“Mm-hmm,” Sorcha replied. “I don’t mean to interrupt. I only wanted to check your temperature and see if I could get you into the bath. You could probably manage that if I helped.”
Zayne laughed. “Daddy Sorcha, don’t be silly! Big omegas don’t take baths. They take showers!”
“Well, that’s usually true,” Sorcha replied, pulling the little boy from the crook of Teal’s elbow and hoisting him onto his hip. “But sometimes when daddies aren’t feeling well, they take a bath. Just like you.”
Garin and Kino lifted themselves up from Teal’s other side, grabbing the pile of picture books as they went.
“Is dinner ready?” Kino asked.
“Not yet. Niall said soon. But I bet he’d love it if you went downstairs and offered to set the table.”
The twins made their way past Sorcha, and he put Zayne down on the floor to go with them.
“You were okay with them?” he asked Teal.
“Yeah. I can’t believe how tired I feel, though. I’ve gone from commanding the courtroom to being out of breath after one story.”
“You’ll bounce back soon enough.”
Teal nodded. “Whatever Niall’s making smells delicious. I’ll be grateful when I’m past the broth and soft foods phase of my recovery.”
“Stomach okay?”
“Mostly, although I’ve been having some belly upset for…other reasons.” The omegas shared a knowing glance. “So, Niall is making dinner. Ronan’s still at work?”
“Yes. This was his first full day back, so he texted that he’s staying a little late to play catch-up. Probably a good idea, since he’ll need to take a few more days off soon.”
Teal exhaled carefully. “Jax?”
“Downstairs in the office. He and Niall have been waiting until late the past few nights to go over to their side.”
“He hasn’t been in to see me alone since that night he held me.”
“Give him time. I don’t know if it’s a beta thing or what, but Jax and Niall are both being cautious abouteverything.” Sorcha sat down on the edge of the mattress.
Teal pulled the younger man closer to him. “I think it’s an omega thing. We’re just naturally more open, more expressive—”
“Careful,” Sorcha chuffed. “You sound like pro-alpha propaganda.”
Chuckling, Teal clarified, “Being expressive and sensitive doesn’t make us less-than. It’s just part of being an omega. But I think for you and me, we accept things as they are because all we need to do isfeelsomething is right toknowthat it is.”
“Whereas our beta family members continue to insist on things making sense.”
“They’ll get there, and in the meantime, Ronan will keep growling at us to take care of ourselves and growling at them about how much they’re wanted.”
Sorcha held a hand against Teal’s forehead before producing a thermometer from his shirt pocket. “You’re hot.”
Teal’s upper lip twitched. “Thank you.”
Sorcha pffted. “I guess I walked into that one. But seriously, your temperature is higher than this morning.”
“You know why.”
“How long do you think we have?”
“I’m not sure. Nothing about this heat has been normal. Even before High Court I felt weird.”
“And you’re sure you want to…try?”
