Manix by Grace McGinty

Epilogue

Naja

“The natives are getting restless, Omegas.”Gatlin’s slightly amused whisper came from the doorway of Raiden’s nest. Against the walls were six Moses baskets, each with a tiny cub swaddled tightly inside. They were finally all sleeping at once, which was a small miracle. They’d almost doubled in size in the last week, which was equally miraculous.

The last week had been the best, most joyous, but also intense week of my life. After Raiden had passed out, Doc had come in and sewed him up properly, and the relief on Gatlin’s face would have been hilarious if we weren’t all feeling that way.

Raiden’s recovery had been nothing short of unbelievable. His body had healed the C-section scar in days and he even had his abs back. You wouldn’t have even known that a week ago, he’d been so huge that going up and down the stairs had been a challenge. Still, we’d been holed up in his nest during recovery, and I’d stayed with him. Mostly because I couldn’t bear to be away from him and the cubs.

Six. Five boys and a tiny baby girl. I couldn’t believe it. We’d decided to name them after virtues, because they were going to love matching names when they were teens. I grinned as I thought about it; I would be here to watch them grow and be happy. The thought made my throat thick with emotion.

Hale, Noble, August, Sage and Chance. Our precious baby girl was Amity Jane. They were perfect, and when Luisa had come in to visit, she’d been absolutely besotted with her new siblings.

Raiden huffed. “Tell them to come back tomorrow.”

I almost agreed because I was loath to end the perfection of this moment. But these cubs? They weren’t just a miracle to us. They were the herald of hope for the rest of the Manix race, and they wanted to see them too.

Gatlin snorted. “Sure thing, but you can go down and tell Selena that she can’t see her grandcubs for another day. That woman is scary. Amazing, but scary.”

I snorted because I just didn’t see the scariness. Selena had been amazing, watching Luisa during the birth, and making sure we were all fed and happy. Generally just taking care of things. She’d left us alone to bond as a Pack for a week, despite how excited she’d been, but I could imagine she’d be beside herself with excitement now.

I crawled over to Raiden and snuggled his face. “Come on, Rai. It's time to introduce the cubs to the big wide world.”

He huffed but stood. He was only in a pair of sweats, but Gatlin walked in to kiss him softly. “Such a Papa Bear.” He handed him a t-shirt I hadn’t noticed until then. He also handed me a dress, because I was still in Finlo’s shirt from yesterday.

“Thanks, Alpha.” I pulled the shirt off and slipped the dress on over my head, before stepping into his arms for a kiss. He delivered it in abundance, with tongue. I grabbed the front of his shirt and curled my body against his. He ran his tongue over the small pink scar that was his mate mark on my neck, on the opposite side to Finlo’s.

I shivered, and the smell of my arousal flooded the room.

“Maybe we can stop at my bedroom first…?”

Gatlin shook his head and stepped away. “No way, mate. There’s a whole party waiting for you guys and the little stars of the show.” His eyes hooded. “But tonight? You’re on, Omega.”

Goosebumps ran over my skin, and I grinned.

Looking over my shoulder at Raiden, I noticed his eyes were also filled with lust. He switched his gaze to Gatlin. “I think you’re right, Gatlin. It’s definitely time to leave the nest.”

Yeah, he was going to end up in my bed tonight too.

Gatlin walked over to the Moses baskets and lifted out Amity Jane, cradling her gently in his arms. She was smaller than the boys, but she was growing well, drinking just as much as the boys. She was going to be thoroughly spoiled.

There was a knock at the door and the rest of my Pack appeared. Finlo had Luisa on his hip, and I wandered over, placing baby Hale in his arms. Luisa looked down at the baby with such love it made my heart swell.

Raiden juggled August into one arm, and I gave Chance to Seven. Finally, Ellar delicately lifted Sage from his basket, and I reached down and scooped up Noble.

We trooped down the stairs, keeping Raiden in the center of us. This would be hard with his Omega instincts, but the Beast had gone back in his box over the last day or two. Raiden was running less on instinct now. Finlo told me that historically, the Omegas would be holed up with the female Betas for a month before they’d emerge. Apparently, in the olden days before formula, female Betas lactated to feed the young. But there weren’t enough female Manix at all for that now.

I could hear the noise of so many voices drifting up the stairs. Gatlin had promised no one would touch the babies without permission, and I think that eased all of our more primal natures. When we got to the landing, my mouth swung open. Holy shit—there were dozens of people down here.

I could see all of Finlo’s family, Raiden’s dad, and even Gatlin’s father standing at the very back of the crowd. Terra and her husbands, as well as all of her kids, were there in a tight bunch. Surprisingly, the Legion Force soldiers Merrick and Murphy were there, as well as the Fletcher-Wiley-Reid Pack. They looked at us longingly, and it broke my fucking heart.

I nearly tripped over my feet when my eyes fell on Courtland. My brother. My brother Courtland.

“Easy, Omega,” Gatlin said, his hand shooting out to grab me. “He asked if he could come and see the cubs. He’s your last remaining family, outside of our Pack. He’s the reason you are here with us now. I thought you wouldn’t mind.”

I didn’t mind, but hey, a heads up would have been nice. Courtland dipped his chin and I gave him a half-smile back. It wasn’t that I didn’t want to see him, it was just that I’d firmly shut away that moment of my life while I healed, and whilst we had bigger things to worry about like taking care of new life.

Beside Courtland was a pretty teenage girl with dark brown eyes, long straight hair and my mother’s nose.

Holy shit. He’d brought one of my siblings.

I concentrated on getting down the stairs without falling on my face or dropping the cub in my arms. When we all reached the foot of the stairs, Gatlin cleared his throat. “Meet the newest members of Pack Huxley-Grey.”

Everyone cooed and spoke at once. I noticed the giant mound of presents. Damn. These guys went all out.

The next hour was fending off touching hands, making sure Raiden was coping, and mingling within the crowd. Eventually, I ended up in front of Courtland and the girl who was my sibling. Seven appeared behind me, not saying anything but just offering support. He was no longer holding Chance, but I wasn’t worried. One of the others would have him.

“You look well, Naja,” Courtland said, though he could have been talking to a complete stranger. There was something odd about Courtland, like he was broken, but when he looked at me, I could see the hint of guilt that sat behind his eyes. There was something more to Courtland, and I honestly didn’t know if I had the fortitude to discover what it was. I just wanted to be happy. That Scooby Doo Mystery Machine bullshit was for someone else. I was done.

“Thank you, Courtland.”

The girl beside him huffed. “For fuck’s sake, Court. Introduce us so I can finally meet my damn sister.”

Courtland’s eyes flashed with irritation, but still, he did what he was asked. “Naja, this is Rosa. She’s your half-sister. The first of your mother’s offspring with Iago.” He said it so coolly, like it didn’t matter that she was the product of something horrible, or that I’d killed her dad. For her part, she didn’t seem to care either.

“I kinda killed your father. I’m sorry.”

She snorted. “No you’re not, and neither am I. Scum,” she said, fake spitting on the ground.

I laughed, and she laughed with me. But the sound, the sweet tinkling joy made my heart hurt. It sounded just like my mother’s laugh, back when she hadn’t been a shell of herself.

“So you’re…?” Seven asked. I elbowed him in the ribs, because that was kinda rude, but he shrugged. “Every person in this room is waiting to hear with bated breath. That guy is a Manix. What if she is too? I can’t tell over all the scents in here.”

Courtland gave Seven a narrow-eyed stare, but Rosa just laughed. “Sorry, big guy. Full-blooded tigress from what I can tell, as are the rest of my siblings. No systematic savior of the Manix race here, but I gotta say, these little cuties must give them hope. Hey, little guy,” she cooed at Noble.

We talked about the cubs for a while until Courtland cleared his throat. “We should go. We have to return to your siblings, and then I must return to my business.”

I swallowed hard, remembering the last time I’d seen most of them, the last time I’d seen Rosa. She hadn’t been named Rosa; she hadn’t had any name at all. She’d been a tiny, squawling infant torn from my mother’s dazed arms.

“Did you really save them all?”

Courtland nodded. “Yes, all eleven, including Rosa.”

I shook my head, refusing to believe it was true. “But why?”

Courtland’s face gave nothing away. “I failed you and your mother. It was the only promise my father asked of me—that I protect you both, and I failed. It was my atonement to your mother, and to you until I could save you from Iago himself.”

I looked at the man in front of me. He had to be thirty, but not much more. “You were what, ten? Twelve? You can’t hold a child to that kind of promise, Courtland.”

He shrugged. “They say evil prevails when good men do nothing, Naja. I am not good, but I could not let this stand.” He cleared his throat. “Should you wish to meet the remainder of your siblings, I have left my number with your Alpha. They are all with loving families, and some of them have even grown up together.”

Rosa rolled her eyes. “What he means to say is that the first five of us were raised by his Abuela. Your Abuela.”

I shook my head, looking between them both. “Thank you. Both of you. I just… I thought they were all in a mass grave in the compound, or that he sold them for drugs or something.”

Courtland’s jaw clenched. “He did sell them. He was reprehensible.” He looked at my sister. “We need to go.”

Rosa gave me a quick hug. “Don’t be a stranger.”

With that, they melted back into the crowd. I shook my head, looking up at Sev, who pulled me tightly back against his chest. “That guy sets off all my alarms,” he grumbled and I shrugged.

“Mine too, but I don’t think he’s a threat to us.”

He harrumphed and moved us back through the crowd. Looks like he was done with show and tell for the day. He made a hand gesture to Gatlin, and he nodded. I didn’t even get to say goodbye before he was herding me up the stairs. When I reached the nursery, I realized Raiden was already here, as were Amity Jane and Hale, who were in their cribs. Apparently, they’d been squirelling the babies up here for a while. When Ellar appeared with another two cubs, I knew that we’d all had enough of having people in the Pack house.

Raiden flopped down into a rocking chair, and Ellar placed a baby against his chest. He rocked back and forth, humming. “Why didn’t anyone tell me this whole parenthood thing was exhausting?” He looked at us all accusingly.

I laughed, because I couldn’t argue. I walked over and kissed him on the lips. “Raiden? Parenthood is exhausting,” I said against his lips, giggling as he slapped my ass. I gave him a stern look. “If you’d let me finish, I was going to say, we’re all here to help. These cubs have the most amazing parents ever. And who knows... maybe next year, we’ll have six more?”

“No!” everyone yelled at once, and I collapsed into Raiden’s lap with a laugh, carefully curling myself around the tiny life we’d created that was sleeping against his chest.

So maybe no more cubs for a while yet, because what we had right here and right now? It was perfect.