I notice that my usually restless sleep has calmed down completely. It’s like my body knows the babies are close and doesn’t want to move.

Wind and Wave are surprisingly peaceful.

I always imagined new parents getting completely wrecked in those first days, but that’s not true for us, probably because I don’t have to recover from childbirth myself, my body unharmed. I can focus fully on caring for the twins, and of course, I’m not doing it alone.

From dawn till night, Lake, Snow, Aiden, and Jordan are with me, always around, always ready to help with changing, bathing, or rocking them to sleep. The responsibilities are shared fairly, and I never once feel overwhelmed.

I can tell Snow is especially focused on making sure I rest properly, that I get moments to just sit quietly or swim in the pool and relax.

Feeding goes better and better every day. My milk supply keeps growing, and the babies are stimulating the glands effectively. After a while, I’m able to cover about two-thirds of their needs myself, with only one-third coming from Theo.

Dr. Nolan-Carter, who visits often to check the twins’ weight, calls it a real miracle. He says that if I had just one baby, I’d be able to produce a full portion of milk for them, and that, in his words, is quite an achievement.

Snow constantly tells me how proud he is of me, and I know it’s not just to make me feel better.

Sometimes I catch him looking deeply touched, his eyes even seeming slightly glassy as he watches me nursing both babies.

◆◆◆

Meanwhile, the Nolan family prepares for a big event, Rain’s wedding.

Snow tells me that Rain is the first of his brothers for whom he attempted to ‘influence’ the future so that he could meet his True Mate.

I also learn then that the circumstances of Rain and Kay’s meeting were truly unusual, which makes it easy for me to believe that it was a real miracle that set them on their path.

The wedding is also the first time I’m about to meet all the brothers at once, and I’m nervous.

But I’m a dad now, and dads have to be brave, right?

One by one, the brothers and their partners start to gather at the Nolan’s house, for which I’m grateful, since I don’t have to meet them all at once.

It turns out to be less stressful than I anticipated. I see the respect in their eyes, the way they admire that I’ve accepted these boys as my own. Some of them say, "What a sacrifice, you’re a great person, Summer!"

Their congratulations and praise make me blush, I preen, but deep down I know I didn’t lose anything in this choice. So I don’t see it as a ‘sacrifice’.

Every day, I gain.

When the babies start smiling, babbling, reaching out tiny hands toward me, my heart melts.

When they cry, they calm in my arms.

When they are fussy, my closeness soothes them.

My smell is what they seek; at night they open their tiny mouths and search for my nursing nipple, and I feel how much they need me, how intensely, deeply… The bond intensifies with every day.

And I know it was all worth it. In truth, they never asked to be born. It’s on us, the adults, to shape the life they’ll have. And I swear to myself, I’ll give them the best life I possibly can.

Rain’s wedding brings another miracle for the Nolans: the return of their eldest brother, River.

The reunion is overwhelming. Lake throws himself into River’s arms, and they both break down crying. Even my own eyes sting with tears.

Afterward, Lake seems lighter, happier, like a hidden burden has been lifted off his shoulders. It feels like he’s floating instead of walking.

That’s when Snow and I talk one evening, and we both suddenly start the topic of every Nolan brother having already found his fated mate, except Bay.

The babies are nearly three months old, and we are sitting with them drowsing at my chest on our tiny patio, and Snow settles beside me, staring at the small faces of his sons.

"How are you, Summer?" he suddenly asks. "If you could sum up these past three months, are you happy? Is there anything I can do to support you more? Anything I should change to make your days lighter?"

I know it’s not an empty question.

Snow is deeply caring, always making sure I feel satisfied in every way. Having children hasn’t made us neglect our intimacy, if anything, it’s the opposite. We reach for each other even more, finding new, stolen moments. His question is just another proof of the man he is.

I smile, take a breath, and meet his eyes.

"It’s been better than I ever imagined. I…

I’ve fallen in love with these boys." My voice trembles as I glance down at the two small blond heads resting against my chest. "They don’t know any dad but me. It’s my closeness they want.

They give themselves fully to my care, to the safety I’ve become. They trust me."

Snow smiles softly. "That’s right. They take your love without asking about blood. You’re the one who matters most, Summer. Your presence, your every gesture… you’re the one building them."

At this moment, I remember Moon’s words, and I realize how true they were, even though I now feel silly for mocking them at the time.

Emotion wells in me again.

"Thank you, Snow. We’ve been through so much, but… there’s something I need to say. I want to apologize for the way I reacted, for not understanding why you brought them into this world. But now, I’m so grateful. You’ve made the best decision. Everything has turned out perfectly."

Snow shakes his head with a quiet smile. "There’s nothing to apologize for. Things worked out perfectly because… you’re perfect, my love."

I laugh softly. "Me, perfect? Oh, Snow… now I see why they say love is blind."

I lift Wind in my arms while Snow picks up Wave so we can burp them. We walk slowly around the patio, patting their tiny backs. And then something far away catches my eye.

A car pulls into Bay’s part of the driveway.

"Bay has a guest? Other than his manager? Now that would be a first," I mutter.

Snow turns, watching the small figure step out of the car.

"Who could that be?" I ask.

His eyes go wide, blinking in disbelief. I can tell he had no idea, since Bay has always been his blind spot, hidden in shadow.

"That’s impossible," he whispers. "Absolutely impossible…"

And then, slowly, his lips curve into the widest smile.