“Mine,” Micah whispered. Spike blinked hard again, the joy on his face almost too bright to look at. Kai’s heart swelled for them.
Then Micah dragged his teeth against Kai’s wrist, sharp points on sensitive skin. Kai held his breath. Without Micah’s encouragement, Kai would’ve never thought his basketball career was still possible. Without Micah, he’d probably never think of actually being a dad.
And without Micah, Kai might never have returned to Meadowfall for Spike. That scared him. Made him grateful for them both.
“I love you,” Kai growled.
Micah beamed, and sank his teeth into Kai’s wrist. Like before, pain and pleasure twisted down Kai’s nerves. Kai groaned, panting through the sensations.
“I can’t believe we’re all bonded,” Spike said, his voice thick with emotion. He hugged Micah from behind, burying his face in Micah’s back. “When’d you realize you loved Kai?”
Micah laughed. “That same day, when I visited your Mom. And Kai got so angry on my behalf.”
Spike grinned, raising his eyebrows at Kai. “So all we gotta do is be big angry alphas, huh?”
“Maybe.” Micah leaned into him, his belly round, his stretch marks stark against his skin. “You’re both perfect as you are.”
Kai grinned, stroking Micah’s belly. Something kicked under his hand, for the second time.
“Holy shit,” Kai said, because he still couldn’t believe it. There was a child in Micah’s belly. His. He pulled his hand away, staring at Micah’s baby bump.
It felt strange and weird and new—no wonder Spike had jumped and fawned over Micah’s belly when he’d first felt it.
Spike grabbed Kai’s hand and placed it back on Micah’s belly. He tangled their fingers. “Our baby,” Spike said.
“You ready to be a dad?” Kai asked, a little less surprised when the next kick came. Their baby.
Spike looked just a tad nervous. “I’m, uh. I’m still reading up on it.”
“I haven’t even started.” Kai grimaced, his stomach twisting. How much did he have to know to care for a child? “Gods, I’m so behind.”
Micah laughed. “I have child-raising experience, you know. Don’t forget that.”
“I don’t want to rely on you for everything,” Spike muttered. “You’ve got to catch a break, too.”
“Yeah.” Kai closed his hand around Micah’s fingers, kissing his knuckles. Just savoring his alpha and omega. “We’ll pull our own weight. And yours, too.”
“And I’ll tell you how to help.” Micah leaned into their touch, his eyes soft. “That’s what I’m here for, right?”
“Micah’s the best.” Spike rumbled, wrapping his arms possessively around their omega. Kai swore that the moment his knot receded, he’d envelop them both in a bear hug, too.
“Wait, when are you going back to Colorado, again?” Spike asked suddenly. “You’re right in the middle of the season.”
Kai winced. He wasn’t ready to go back. “Wednesday, but I was thinking of quitting.”
“No!” Spike frowned. “Keep that job.”
Kai raised his eyebrows, dubious. Spike and Micah had both said not to quit, but... “You were so insistent that I quit. Remember?”
Spike looked sheepish. Micah turned to kiss Spike’s jaw. “Well, the baby’s gonna be here soon,” Spike mumbled. “I can’t find a job that pays anything like yours. And I don’t want Micah to stress about getting a job this close to the birth. But... mostly it’s because it’s something you love, Kai. I can’t take that away from you.”
Kai shook his head, amazed at Spike’s change of heart. “And I’d just as soon give it up for you.”
Spike looked away, but his ears had turned red. “Sweet-talker,” he muttered.
“You both are so sweet,” Micah said, leaning forward to stroke Kai’s cheek. Kai grabbed Micah’s hand, kissing all over his fingers.
“Micah’s sweet, too,” Spike said, breaking into a grin. “Anyway... I told you my reasons. Keep the job. I want to tell everyone I have a brother playing for the NBA.”
Kai swallowed. “Gonna miss you guys when I go back.”
“We could visit.” Spike looked hopeful. “We’ll squeeze with you into your tiny room. I’m sure there’s space.”
The weight on Kai’s heart eased away. Having Spike and Micah join him, even for just a while... that sounded so good. “I’d love that. Could show you guys around the city.”
“What, from the bedroom window while we fuck?” Spike laughed.
Micah snorted, shaking his head. “You both are impossible.”
“That’s why we love you,” Spike said, blowing a raspberry on Micah’s shoulder. Micah shrieked.
Kai leaned back against the pillows, watching them. He didn’t know what he’d do in the long run, when Micah still hadn’t found another job, and when Spike would take a couple more years to graduate. And with the baby on the way... That was enough to make his nerves twinge with worry.
But for today, with his bondmates by his side... there was nothing else Kai would rather be doing.
43
Micah
The next morning, they got ready to move some of Spike and Kai’s things back to Micah’s place.
“The best thing about being brothers who share everything,” Kai said dryly, pulling on the clothes in Spike’s drawer. “Feels like I came home to my own T-shirts and jeans instead of forgetting to bring anything along.”
Spike elbowed him in the ribs. “Yeah, all you want me for are my clothes.”
“And your ass.” Kai grinned. “‘Sides, they’re my clothes, too.”
Micah laughed, his heart swelling for them. He’d wondered if things would be different between Kai and Spike, now that they’d bonded with each other—but it looked like things were back to before, except better. “Did you buy all those shirts together?”
“Sometimes,” Spike answered, sniffing at Kai’s discarded jeans. Then he threw those aside and stuck his nose in the crook of Kai’s neck, sniffing all the way down to his armpit. “Sometimes I bring home a unicorn shirt and Kai says I made a lousy decision, but he’ll wear it anyway.”
“A shirt’s a shirt.” Kai shrugged, shoving Spike off so he could wear his jeans. Spike slipped his hand down the front of Kai’s boxers, closing his fist between Kai’s
