Page 37

Epilogue - Roman

Staring up at the estate, I always forgot how daunting this place is. It’s been in Puma’s family for generations, one of Gray’s Alphas—complete with the cobblestone driveway and massive oak door. I’m nervous as fuck to spend Christmas here because this place is all wealth and grandeur, a far cry from the subtle, grounded life I prefer. Gray mated into this influential pack of art dealers and collectors—Violet, Sofie, their Alphas—and I haven’t been here in years, opting for quick restaurant meetups, neutral ground, when we’ve crossed paths. But somehow, I conned Gray into letting us crash for Christmas, desperate to show off my pack, my family, my everything even as I realize that I forgot to mention I’m an Alpha now, and Dakota’s an Omega.

Well, shit.

Maya’s leaning forward in the passenger seat, eyes racing across the structure. I can’t tell if she’s intimidated or intrigued. Maybe both? “Damn, they’ve got money.” Her brown eyes flick to me, narrowing when she catches my expression. “Why do you look like you’re gonna puke?”

I swallow, my throat tight, my hands gripping the steering wheel. “I might’ve forgot to mention a few designation changes.” I told myself that it wasn’t a conversation over the phone and definitely not through text but now it’s been weeks .

Maya giggles as she slips out of the car, a wicked grin spreading across her face. “Well, then we’ll all be full of surprises,” she teases, my heart suddenly in my stomach because I have no idea what the fuck she’s talking about. I all but stumble out of the car, the rest of our pack walking up from the second car we brought.

“Are you pregnant?” I ask, half-serious. Dakota, Holt, and Brogan are suddenly on alert after hearing my question but Maya’s still hiding behind that deviant smile. “What surprises?” I twist around for help from the others but no one seems to know what she’s talking about either.

“No idea,” Dakota shrugs, his claiming bites peeking from his collar.

Holt murmurs the same thing in agreement as Maya takes my hand in hers, gesturing for me to lead us inside. My nerves are a little more frayed than before but now I have no idea how to approach this. It’s been months since I last saw my brother and even longer since I’ve actually seen my nephews. I really do need to visit more or at least do some video calls. That’s a problem for later, though. Blowing out one last heavy sigh, I head up the steps and knock on the door. Shrieks of laughter spill from inside and then the door swings open, revealing my brother. There’s a moment of shock and then he’s dragging me into his chest for a hug, a laugh vibrating between the both of us. God, it feels good to be here again. I’ve missed him, missed this, too caught up in my pack to realize how much.

Gray pulls back, his gaze narrowing at me and it’s then that I know he’s caught onto my newer scent. “How the fuck are you an Alpha?”

My cheeks heat because I wasn’t sure how well he’d take this. “Surprise?” I shrug, waiting for the judgment or disgust or literally anything but it doesn’t come.

“Brother, would you stop thinking I’m going to get angry. Probably should have guessed that you were an Alpha with all those bullshit grins and cocky skating around the ring you used to do.” Gray chuckles as he drags me inside, ushering for the rest of my pack to follow. “Let me meet this pack of yours that you kept from me.”

There’s a lot of pleasantries, the rest of the pack coming to greet mine. There’s a regal air when it comes to the Ashford pack, Puma a few years older than the rest of them, then there’s the twins—Lance and Hawk—and then my brother. Their Beta and Omega, Violet and Sofie are a whole adventure, one that I’m glad are my brother’s problem and not mine. Maya is fierce in her own way but from the stories I’ve heard, those two are devious and masterminds of trouble.

Two little curly heads rush up to me, Milo and Eli, squealing ‘uncle’ before trying to drag me into the living room to play with blocks. Violet and Sofie ignore the rest of us, embracing Maya, giggling about god knows what but I recognize that smile on her face. It’s the same one she’s had plastered on her lips the entire way over here and now I’m just wondering what the fuck this surprise is. She didn’t answer when I asked her if she was pregnant but we would have noticed, right?

We can’t keep our hands off each other and she all but walks around naked in the dorm rooms now, way more confident in herself than she used to be. I glare at her departure as Violet and Sofie tug her past us where the blocks are and into the living room, the giggles hushed and then swapped for serious hushed whispers.

My attention is stolen away when my nephews start yelling for my attention, appeased by Dakota and Brogan who take over. I have absolutely no idea what to do with all this chaos until Gray gestures toward the kitchen table. I gladly oblige, needing a moment to resituate as I slip into a seat, Holt beside me, Gray’s other Alphas on either side of him. It feels surreal to be here, both of us finally finding our packs, our happily ever after in a way that I didn’t think was possible.

I also had no idea I’d be this close with my brother, either.

However, I still feel like the kid brother at the adult table, the regal air coming from the four Alphas sitting across from me so much stronger than the air Holt and I give off. Maybe it’s just different or maybe I’ve always been trying to live up to something when I don’t have to.

Gray leans back, threading his fingers behind his head, his eyes glinting with disbelief. “My brother’s a damn Alpha,” he muses. “This is blowing my mind.” He’s proud of me, though, without saying all the words.

Lance chuckles, glancing back at Dakota on the ground with Milo. “I’m more awed Dakota’s an Omega. I see it now , but I’d never have thought that’d happen the last time I saw him.”

“Yeah, it’s been crazy,” I push out, Eli climbing up into my lap, his tiny fingers grabbing my nose, making me laugh. “All new, but… yeah, it’s everything.” My eyes drift to Maya, the three of them still whispering about something. Holt strings an arm around my shoulders, dragging me a little closer as he plants a kiss on my cheek, reminding me of just how far we’ve come in only a few weeks.

Puma leans forward, folding his hands beneath his chin “Also, we all lost a bet. Violet said you’d end up with Maya, based on how you looked at her in the stands four fucking years ago. Sure, she said it’d happen a whole lot earlier, but she clocked that shit. Said it might include Dakota too.”

Damn, she’s good. Clocked us before I even dared to hope. “That’s about as long as I’ve had her on my mind. Didn’t ever think it’d happen.”

Holt chuckles at my side, shaking his head. “You guys spoke about her enough that if it hadn’t happened naturally, I’m pretty sure you would have spawned that shit into existence.” We all laugh at that, Holt’s fingers slowly sliding upward to play with the hair at the back of my neck. I thought that becoming an Alpha might ruin something between Holt and I but it hasn’t. Our relationship has shifted a bit but I don’t love him any less. “Now, what’s this surprise Maya supposedly has?”

Everyone looks just as clueless as I feel. “She’s been smiling at something on the way over here, texting and whatever and now that I’m looking over at the couch, pretty sure she’s been texting your women.”

Puma laughs, dragging a hand down his face. “If I knew, I’d tell you but they’ve been giggling for the past hour, bent over their phones. No idea what they’re talking about. Depending on what it is, if we ask, we get shut out for the night.”

My brows rise nearly clean off my head because I remember Gray’s stories about Violet and Sofie’s playful temperament and how they’d shut their Alphas out only to make them listen to the most obscene sounds possible. I couldn’t imagine if Maya or Dakota tried that shit.

Lance glances over the couch and shakes his head. “God, it better not be more babies.” His gaze darts to Milo, who’s now climbing Brogan like a jungle gym. “I love our boys, but Jesus Christ, they’ve got just as much adventurous spirit as Violet.”

I’m just as nervous about babies because fuck, we’re all still in school and we haven’t really talked about a future yet. I have no idea where Dakota and Brogan want to go after they graduate which would dictate where we end up in some part. My thoughts disperse as someone clears their throat, all of us turning our attention to Maya who somehow spawned a few feet from us. Violet and Sofie are hanging over the back of the couch, watching us, wide conspiratorial grins split across their faces.

Dakota and Brogan look just as confused as I feel, Maya stepping closer as she produces a small black and white picture before placing it on the table.

“Are you…” I start, my voice tight, my eyes wide, because—fuck, is she pregnant, is that the surprise, are we ready?

Maya laughs, producing another picture, then another, her grin widening, Violet and Sofie giggling behind her. Holt leans forward, the shock rumbling through the bond. “You’re pregnant with triplets?”

I’m not sure whether to be terrified or excited. Three babies? Holy fuck.

Maya shakes her head, teases both of us. “No, I told you all before, no babies, and I’m sticking to it.” She pauses, her eyes flicking to Dakota, then back to us. “However, someone’s been having a little too much fun, because your Omega is having triplets.”

Holt’s jaw drops. “Dakota’s pregnant?”

Maya bursts out laughing, her head thrown back as her curls bounce around her face. It takes a few moments for everyone to catch on, Gray laughing first and then Puma lets out a heavy sigh, the twins dropping their heads to the table with a groan.

“Sofie’s pregnant, isn’t she?” Gray asks, “with triplets . Oh my god, this means it’s one of the twins’ fault.” His eyes glint, pointing at Hawk and Lance, who groan louder I’m grinning, relief flooding through my chest.

I tug Maya toward me, my hand on her waist, pulling her close. Eli’s still in my lap, squirming for attention but right now my focus is slowly on Maya. “Next time there’s an announcement,” I purr, “I’m hoping it’s one of ours.”

“One day,” she muses, leaning in, her lips brushing my ear, “but for now, we can at least practice.”

Heat and love rumble through the bond as I tug her in for a kiss, murmuring ‘Merry Christmas’ against her lips. She returns it before stepping back, that deviant grin returning as she heads over to our bags and unearths a Northvale Hawk’s jacket. I don’t understand the point as she has her father’s. Twisting around to catch Holt’s smirk tells me knows as she steps back up to me.

“This is my surprise, Roman. Say hello to your new coach.”

My eyes widen as I deposit Eli on the floor and stand up, pulling the coat into my hands before turning it around to see ‘Coach M’ written on the back. “Wait…” I twist around to look at Holt and then Maya, Dakota and Brogan standing up to figure out what’s going on.

Maya grins up at me, her hands clasped together. “The dean offered me the position. Said that it was mine if I wanted it.”

Holt approaches us, hanging off Maya’s side. “I’d prefer doing what I love and watching Maya perform is like magic so, we talked about it. I asked. Maya accepted.”

I grin, sweeping Maya up into my arms as she wraps her arms and legs around me. This is definitely a surprise and one that I’m so fucking proud of her for. I get lost her in lips, a small whine drawing from her throat that has me remembering where we are. My brother’s laughing at me as he points to the stairs. “There’s a lovely room if you want to go practice for babies. Thank fuck you’re not mated to twins, Maya.”

Sofie plops onto Gray’s lap and goes, “Yeah but the twins aren’t at fault here, Alpha. You are.”

That sends everyone into another round of laughter as I cling to Maya, kissing her again. “God, I love you so fucking much. You know that right?”

Maya nods, slipping back down to the floor. “I love you right back, Roman. Thank you, for taking all of me. As I am.”

I nuzzle against her cheek, holding her face in my hands, the others crowding around our beautiful Beta. “Wouldn’t have it any other way, princess.”