Chapter 69

ISABELLA

The minutes felt like hours as I sat on the edge of the bathtub, Asher by my side, his hand wrapped around mine. The test was placed on the counter, the small screen still blank as we waited for the result. My heart pounded in my chest, a mix of hope and fear swirling inside me.

Asher’s presence was comforting, his steady breathing helping to calm my nerves. But as the silence stretched between us, a thought occurred to me, cutting through the anxiety. If the test was positive, I didn’t want Asher to be the only one to know at first. This moment was too big, too life-changing for it to be shared with just one of my mates. I wanted all three of them there, together, when we found out.

I turned to Asher, my voice soft but firm. “Asher, if the test is positive… I don’t want you to know before Jax and Knox. I want all of us to be together when we find out.”

He looked at me, his eyes softening with understanding. Without hesitation, he nodded, squeezing my hand reassuringly. “I get it, Isa. You’re right. This is something we should all share together.”

A wave of relief washed over me at his immediate agreement. “Thank you,” I whispered, feeling the tension ease just a bit.

Asher leaned in, pressing a gentle kiss to my forehead before pulling out his phone. He sent a quick message to his brothers, urging them to come home without giving too much away. I could see the care in his eyes, the way he didn’t want to alarm them, but knew the importance of the moment.

As the minutes stretched on, my heart raced faster, each second feeling like an eternity. The test lay on the counter, facedown, its small screen hidden from view. Asher’s hand was warm around mine, offering comfort, but the anticipation was almost too much to bear.

When I heard the door open, I knew Jax and Knox had arrived. They stepped into the room, their expressions a mix of concern and curiosity, trying to read the situation from our faces. The air was thick with tension, the unspoken question hanging between us.

“What’s going on?” Knox asked, his voice quiet but tinged with worry.

Taking a deep breath, I turned to face them, feeling the weight of the moment. “I realized today that I hadn’t had my period, so I took a test. It’s there on the counter, but I haven’t looked at the result yet. I wanted us to find out together.”

The room fell silent, the gravity of the situation settling over all of us. Knox and Jax moved closer, their eyes locked on the test that still lay face down on the counter. I could feel the tension radiating from all three of them, their concern for me evident in their eyes.

Slowly, I reached out, my hand trembling slightly as I picked up the test. My breath caught in my throat as I hesitated for a moment, my heart pounding in my chest. Then, with a deep breath, I turned it over.

The result stared back at me, clear and undeniable. Positive.

I felt my breath hitch, a rush of emotions flooding through me all at once. Tears welled up in my eyes, but this time, they were tears of joy. I turned the test around to show the others, the reality of it sinking in as I saw the expressions on their faces.

“I’m pregnant,” I whispered, the words almost surreal as they left my lips.

For a moment, time seemed to stand still. Then, as the realization hit, I was enveloped in their arms. Asher, Jax, and Knox all pulled me into a tight embrace, their joy and love pouring out in waves.

Jax’s voice broke the silence, filled with awe. “Isa, this is amazing. You’re going to be an incredible mother.”

Knox nodded, tears glistening in his eyes as he looked at me with a mixture of pride and love. “This baby is going to be so loved, Isa. We’re going to give it everything.”

Asher, always the most serious, placed a hand on my belly, his touch gentle yet protective. “You’ve given us the greatest gift, Isa. We’re with you every step of the way.”

The joy I felt in that moment was overwhelming. The fear and uncertainty that had haunted me faded away, replaced by an overwhelming sense of happiness and love. This baby, our baby, was already cherished beyond measure, and I knew, without a doubt, that it would be surrounded by love and care from the very beginning.

We were a family, and this was just the beginning of something beautiful. With the three men I loved by my side, I knew we could face anything. As I looked around at their faces, I realized that this was the life I had always dreamed of—full of love, joy, and the promise of a bright future.

As I stood there, holding the positive test in my hand, I watched as my mates—Asher, Jax, and Knox—began talking excitedly about our future, their faces alight with joy. The realization that we were going to have a baby had settled in, and now, they were already planning and dreaming about what was to come.

Knox, always the most playful, was the first to speak up, his grin infectious. “I’m calling it now—it's going to be a girl. She’ll be fierce, just like her mom, and I’ll teach her how to swim before she can even walk.”

Jax chuckled, shaking his head. “A girl? Nah, I’m betting on a boy. And he’ll be just as charming as his dad,” he added with a wink. “I’ll make sure he knows how to treat people right, with respect and love. Maybe we’ll teach him to draw, Isa.”

Asher, the ever-practical one, smiled softly, his eyes never leaving mine. “Whatever we have, boy or girl, we’ll raise them to be strong and kind, to know the importance of family. And I’ll teach them everything they need to know about leadership, about how to take care of those they love.”

Tears welled up in my eyes as I listened to them, their excitement and love filling the room. It was overwhelming to hear them talk like this, already so committed to our future child, already so sure of the love they would give. My heart swelled with emotion, and I realized just how lucky I was to have them by my side.

They continued to toss ideas back and forth, joking and laughing about who the baby would take after, what traits they would inherit. Knox insisted the baby would have my smile, while Jax was convinced they’d have Asher’s serious nature. Asher, meanwhile, quietly remarked that he hoped they’d have Jax’s heart and Knox’s courage.

As I watched them, I felt a deep sense of peace settle over me. Whatever fears I’d had about this pregnancy, about my past, they melted away in the face of the love that surrounded me. I knew, without a doubt, that this baby would be cherished, protected, and loved beyond measure.

I placed a hand on my belly, imagining the tiny life growing inside me, and I couldn’t help but smile through my tears. This was our future—a future filled with love, laughter, and the promise of a new beginning. And I knew, as I looked at my mates, that we were ready for it.