Adriel
“You know, you didn’t have to quit your entire job if you just wanted to babysit,” Benji teased.
He and his brother sat in a circle on the nursery floor, with each of them holding up one of baby Lark’s arms. She was attempting to stand much earlier than a purely human infant would have ever been able to. Other than the sharp canine teeth and increased growth speed, she looked like a normal human baby.
“I know that, dumbass,” Caleb replied. “Wait, am I allowed to say that in front of the baby? I know she grows fast but she doesn’t understand swearing yet, does she?”
“No,” Benji replied, raising a brow, “luckily for you.”
Pierce and I watched our mates with a sense of ease and contentment. Since Caleb quit his job, he had a lot more time to spend with his family. Taking care of Lark was new and fun for him - and would give him the experience he needed when it came time to for his own child to be born.
“Hey, Benj,” Caleb began. “There’s, uh, actually something I wanted to tell you.”
“What’s up?” A hint of worry crossed his face. “Is everything okay?”
“No, no, everything’s fine,” Caleb said quickly. “Actually, more than fine. Things are really good.”
Benji smiled in relief. “Well, then?”
Caleb chewed his lip. “I’m… I’m actually dating Adriel.”
Benji looked more surprised than Pierce did. My brother merely cast me a sideways grin. I resisted the urge to groan and push him away.
“What?” Benji cried. “You’re f - you’re screwing with me.” Benji looked at me. “Is that true?”
“Is what true?”
We turned to see Theo saunter into the room with his hands in his pockets and a familiar curious grin on his face.
“Showed up just in time for the drama,” Pierce commented, still smirking.
“There’s no drama,” I growled in embarrassment. “You’re all just a bunch of children.”
“Caleb and Adriel are dating!” Benji cried to Theo, who pretended to be shocked.
“Wow!” Theo said. He slapped his hands on his face. “An alpha and omega, forced together through circumstance… Who would have thought this would happen?” I did actually elbow Theo, and he grunted. “Ow!”
“Seriously,” Pierce added. “We’re very happy for both of you.”
“There’s something else, too,” Caleb murmured. His cheeks were flushed from all the sudden attention.
Benji’s eyes widened like he knew what his brother was going to say before he said it. “Oh my god.”
Caleb glanced at me for validation, and I nodded for him to continue. He took a deep breath.
“I’m pregnant,” Caleb said. “With Adriel’s baby.”
“Caleb!” Benji cried before throwing his arms around him and hugging him. “Oh my god… I can’t believe this.” He glared at his brother in the eyes. “Why didn’t you tell me the moment you knew? Asshole!”
Caleb, Pierce and Theo laughed. Lark laughed as well, but I assumed she was only joining in with everyone else.
“I didn’t want to upstage you!” Caleb told Benji. “You’d barely given birth, so I didn’t want to show up like,hey guys, guess what!”
Benji scowled, but his face retained a mischievous quality. “Jerk. I told you not to hide stuff from me anymore. But I get your point.”
“Sorry. That’s the last secret, I promise,” Caleb said with a grin.
“You’re gonna have a little cousin,” Benji told Lark, who was busy crawling on the rug now.
