Page 175 of Omega's Flight

"We can't know that yet." Cas reached across, almost frightened to touch the tiny creature perched on Raleigh's chest.

"I hope he looks like you. You're handsome."

For some reason that made the blood rush up into Cas's cheeks. "You're bad for my ego," he murmured in Raleigh's ear. "And you're way sexier than me."

Raleigh laughed and stroked the baby's head again. Their little boy had stopped crying now and was blinking dazedly at them all with unfocused eyes. "Welcome to the world, sweetheart." He tipped his head back to catch Cas's eye. "We still haven't named him."

"Thought that was your prerogative." Cas ventured another gentle caress, marvelling at the cap of dark hair and wondering if this was normal. Weren't babies supposed to be bald? Because this one certainly wasn't.

"Only in Mercy Hills, but I can share if I want," Raleigh said, then closed his eyes for a moment and let out a long breath.

"I've got this," Bram said from the side of the bed. He tied off the cord just above the baby's belly, then cut it with something Cas couldn't see and disappeared with it, wrapping it up in a towel with something else. "Let Holland know if you need anything."

Cas looked a question at Raleigh as Bram left.

"Afterbirth," Raleigh whispered.

"Ah."

Ori sidled diffidently up to them. "I brought warm water to wash him, then we can wrap him up nice and warm."

Holland's phone buzzed. He looked down at it, made a face, and tapped back a message. "Do you want to call your brothers?" he asked, offering his phone.

"Sure. Thanks." Cas took the phone and paused for a moment to take in the picture in front of him, as Raleigh carefully wiped away the signs of birth from their son. "I don't have a lot of omegas in my family, except the ones that mated in." He exchanged a smile with Holland. "It would be nice to give him a family name, if you have one you like."

Raleigh shook his head. "No, I don't have any names to give him from my family. I'll look again once things are more settled."

"Okay." Cas kissed him, then dialed Quin's number to start letting the family know about their new addition.

C H A P T E R 1 1 8

I t took me all of the three days of bedrest that were traditional after a birth to come up with a list of good names, but by the time I was ready to get out of bed, I thought I'd found it. The name. The one that would bless our little omega with a happy, safe, contented life.

Voices whispering outside our bedroom door made me look up from the baby nursing fussily on my chest—my milk was coming in, but not as fast as our little boy wanted it, poor greedy thing.

Then the door opened, letting in the three older pups, and my alpha carrying a tray with what looked like breakfast on it.

"You didn't have to do that. You know I can get up today."

"We're celebrating that very fact," Cas said seriously. "And I'm going to apologize now."

Lysoonka, I could imagine what the house looked like. "Well, thank you," I said, putting the horrors in store for me out of my mind for the time being.

The pups all climbed up on the bed with me. Pip was, of course, more interested in what was on the tray, but both Ann and Henry leaned in to peer at their little brother, still busy with his own breakfast.

Cas casually moved Henry out of the way and set the tray down over my legs. "Eat." He moved Pip out of the way. "You just ate. You can't still be hungry."

"I think I found a name," I said as I reached for my fork.

"Can I have your toast?" Pip asked, already reaching for it.

Cas scooped her up and deposited her on the floor. "That's Papa's."

"But it's toast," she said reasonably.

"I'll get you some more after Papa's done eating," Cas promised her. He took her place on the bed beside me and leaned in to kiss the top of our son's head. "Morning, you. Again. For the fourth time."

"Babies get hungry," I said defensively, then reminded myself that this was Cas being Cas, not Degan being Degan.