Chapter 73

Dr. Katestone stepped quietly down the hallway, her footsteps muffled against the soft carpet. She paused at the nursery door and gently knocked, her usual courtesy before entering a family's private space. The gentle knock was met with silence, save for the faint sound of breathing and soft laughter inside.

Opening the door softly, Dr. Katestone found the room bathed in warm afternoon light. The babies—two little bundles she knew well—were fast asleep in their cribs, their tiny chests rising and falling in perfect harmony. Across the room, Kathy and her husband sat close together on the couch, talking in low voices and sharing smiles that spoke of joy and exhaustion.

Dr. Katestone felt a swell of happiness for the new family, but something caught her eye. Kathy held an extra baby in her arms, swaddled tightly and wide awake, blinking up at the world with curious eyes. Dr. Katestone hesitated. She distinctly remembered only two babies when she last visited, and every checkup and record since had mentioned just the twins.

She stepped forward, her brow furrowing in confusion. "Is... is that another baby?" she asked in a gentle voice, not wanting to startle anyone. Kathy looked down at the child in her arms, then up at Dr. Katestone, a playful twinkle in her eyes.

The parents exchanged a glance, then burst into laughter. "This is our daughter.” Kathy explained, "We adopt her due that her mother in jail for her crimes and her father is deceased, but the twins will be her big brother."

Relieved, Dr. Katestone joined in the laughter, her surprise melting away. The room filled with the warmth of shared joy, and the babies continued their peaceful sleep.

Dr. Katestone realized that in the world of new parents and growing families, surprises—sometimes delightful, sometimes bewildering—are never far away.

Dr. Katestone smiled reassuringly at the family. “You are safe to go home today, and so are the babies. Here is your paperwork,” she said, handing Kathy a neatly folded set of documents. The sense of relief and excitement in the room grew as Kathy accepted the papers, her eyes shining with gratitude.

“Thank you again, Dr. Katestone,” said Kathy, her voice soft but full of emotion. She clutched the paperwork to her chest, the significance of the moment settling in as she glanced at her husband and the three children. Dr. Katestone nodded warmly, feeling the rewarding weight of her work in the family's grateful faces.

“You are welcome,” said Dr. Katestone, her voice gentle and kind. She lingered for a moment, watching the family embrace their new beginning, before quietly slipping out of the nursery, leaving behind a scene of hope and togetherness.

As the door clicked softly behind Dr. Katestone, Grace and Seth entered, each carrying a car seat in one hand and wearing broad, expectant smiles. They paused in the doorway, momentarily puzzled, as their eyes landed on the new baby cradled in Kathy's arms. Grace set the car seats gently on the floor, curiosity lighting her face, and walked over to Kathy, eager to get a closer look at the wide-eyed baby girl who had just joined their family circle.

“Mom, I will explain everything, but first we need to know where we will be living at because we are in the Lycan Kingdom and not at the Sliverstone Pack. The babies are too young to travel anywhere,” said Kathy.

“We should talk about this when we to the palace,” said Grace

Kathy shook her head in disbelief, glancing between her mother and Seth. “I can’t still believe that my mother is mating with an old vampire,” said Kathy, her voice tinged with a mix of amusement and bewilderment.

Grace let out a gentle laugh, brushing a stray hair from Kathy’s forehead. “Love finds us in the strangest ways, sweetheart. Besides, a little ancient wisdom never hurt anyone.”

“Watch it, I might be a 1,000-year-old vampire, but you must mind your elders,” said Seth, his eyes glowing red with a playful warning. Kathy stifled a laugh, recognizing the blend of supernatural authority and fatherly teasing in his tone. Grace rolled her eyes affectionately, glad the tension was giving way to humor.

“You two need to quit,” said Grace, her tone both firm and caring as she looked between Kathy and Seth. “Kathy, listen—Seth is going to be your step-father, and Seth, you’ve got to understand that Kathy is going to be your step-daughter. So, you two have to get along with each other.”

Kathy and Seth exchanged glances, the playful tension giving way to a more thoughtful silence. Kathy nodded slowly, realizing that their family dynamics were shifting in unexpected but hopeful ways.

Grace put two bags on the bed, each carefully packed with fresh, clean clothes for Anthony and Kathy so they could shower and get ready to come home. Kathy glanced at the bags with gratitude, but her mind was already racing ahead, considering the challenges that lay ahead for their family. She was seriously thinking about hiring nannies for the babies, knowing there was a mountain of tasks to handle now that Frances had his son and mate back, but no one was left to manage the Silverstone Pack.

She knew Leo was stepping up and handling the alpha responsibilities, but it was clear that they truly needed an experienced werewolf to oversee everything. Kathy hoped that once they arrived at the palace, things would begin to fall into place and some of these worries would finally ease. The promise of a new home and support gave her hope for a smoother transition into this new chapter.

“Before we leave the driver will come and pick guys up and drive back to the palace.

“Thanks mother,”

Grace kiss Kathy on the forehead before heading out of the room, leaving the car seat for the parents to put the babies in and take them him. As Kathy prepared to get ready, Anthony gently took her hand and helped her off the couch. Kathy is cradling Melody for a moment before carefully setting her in the basket nearby, making sure the baby is comfortable and secure. Kathy then rummaged through one of the bags, pulling out her shower essentials, while Anthony stretched out on the bed, watching her with a quiet, supportive presence.

“I am going to take a shower while you rest,” said Kathy, giving Anthony a reassuring smile as she gathered her things. Anthony nodded, grateful for a moment to relax, and watched her disappear into the bathroom, the sound of running water soon filling the quiet room.