“Of course, honey. You chose great. We’re proud of you,” her mother Rosemary says, speaking up for the first time since introductions.
“Thanks, Mom.” Sloane takes a deep breath. “I’m glad you think so because there’s no one else I could imagine myself with. I’m genuinely happy beyond anything I could imagine.”
Coach tilts his head at his daughter. “And?” he asks, knowing there’s something else she wants to say.
“And I’m glad that we can all get to know each other because you’re all about to be grandparents come September.”
There’s a hushed moment of silence where no one speaks.
Max’s mom, Lori, is the first to speak, hugging her son and letting out an exploit of happiness.
“I’m going to be a fucking grandma?” she says, getting up and hugging Sloane next, as well as myself.
It doesn’t feel as uncomfortable as I thought it would, and I embrace her completely.
“Way to go, son,” Dave says to Ethan, clapping his back.
Sloane’s mother Willow is crying but is quickly on her feet, walking over to her daughter and wrapping her arms around her.
“My baby is having a baby, and hopefully it will be a Virgo,” she says, holding her endearingly. “I’ll be here for whatever you need.”
“Sloane never was one to do anything by halves,” Henderson says, getting up and joining the hug.
The two Alpha parents seem a little stoic.
Rosemary seems contemplative while Coach seems pissed.
“Pregnant?” Coach questions.
“That’s what I said,” Sloane replies, and I sigh.
He’s going to make my life hell on the ice.
“We have a pack contract ready to go, sir,” I interrupt, and he arches a brow at me. “I know things have been tense lately on and off the ice. But when I tell you the three of us are completely dedicated to Sloane and this baby, I mean it.”
“It’s not easy having kids in this profession,” he says, rubbing his chin. “I have a lot of regrets,” he says.
Willow comes to stand behind her mate and hugs his shoulders.
It all clicks to me now why he didn’t want his daughter with his players. It has nothing to do with us being good enough; it has everything to do with how he viewed himself as a parent.
“You were the best dad,” Sloane says. “I grew up loving hockey, being inspired by you and all my parents. I had the best life. I can only hope we can give our child half of what you gave me.”
The stern take-no-bullshit Alpha, Coach gets up and hugs my Omega.
“So I’m going to be a pop pop?”
“I think I’ll take pop pop,” Dave interrupts as we all break out in laughter.
It might not be conventional, but I think I finally found my family.
“You should probably get ahead of this before the media finds out,” Coach says, going from excited to concerned. “I know there’s been a lot of speculation and the Foxes haven’t commented on any of it. But if you all want to control the narrative, you should probably share the news on your own terms.”
“That’s a good idea,” I agree, but I’d probably agree with whatever he said as long as it wasn’t hurtful. I need this man to not hate me.
“Pussy whipped,” I hear Dave mumble, and I glare at the old man who just gives me a feral smile.
I see exactly why Ethan is such a fucking menace now.
