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He's lying in our bed, propped up on a mountain of pillows. His brow is bathed in sweat, and he looks exhausted but proud. My feet carry me to his side. I climb onto the bed beside him and slip my arms around his shoulders. He nuzzles into my neck and inhales my scent as I hold him close.
"You've never looked more gorgeous than you do right now," I tell him as I lean back to look in his eyes.
"Don't say stuff like that," Caleb chuckles. "I'm sweaty and gross, and I feel like I just climbed a mountain."
"Two mountains," I correct him as our mothers bring the babies over to the bed. "Two perfect mountains."
Caleb cradles our son in his arms and kisses his forehead while I get to hold my daughter for the very first time.
I glance up and nod a thank-you to my mother and Caleb's as they slip out of the cabin and leave the two of us alone with our newborn children.
"Kale said you were going absolutely crazy out there," Caleb says with a light laugh.
"I was," I admit. "I didn't realize how helpless I was going to feel just...sitting there. I couldn't think about anything other than how much my life has changed since I met you. How much I love you. But I couldn't do anything to help you this time, and..."
My voice trails off, and I shake my head slowly. "There's something I want to share with you."
Caleb raises a quizzical eye as I quickly fish my phone out of my pocket and pull up the note I had written that day, over a year ago.
"‘I know this is completely stupid,’" I read aloud, "‘but I think I'm in love with you. You haven't even said a word to me yet, but I already know. You're standing there beside the car looking so out of place. You left behind everything you know to come here and become the mate to someone you've never even met. When I first learned that I'd been paired with you, I had my doubts. I didn't think there was any chance that I'd find love so easily. After all, love is supposed to be this rare thing that some people search for their entire lives and never find. How could this random pairing actually result in anything positive? But...now that I've seen you for myself, I know it's true. You're the one for me. The one that I'm destined to spend the rest of my life with. The one that I'm going to grow old alongside.
"‘It's not just your beauty that's convinced me of this truth. There's something more to it. A deeper connection that I felt the instant saw you. It's...unlike anything I've ever experienced before. I know I'm far from perfect. I know I've got to sort out my priorities and get things straightened out in my head. I have no doubt that you've got your own reservations about pursuing a relationship with someone you just met. But whatever those reservations are, I swear I'll do my best to overcome them and prove that I'm worthy of being your mate.’"
25
CALEB
"Calvin," I murmur, kissing the top of his tiny head as I sit in the rocking chair in the living room and rock him back and forth.
"That's such a cute name," Diana comments softly.
"After my dad…"
"Well then," she says with a smile, "you'll always have a piece of him with you."
I smile softly as I gently stroke Calvin's baby-soft hair. Diana takes him from my arms and carries him over to his bassinet at the foot of the bed. She settles Calvin into his bed with all the tenderness of a loving grandmother.
I rise from my rocking chair and cross the room to stand beside her, looking down at the pair of bassinets where the twins are fast asleep.
Calvin and Candace. My darling children.
It's been two weeks since they were born and every single day has been a new adventure with them. Diana has been coming over almost daily to help me care for them, and I'm eternally grateful for her help. Especially now that Jordan has finally returned to working on his app. He took some time off after the birth, and he probably would've taken even more if I hadn't forced him to stop fussing over me.
He's such a good alpha, so attentive and caring, but I'm already feeling like myself again. Plus, he's right across the yard if there's anything I absolutely need him for.
My days start early. Most mornings, I wake up to a sleepy kiss from Jordan. Once I've fed the twins and gotten them settled for the morning and sent Jordan off to work, I wait for Diana to arrive. Then she sits with them while I head out into the garden. I usually spend a couple hours out there, getting some fresh air and enjoying the warm summer sun.
Once I've finished tending to the garden, I head back inside and clean up the house before it gets too hot.
All in all, it's a pretty calm existence.
Well...mostly.
I glance out the front window at the footbridge that a parade of omegas is already crossing. Most of them have at least one child in tow. There are a few with no kids and a few that are unmated, but they're the minority, especially now that whelping season is over.
"Looks like your students have arrived," Diana muses as she peers out the window over my shoulder. "I suppose you should go get started."
I chuckle and glance back at my sleeping children. I'd rather not leave them. I love watching them sleep. But I'd probably lose my mind if I sat around and did nothing all day.
