Chapter 191: Girls
Kairos
I leaned against the wooden desk in my office, studying the territory map that Ethan had helped me create. Red markers indicated the highest concentrations of silver contamination, with blue circles highlighting areas we'd prioritize for cleaning.
"The plan looks solid," I told Ethan as we finalized the cleanup strategy. "First, we'll clear the high-traffic areas where pack members frequently pass through, then focus on places the pups might wander, and finally tackle the zones with the heaviest Wolfsbane concentration."
"And the chosen building site?" Ethan asked, circling an area on the northern edge of the territory.
"That's our top priority," I answered immediately. "I want to break ground on our house within the month." The thought of providing a proper home for Riley and our pups sent a surge of possessive pride through me.
"But she insists it's fine for now," I added, remembering how Riley had wrinkled her nose at the constant noise from the warriors' quarters beneath us.
Ethan nodded, his expression understanding. "Grace had similar complaints when she was pregnant with the twins. Every sound seemed amplified."
---
I straightened my shirt as I prepared to meet Riley for the ultrasound appointment. My heart pounded with a mixture of excitement and fear I wasn't accustomed to feeling. Soon, we'd know more about our pups—how many there actually were, their genders, whether they were developing properly.
What if we have a son? The thought sent a surge of emotion through me. An heir to continue my line, a boy I could teach to be strong, to hunt, to lead. I'd teach him better than my father taught me. I'd make sure he knew he was loved.
But what if we don't? I found myself wondering. Ethan had faced that challenge—his firstborn, Riley, was female. He'd had to wait for his second child, Nolan, to have a male heir. Though he never seemed to view Riley as less valuable because of it.
I paused, suddenly struck by my own traditional thinking. What the fuck was I doing? I was already placing expectations on children who weren't even born yet. I pictured a little girl with Riley's eyes and smile, and my chest tightened with unexpected tenderness.
---
I found Riley in the nursery with Elena.
Troy, her guard, stood unobtrusively near the door, nodding respectfully as I entered.
I approached Riley from behind, wrapping my arms around her waist and nuzzling her neck.
Riley leaned back against me. You know I heard those thoughts earlier, right? she replied through our connection.
I stiffened slightly. "What thoughts?" I asked aloud, though I knew exactly what she meant.
I pulled her closer, kissing her deeply, not caring that Elena and Troy were watching. Riley's acceptance of everything I was—even my flawed thoughts—filled me with a warmth I was still getting used to.
The memory of our most recent intimate encounter flashed through my mind. Riley had taken control, demanding Kieran and I submit to her. We had growled softly but complied, tilting our chins up in submission to our mate. But instead of feeling powerless, I'd felt her pride and love flow through me. That surrender had somehow chased away the last of the darkness that had lived within me for so long.
Someone cleared their throat, and I reluctantly pulled away from Riley.
"Alpha," Troy reminded me, "this isn't your bedroom."
Riley's lips curved into a smile. "We have important things to do, Alpha. Perhaps we can celebrate later."
---
As we walked to the medical center, I thought about how I'd filled the Packhouse with flowers to thank Ethan for his help and Grace for saving Riley. The memory of Riley's surprise when she'd seen the blossoms everywhere made me smile.
"Ethan suggested I fill the Packhouse with flowers," I'd admitted when she'd asked, and her scowl had made me laugh. She'd known immediately that it was Ethan's idea.
But the pack had loved it. Warriors were giving flowers to their mates and potential mates. The omegas were using them in their cooking.
"Have you noticed the difference in the pack?" I asked Riley as we walked, her hand in mine. The way pack members nodded respectfully but without fear, the way they smiled more often, the way they worked together more efficiently—it was all so different from the tense, mistrustful group I'd led before.
"It's not because of me, you know," Riley replied, squeezing my hand.
"It is you," I insisted. "You brought these changes."
She shook her head. "Everything starts at the top, Kairos. You had to change for the pack to change."
"I changed because of you," I said quietly. "Because of you, I became a better man... and that made me a better Alpha."
"And you'll be the most amazing father to our pups," she said, her free hand resting on her slightly rounded belly.
I couldn't help my excited response. "It would be great if they were all boys."
Riley laughed, her eyes sparkling with mischief. "And do you know what would happen then? You'd have to give me another pup. I've said I want at least one of each, so if we have four boys, you'd have to try again and hope for a girl."
I felt my eyes widen at the thought of five pups. "Let's make sure we have both, then, so we can be done."
---
Luna Grace was waiting for us in what I'd come to think of as "Riley's suite"—a room in the medical center that had been prepared specifically for her, with everything she might need during her pregnancy and eventual delivery of our four pups.
Riley squeezed my hand as Grace applied the cold gel to her stomach. I watched the screen, though I couldn't make sense of the grainy images that appeared.
"I only see two placentas," Luna Grace said after a moment.
Riley turned to me, her expression soft. "We're having two sets of twins, Kairos. Two sets of identical twins."
Grace explained, "You fertilized two eggs, Kairos, and then those eggs split, giving you four instead of two."
My heart raced as I tried to process this information.
"A boy and a girl of each would be perfect!" I said, unable to contain my excitement.
Luna Grace focused on the first placenta. "Heartbeat is good, developing nicely, and... it's a girl."
I smiled broadly. "We have two girls, then!" The thought of two little girls with Riley's smile made my chest tighten with emotion.
Grace moved to the second placenta, studying the screen carefully. "One of these is being shy, let me check the other one... Ah, four strong heartbeats. There it is, this one is... oh my goodness."
A cold dread washed through me. "What? What oh my goodness?"
Luna Grace spoke slowly, her eyes moving from the screen to my face. "It looks like you're going to have four daughters, Kairos."
Girls. Four girls. FOUR! GIRLS! Oh, Moon Goddess!
The room began to spin, and the last thing I heard before everything went black was Riley calling my name in alarm.