Chapter 282: Grace
The next few weeks passed in a blur. I swear there wasn’t a single dull moment. Between reuniting families, readjusting foster homes, figuring out how to split territory, politics, and wedding planning, every minute of my day had been occupied. And on top of everything, we had 3 new kids in our family. Going from 1 to 2 kids hadn’t been too bad.
I mean, Iris had had her moments. To say she wasn’t a challenge, especially in the beginning, would be a lie, considering she tried to betray us to the vampires. But nothing could have prepared us to have all 5 of them under our roof. Especially 5 kids who had trust issues and mountains of trauma, and now one with a boyfriend... And despite their love for each other, the happiness of reuniting only lasted about 5 minutes before the bickering started. Michael was the only kid with an official room so far, and that was a problem. He had been sharing Iris since she had arrived, and he had wanted all his siblings to be in his space, but I was high-key regretting that because they fought over who slept in the bed, what they watched on tv, this person is touching me, this person is taking too long in the bathroom. It was endless.
But I was glad that as of yesterday, the Alpha Suite was no longer housing any kids from the program, except our adoptees. After the wedding today, Rhys and I would be taking a whole 2 weeks off of work. Now that nearly everything in the pack was settled, we felt comfortable. The first couple days we were going to spend alone up at the cabin, but after that we were going to come back and get adjusted as a family. We didn’t know how to be parents yet. Not in the real sense, but we would figure it out. Just like we always did.
“Oh Grace! You look beautiful!” Alana exclaimed as she and Maizie walked in.
Alana was wearing a dusty rose, floor length halter top dress. Maizie had let me pick the color. She hated wedding planning, and even though she had sat in on nearly every meeting Alana and I had had on the topic, she had barely given her input on anything. We had barely gotten her to pick a dress.
But standing here in front of me today, in her form fitting, lacey, white dress, I knew I had made the right decision.
Her and Sawyer would be married right alongside Rhys and I today, and honestly, I couldn’t wait. The idea of sharing this day with one of my best friends was something I could never have dreamed of asking for. Plus, it took some of the attention off of me, and I was grateful for it.
“You both look incredible.” I responded as I rushed to give them a hug.
Alana hugged me back, but Maizie just kinda stood there. I knew she wasn’t a big hugger, but this felt different.
“Having second thoughts?” I asked her when I pulled away.
“No, no,” She said immediately. “It’s just, I have something to tell you, and I don’t want you to be mad…”
“Okay… You’re my family, Maiz, whatever you have to tell me, you can.” I tried to be encouraging, but my mind started going places it shouldn’t. Rhys had had girls before me and replaced them like it was nothing… Was I being replaced? Or did Caleb slip back into his old girl stealing habits?
She took a deep breath, and I held mine.
“I’m pregnant.” She said finally.
I froze and so did Alana. “What?”
“I’m pregnant.” She repeated, wringing her hands and staring at them.
“Oh my god!” I exclaimed excitedly, throwing my arms around her happily. “Why would you ever be mad to tell me that? It’s not Rhys’ kid, is it?”
“What? No!” She looked aghast. It was a poor joke. Even though I had been worried, I really didn’t think she would ever do something like that to me, my mind had still gone there. “I just thought you would think I’m too young, and this Alpha Suite is already so crowded. I don’t know. I didn’t know how you’d react.”
“Are you happy?” I asked her.
“What?”
And Alana smiled and begun to work her magic on my hair as I sat down.
“Are you happy?”
“Yes, I wasn’t planning on it happening, but I’ve always wanted to be a mom. And I know I have Blaire, but I can do this.”
“I know you can,” I told her. “And you’re going to figure it out. Rhys and I will help wherever we can. We’ve been talking about expanding the packhouse, maybe it’s time we expedite it.”
For the first time, since she had walked in, she smiled. I was happy to have been able to take the weight off her shoulders. I knew having her sister with her 24/7 was weird. She had always been her sort of caregiver, even before the program, but it was different now. Blaire was growing up herself, and she had no idea who she was. She had always had someone telling her who to be, and now she had to find it out for herself. Though, it wasn’t hard to see that her and Aaron seemed to have some feelings for each other. Plus, if you added on the mom resentment, and mom trying to enter back into both their lives, it was all complicated. But they were working through it, and that was all that mattered. Their future happiness. Even if it was hard now.
“Congratulations,” Alana told Maizie softly.
“Thanks for everything, Alana.” Maizie replied. “I couldn’t do this without you guys.”
“Come on, guys, we have a wedding to get ready for.”
And we spent the next few hours fooling around. Alana did both Maizie and my hair, and then Maizie did Alana’s. She might not be getting married today, but she deserved to look beautiful. Plus, today was the deadline. The Moon Goddess would make her choice today, and I hoped she had taken what I had said seriously. But regardless, today would be incredible. And getting to do it with my best friends made it even better. I couldn’t wait to marry Rhys.
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