“Missed you,” Kai murmured, dropping kisses all over Micah’s face.
Micah smiled, nuzzling Kai’s cheek. “So did I. Spike, too. Welcome home.”
Kai laughed softly, and buried his face in Micah’s hair. It made Spike happy, just seeing Kai and Micah together again. They’d missed each other so much, too.
Then Micah tensed through the next contraction, wrapping his arm around his belly. Kai growled, rubbing Micah’s back, murmuring soothing words to him. But Kai met Spike’s gaze, helpless and fearful. There was only so much an alpha could do during childbirth.
The midwife bustled in, shooing Kai off so she could take her readings. Then she pulled a glove on, had Micah spread his legs, and pushed her fingers inside their omega.
Possessiveness rose up through Spike’s chest. Mine. He growled, stepping forward. On the other side of the bed, Kai did the same, his eyes narrowed.
“You’re six centimeters dilated, dear,” the midwife told Micah. Then she shook her head at Kai and Spike. “Growl at someone else.” She clicked her tongue. “Someone should educate all you alphas about midwives. Maybe in school. It’s like you don’t know what a midwife’s supposed to do.”
Well, maybe, but Micah was still theirs.
Then she left, and Kai and Spike clambered onto the bed, rubbing their wrists down Micah’s thighs, marking his skin.
“Ours,” Spike growled.
“Yeah.” Kai rumbled, nipping at Micah’s shoulder, kissing down his jaw, sweeping his palm down Micah’s belly.
Micah chuckled, making himself comfortable against the pillows. “Gods, the two of you.”
“You’ve gotten big,” Kai murmured, his eyes dark. “Doesn’t feel the same on video.”
Then he pulled Micah’s hospital gown up and off his belly, and kissed all over Micah’s baby bump. He followed the dark line down Micah’s abdomen, to the thatch of hair between Micah’s legs. Micah squawked—he was completely naked from the waist down, and Spike couldn’t help admiring him.
On impulse, Spike pulled his phone out. Snapped a picture of Kai kissing Micah’s naked belly, Micah looking at their alpha with his eyes soft. It was one of those rare moments that he didn’t know if he’d see again—they didn’t know if Micah wanted another pregnancy after this baby.
“Hey there. I’m finally back,” Kai growled against Micah’s belly. “Sorry I was away for so long. Might want to come out soon so you don’t put your dad through so much pain.”
On cue, another contraction rocked through Micah’s body. Micah panted, grasping their hands, his expression strained. Spike tucked his phone away, his heart aching for his omega.
“Maybe we shouldn’t get you pregnant anymore,” he said.
Kai winced. “Yeah.”
When the contraction faded, Micah shook his head, his skin covered in a sheen of sweat. “I’ll be fine.”
Kai looked dubiously at him. Spike chuckled, kissing Micah’s forehead. “I told you,” Spike murmured. “You’re stronger than you give yourself credit for.”
“He really is,” Kai agreed, stroking the back of Micah’s hand.
And it felt good, too, Kai savoring their omega along with Spike. Kai finally saw what Spike had seen in Micah, after all these years.
Spike rounded the bed to crowd against Kai, just to feel his brother by his side again. When he glanced down, he found Kai with mismatched shoes. Kai probably hadn’t even noticed where he’d stuck his feet when he’d hurried out.
Kai reached for Spike then. Something warm and light slid around Spike’s throat—fabric. And suddenly Spike caught on to what Kai was doing. His stomach began flipping anew. “Now?” Spike croaked.
“What?” Micah frowned. “Kai? Why are you putting a bowtie on Spike?”
Kai stroked his thumb over Spike’s pulse point—he could tell how nervous Spike was. “It’s quiet now. And you’re not exhausted yet.”
Spike took the bowtie from Kai, fastening it on himself so Kai could do his own. His hands only shook a little.
“We know it isn’t super formal and everything,” Spike said, helping Micah into a sitting position. “We’d wanted suits and ties.”
“For...?” Micah stared suspiciously at them.
“We were hoping for something grander than this,” Kai added. “But we can’t exactly hop out and change into suits and ties at the hospital. Hell, I didn’t even know where I’d be when I got the call. And Spike didn’t want to bring stuff to blow the surprise.”
Kai finished his bowtie. Then he reached into Spike’s back pocket for the ring box. When Spike linked his fingers with Kai’s, he couldn’t tell if it was sweat from his own hand, or Kai’s, or if they were both just sweating buckets.
Spike knelt alongside his brother. Micah’s eyes widened, and Kai opened the ring box, holding it out to Micah.
“To the most important omega in the world,” Kai murmured, his trembling hands the only indication of his nerves. “The best and the bravest.”
“The one who changed our lives,” Spike added. He couldn’t breathe. “You literally saved us from being homeless. I don’t know if you know how important you are.”
“The strongest person we know,” Kai said.
“And you’re still the superhuman one, you’ve been carrying our baby for so long.”
Kai squeezed Spike’s hand. Together, they said, “It’ll be the greatest honor if you’d marry us.”
Micah’s mouth fell open. He whimpered, staring at them both, tears welling up in his eyes. “Both of you...”
“We’re not exactly impossible,” Kai said, smiling slightly, with an uncertain edge to it—they didn’t know if Micah would accept the proposal for sure. There could’ve been any number of reasons not to.
“We really want to show you off as our own,” Spike said hopefully. “And mark you everywhere, all over again.”
“And we want you and our baby, and every other baby, too.” Kai grinned. “Not that it’s a requirement.”
“And we want to stand by you no matter what.”
“And tell you that you’re beautiful.”
“Forever,” Spike added.
Micah’s face crumpled. For a moment, Spike’s heart stopped. But Micah smiled, and through his tears, Micah said, “Yes.
