Absolute Devotion (An Omega’s Preference #3)

33. Epilogue

thirty-three

Three years later.

NALA

The backyard is alive with laughter, the sound of children’s feet pounding on the grass, the savory scent of burgers sizzling on the grill. My two-year-old daughter, Ella, is racing around the yard, giggling with her cousins Elias and Leo, her little legs pumping as fast as they can. She shrieks in delight as Elias tries and fails to tag her. I can’t help but smile as I watch her, my heart swelling with love for the little family we’ve built.

For the past three years, I’ve found happiness in Emsboro, wading through my mates’ cases while taking up a full-time job at the school. Watching the twins and Ella grow up side by side has been amazing, the hole in my heart filled with love and adoration for everything I’ve been gifted in this new life.

Ren stands at the grill, flipping burgers, occasionally glancing up to check on the kids. Kieran and Joel are curled up on the lounge chair I convinced Zahria to buy last summer, both of them looking blissfully relaxed. Isaias said he’ll be here shortly, finishing up a few things at work.

I shift in my small armchair, trying to get comfortable despite the obvious challenge; my belly is already rounded with twins at only four months and I’m already starting to waddle.

It’s all Bear and Xylo’s fault, of course, and I’ve been playfully pissed at both of them since I found out. They managed to get me pregnant with their thorough attentiveness before getting called away on a mission to investigate an Omega center suspected of handing Omegas over to a trafficking ring. They’ve been gone for nearly four months now, leaving Zahria and Montgomery to deal with my bizarre cravings and mood swings.

I take another bite of a lime marshmallow, sighing contentedly as the sugary flavor melts on my tongue. These marshmallows are practically half my diet now, though Montgomery keeps trying to trick me into eating actual food. He even hid them from me once, but I found his stash within hours. Nothing stands between a pregnant Omega and her marshmallows, especially not one with twins.

“Nala, you look like you’re in marshmallow heaven,” Ren teases from the grill, shooting me a playful grin.

I hold up my marshmallow triumphantly. “Ren, these are my lifeline. I don’t know what I’d do without them.”

He chuckles, flipping a burger and shaking his head. “At least someone’s got cravings under control. Kieran wanted cheesy marshmallows.” His face twists up in disgust before he lets out a hearty laugh.

I glance over at Kieran, who’s snuggled into Joel’s side, looking content and peaceful. It’s a beautiful sight, and it makes me wish Bear and Xylo were here to share it with me.

Montgomery steps out from the house, carrying a phone in his hand, and his face lights up when he sees me. “Hey there, adorable,” he says, crossing over and planting a soft kiss on my forehead.

I roll my eyes, though I can’t hide the smile tugging at my lips. “Adorable? Montgomery, I’m waddling at four months pregnant. There’s nothing adorable about this,” I say, pointing to my belly.

He just chuckles, his eyes warm as he hands me the phone. “There’s always something adorable about you. Here, someone wants to say hello.”

I take the phone, my heart skipping a beat when I see Xylo and Bear’s faces on the screen. They haven’t shaved in days, and Xylo’s hair is longer, making them look like twins. There's a crescent bite on Bear's shoulder, our Alpha having bonded him shortly after they bonded me. Montgomery has given us all the pack bond but the connection between our Alpha, Bear, and I is something completely special. I share a similar bond between Zahria and Xylo which makes for a lot of fun.

Mischievous grins spread across both their faces, and I let out a playful growl, narrowing my eyes at them.

“You two,” I say, adding a rough but playful edge to my tone. “I’m already waddling because of you. One of you. I don’t know whose fault it is but I’m blaming both of you.”

Bear laughs, that deep, rumbling sound I’ve missed so much. “You’re waddling because you’re carrying our twins, Nala. I’d say that makes you pretty adorable.”

Xylo smirks, giving me a wink. “And here I thought you’d be thrilled to carry more of us around. You love us that much, right?”

I can’t help the giggle that falls from my lips, feeling some of the tension I’ve been carrying melt away. “Don’t get too full of yourselves. You might have left me waddling here, but at least I have Zahria and Montgomery to keep me company.”

As if on cue, Zahria steps over, waving at the phone with a warm smile. “Hey, troublemakers. How’s the investigation?”

Bear’s expression turns serious for a moment, and he glances at Xylo. “It’s… complicated, but we’ve made progress. We’re close to exposing the Omega center and its ties to a trafficking organization.”

I can see the worry etched in their faces, and it makes my heart ache a little. I know how important this mission is to them, but I can’t help missing them. “I hope you’re staying safe,” I say softly, my voice carrying a hint of the worry I’ve been holding onto.

Bear and Xylo exchange a glance, before looking at me again. “We’re doing everything we can,” Bear assures me. “And we’re coming home soon. We miss you, Nala.”

“I miss you, too,” I whisper, a lump forming in my throat.

Montgomery sits beside me, rubbing my back gently, and I lean into his touch, grateful for his steady presence. He chuckles and says, “Maybe when they’re back, they can convince you to eat something other than marshmallows.”

I shoot him a mock glare, clutching my bag of marshmallows protectively. “If anyone tries to take these away, there will be consequences. Serious consequences.”

Xylo laughs, his mischievous grin back in place. “Oh, don’t worry, love. We’ll make sure you have plenty of marshmallows. We’ll even bring a few extra bags on our way home.”

I narrow my eyes at them, trying to see past their smiles. They’re in an outdoor area, but I can’t make out their surroundings fully. There’s something… familiar about it. Then it hits me, and I gasp, struggling to push myself out of the chair. “You’re home, aren’t you?”

Xylo’s grin widens. “Surprise!”

Before I know it, I’m on my feet, my hands instinctively pressing to my belly for balance as I waddle toward the backyard gate. I catch sight of them coming up the path, their smiles wide and warm, and a rush of happiness fills me.

As soon as I reach them, I throw my arms around Bear and Xylo, hugging them tightly, breathing in their familiar scents. “You’re home.”

Bear chuckles, pulling back to look at me, his eyes warm. “We wouldn’t miss this for the world, Nala.”

I pull back, my hands on my hips as I look up at them. “Did you save the Omegas?”

Xylo gives me a proud smile, nodding. “Yeah, we did, Nala. They’re safe.”

Relief floods through me, and I reach up to kiss them both, feeling their strong arms wrap around me. As I lean in, though, their hands sneak down, giving my ass a playful squeeze. I gasp, my cheeks flushing as my scent spikes, and I give them both a scolding look. “Behave!”

Bear just grins, unrepentant.

A blush creeps up my cheeks as Montgomery, who has clearly noticed the shift in my scent, steps forward with an amused smile. He scoops up Ella, who ran over to see what all the fuss is about and raises his eyebrow at me. “Looks like the party’s over. We’ve got a very… needy Omega here.”

The blush spreads down my neck and I stammer, “I-I’m not—” But my scent betrays me, and they all know it.

Kieran, still lounging on the chair with Joel, offers with a grin, “We can take Ella for the night if you’d like, Nala. We’d be happy to give you some alone time.”

I manage a flustered nod, not trusting myself to speak as Bear gathers me up in his arms and carries me toward the house, my cheeks burning. “I was just… excited to see you all home,” I protest weakly, though my traitorous scent tells a different story.

Zahria chuckles, giving me a knowing look. “We know, Nala. We know.”

The rest of the pack laughs, and I bury my face in Bear’s shoulder, embarrassed but undeniably happy.