Kayden
"This feels weird," I muttered softly, looking down at my chest as I held our daughter close.
Kayla was latched securely against me, her tiny hands resting flat against my chest as she nursed.
A wave of pure, overwhelming warmth washed over me as I stroked her soft cheek.
I couldn’t help but look up at Rhys, who was sitting right beside me in the dim nursery light, holding Rowan cradled gently in one arm while feeding him a bottle.
It was long past midnight, and the twins showed absolutely zero signs of going to sleep anytime soon. It had been like this for the past three weeks straight ever since we brought them home from the hospital.
"It’s not weird at all, my love," Rhys said softly, his blue eyes warm as he looked over at us. "You’re a special type of Omega Primus, and our children are so blessed to have a father like you."
I smiled, leaning my head back against the headboard, feeling a deep sense of peace wash over me as I reflected on the last three weeks.
Our house had seen more visitors than we could have ever imagined. The entire Northern Avalanche team had swarmed the estate all at once, bringing giant stuffed bears and ice skates for the babies.
Rhys’s father had visited multiple times, and even Linda had dropped by. Even though I didn’t want a deep relationship with her, I chose to keep the peace for my own sanity and for our new family. It was the greatest gift I could give myself.
"Rowan is finally out," Rhys announced quietly, setting the empty bottle down on the side table. He stood up and carried Rowan over to his slate-blue crib, gently setting him inside.
I let out a soft sigh of relief. It was a miracle Rowan fell asleep that fast, considering the two of us had been taking turns pulling all-nighters for days.
I looked down at Kayla, but her big eyes were wide open, staring straight up at me. Her resemblance to Rhys was so striking it almost scared me sometimes. Richard had mentioned she looked identical to Rhys when he was a newborn, and having seen his baby photos, I knew he wasn’t exaggerating—she was literally a tiny female version of her father.
"Since Rowan is asleep, why don’t I take over and feed her with formula while you go catch some sleep?" Rhys offered gently.
I let out a wide yawn. "What about you? Aren’t you tired?"
Rhys stepped around the bed and rested his broad hands on my shoulders, slowly massaging the tightness in my muscles. "You deserve the rest way more than I do—you’re recovering and nursing. Besides, I snuck in a nap this afternoon, so I can easily stay awake. Go get some sleep, babe."
"Thank you so much, babe," I murmured, leaning up to press a quick kiss to his lips.
Rhys smiled, carefully gathering Kayla into his arms as she finished nursing. He helped me up from the chair and gently ushered me out of the nursery door.
"I’ll be back in a few hours to swap with you," I said with a stretch as I padded down the hallway to our master bedroom.
The second my head hit the pillow, I went out like a light.
The next time my eyes flew open, it was to a chorus of loud, aggressive baby wails echoing down the hall.
I bolted upright in bed, my heart hammering against my ribs. The crying was so loud it felt like it was rattling the walls, making me instantly wonder what on earth Rhys was doing in there.
I hurried down the hall and burst into the nursery.
Rowan was in his crib, red-faced and kicking his legs as he screamed at the top of his lungs. Meanwhile, Kayla was lying flat across Rhys’s chest, squirming furiously to escape his arms while he held her securely, fast asleep on the couch.
He was completely dead to the world from sheer exhaustion.
I stepped over and gently lifted Kayla off his chest. The sudden movement woke Rhys up with a jolt. His tired blue eyes blinked open, gasping as he looked at Kayla in my hands, then over at Rowan’s crib in total panic.
"I... I must have passed out, I’m so sorry," he stammered, rubbing his eyes aggressively. "Kayla refused to go to sleep all night... I stayed up with her and only crashed a little while ago. I’ll go make the formula—"
Rhys pushed himself up from the couch, but his legs wobbled, making him stagger sideways. Luckily, I was standing right next to him and caught his arm before he could lose his balance.
"Are you sure you’re alright, Rhys?" I asked, looking at his pale, exhausted face. "You’re literally stumbling on your feet. You need to sleep right now. I already rested, so go lay down while I handle the bottles."
Rhys shook his head stubbornly, reaching out to gently take Kayla back into his arms. The second she felt her father’s chest, her screaming instantly died down into soft snuffles.
"Let me help you bathe them first and feed them," Rhys insisted, his voice raspy. "Then I’ll sleep."
I wanted to argue, but seeing how determined he was, I let out a defeated sigh and turned to gather Rowan from his crib.
"Oh, you stubborn little Rhys," I cooed, scooping Rowan up into my arms and rocking him gently back and forth. "Shh, stop crying, little guy."
"Hey, shouldn’t he be called a stubborn little Kayden?" Rhys countered with a weak smirk.
I chuckled, rolling my eyes. "Please, look at him! He looks like he’s about to shout ’pass the puck!’ right in the middle of a play."
Rowan finally quieted down, his huge obsidian eyes—identical to mine—staring up at me, wide and glossy from crying.
"All I see is a mini Kayden," Rhys murmured warmly, stepping closer to look down at our son.
Rowan’s eyes shifted toward Rhys’s voice, and suddenly, his tiny lips twitched into a sweet, gummy little smile. It might have just been newborn reflexes, but in that moment, I could have sworn he was smiling directly at us.
"Oh... he is so beautiful," I whispered, my chest tight with emotion.
"I am so proud of you, my love," Rhys muttered, leaning in until our foreheads pressed together in the morning light. "You gave us two perfect children."
The sweet moment was abruptly broken as Kayla let out another loud, impatient whimper.
Rhys and I exchanged an amused look, turning toward the connected nursery bathroom.
"Alright, bath time," I said, suppressing a yawn.
Just as we took a step, Starlight, our Maine Coon cat, trotted into the room, purring loudly as she rubbed against Rhys’s ankles.
"Hello Starlight, good morning to you too," Rhys chuckled softly.
"Come on, Starlight, you’re on baby-bath supervision duty," I teased.
As if she understood every single word, Starlight lifted her fluffy tail and marched right alongside us into the bathroom, ready to start another chaotic, beautiful day as a family.
Visit and read more novel to help us update chapter quickly. Thank you so much!
Use arrow keys (or A / D) to PREV/NEXT chapter