Page 52 of Dante
“That’s so good to hear.” Just looking at my friend, I could tell he was happier. He looked like there was so much less stress in his life. “I can’t believe how much has changed. For both of us,” I added.
Todd looked at me with wide eyes. “Right?” He shook his head. “We saw you,” he said.
“What? When?”
“At the winter solstice festival. You were with Dante. Briggs told me who you were with. You were over by the cocoa booth.”
I would never forget that night. “That’s the night…the first time I spent the night with him. We claimed each other that night.”
Todd’s eyes widened. “What? I thought you two were already claimed by then?”
I shook my head. “We spent a lot of time dating. Dante has some guilt because he was in the jungle with us and couldn’t rescue us.” Todd’s expression saddened. “But seriously, let’s not talk about that. No sad stuff. We’re both mated now. You have twins. And Maggie.” I looked around the room but didn’t see a bed for her. “I assume she’s napping? You said she probably would be.”
Todd nodded. He pulled Willow closer and kissed her head. “We actually turned the downstairs office into a playroom for her and later these two. There is a toddler bed in there, so we put her down for naps in there.” Todd pointed to the end table. “There is a monitor there, so I can hear her if she wakes up and starts playing without me realizing.”
“Oh, wow. I don’t think we even thought about doing that with Dante’s office. He has it; he was told it was an office, but he never uses it. He has a desk, a chair, and a laptop that he never opens in there.”
“Yep, sounds like Briggs. We just figured it made more sense to turn it into a downstairs space for the kids.”
I nodded. “How are things going with Maggie? She’s four?”
Todd nodded. “She loves Briggs. Seriously loves him. She likes me.”
I chuckled. “She’ll come around.”
“I know.” Todd looked down at Willow. “She’s behind on everything, but she goes to the daycare three days a week. Today happens to be one of her days here with me. They’re doing wonders for her. Her speech has already improved in the month she’s been with us. And she’s showing interest in potty training, which is definitely a bonus.”
I don’t know why, but I wanted to cry. What had that poor baby been through. “And how are you doing? How are you holding up? It’s one thing to have twins, but another to suddenly have a four-year-old as well. How is John doing?”
Todd’s smile was back. “He loves them all. Maggie loves him too. It almost seems like she knows I’m busy with the babies, and so she goes to one of them.”
I reached out a hand and gave my friend’s leg a gentle squeeze. “But how is Todd doing? Are you okay?”
Todd nodded. “Yeah, I am. I’m doing good. I needed Briggs but didn’t know it. But he’s been so wonderful. Seriously.”
I smiled. “Good. I’m so happy to hear that.”
We were quiet for a moment before Todd spoke up. “What about you? Do you have baby names picked out? Nursery finished? I need the deets. It’s been forever since we’ve hung out and talked.”
I sighed. It had. “I have nothing,” I told my friend. “We’re still deciding on names but have it narrowed down to three. And forget the nursery. We have the basics. Meaning our little guy will have somewhere to sleep, and he’ll have diapers, but that’s it. I have a few sleepers, but nope. Nothing else.”
Todd looked at me like he couldn’t believe me. I understood completely because yeah…I was due in three weeks, and we couldn’t decide on anything, it seemed. My poor little hellhound baby was going to be in a blank room wearing nothing but a diaper.
Chapter 19
Dante
Banner was a trooper. He was due in a week, and here he was. Did I want him outside in the cold? Not exactly, but it had been brought up too many times that our newest pack member hadn’t met the pack yet. They were referring to Banner and not the baby he was carrying.
He was bundled up, and thanks to a little bit of magic, his coat actually zipped in front of him now. But that still didn’t mean I was overly happy with the pack’s insistence that he come meet them. Now. Today. We were walking over to Damien’s house because Banner said he was too pregnant to have his stomach swirling like it did when I used magic. That and it wasn’t a far walk.
My mate’s pace was slower than it used to be, and I was thankful that he had no issues with me holding his arm to help stabilize him, but he was certainly in the final stretch of his pregnancy.
“Seriously, why did they need to have me meet them today? I’ve seen them all before. Are you going to like…abandon me at Damien’s while you all go for a run?”
I stopped and pulled Banner to a stop beside me. He looked up at me in confusion. “I would never abandon you. I have noclue as to why they wanted to have awelcome to the packthing today, but here we are. Even if they go for a run, I’m not going. You are too close to your due date, and your omega line is pink. I’m not leaving your side.”
Banner smiled up at me. I knew the look that went with it too, and it was so very tempting. I’d just turned my mate on. “I’ll do whatever you want later. We do have to go say hi though. Thirty minutes tops.” Banner faked a pout, but I knew he wasn’t serious.
