Chapter 487

“Oh my god!” I gasp, my hands flying to my mouth. “I didn’t even think –“

“Tell me!” mom moans, leaning back against dad, pressing her eyes shut like she’s very pained. “I have to go shopping! I have to know if I’m buying little tiny dresses or tuxedoes!” Rafe and Jesse laugh at mom. Dad presses a kiss to her hair, smiling down at her antics.

I just whip my head up to stare at Jacks in shock.

“Go on then,” Jacks says, smiling at me and lifting his chin towards mom. “Put her out of her misery.”

“What are you talking about?” I whisper.

He frowns at me. “What are you talking about?”

“Jackson, I don’t know if the babies are boys or girls –“

“You don’t?” he asks, his face twisting in confusion. Marigold looks up at him, studies his expression for a second, and then looks down at me, her face twisting just like his. I pause for a second, momentarily distracted by how amazing it is that they just look exactly the same –

But then my eyes fly wide and my hand whips out, smacking him on the arm. “Wait, you do!?”

“Of course I know!” Jackson says, laughing and shaking his head at me. “I knew instantly, from the first second that I became aware of the bonds –“

“Well then why don’t I know!?” I shriek, staring at him and then whipping my head around to stare at the rest of my family, who all grin at me. “Do you all know!?”

“Of course we don’t know, Ari,” Rafe says on a sigh. “They’re your kids, your bonds. But mom and dad always knew immediately when they figured out they were pregnant.”

“Not true,” mom says, pointing a finger at Rafe. “I didn’t know yours, because I didn’t know I was a wolf, and your dad had to –“

“Um, I think I need this to be about me right now!” I interrupt, rather shrill.

Mom just laughs and turns her face back to me, tilting her head to the side a bit. “It’s not hard, baby. Just…look closely at them. You’re not doing anything wrong – you were just distracted and didn’t know what to look for.”

I feel everyone’s eyes on me as I exhale slowly and turn my attention inward to the two shiny new bonds in my soul, my wolf sitting proudly between them, her nose held high and her tongue lolling with happiness. I look a little closer, my mouth pursing tight, inspecting, trying to see…

But then I sense it, immediately. And I’m absolutely shocked I didn’t notice it before.

I gasp, my eyes flying open, my head spinning up to stare at Jackson.

“Figured it out?” he murmurs, grinning widely at me, stroking a hand over my hair.

“Girls,” I whisper, awed, one of my hands drifting to my stomach and pressing there – to where my precious little daughters are growing. “They’re girls!”

Mom squeals with joy, turning to face dad and bursting into tears.

Rafe and Jesse let out shouts of joy, both of them jumping up off the couch and giving each other big hugs. But I just stare at Jackson, tears coming to my own eyes, completely awed and overwhelmed and stunned for what feels like the tenth time today.

“Three daughters,” Jackson murmurs, smirking at me and then leaning down to press a kiss to my mouth. “A year ago I didn’t know any girls, and now I’ve got four all of my own.”

I laugh a little, the sound shaky, and then reach up to wrap my arms around his neck, pulling him closer for a moment, wanting the steady reality of him.

Three daughters. Jackson and I – we’ve got three daughters now.

God, but that’s fantastic.

Heavens, but they’re going to run us ragged. And I’m going to love every second of it.

“I can’t wait to teach them how to snipe,” I whisper into my mate’s ear.

He laughs, pulling back enough that I can see him shake his head, even as he smiles at me.

Further congratulations go around then, with everyone hugging me and each other, celebrating the new addition to our family. Mark comes in from wherever his new bedroom is and it all starts again – the shock, the tears, the surprise, the wonder. And even as I laugh and bask in the joy of this surprising morning…

I think about Juniper. And I wish, desperately, that she was here. She should know, of course, that she’s got her first niece in Marigold. And that two more are on the way.

“We’ll tell her,” Jackson murmurs, sensing the direction of my thoughts and stroking my hair with his broad palm. “We’ll go there and tell her.”

“What?” I ask, my eyes going wide as I stare at Jacks. “How – how will we do that?”

Jackson smirks and lifts his chin towards Jesse. “He’s got it all worked out.”

I spin my head to stare at my cousin, appalled. “What are we waiting for!?”

“A calm moment, Ari,” Jesse says, flopping back down on the couch as Rafe gets Mark a glass of champagne. “If we could have a single day without a baby announcement or a world-shattering revelation, I’d be able to take a deep breath and arrange it.”

I snarl at him, conceding the point, but narrowing my eyes. “Tonight,” I snap, pointing a finger at him. “Whatever you have planned, we’re doing it tonight.”

Jesse raises his champagne flute to me and nods, giving me his silent promise.

Rafe grins at me as he returns to the couch, letting out a happy, content sigh as he and Mark sit down next to each other, each sipping their champagne.

“Don’t get comfortable,” dad says from his spot in the center of the room, still standing with his arms around mom. Mom’s eyes are a bit vague and distant. I grin, because I know that mentally she’s shopping – planning out all the things she’s going to buy for the girls. Dad snaps his fingers at Rafe and smirks at him. “Just because we have good family news doesn’t mean we don’t have a job to do.”

“What?” I ask, my smile falling a little bit, looking around at everyone as Jackson places a steady hand on my back, warm and supportive.

I just look up at him, completely confused – why does everyone know something that I don’t?

“An all-day meeting about Community stuff,” Jackson says, looking down into my face. “I’m sorry – I meant to mention it last night and it slipped my mind.”

“Yeah, did you think we just came at dawn all dressed and ready to hang out with you, Ari?” Jesse asks, defying my father and lounging further on the couch.

“Yes, of course I did,” I say, blinking innocently at him. My cousin grins at me, getting my sense of humor as he always does.

“Come on, you lazy things,” dad says, snapping his fingers at the boys. “Leave Ella to force-feed your sister health foods, we’ve got a meeting.”

“I can’t come!?” I gasp, desperately jealous and not quite sure why I’m being left out.

“Someone has to watch your child, Ariel,” Jesse says, rolling his eyes at me as he sighs and gets to his feet. “So, unless you want Jackson to sit it out –“

“Oh,” I say, suddenly completely understanding. Yes – child care. One of us has to do that now.

I reach for our little girl immediately, my stomach twisting with delight when Marigold immediately reaches for me, coming willingly into my lap.

“But…” I say, looking around with a frown even as I settle Goldie in my lap. “Wait, what’s going on? What are you talking about in the meeting?”

“Coordinating the assault on the North,” Jackson says, his hand moving soothingly over my back. “And just how much the Academy is going to be involved in supporting those efforts. Apparently, the Cadets are eager to see more action, but the Captain and Roger have hesitations.”

“Oh,” I say, my face twisting to the side as I consider this. I look at my mom. “Well, I should probably be part of that. Will you take Goldie today?”

Mom goes a bit still, studying me. “Of course I’d be happy to take Marigold, Ariel, but…”

I go still too, narrowing my eyes a bit. Because…why is there a hesitation there?

The room goes quiet.

I slowly turn my head, looking around at everyone in the room. “What?” I ask, frowning. “What’s wrong?”

“Ariel, why do you need to go?” Mark asks, leaning forward towards me, the only one not giving me a worried look.

“I mean, so I can be in on the conversation about how much the Academy is going to be involved,” I say, straightening my shoulders. “I mean, I’m going to want to help with that, and as the only sniping cadet…”

My words fade off as Rafe grimaces and my family starts to look around at each other, worried and pitying.

“What!?” I ask, my heart starting to pound now. “What’s going on?”

“Ariel…” dad says, his voice a little sad. “I mean, the conversation was one thing when it was a question of whether Jackson could attend the Academy with a child…”

My eyes widen as I start to figure out where they’re going with this.

“Baby,” mom says, her voice sad for me. “Your priorities are going to change – they almost have to now –“

“No.” I growl, standing up, glaring around at all of them, clutching Marigold to my chest. “Absolutely not. I’m going back to school!”

“It’s far too dangerous, Ariel,” dad says, his voice cold and stern.

“I can protect myself,” I growl, holding out a flat palm and conjuring my blue fire there. Marigold gasps when she sees it for the first time, fascinated.

Still, my dad just shakes his head, taking a step away from mom and crossing his arms across his chest.

I raise my chin, ready for this fight.