Turning away, I make a beeline for Nikolai and Emery, but he sees me coming and hustles to the other side of the bed before I can get to him.
“Not a chance,” he says on a snarl, shaking his head. “I’m having at least ten minutes.”
Pouting, I flop down into a chair next to Ava. She blinks at me drowsily, her face set with a peaceful smile. “Hey, you.”
Leaning forward, I brush a soft kiss against her lips. “Hey, you. Everyone is being a baby hog.”
Her smile widens. “I can’t actually remember what they look like,” she says mildly, widening her eyes comically. “Think I might be able to get them back at some point?”
Max chuckles, his arm gently wrapped around Ava as they lie together on the bed. “Maybe this time next month, sweetheart.”
She shifts a little. “Do you think we might be able to move to the nest?” she asks hesitantly. “There’s a lot of scents in here, and it feels a little much. Plus I want everyone close, and there’s not enough room here.”
Max pulls back immediately. “Of course, we can. Do you want a quick bath before you lie down?”
Ava nods gratefully. “I feel icky. I don’t want to mess up the sheets.”
Everyone moves into action. Nik and Luc bundle up the babies, buttoning them into adorable clean white matching baby grows. Max does a few final checks on Ava, satisfying himself before he agrees that we can move over to the main house. Ava raises her arms to me, and I gently lift her up as she winces.
“Sore?” I ask her worriedly, and she nods. “It’s normal,” she assures me. “Remember the research?”
I do remember, but I hate the idea of her being in pain. I guess there’s no getting around it after giving birth to two children, but I don’t have to like it.
Holding her close, I carry her up to the main house, everyone else following behind. Max runs on ahead to get a bath started, and as I carry Ava through the doors, she lays her head against my chest with a contented sigh. “It’s good to be home.”
I smile down at her. “Bath, then rest, okay?”
She nods amiably. “Sounds good to me.”
Luc and Nik take care of the babies whilst Max and I bathe Ava as gently and as quickly as we can, tipping back her head to wash her hair at her insistence.
When we get to the nest, Luc and Nik are already stretched out, cooing at the babies as they wave their arms on the blanket, space in the middle for Ava to settle. She gathers them into her immediately, sighing with relief as she lays her head back on the soft surface with a yawn.
“Nash should be here,” she says softly. “With us.”
Nik tilts his head uncertainly. “Want me to get him?”
Ava nods. “Sorry,” she says, biting at her lip. “I’d just feel better if he was here too. I feel a little on edge.”
“Totally normal,” Max reassures her. “Your hormones will be a bit wild for a while, sweetheart. Omegas can become very protective and territorial after giving birth.”
Nash appears with Nik, his eyes wide as he surveys the space. “Sleepover?” he asks, and Ava laughs. “It is. We need your help to watch Leo and Emery.”
Nash puffs up proudly as he crawls over to Ava, snuggling carefully into her side in his flannel pyjamas and holding out his finger to Leo.
The lines on Ava’s forehead finally ease, and she glances at the door. When I push it shut, she offers me a tired smile. “I feel better now.”
Soft gurgles fill the air as we all prop ourselves up to watch Leo and Emery. I settle next to Luc alongside Leo, Ava next to Emery with Nash cuddled up against her. Nik is wrapped around her back with Max next to him.
Max falls asleep first, his deep breathing filling the room.
“Don’t wake him up,” Ava whispers. “He’s exhausted.”
“You need to rest too,” I press her. “We’ll watch these two.” Gently, I press my thumb to the bottom of Emery’s feet, fascinated by the way she kicks.
“We all need to sleep,” Ava says drowsily. Her eyes are already sliding closed. “There’s a lot to do tomorrow.”
Nik presses a kiss to her hair. “Tomorrow is another day, little bird. Just rest.”
