Page 83 of Hopping for a Better Pack

It’s like Sarah and Al switched out; his parents call at least every other week to check in, and she hasn’t spoken to anybody but her Uncle Miguel since we became official. As soon as Spence learned that Sarah still wanted to be in contact with them, he hunted them down on social media to add to his family group. Now Angela, Steve, and I have a group chat once a month to exchange recipe ideas—Al‘s dads pop in sometimes, but they’ve been busy lately...still trying to build him mom’s greenhouse. There have been some real stinkers, but I’m always learning new things. They say it keeps you young.

Not to mention all of Spence’s sisters have taken to the role of aunts like ducks to water. Though I swear if Claire doesn’t stop teaching my kids how to align their chakras, we might have an issue. I’ve already gotten a couple of calls from the daycare. Apparently, an almost three-year-old talking about meditationto his class is considered evil. I’ve always lived in the bible belt, but I never realized how nuts people were. Seriously, I’d think getting your kid to sit still for more than five seconds would be something parents would embrace, but maybe I’m just too old.

Miguel has wiggled free of the affection and is now following around J.J. and Lexie, which Lexie seems fine with, and keeps trying to distract her sister back to the more age-appropriate infatuation. Sarah settles into a folding chair with a loud sigh, and I feel so bad for my little mate, but she insists that she really wants at least one girl and is determined to keep having kids until we balance the scales a bit. I’m getting too old to deal with the newborn time schedule, but thankfully everybody in the house helps out—wherever it’s needed.

Steve is even attempting to teach Spence how to cook, not that it’s going well, but the little alpha has a lot more patience than I thought he would. I think spending time with the kids is actually a bonus for him. He has his cat, but he seems to enjoy being a pseudo-uncle.

It’s kind of funny how our family has grown from me and Spence to all this. I never thought I would have a pack, let alone a mate and kids…and now half the damned town it seems. I’m certainly not complaining.

Sarah lets out a loud groan, and I hear Spencer’s, “Oh, shit!”

Three matching responses of “Language!” come from various sources as both my and Spence’s families round the corner of the house, but the big man is starting to panic as he scoops Sarah up, nearly knocking Billy over in a mad sprint to the car.

“Hey, Mom! Love you, watch the kids, ok? We gotta go to the hospital!” His voice barely registers as I take in my mate’s frantic breathing and wet shorts. Oh, shit is right. Apparently, we’re about to have another baby.

Greg quickly scoops up Miguel and Ben, handing one over to each set of grandparents. His voice is relaxed, but his shouldersshow how on edge he really is. “Hey, sorry. We’ll call you when we have some news. Sorry about this.” Mom just laughs, kissing Ben’s curly hair while Spence’s mom wraps her arms around Miguel, and I can just imagine how she looked when Spence was that age.

Alistair

Four hours later, we have a daughter. Sarah always insists on being surprised. We’ve discussed different names, and her only real input was “Not something that starts with an S” and that’s fair. We’ll figure it out; we’ve got time. Spence and I are both on spring break from teaching, and Paul’s been building up leave for the past nine months. Our little mate has gotten a lot curvier in the last five years, and she’s still sexy as hell, never more so than right now when she’s worn out and tired from bringing another member of my family into this world.

I don’t know how I ever thought my life would be complete without her.

END