Chapter 96

**ARIA**

The walk back to our apartment from the infirmary was quiet.

Not tense, not cold—just quiet. The kind of silence that comes after something so unexpected, so huge, that words feel too small. My fingers were still laced with Austin’s, while Adam walked on my other side, his hand resting gently at the small of my back. I knew they were both watching me, feeling me, listening to the way my breath caught every so often, how I held one hand over my stomach even though there was nothing to see yet.

We were going to have twins.

The moment the door closed behind us, the air shifted. Adam moved into motion, already pacing the length of the room. His brows were furrowed, his mouth set in a tight line, and I could almost see the calculations running through his head.

"We’ll need to move faster," he said, more to himself than anyone else. "The vote. I’ll talk to Leila tonight. We can organize it within the week. Once it’s done, we leave for Austin’s pack. That gives us time to settle in, plan the nursery, hire more help—"

Austin, on the other hand, stood like a statue. His jaw was clenched, his eyes locked on the window like he was imagining Caedmon standing out there, waiting. "We need to root him out. I don’t care how. I want to find every contact he has and cut them down before they ever get near her again."

I exhaled softly and sat down on the couch, my hand still resting on my belly. My body still felt like it was catching up to the news my mind had already accepted.

I was happy.

Terrified.

But so, so happy.

"Hey," I said quietly.

Neither of them looked at me.

"Adam. Austin."

Adam stopped pacing. Austin finally turned away from the window.

I patted the cushions beside me. "Come here."

Adam came first, sliding down beside me and gently pulling my legs into his lap. Austin joined us a second later, kneeling in front of me, his hands on my
knees, his eyes searching mine.

"You’re both spiraling," I said with a small smile. "And I love you for it. But... can we just be here? For a moment? Just us?"

"You’re pregnant," Adam said, brushing a hand along my calf like he still couldn’t believe it. "With two. Two, Aria. That’s not something you just be calm about."

"And we don’t know how your body will handle it," Austin added, his voice low. "You’re already weak. We nearly lost you once."

"I know," I whispered. "I know. And I’m scared too. But I’m also... excited. Overwhelmed. It’s like my heart is too full and aching all at once."

Adam leaned in, pressing his forehead against my shoulder. "We’ll make it work. We’ll get everything ready. I want to build something beautiful for them. For you."

I reached out to run my fingers through his hair, then touched Austin’s cheek with my other hand. "I need you both with me. Not just the fierce protectors. But the men I love. The ones who held me when I cried. The ones who made me laugh when everything hurt. I need them."

Austin exhaled hard and pressed his face into my lap. "You have us. You’ve always had us."

We sat there like that for a while—me in the center, their hands on my skin, our breath syncing into a single rhythm. The chaos, the danger, the weight of
everything waiting outside our door... it could wait.

Eventually, we shifted to the bed, the three of us curled up in a tangled knot of limbs and blankets. Adam lay behind me, his arm wrapped protectively over my waist, his fingers splayed over my stomach like he could already feel them kicking. Austin lay in front of me, his forehead pressed against mine, his hand cradling mine between us.

I looked between them—one made of fire and precision, the other forged from stone and soul. They were both mine.

And I was theirs.

I murmured softly, "I love you."

Adam pressed a kiss to the back of my neck.

Austin squeezed my hand.

And before I could say anything else, sleep pulled me under, warm and full and safe in their arms.

For now, that was enough.

***

I woke to soft light filtering through the curtains and the heavy warmth of the bed around me—but no one beside me.

My hand instinctively reached out, patting the empty space to my left and right. Cold. Abandoned. A flutter of unease tickled my spine, but then I heard the distinct sound of water running and the thud of a cupboard.

The bathroom.

I sat up slowly, my mouth dry and my stomach growling. I was starving.

"You’re awake," came a familiar voice, light with amusement.

Austin stepped out of the bathroom, his bare chest glistening with droplets, a towel wrapped low around his hips, another ruffling through his damp hair. I blinked, momentarily forgetting my hunger.

"Well, that’s a view," I muttered, grinning.

He laughed, low and rough. "You're not supposed to be the one staring. You're the patient."

"Patient, not blind."

His stomach let out a loud growl, and I raised an eyebrow.

"That bad, huh?"

He glanced down and winced. "That was supposed to be me being responsible. You know, sneaking in a quick shower before making you food. Now I’m starving and you’re making eyes at me."

I shrugged, unabashed. "It’s not my fault you look like a fantasy walking out of steam."

He groaned dramatically. "That’s it. I’m getting dressed before I drop from hunger or do something irresponsible."

I giggled as he rushed to the dresser, fumbling to yank on jeans while still towel-drying his hair. He nearly tripped trying to put on his socks, muttering to himself the whole time.

"Don’t move," he said as he grabbed a t-shirt. "Food. Now."

He was out the door in seconds, and I was left sitting in bed, laughing until my stomach ached.