My voice is a little high, and Ava turns to me, her eyebrow raised. “Somehow, I don’t quite believe that.”
“Well, we do call her hurricane Leah for a reason,” I tease lightly, rewarded with her gentle laugh, before she sighs.
“I understand if she’s angry.”
“She won’t be angry at you, little bird. She’ll worry, though. For all of us.” Including Ava.
The early evening air starts to chill as we arrive at the cabin, and Ava rubs her arms. I draw her close to me and she curls into my warmth as I knock the door.
It flies open and I’m nearly bowled over by my son. “Ava!”
Raising my eyes, I glance past him to Leah, and she smirks at me. “Think Nash has a new favorite, sorry Nik.”
Nash mumbles from where he’s buried his face into Ava’s belly. “The babies are my favorite.”
Ava closes her eyes, her arms wrapped around my son. She runs her fingers through his hair. “They like you, Nash. Can you feel them?”
Wide-eyed, Nash pulls back and Ava places his small hand on her stomach to feel a kick. He turns to me in astonishment as he feels the ripple. “Papa!”
“I know,” I laugh. “Isn’t it amazing?”
It’s a brief moment, but my heart clenches at the thought of all the memories I want to make with our family. I want it all.
As we walk Nash back to the house for bed, his small hand in mine and Ava tucked carefully beneath my arm, I cast my eyes up to the sky and pray, for the first time in six years.
Please. Please help me keep them safe.
Please don’t let us lose this.
ChapterFifty-Five
Bastien
Pouncing, I sweep our omega away from Nikolai as soon as they walk through the door. He scowls at me as I tug her into my arms.
Unrepentant, I shrug. “I’m claiming her tonight. I have plans.”
Ava’s shiver runs straight to my cock, but I push the thoughts back down. I can see the exhaustion she’s trying to deny, the weight of our task and the toll of her pregnancy heavy on her frail shoulders.
“Where are we going?” she laughs as I tug her towards the stairs.
“My room.”
I wipe my suddenly sweaty palm on my trousers. I hope I don’t fuck this up.
Before her foot touches the bottom stair, I bend and lift her, swinging her into my arms and carrying my precious cargo up the wooden staircase. Ava tilts her head to look at me, a glint in her hazel eyes. “Are you stealing me?” she whispers dramatically. Stopping in the middle of the stairs, I drop my lips to hers in a brief kiss.
“I am.” I’m unapologetic. “You need some pampering, baby. And I’m going to make sure you get it.”
Surprise and anticipation brightens her tired eyes. “Pampering?”
“Mmmm.”
Shouldering open the door to my room, I gently place her feet down on to the rug, and she looks around curiously. Between her old room and the nest, she hasn’t spent much time in this side of the house, and tonight, I want her in my space. Wearing my scent, mild as it is compared to my pack.
Mine.
Ava spins slowly, taking in the prints hanging on the cream walls, black and white movie posters giving a nod to some of my favorite films. The rest of the room is small but neat, a double bed taking up most of the space with clean white cotton sheets. I don’t spend a huge amount of time in here, but whilst I can cope with chaos in my office, I hate it where I’m sleeping. Ava turns to me with a grin. “I didn’t realize you were so tidy,” she nudges me, and I laugh.
