They both pulled away before bolting down the stairs.
Thorn held out his hand, and I grabbed it before Damien’s shadow slipped around my throat and jerked me toward him. His lips landed on mine without any hesitation, and I melted into it.
Damien’s lips, and the others, felt like home.
He pulled back with a smirk as his shadow slipped away, and I found myself missing the way he choked me.
We didn’t have nearly as much time to lose ourselves in each other the way we used to.
Thorn’s lips fell on mine softly before I was being spun around in a kiss fest. Lachlan’s mouth devoured mine before Kian swooped in with his gentle kisses, and Alister grabbed me and his fang sliced along my bottom lip before he sucked it.
I wanted to just be alone with them for ten minutes.
“Fledgling,” Rowan rumbled from behind us at the top of the stairs, and his heat simmered from his body as I moved toward him and pressed up on my toes before pushing my lips to his.
“Come on, baby, don’t leave me out,” Rhett pouted, and I giggled as I pulled back from Rowan and flew into Rhett’s arms and kissed him deeply.
“Did you get it?” Kian asked.
“Of course we did.” Rowan grunted.
Rowan and Rhett went to the market up in Apex Capital to buy a magical play house for the kids. It cost a lot, but the kids would be able to play any game they wanted with each other through it without actually leaving the playhouse.
It had been three years since the war ended and Kalista entered peace time. Not long after, I stopped my birth control potion. Rowan, Thorn, and Kian were over the moon when I told them I was pregnant. Alister and Rhett were in shock with how fast it happened, and Lachlan and Damien actually cried. It was the best feeling I’d experienced with them, and our bonds had solidified even further—even if they were relentlessly overprotective.
Rowan was still an overworked headmaster at Fate Hollow Academy and part of the Supernatural Council, but I’ve made him promise to take weekends off.
Alister still taught his classes at the academy as well, and Rhett continued to be the counselor—however, without the immediate stress of war, things were finally slowing down, and he didn’t have to teach any classes, which he was thrilled about.
Thorn went back and forth from the Ice Kingdom to train their army, and Lachlan had taken a faculty position for teaching offense training at the academy, which lowered Simmons’ workload, much to his excitement.
Kian decided to stay home with me and help wrangle the kids, but once they’re older, we planned on taking over Jan’s shop together since she offered to transfer it to us.
Damien mostly stayed home with Kian and me, but he would get called in from the Supernatural Council when they needed help‘breaking’a criminal.
“They’re going to love it,” Kian gushed. “I’ve seen so much about it lately. They’re going to be able to do anything they want from the safety of that playhouse. It’ll definitely give us a small break.”
“Where is my best friend?” Trixie exclaimed from downstairs. “Does she know Poppy has frozen her couch cushions?”
My mouth fell open as I pushed through my mates and rushed down stairs. “Poppy Clearwater!”
“Sorry, Mommy…” Her sweet little voice claimed as she un-iced the cushions with a wave of her hand.
My heart melted as she stared up at me with innocent eyes, and I groaned. “Well, it’s your birthday… so… it’s fine.”
Thorn’s parents threw their heads back in laughter at Poppy using her cuteness to get out of trouble.
My cheeks flamed with heat as I patted Poppy’s head and made my way over to them. “Hi, Iris and Alder. I’m glad you could make it!”
“We would never miss our grandchildren’s second birthday.” Iris smiled softly.
“Forrest ran off with Haelynn and Garren,” Alder told me. “Birch and Adele send their love.”
“Hey, Mom and Dad,” Thorn came over, using his ice to swirl around Poppy’s hair as she giggled, and he planted a quick kiss on my head.
Thorn’s parents had relaxed immensely after handing the kingdom over to their son, and they were enjoying the grandparent role to both Thorn and Birch’s kids.
Since Birch and Adele were king and queen of the Ice and Fire Kingdom, they were tied to the fae realm and couldn’t attend, understandably. They did have another child, a little girl named Daisy that was five months old. Adler and Iris would’ve brought Daisy along too, but Daisy was breastfed and didn’t take bottles. She was also a huge momma’s girl, much to Adele’s pleasure.
