Kayden
One week ago
"Amara, please tell me the truth. Is the baby supposed to be moving like that? Is that normal? Are you one hundred percent sure he isn’t trying to do a backflip in there right now?"
Rhys was hovering near the side of the examination bed, his eyes wide with a hilarious mix of sheer panic and awe as he stared at the ultrasound monitor. He was being completely dramatic, his hand gripping the edge of the medical cart so tightly his knuckles were turning white.
I made sure to roll my eyes Everytime he was talking.
Dr. Amara let out a light, fond chuckle as she moved the warm transducer gel over my lower abdomen. "Rhys, I promise you, everything is completely fine. The baby is just active today. That movement is a sign of healthy development."
"Active?" Rhys repeated, his voice rising an octave as he gestured wildly at the screen. "Amara, he’s kicking like he’s trying to break out early! What if he’s uncomfortable? What if my Alpha scent isn’t soothing enough? Should I be releasing more pheromones right now? Amara, look at me, am I breathing correctly?’’
I couldn’t help the exhausted laugh that escaped my lips as I reached up from the bed, grabbing Rhys by his tie and tugging him down until he was forced to stop his pacing.
"Rhys, shut up," I said playfully, my voice weak as I tugged his collar. "You are stressing out the doctor more than the baby is stressing you."
After Amara finished the scan and wiped away the gel, she assured us once again that the pregnancy was progressing perfectly for an Omega. But by the time we finally got back to our apartment, the entire ordeal had completely drained me.
Carrying a child took a heavy toll—between the intense hormonal shifts and the endless checkups, I felt like every drop of fluid and energy had been sucked right out of my body.
I dragged my feet into our bedroom, pulling off my shirt and walking over to the full-length mirror.
I stood there in silence, staring at my reflection. There it was—a very visible, distinctly rounded baby bump. It still felt completely surreal to look at myself and see life growing inside me, especially after everything we had been through to get to this point.
Soft, quiet footsteps approached from behind. Before I could say a word, two warm, strong arms wrapped gently around my waist.
Rhys’s large palms settled right below my stomach, cradling the bump with a care that made my chest warm. He leaned his head down, pressing a soft, lingering kiss against the side of my neck, his grounding pine scent washing over me in a comforting wave.
"Look at you," Rhys whispered into my skin, his arms pulling me snugly against his chest. "You are doing so incredible, Kayden. I am so damn proud of you."
I smiled, resting my hands over his stomach, leaning back into his solid chest. "I’m exhausted, Rhys."
"I know, my love," he murmured, turning his head to kiss my cheek. "Rest as much as you want. But... before you fall asleep, we actually just received an official invitation. It’s from the island where Miller and Leo are.’’
I tilted my head back to look at him in the mirror. "An invitation? For what?"
Rhys grinned, a mischievous glint in his eyes. "Leo and Miller are getting married next week. And we’re invited."
~~~~~~~~
Present
The warm night air of the coastal pavilion was filled with the soft rustle of palm trees and the distant sound of ocean waves.
The formal wedding ceremony had ended hours ago, and the reception was in full swing, lit up by twinkling fairy lights draped across the wooden deck.
I stood near the edge of the dance floor, a glass of sparkling mocktail in my hand, watching the guests laugh and talk.
Leo walked over to me, holding a soft drink of his own, his stylish terracotta suit jacket now unbuttoned and looking a little relaxed.
I looked at him, a genuine smile spreading across my face. "I’m really proud of you, Leo. Seriously. Seeing how far both of you have come... it’s amazing.’’
Leo looked at me, his dark eyes softening with a rare, open warmth. "Thank you, Kayden. I could say the exact same thing about you. We survived a lot of terrible history to stand here today."
"Yeah," I chuckled softly, opening my arms. "We really did."
We pulled each other into a firm, warm hug, holding on for a moment in shared understanding of everything our families had survived.
When we pulled back, Gabriella immediately rushed over with an instant camera, insisting on taking dozens of pictures of us together. We posed, laughed, and even ended up in the center of the wooden dance floor, spinning around in a ridiculous, celebratory dance while the rest of the guests clapped along.
"You know," I gasped out as we finally caught our breath, leaning against the railing, "my wedding with Rhys is up next. So don’t think you’re getting off easy—you’ll have to dress up all over again."
"Mathematically speaking, I am fully prepared for it," Leo replied, a small smirk on his lips. ’’I am going to be your best man after all,’’ he said proudly.
As the night wore on, the island sky suddenly exploded in a brilliant display of vivid colors as grand fireworks launched from the nearby shore, lighting up the dark ocean in sparks of gold, red, and emerald green.
Everyone cheered, leaning against the deck railings to watch the show.
Leo leaned over to me, holding his glass, his eyes tracking across the deck toward where Nico Park and Alaric De Villier were standing together near the flower arrangements.
"You know," Leo muttered quietly, taking a slow sip of his drink, "even though I am now a happily married man... I must confess, I still have a mild, lingering crush on Alaric De Villier. His posture and facial symmetry are aesthetically flawless. I guess I can’t stop fanboying about him.’’
I burst out laughing, nudging his elbow. "Are you kidding? Look at Nico Park! He is literally peak beauty. Look at that hair, those eyes... I’m practically swooning over here. Honestly, Leo, hand me your phone, I need to see if you have any high-res photos of your cousin stored in your files so I can admire him properly."
"I can pull up his family lineage archive if you require visual data," Leo nodded deadpan.
Before either of us could take a step, two heavy, protective presences suddenly loomed directly behind us.
Miller stepped up right beside Leo, his green eyes narrowed into a glare as he locked his gaze onto Alaric across the yard, letting out a low, jealous grumble under his breath.
And right behind me, Rhys wrapped a heavy, possessive arm around my waist, pulling my back flush against his chest. His deep, pine-scented aura flared sharply as he glared daggers at Nico across the deck, letting out a low, warning growl right against the shell of my ear.
"What did you just say about needing pictures of Nico, Kayden?" Rhys growled softly, his grip on my waist tightening possessively.
Beside us, Miller wrapped his arm firmly around Leo’s waist, pulling his new husband close. "Alaric De Villier? Really, Leo? On our wedding night? You are thinking about that Filler boy?’’ Miller grumbled, narrowing his eyes even further.
I looked over at Leo, and despite the low, territorial growls of our ridiculously possessive partners, both of us broke out into uncontrollable, quiet laughter under the booming fireworks of the island sky.
’’It’s Viller, not filler,’’ Leo corrected him and burst into another round of laughter.
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