“Can’t believe we’ve made it this far,” Harris said.
“You’d better believe it.” Valen patted Harris’ chest. “I’ll strip you both down, and there’ll be no more doubts.”
Sam laughed. His brother stepped up, extending his hand.
“Congrats,” Kade said, shaking all their hands. “Been a bit of a journey for you guys.”
“No kidding,” Valen said, smiling. “Thanks.”
“I wish Chris were here, though.” Sam sighed. He hadn’t seen his other brother in years.
“Mom says he’s fine,” Kade said. “Maybe he’ll be back next year.”
Sam cheered up. “I hope so.”
Valen stiffened against Sam then. Sam winced—only Valen’s parents would give him that reaction. He turned, holding his breath.
Valen’s mom stared up at them, her expression severe, her mouth pinched. “I expect to see more children from you,” she told Sam.
Harris narrowed his eyes, and Valen growled. “That’s not up to you, Mom,” Valen said.
Sam squeezed his hand. “It’s fine.”
They weren’t living with Valen’s parents, anyway. Things weren’t terrible. Valen’s mom stalked away, leaving his father.
The fire chief met all their eyes, his lips pursed. “You’ve been disobeying me through the past years, Valen,” he muttered. “The station staff have been giving me crap about you and Harris.”
He met Valen’s eyes, and Valen shrugged. “Sorry. They’re my family. We’ve talked about it a lot, and we’ve decided we’ll stay bondmates the rest of our lives.”
Sam’s heart missed a beat. He’d never ever get tired of hearing that, either.
A long time ago, Sam had been intimidated by Fred Tolstoy. But standing with his alphas on either side of him, and watching Valen’s mom get into a car and drive away, Sam knew the fire chief’s judgment would not hurt him.
Fred looked at Harris.
Harris shook Fred’s hand. “Thanks for attending the wedding, Fred.”
“I still can’t believe you’re doing this,” Fred said to Harris.
Harris lifted his chin, narrowing his eyes. “I treat Sam, and especially Valen, how they deserve to be. With kindness.”
His words hung in the air for a moment.
His cheeks ruddy, Fred Tolstoy looked at all three of them. “With this wedding, the disbursement from your grandmother’s estate will go into your account, Valen.”
Valen nodded. “Thanks.”
“I guess I’ll leave you in my will,” Fred muttered. “No one else to pass it on to, anyway.”
Then he turned and stalked off, and Valen sighed, leaning into Sam. “I guess that could’ve gone worse.”
“It could,” Sam agreed.
Harris sighed, squeezing Valen’s shoulder. “That’s okay. You’ve got a family in us, V.”
Valen’s eyes lit up then. “Especially with another on the way.”
He slid his hand beneath Sam’s shirt, cradling Sam’s belly. Harris grinned, too, reaching under Sam’s shirt. They twined their fingers over Sam’s abdomen, over their second child, and Sam couldn’t help the grin spreading through his face.
“That’s Little H,” Valen said. “Big H gets to name it.”
“You’ve already decided on a name, haven’t you?” Harris said, his mouth curving into a smirk. “Little H.”
Valen rolled his eyes, leaning in to kiss Sam. “That isn’t naming. It’s just a nickname.”
Sam had gone into heat a couple months ago, and Harris had been the one to knot in him, at Valen’s insistence. In seven months, they’d have another child joining the family. Right now, they were doing fine with Landon—Sam was confident that the second baby would fit in just as well.
“Dadada,” Landon said, toddling over to them, his arms outstretched.
Harris swung him up, and Landon squealed.
“I haven’t heard him say that,” Sam said. “‘Dadada’?”
“That might mean all three of us,” Valen said. “Dad, Daddy, and Papa. What better way to say it quickly?”
It certainly was inventive. Sam grinned, looking fondly at his son.
Harris swung Landon up another time, and Landon shrieked. When he descended again, he reached for Sam. “Dad!”
Sam scooped his baby into his arms, nuzzling his cheek. “You’re getting a brother or sister soon, Landon,” he said. “I hope you’re ready.”
Landon patted Sam’s cheek, grinning toothily.
As the wedding guests drifted over, and as Harris and Valen slipped their arms around him, Sam relaxed, knowing that this was the first of many laughter-filled days to come.
5
Two Alphas, One Omega bonus scene
“Winkle, winkle little tar, how I wonder what ya are.” Landon’s voice rang through the bedroom, bright and early in the morning. “Up abow the world so high, like a diama in the kie.”
“Twinkle, twinkle little star,” Valen joined in, a smile in his voice. “How I wonder what you are.”
“You’re going to wake Sam like that, V,” Harris muttered behind Sam, tightening his arm around Sam’s waist.
Sam grinned to himself. Days like today were the best. He loved waking up with his family around him, Valen singing along with their son.
“Well, Sam’s smiling in his sleep.” Valen huffed, dropping a light kiss on Sam’s forehead. Then he breathed deeply against Sam’s skin. “Or are you doing something with him that I can’t see?”
Harris rumbled, tightening his arm around Sam’s waist. “I’m not, but you’re giving me ideas.”
“There’s a child around,” Valen pretended to whisper in an offended tone. “Did you poke a hole through his sleep shorts? With your...” Valen cleared his throat. Harris slapped Valen’s thigh.
Sam couldn’t keep himself from laughing. “Valen!”
“I guess you’re awake,” Valen said, his eyes twinkling. “Happy birthday.” He kissed Sam softly on the lips, at the same time Harris leaned up to nuzzle Sam’s cheek.
“Happy birthday, Sam,” Harris murmured, stealing a kiss the moment Valen gave him an opening.
Sam kissed them both, morning breath and all. He hadn’t remembered that it was his birthday, but he already had the best gifts in the world.
“We have surprises,” Valen whispered, looking significantly at Harris. “Big H and I have been planning for a while.”
Sam blinked. “Surprises?”
“Hush, V,” Harris said dryly. “He’ll guess it if you drop that many hints.”
Valen grinned. “But he won’t think of the—”
Before Sam could ask about those surprises, Landon said, “Dadada! Play!”
The three of them turned to look. Landon had gotten to his feet, clinging to the crib’s railings.
“I think he wants to join us.” Sam grinned, wishing his arms
