Page 134 of Knot Tied

Gathering our clothes, he brings them over to the bed.

“Thanks,” I say gratefully, taking my clothes from him. “Are there any tissues around here?”

Seth opens the drawers by the bedside and brings out a roll of toilet paper. “Here, you go,” he says, throwing it in my lap.

“Yes!” I cheer, tearing off chunks so that we can both clean ourselves.

We don’t waste time in getting dressed. Even though no one walked in on us while we were in the throes of our passion, we don’t want to be caught in an embarrassing situation.

“Share your desire with my brothers,” Seth says, sitting down beside me. “Oliver and Simon would love to fill you up with babies too.”

The thought of my twin mates sends a rush of warmth through me. I can’t wait to tell them I’m ready to be a mom. Just like Seth, they’ve been amazing with Iris’s baby girl.

“Dad would be so happy if he became a grandpa,” I say, thinking about my father.

“Yeah,” Seth says, capturing my hand. “Imagine how Charlie would feel. He’d become a great grandpa to all our babies.”

Warm, indulgent smiles blossom on both our faces as we think about the prospect of bringing a baby into our pack. Absolute bliss flows through me as I dream of the future.

31

Aurora

Nine months later

My eyes blink in the darkened room. Yawning widely, I feel for the light switch until my fingers find it.

“Hey, are you okay?” I hear Simon’s breathy voice who’s sleeping closest to me.

“Yeah, I just need to go to the bathroom,” I tell him. “Go back to sleep.”

He mumbles something and pulls the blanket up to his neck. I smile at him and his brothers who’re soundly sleeping on his other side.

“Oh, stop pressing on Mommy’s bladder,” I groan, switching on the bedside lamp. The room gets flooded in a warm golden glow, allowing me to navigate my way toward the bathroom.

I hurry up with my business, eager to get back to bed. After washing my hands, I step back into my bedroom and gaze at my mates.

A bigger bed takes up most of the space in my nest now. It’s spacious enough to allow Seth, Oliver, and Simon to join me every night.

Since I got pregnant, I’ve been sleeping on the far edge of the bed. This way, I can wake up any time during the night and early hours of the morning without waking my mates.

I’m just about to head to bed when my stomach grumbles. Staring down at my huge belly, I caress the swell. “You guys hungry?” I softly whisper to the twin babies inside me.

In response, I feel tiny hands and feet softly prodding my belly. A grin blossoms on my lips every time they do this. Gently patting my tummy, I decide to take a trip to the kitchen.

Opening the door, I step into the hallway. That’s when I notice the low rumbles of thunder and the sound of gushing wind.

Moving toward one of the windows, I look out at the storm that’s raging outside. What time is it? I wonder, walking down the stairs to reach the kitchen.

The time on the kitchen clock shows the time as five A.M. A quiet sigh escapes me as I pad toward the cabinets containing my snacks.

Pulling the doors open, I bring out an armful of colorful snack packs but none of them feel remotely appetizing. Staring at the packets of chips and cookies, I dig within myself to find out what I’m truly craving.

Krispy Jelly Donuts, my mind whispers.

I immediately head toward the fridge to look for the delicious raspberry jelly donuts that Oliver brought me the other day. They were warm and oozing with jelly and tasted like heaven in my mouth.

Desperation builds in my chest as I search for the box, knowing deep within, that I’d polished off all six donuts that very day. A sob escapes me as I shut the fridge and feel like my life’s coming to an end.

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