Chapter 186
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For a time, there was nothing but the sound of our babies breathing, the gentle rustle of blankets, the steady heartbeats of the men who had carried me through fire and now sat in awe of what we’d brought into the world. It was peace, rare, fragile, and so sweet I wanted to bottle it forever.
Then… Bang. Bang. Bang.
“Can we come in yet?” Elliot’s voice rang from the hall, impatient and bright.
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I startled, then started laughing, which made all four babies squirm at once. Levi groaned, running a hand down his face, while Xavier muttered, “That boy has no patience.”
Another knock followed, lighter, and Elias’s voice, muffled but eager. “Are they here? Are the pups here?”
Macey’s squeal overlapped them both. “I want to see my baby brothers and sister! Pleeease!”
Haiden chuckled into my hair, his shoulders shaking. “The cavalry has arrived.”
Noah squeezed my hand, his lips twitching into a smile. “Shall we let them in, Mama?”
I looked down at the four little souls sleeping against me, then toward the door where three more waited, bouncing with excitement. My heart swelled until it felt too big for my chest.
“Yes,” I whispered, grinning through my tears. “Let them in.”
The door swung open and in tumbled three wide–eyed faces: Elliot, Elias, and Macey, each of them brimming with excitement but hushed by the weight of the moment the second their eyes found me on the bed.
“Whoa,” Elias whispered, his jaw dropping.
Macey gasped so loud it startled the smallest boy in my arms, who let out a squeaky cry before settling again. She clapped both hands over her mouth. “They’re so tiny!”
Elliot stood frozen in the doorway, eyes wide, chest heaving like he’d sprinted the whole way here. Slowly, carefully, he edged closer, his gaze locked on the four bundles nestled against me.
“Come here,” I said softly, smiling through my exhaustion. I patted the mattress, and all three climbed up, their knees sinking into the blankets as they crept closer like I was holding treasure.
They peered down, their faces glowing in the soft light. Awe settled over them, stealing their words for a long, sweet
moment.
Finally, Elliot cleared his throat, his voice quiet, reverent. “What are their names?”
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Chapter 186
I looked down at the three boys first, brushing a hand gently over each tiny head. “This is Kieran,” I whispered, nodding to the first, whose fists were curled tight. “This little one is Dorian.” The second wriggled, letting out a soft grunt. “And here,” I said with a smile as the third stretched and yawned, “is Felix.”
A shift in the air prickled across my skin, cool, faintly electric, like the room itself was holding its breath. From the doorway came a sound, soft but sharp, almost broken.
“You… you named him…”
My head lifted, and there he was. Felix. His misty form shimmered in the threshold, edges blurred by the veil, eyes wide and glistening. He looked younger somehow, lighter, yet still carrying the weight of the life he’d lost.
“Yes,” I said softly, my lips curving through the ache in my chest. I cradled the third boy closer, brushing a finger across his downy cheek. “Felix. To honour your life. To honour you.”
His spirit let out a breath that hitched into something like a laugh, something like a sob. His hand, half–there, half- light, hovered over his namesake, though he dared not touch. “I don’t… I don’t deserve that.”
“You do,” I insisted, meeting his gaze, steady and sure. “You saved us more times than I can count. You loved fiercely. You fought for all of us. You’ll always be a part of this family, Felix. And now, so will he.”
Felix’s mist shimmered, tears spilling like smoke across his cheeks. Behind me, Haiden’s arm tightened, Levi bowed his head in silent respect, and Xavier whispered something too soft for anyone but the dead to hear. Noah, calm as ever, inclined his head, reverent.
He gave one last look to the baby in my arms, the boy who bore his name, and then to me. “Thank you.”
And then he was gone, going to work beside Silas with the forgotten, a job that was utterly perfect for him. A place where he could wait until he was ready to move on. I glanced back down at the boy in my arms. Felix. He squirmed, tiny fingers wrapping around mine with surprising strength. I pressed a kiss to little Felix’s forehead, whispering a silent promise to honour both the child and the man he was named for.
When I finally looked up, Elliot was watching me with wide, shining eyes. His chest rose and fell like he’d been holding his breath the whole time. Carefully, he tore his gaze from the baby boy in my arms and shifted it to the only one I hadn’t named yet, the smallest bundle, nestled at my chest, her tiny fingers tangled in the fabric of my
gown.
“What about her?” he asked softly, his voice hushed, reverent.
I smoothed a thumb over her silken dark hair, my throat tightening. “We couldn’t decide on a name,” I admitted, meeting his gaze honestly. “She’s… too special. None of us could agree.”
Elliot swallowed hard, his lips pressing together before he whispered, “Can I?”
The room stilled again. Haiden raised his brows but didn’t argue. Levi smirked faintly, though his eyes were softer than usual. Xavier tilted his head, curiosity sparking there, and Noah gave the faintest nod, like the decision had already been made before I even answered.
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My heart swelled, fragile and full. I turned back to Elliot. “Yes, Elliot,” I said, my voice catching. “You can.”
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His breath hitched. Slowly, carefully, he edged closer until he was right beside me on the bed. His hand trembled as he reached out, brushing one small fingertip against the baby girl’s curled fist. She caught it instantly, gripping on, and Elliot’s eyes shone with wonder.
He stared at her for a long moment, his lips moving silently, searching. Then he whispered, with confidence and certainty, “Lyra.”
The name seemed to ripple through the room, soft but powerful. The little girl cooed, a tiny sound, as if answering
to it already.
I felt tears slip down my cheeks as I bent my head, kissing her crown. “Lyra,” I repeated, my voice trembling.
“Perfect.”
Elliot’s smile was so wide, so full of something deep and unspoken, that it cracked something open inside me. He leaned down, pressing the gentlest kiss to her forehead. “Forever,” he murmured, so low I almost missed it. And I knew in that moment, Lyra would always carry a piece of him, just as Felix would always carry a piece of the one we lost. Our family was whole.
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